Moscow Open 2013 Underway

PRESS RELEASE: The opening round of was not easy for several of the main Russian Cup favourites.

Multiple winner of Cup events Denis Khismatullin, and last season's winner of the Top Leagues of the Russian Women Championships Baira Kovanova, both lost. They suffered defeats from very young players: 16-year-old Zhamsaran Tsydypov and and 11-year-old Alexandra Obolentseva respectively.

The main favourite of the Russian Cup event Ian Nepomniachtchi needed 67 moves to overcome the resistance of International Master Maxim Ozolin.

Ian Nepomniachtchi

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Denis Khismatullin

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Baira Kovanova

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The second ranked female player in the Cup, Nino Batsiashvili, had to settle for a draw against Anastasia Romanov. There were no surprises in the round robin stage of the grandmasters tournament. The two players with highest ELO rating Alexandr Shimanov and Robert Hovhannisyan, the 2011 Armenian Champion, met each other in the key game. The Russian player prevailed. The favourite of women tournament Olga Girya was unable to breach the defences of two-time Belarus Champion 17-year-old Anastasia Zezulkina. Their game ended in a draw.

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Tournament preview here. Photos: official website (except Baira Kovanova). Games via TWIC.