CHESS CLASSIC / ORDIX OPEN 2009
2007 the Chess Classic ORDIX Open attracted 762 participants to become the world’s biggest tournament. At that time it already was the world’s biggest open. For 16 years the world’s best players have been fighting here for fame and honor.
For this year’s ORDIX Open, which will take place from 1st to 2nd August, a large number of strong grandmasters want to come and all is set for a new record. 320 players have registered, among them 75 GMs, plus a number of IMs and FMs. As far as quality is concerned the tournament already tops the record year 2007. The best ten players do have a fantastic Elo-average of 2716 and the top 20 can still boast of a 2695+ average. Currently, the highest rated player in the field is Vugar Gashimov with 2740, followed by Grischuk, who qualified in the ICC tournament, Bacrot, who just played in Dortmund, last year’s candidate’s finalist Kamsky, former World Junior Champion Mamedyarov, the American rapid chess phenomenon Nakamura, the previous ORDIX winners Navara and Bologan, former World Champion Kasimdzhanov, the Armenian Olympic gold medal winners Akopian and Sargissian, and many more. With Arkadi Naiditsch, Daniel Fridman and Georg Meier the best Germans also take part.
Nice tournament.
How can they say they are the biggest tournament in the World. The World Open draws more players. The Washington Elementary had 999 players in 2009. The USCF National Scholastic had over 5000. Do they mean they have the largest one section tournament?
Russell Miller Camas WA