10 players in round-robin, August 18-28th, pairings added
The Ex-World Champion Vladimir Kramnik will participate in the traditional super-tournament Mikhail Tal Memorial, which will be held in Moscow from 18th to 28th August, Sports.ru reported. Kramnik is back to defend the last year’s trophy, when he confidently took the first place, full point ahead of Alexei Shirov.
Apart from Vladimir Kramnik, also confirmed is the participation of the winner of the Mtel Masters 2008 – Vassily Ivanchuk, the World Chess Championship semi-finalist Gata Kamsky, the 2007 World Championship participant Boris Gelfand and the 2007 World Cup finalist Alexei Shirov. There will be 10 players, but the rest of the field is to be announced later.
Update, 10th August: The field is now completed, with Alexander Morozevich, Ruslan Ponomariov, Peter Leko, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Evgeny Alekseev to play. Tal’s Cup, the world’s “largest” blitz tournament will take place on 29-30 August. Total prize fund is 100.000 USD.
Sources – e3e5.com and Sportbox.ru.
This tournament will probably serve as the last practical test for Kramnik and Kamsky prior to important matches in the World Championship cycle.
Playing Schedule
Round 1 – 18.08.2008
Kramnik, Vladimir – Shirov, Alexei
Leko, Peter – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
Morozevich, Alexander – Alekseev, Evgeny
Ponomariov, Ruslan – Gelfand, Boris
Ivanchuk, Vassily – Kamsky, Gata
Round 2 – 19.08.2008
Shirov, Alexei – Kamsky, Gata
Gelfand, Boris – Ivanchuk, Vassily
Alekseev, Evgeny – Ponomariov, Ruslan
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Morozevich, Alexander
Kramnik, Vladimir – Leko, Peter
Round 3 – 20.08.2008
Leko, Peter – Shirov, Alexei
Morozevich, Alexander – Kramnik, Vladimir
Ponomariov, Ruslan – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
Ivanchuk, Vassily – Alekseev, Evgeny
Kamsky, Gata – Gelfand, Boris
Round 4 – 21.08.2008
Shirov, Alexei – Gelfand, Boris
Alekseev, Evgeny – Kamsky, Gata
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Ivanchuk, Vassily
Kramnik, Vladimir – Ponomariov, Ruslan
Leko, Peter – Morozevich, Alexander
Round 5 – 22.08.2008
Morozevich, Alexander – Shirov, Alexei
Ponomariov, Ruslan – Leko, Peter
Ivanchuk, Vassily – Kramnik, Vladimir
Kamsky, Gata – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
Gelfand, Boris – Alekseev, Evgeny
Round 6 – 24.08.2008
Shirov, Alexei – Alekseev, Evgeny
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Gelfand, Boris
Kramnik, Vladimir – Kamsky, Gata
Leko, Peter – Ivanchuk, Vassily
Morozevich, Alexander – Ponomariov, Ruslan
Round 7 – 25.08.2008
Ponomariov, Ruslan – Shirov, Alexei
Ivanchuk, Vassily – Morozevich, Alexander
Kamsky, Gata – Leko, Peter
Gelfand, Boris – Kramnik, Vladimir
Alekseev, Evgeny – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
Round 8 – 26.08.2008
Shirov, Alexei – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
Kramnik, Vladimir – Alekseev, Evgeny
Leko, Peter – Gelfand, Boris
Morozevich, Alexander – Kamsky, Gata
Ponomariov, Ruslan – Ivanchuk, Vassily
Round 9 – 27.08.2008
Ivanchuk, Vassily – Shirov, Alexei
Kamsky, Gata – Ponomariov, Ruslan
Gelfand, Boris – Morozevich, Alexander
Alekseev, Evgeny – Leko, Peter
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Kramnik, Vladimir
