The Hindu : Sport / Chess : Top players for Linares

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 23, 2005

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Sport - Chess

Top players for Linares

LINARES, FEB. 22. Having won his last title here seven years ago, World No. 2 Viswanathan Anand will be looking forward to setting the record straight in the Linares Super Grandmasters chess tournament, getting underway on Wednesday.

The prestigious event features the best players in the world with the top seed and hot favourite being the Russian legend Gary Kasparov.

The tournament will be played on a double round-robin basis between seven players under classical time control and the winner will take home Euro 100,000 (approx Rs. 57 lakh) from a total prize money of Euro 297,000 (approx Rs. 170 lakh).

The organisers have ensured the best possible line-up of seven players again. Besides Anand and Kasparov, the organisers have also roped in World No. 3 Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria.

Former winner Peter Leko of Hungary is another contender for the title. Leko is currently ranked fifth in the world.

Number four Russian Vladimir Kramnik was also apparently invited but he withdrew prompting the organising committee to invite current FIDE World champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan.

Michael Adams is the other contestant besides Spanish hope Francisco Vallejo Pons who is now a regular in this event.

The participants:

Gary Kasparov (Rus, WR: 1, Elo 2804); Viswanathan Anand (Ind, WR: 2, Elo 2786); Veselin Topalov (Bul, WR: 3, Elo 2757); Peter Leko (Hun, WR: 5, Elo 2749); Michael Adams (Eng, WR: 6-7, Elo 2741); Francisco Vallejo Pons (Esp, WR: 18, Elo 2686); Rustam Kasimdzhanov (Uzb, WR: 25, Elo 2786). — PTI

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