Carlsen-Nakamura and Anand-Topalov in first round Amber Tournament

The 20th and final Amber Blindfold and Rapid Tournament will take off with some spectacular pairings. The first round, played on Saturday, will see Carlsen-Nakamura and Anand-Topalov. The other match-ups are Aronian-Giri, Ivanchuk-Gashimov, Karjakin-Gelfand and Grischuk-Kramnik. This was the result of the drawing of lots on Friday night in Cafe de Paris, Monaco.

Below are the full pairings of the 2011 Amber tournament, courtesy of chief arbiter Geurt Gijssen:

Saturday, March 12, Round 1
14.30	Blindfold	Nakamura-Carlsen	Aronian-Giri	Ivanchuk-Gashimov
16.00		Karjakin-Gelfand	Grischuk-Kramnik	Anand-Topalov
17.45	Rapid	Carlsen-Nakamura	Giri-Aronian	Gashimov-Ivanchuk
19.15		Gelfand-Karjakin	Kramnik-Grischuk	Topalov-Anand
Sunday, March 13, Round 2
14.30	Blindfold	Topalov-Karjakin	Kramnik-Anand	Gelfand-Grischuk
16.00		Carlsen-Gashimov	Giri-Ivanchuk	Nakamura-Aronian
17.45	Rapid	Karjakin-Topalov	Anand-Kramnik	Grischuk-Gelfand
19.15		Gashimov-Carlsen	Ivanchuk-Giri	Aronian-Nakamura
Monday, March 14, Round 3
14.30	Blindfold	Aronian-Carlsen	Ivanchuk-Nakamura	Gashimov-Giri
16.00		Grischuk-Karjakin	Anand-Gelfand	Kramnik-Topalov
17.45	Rapid	Carlsen-Aronian	Nakamura-Ivanchuk	Giri-Gashimov
19.15		Karjakin-Grischuk	Gelfand-Anand	Topalov-Kramnik
Tuesday, March 15, Round 4
14.30	Blindfold	Karjakin-Kramnik	Gelfand-Topalov	Grischuk-Anand
16.00		Carlsen-Giri	Nakamura-Gashimov	Aronian-Ivanchuk
17.45	Rapid	Kramnik-Karjakin	Topalov-Gelfand	Anand-Grischuk
19.15		Giri-Carlsen	Gashimov-Nakamura	Ivanchuk-Aronian
Wednesday, March 16, Rest day
Thursday, March 17, Round 5
14.30	Blindfold	Ivanchuk-Carlsen	Gashimov-Aronian	Giri-Nakamura
16.00		Anand-Karjakin	Topalov-Grischuk	Kramnik-Gelfand
17.45	Rapid	Carlsen-Ivanchuk	Aronian-Gashimov	Nakamura-Giri
19.15		Karjakin-Anand	Grischuk-Topalov	Gelfand-Kramnik
Friday, March 18, Round 6
14.30	Blindfold	Gelfand-Nakamura	Grischuk-Aronian	Anand-Ivanchuk
16.00		Topalov-Gashimov	Kramnik-Giri	Karjakin-Carlsen
17.45	Rapid	Nakamura-Gelfand	Aronian-Grischuk	Ivanchuk-Anand
19.15		Gashimov-Topalov	Giri-Kramnik	Carlsen-Karjakin
Saturday, March 19, Round 7
14.30	Blindfold	Giri-Topalov	Carlsen-Kramnik	Gashimov-Karjakin
16.00		Aronian-Gelfand	Ivanchuk-Grischuk	Nakamura-Anand
17.45	Rapid	Topalov-Giri	Kramnik-Carlsen	Karjakin-Gashimov
19.15		Gelfand-Aronian	Grischuk-Ivanchuk	Anand-Nakamura
Sunday, March 20, Round 8
14.30	Blindfold	Grischuk-Nakamura	Anand-Aronian	Gelfand-Ivanchuk
16.00		Kramnik-Gashimov	Karjakin-Giri	Topalov-Carlsen
17.45	Rapid	Nakamura-Grischuk	Aronian-Anand	Ivanchuk-Gelfand
19.15		Gashimov-Kramnik	Giri-Karjakin	Carlsen-Topalov
Monday, March 21, Rest day
Tuesday, March 22, Round 9
14.30	Blindfold	Gashimov-Gelfand	Giri-Grischuk	Carlsen-Anand
16.00		Nakamura-Topalov	Aronian-Kramnik	Ivanchuk-Karjakin
17.45	Rapid	Gelfand-Gashimov	Grischuk-Giri	Anand-Carlsen
19.15		Topalov-Nakamura	Kramnik-Aronian	Karjakin-Ivanchuk
Wednesday, March 23, Round 10
14.30	Blindfold	Topalov-Aronian	Kramnik-Ivanchuk	Karjakin-Nakamura
16.00		Gelfand-Giri	Grischuk-Carlsen	Anand-Gashimov
17.45	Rapid	Aronian-Topalov	Ivanchuk-Kramnik	Nakamura-Karjakin
19.15		Giri-Gelfand	Carlsen-Grischuk	Gashimov-Anand
Thursday, March 24, Round 11*
14.30	Blindfold	Carlsen-Gelfand	Gashimov-Grischuk	Giri-Anand
16.00		Ivanchuk-Topalov	Nakamura-Kramnik	Aronian-Karjakin
17.45	Rapid	Gelfand-Carlsen	Grischuk-Gashimov	Anand-Giri
19.15		Topalov-Ivanchuk	Kramnik-Nakamura	Karjakin-Aronian

* Based on the standings before the last round the chief arbiter may change the schedule.

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The 20th Amber Blindfold and Rapid Tournament will take place at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort in Monaco, from March 11 to 25, 2011. The tournament is organized by the Association Max Euwe of chess maecenas Joop van Oosterom, which is based in Monaco. This 20th Amber tournament will be the final edition of an event unparalleled in the history of chess. The total prize-fund is € 227,000.

LIVE GAMES here.

Link

• Official website