100,000 USD in prizes will be given with 50 percent of these prizes guaranteed
The current US Woman Champion, Irina Krush (2511 USCF rating) who has the title of International Master and three norms of Grandmaster among the man, announced her participation in the Miami Chess Open which begins next Wednesday at 7pm at the Sheraton Mart Plaza Hotel located at 711 NW 72 Ave.
Having Irina Krush been part of the Miami Chess Open we now have the current US Champions in both sexes since before GM Alexander Shabalov was already signed up. Shabalov has been US champion 4 times (1993, 2000, 2003, 2007).
Some other very strong grandmasters have signed up last minute. The names include Israeli GM Viktor Mikhalevski (2675 USCF) and Armenian-American grandmaster Varuzhan Akobian (2652), who was a former US Junior Champion and two times World Open Champion. Akobian is also the current Continental Champion. Mexican grandmaster Gilberto Hernandez (2564) has been three times Mexican champion.
Also from Paraguay hails 17 year-old international master Axel Bachmann (2550), Paraguay’s champion in 2004 and also in possession of three norms for the GM title, Canadian grandmaster Pascal Charbonneau (2536) who was two times Canadian champion and four times a member of the Canadian Olympic team.
Together with these guys are the already known names of GM Hikaru Nakamura (2742), which is the second rated guy in the US and former US champion in 2005. Georgian GM Zviad Izoria (2719) former world champion under 16 years old, Cuban born GM Julio Becerra (2642) who recently qualified for the World Cup in Siberia at the end of November. GM Darmen Sadakasov (2600) from Kazahakstan who defeated Korchnoi in a match (5-3) in the year 2003 and also defeated former World Champion Anatoly Karpov (4.5-3.5) in the year 2004, and also Colombian GM Gildardo Garcia (2520), eight times champion of his country.
Among female players, aside from Krush, we have WFM Liulia Cardona (2257) who was the second highest rated female player in Cuba before she arrived to the US, and also Venezuelan Carolina Blanco (2200) who currently holds the title of WIM and FM among the man.
We should call the attention to the fans about the prizes offered in this event. 100,000 USD in prizes will be given with 50% of these prizes guaranteed regardless of the amount of players who sign up. There will be 8 different sections or categories (Open, under 2200,under 2000,under 1800, under 1600, under 1300, under 1100 and one for players who do not have any rating).
The hours of play will be: Wednesday 26 at 7pm, the 27th at 1pm and 7pm, on the 28th and the 29th at 11am and 6pm and on Sunday the 30th at 10 am and 4:30pm but there also different schedules for the players wanting to play the event in 3 or 4 days if the participant prefers it.
We would like to remind the media that the pictures with flash should be taken within the first ten minutes of the game been played. The spectators will have the opportunity to follow the games in a projected screen that will be at the tournament site.
Aside from that and completely free in different rooms within the hotel facilities conferences, analysis of games and simuls will be offered in all cases offered by grandmasters and the most outstanding players of the event.
The party is about to begin! Enjoy the ride!
Information by chief organizer IM Blas Lugo
