Kramnik Wins President's Cup
A very strong rapid tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan, has been won by former world champion Vladimir Kramnik.
The 'President's Cup' competition featured four Azerbaijani players and four overseas players in a round-robin event. Besides Kramnik, the 'Rest of the World' contingent comprised Gata Kamsky, Judith Polgar and Emil Suvovsky*.
Mamedyarov started strongly with wins against Kramnik and Polgar, but by the end of the tournament missed out on first place on tie-breaks.
The time control was an unforgiving 25 minutes/game with no increment.
The final table:
| 1 |
Kramnik, Vladimir | RUS | 2790 | * | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 5 |
| 2 |
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar | AZE | 2760 | 1 | * | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 5 |
| 3 |
Kamsky, Gata | USA | 2702 | 0 | 1 | * | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 4 |
Radjabov, Teimour | AZE | 2740 | 0 | ½ | 0 | * | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 3½ |
| 5 |
Polgar, Judit | HUN | 2682 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 6 |
Sutovsky, Emil | ISR | 2650 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | * | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 7 |
Mamedov, Rauf | AZE | 2639 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | * | ½ | 2 |
| 8 |
Guseinov, Gadir | AZE | 2609 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | * | 1½ |
*Although Sutovsky is an Israeli and played for the 'Rest of World' team, he was actually born in Baku!
