Sergei Zhigalko takes Baku
| Sergei Zhigalko |
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The Baku open is one of the strongest in the international calendar, with five 2700 players participating this year.
Seventh seed Sergei Zhigalko of Belarus topped the field on 7/9, with Dimitry Andreikin and Emil Sutovsky half-a-point behind.
The venue was the AF HOTEL (near the Caspian Sea, in Novkhani, in the vicinity of Baku, Azerbaijan) and took place from the 5th to 14th of August.
There were as many as 17 GMs rated 2600 and over in the field of 73 players, all of whom were trying to get their hands on some of the 50,000 Euros prize-fund. In addition, there were 133 players in the Open B tournament.
Prize fund
1st - 10000 € + cup
2nd - 6000 €
3rd - 4000 €
4th - 2000 €
5th - 1500 €
6th - 1400 €
7th - 1300 €
8th - 1200 €
9th - 1100 €
For 10th to 25th there were also cash prizes (from 1000 to 300 euros).
Here were the final standings:
| Rank | Title | Name | Country | Rating | Points | TB1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GM | Zhigalko Sergei | BLR | 2689 | 7.0 | 2588 |
| 2 | GM | Andreikin Dmitry | RUS | 2696 | 6.5 | 2607 |
| 3 | GM | Sutovsky Emil | ISR | 2700 | 6.5 | 2539 |
| 4 | GM | Bruzon Batista Lazaro | CUB | 2673 | 6.0 | 2608 |
| 5 | GM | Mchedlishvili Mikheil | GEO | 2618 | 6.0 | 2574 |
| 6 | GM | Romanov Evgeny | RUS | 2624 | 6.0 | 2574 |
| 7 | GM | Guliev Sarhan | AZE | 2500 | 6.0 | 2565 |
| 8 | GM | Mamedyarov Shakhriyar | AZE | 2765 | 6.0 | 2534 |
| 9 | GM | Dreev Aleksey | RUS | 2711 | 6.0 | 2533 |
| 10 | GM | Iordachescu Viorel | MDA | 2646 | 6.0 | 2493 |
| 11 | GM | Mamedov Rauf | AZE | 2679 | 6.0 | 2478 |
| 12 | GM | Volkov Sergey | RUS | 2607 | 6.0 | 2477 |
| 13 | IM | Maghalashvili Davit | GEO | 2463 | 6.0 | 2465 |
| 14 | GM | Smirin Ilia | ISR | 2676 | 6.0 | 2435 |
| 15 | GM | Vallejo Pons Francisco | ESP | 2724 | 5.5 | 2565 |
| 16 | GM | Dominguez Perez Leinier | CUB | 2719 | 5.5 | 2543 |
| 17 | GM | Safarli Eltaj | AZE | 2622 | 5.5 | 2541 |
| 18 | GM | Cheparinov Ivan | BUL | 2669 | 5.5 | 2516 |
| 19 | GM | Najer Evgeniy | RUS | 2643 | 5.5 | 2484 |
| 20 | IM | Nigalidze Gaioz | GEO | 2448 | 5.5 | 2369 |
Top seed and local star Shakhriyar Mamedyarov finished in a rather modest 8th.
More information from the official site:
Published: 21/08/2011 16:07