Aeroflot Open 2009

Here we come, Russia!


The four-man Philippine contingent to Aeroflot Open 2009 -- GM Wesley So, IM Richard Bitoon, Haridas Pascua, and Jan Emmanuel Garcia -- is bound to make history.

History, because for the first time in Philippine chess, an almost U16 group will wave the Philippine flag in a land known as the real chess powerhouse.


History, because Wesley is there. Who knows, Wesley continues his momentum of conquering the world of chess.

He already conquered the Middle East and the Netherlands. Time to melt the iron curtain.


Individually, I see varied goals for our four players.


Wesley, for confirming his world-class status and creeping in to the 2700-rating mark.


Richard, for getting his second or final GM norm?


Haridas and Jan Emmanuel, for international exposure and FIDE title.


Their goals might vary, but they must have something in common -- that is, to bring honor to the Philippines and make the Filipino chess community happy, entertained, and satisfied.


For sure, the mission ahead of them is tough. Let's make it a little bearable through our soulful and selfless prayers.

Here are some facts about Aeroflot Open 2009:


The International Chess Festival "Aeroflot Open 2009" will be held in Moscow from 16 February (the day of arrival) to 27 February 2009 (the day of departure).


The Aeroflot Open Chess Festival, which is popular throughout the world, will be held in February2009 for the eighth time running. This major event is open to chess players of most varied qualification: from unrated to having a very high rating.


As before, the festival is held “under the wings” of our leading air company – Aeroflot. For the fourth year running the festival will take place in the major tourist complex “Izmailovo” - hotel “Gamma – Delta”, where the participants of the previous festivals so liked to stay and to play.


This time the festival has the largest prize fund in the entire history of Aeroflot Open Festival - EUR 180 000 (taking into account the prizes for the World Blitz Qualification Tournament).


Four Open Tournaments (A1,A2, B and C) are made up according to the rating of the participants. Naturally, the most interest is aroused by A1 tournament, requiring from a participant a rating above 2550 and usually boasting a number of extra class players.


This time, within the festival the Qualification Tournament for the World Blitz Championship will be held in addition to four open tournaments.The official hotel and tournament venue is hotel "Gamma-Delta" belonging to the Tourist Complex "Ismailovo".


The Organizers of the Festival are the "Aeroflot-Russian Airlines", the Association of Chess Federations and the Russian Chess Federation in cooperation with the Committee on Tourism of the Municipality of Moscow.


The schedule of games:



The venue: