Moscow Open & Aeroflot Open 2011

If you're hungry for ample helpings of top-quality chess games then Moscow is currently serving up a veritable feast of gargantuan proportions.

Just coming to a climax is the Moscow Open which actually comprises of NINE separate tournaments held at the Russian State Social University.

Arguably the main event in terms of its sheer size is the colossal main Open competition with over 580 players in a 9-round Swiss event (called the Moscow Open E by the official website).  However, there are also competitions for women, students and children.

There are also two 12-player round robin competitions for young men and women players.  Alexandra Kosteniuk (pictured) is the top seeded player in the women's round robin event.

Results, games, interviews, photos and live broadcasts are available at the official website.

Yet all of this is effectively just an appetiser for chess fans before the Aeroflot Open which runs from 8-17 February, also in Moscow.  There are three separate nine-round Open competitions in Aeroflot, one for players with ratings of less than 2300 Elo, another for players between 2300 and 2550 Elo, but the main event is the minimum 2550 Elo rated Open.

The winner of this main Open gets €20,000 and an invite to the round-robin Dortmund super-tournament in July.  The final day (17 February) also sees a double nine-round Swiss blitz tournament which acts as a qualifier for the World Bliz Championship 2011.

There are over 80 competitors in the main Open competition, and Gata Kamsky (pictured) is top seeded.