Qatar Masters: Giri, Kramnik, Mamedyarov Top Seeds

PeterDoggers

Updated: Nov 26, 2014, 2:25 AM | 27 | Chess Event Coverage

Today the Qatar Masters open takes off in Doha, Qatar.

The top seeds are the Dutch #1 Anish Giri, the 14th world champion Vladimir Kramnik and the Tal Memorial blitz winner Shakhriyar Mamedyarov!

The tournament is one of the strongest, if not the strongest open of the year, with 154 participants all rated above 2200 and no less than 14 GMs rated 2700 or higher.

You can follow live commentary from Doha at Chess.com/TV every day, from 3 pm local time (4 am Los Angeles, 7 am New York, 12 pm London, 1 pm Amsterdam and 5:30 pm Mumbai).

So who's playing? Here's the impressive top 50 (find the full list here):

Qatar Masters Open 2014 | Top 50

No.	Title	Name	FED	Rtg	No.	Title	Name	FED	Rtg
1	GM	Giri	NED	2776	26	GM	Akopian	ARM	2657
2	GM	Kramnik	RUS	2760	27	GM	Mamedov	AZE	2652
3	GM	Mamedyarov	AZE	2757	28	GM	Efimenko	UKR	2644
4	GM	Vachier-Lagrave	FRA	2751	29	GM	Bologan	MDA	2643
5	GM	Ding Liren	CHN	2730	30	GM	Ivanisevic	SRB	2643
6	GM	Harikrishna	IND	2725	31	GM	Shankland	USA	2642
7	GM	Jobava	GEO	2722	32	GM	A.Vovk	UKR	2640
8	GM	Eljanov	UKR	2719	33	GM	Rakhmanov	RUS	2636
9	GM	Naiditsch	GER	2719	34	GM	Romanov	RUS	2636
10	GM	Tomashevsky	RUS	2714	35	GM	Gupta	IND	2632
11	GM	Bu Xiangzhi	CHN	2707	36	GM	Adhiban	IND	2630
12	GM	Kryvoruchko	UKR	2706	37	GM	Dubov	RUS	2629
13	GM	Yu Yangyi	CHN	2705	38	GM	Safarli	AZE	2628
14	GM	Moiseenko	UKR	2701	39	GM	Volokitin	UKR	2627
15	GM	Sargissian	ARM	2687	40	GM	Mchedlishvili	GEO	2622
16	GM	Cheparinov	BUL	2684	41	GM	Salgado	ESP	2622
17	GM	Saric	CRO	2680	42	GM	Durarbayli	AZE	2621
18	GM	Melkumyan	ARM	2678	43	GM	Naroditsky	USA	2620
19	GM	Sjugirov	RUS	2673	44	GM	Oleksienko	UKR	2620
20	GM	Berkes	HUN	2669	45	GM	Perunovic	SRB	2619
21	GM	Fedorchuk	UKR	2664	46	GM	E.L'Ami	NED	2618
22	GM	Bartel	POL	2662	47	GM	Hamdouchi	FRA	2616
23	GM	Kuzubov	UKR	2661	48	GM	Mista	POL	2616
24	GM	Edouard	FRA	2659	49	GM	Swiercz	POL	2616
25	GM	Movsesian	ARM	2659	50	GM	Ganguly	IND	2615

The Qatar Masters Open 2014, a 9-round Swiss, is played November 26-December 4 at the business center of the Crowne Plaza in Doha. The total prize fund is $110,000, with a $25,000 first prize.

The time control is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, plus 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from the move 1.

The players are not allowed to offer or to agree for a draw before 30 moves have been completed by both players.

Follow the action at Chess.com/TV!

Qatar Masters: Giri, Kramnik, Mamedyarov Top Seeds

Qatar Masters Open 2014 | Top 50

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