Leko leads in Yerevan

After 10 of the 14 rounds, Peter Leko is leading the rapid event in Yerevan, that has been renamed to Karen Asrian Memorial.

It must be a strange atmosphere in which the rapid tournament in the Armenian capital Yerevan is being played now. Not long before the first round would start, of what then was still called the "Chess Masters Yerevan 2008", Armenia's fourth best player Karen Asrian suddenly died.

Of course the news came as a huge shock and then the question rises: what to do with the tournament? The organizers couldn't cancel it completely, with all those big chess names around, and although it's a cliche, chess player Asrian wouldn't have wanted it that way.

And so on June 9 it was decided to start anyway, after a moment of silence, and two rounds were played. (Understandably, Aronian and Akopian drew their two mutual games quickly.)

Then play was postponed for two days and so on June 10 and 11 there was no chess. After that there have been some catching up: yesterday rounds 3-6 were played and today rounds 7-10. Tomorrow rounds 11 and 12 are scheduled and on Sunday rounds 13 and 14.

On the right you can replay the games (I didn't make it to create a selection this time). After ten rounds it's Peter Leko, who recently increased his rapid experience once more in Miskolc with a match against Carlsen, who leads in what is called the Karen Asrian Memorial in the meantime.
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The venue: the Opera House in Yerevan

A shot of the players

Peter Leko

Gelfand - Morozevich

Bu - Leko

Links:

• Official website
• Games in PGN