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33 Indians will travel to Aeroflot Open 2019 fully sponsored by the Government

by Shahid Ahmed - 31/01/2019

We can say that Indian chess is in safe hands when we know that we have a strong administration in the form of AICF and the government of India supporting the sport. 33 Indians will be travelling to the Aeroflot Open 2019 on 18th of February 2019 sponsored completely by the Government of India. It includes both male and female players in senior, junior and sub-junior category. These players will have absolutely no cost as the sports authority of India will take care of not only flight and accommodation, but also visa costs and also give the players a daily allowance. Aeroflot Open has three sections: A (above 2550), B (2300 to 2550) and C (below 2300). One of the Indian GMs will be the top seed in the B section. Can you guess who he is?

One of the biggest challenge all Indian players face is the lack of exposure. It is sure that Indian chess circuit is very strong and Indian players are too, but every once in a while they need to expand their horizon as not all Asian/World/International events can take place in one country. It is important for each player to be acquainted with different styles of play, foreign atmosphere, change in climate, cuisine and culture. It helps a player to grow not over the board only, but overall as a player and human being too. All of this can be taken care if the best players of the country get a chance to play in International events. However, the biggest impediment is finance. Many of the talented youngsters of our country is unable to go to foreign tournaments because of financial constraints.

 

The All India Chess Federation under the leadership of Bharat Singh Chauhan has made a brilliant move. The foreign exposure trip was reinstated last year. Total 33 Indians including 29 players and 4 officials have been selected at the Aeroflot Open 2019 at full cost of Government. The Sports Authority of India will ensure the sponsorship of the entire Indian contingent.

It's heartening to see the efforts of AICF and also of the sports minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore in supporting Indian chess | Photo: Bharat Singh Chauhan's Facebook page

The letter received by AICF from Government of India

The total spending by the government will be Rs.40 lakh!

That's the Official Hotel. Hotel Cosmos is the place where the tournament will take place

Lalith Babu is the top seed in Aeroflot Open 2019 B group

Former National Premier and current National Rapid Champion GM Lalith Babu will be the top seed in the B group | Photo: Amruta Mokal

Lalith Babu has already made an impressive start to 2019 with 2776 performance at the Gibraltar Masters 2019.

Confirmed list of players in A group (2549+)

No.NameFideIDFEDRtgTyp
1GMWei Yi8603405CHN2733
2GMWang Hao8602883CHN2714
3GMArtemiev Vladislav24101605RUS2709
4GMMamedov Rauf13401653AZE2703
5GMInarkiev Ernesto4162722RUS2692
6GMMaghsoodloo Parham12539929IRI2679
7GMSasikiran Krishnan5004985IND2678
8GMSethuraman S.P.5021596IND2665
9GMSjugirov Sanan4189302RUS2663
10GMZvjaginsev Vadim4113403RUS2642
11GMAlekseenko Kirill4135539RUS2637
12GMIndjic Aleksandar911925SRB2630
13GMSarana Alexey24133795RUS2630
14GMParavyan David4194985RUS2627
15GMGrachev Boris4129199RUS2626
16GMFirouzja Alireza12573981IRI2618U18
17GMGoganov Aleksey24109959RUS2612
18GMVan Foreest Jorden1039784NED2612
19GMIdani Pouya12510130IRI2611
20GMZhou Jianchao8603537CHN2609

Check out the players' list of group A

Confirmed list of players in B group (2299-2549)

No.NameFideIDFEDRtgTyp
1GMLalith Babu M R5024595IND2547
2IMHarutyunian Tigran K.13303635ARM2542
3GMDebashis Das5024854IND2538
4IMDemidov Mikhail4197143RUS2520
5GMLintchevski Daniil4171055RUS2517
6GMPotapov Pavel4169786RUS2516
7GMKarthik Venkataraman25006479IND2515
8GMLevin Evgeny A.4182596RUS2512
9FMAfanasiev Nikita24183555RUS2508
10GMGasanov Eldar14104466UKR2500
11IMDrygalov Andrey24171735RUS2485
12IMZakhartsov Vladimir4145097RUS2483
13IMGolubov Saveliy24176729RUS2482
14IMBilguun Sumiya4901541MGL2471
15IMFlom Gabriel621650FRA2467
16IMKozionov Kirill24101729RUS2460
17IMBelyakov Bogdan24104795RUS2459
18IMIniyan P25002767IND2456U18
19IMKazakovskiy Valeriy13507443BLR2456
20WIMShuvalova Polina24171760RUS2450U18

Check out the players' list of Group B

Confirmed list of players in C group (Unrated-2299)

No.NameFideIDFEDRtgTyp
1IMIljin Timofey14110180UKR2298
2WGMGomes Mary Ann5013623IND2296
3FMVolkov Sergei4176588RUS2293
4FMKuznetsov Mikhail V.4194900RUS2292
5FMVlassow Valentin4164008RUS2289
6Chinguun Sumiya4902572MGL2286U18
7WGMMirzoeva Elmira4127951RUS2281
8Mochalin Faddey34147290RUS2270U18
9FMBabikov Ivan4161106RUS2268
10Ning Kaiyu8614750CHN2267U18
11Egorov Pavel24122637RUS2266
12FMErzhanov Arman4138821KAZ2261
13Gharagyozyan Artur13303279ARM2253
14Pranavananda V5073588IND2234
15IMFilipenko Alexander V4104471RUS2231S60
16FMRozanov Pavel B.4129270RUS2226
17WIMMahalakshmi M5001080IND2219
18Namini Armin1706322SWE2214
19IMMalinin Yuri4131975RUS2210
20Mamatov Melis13800027KGZ2203

Check out the players' list of Group C