Tuesday, January 22, 2013

2013 Wijk aan Zee

Standings after R9 (Group A):

75th Tata Steel GpA Wijk aan Zee (NED), 12-27 i 2013cat. XX (2732)
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1.Carlsen, MagnusgNOR2861*½½.11½½1...1172943
2.Anand, ViswanathangIND2772½*1½½.½11.½.½.62870
3.Aronian, LevongARM2802½0*.½½1.½..½112793
4.Nakamura, HikarugUSA2769.½.*.½½.½1½½½12783
5.Harikrishna, PentalagIND26980½½.*½½½1.1.½.52797
6.Karjakin, SergeygRUS27800.½½½*.½.1½½.152777
7.Leko, PetergHUN2735½½0½½.*1.½½½..2753
8.Caruana, FabianogITA2781½0..½½0*.½.11½2721
9.Van Wely, LoekgNED267900½½0...*1.11½2727
10.Wang, HaogCHN2752...0.0½½0*½1½142663
11.Giri, AnishgNED2720.½.½0½½..½*½½02631
12.L'Ami, ErwingNED2627..½½.½½000½*.½32610
13.Sokolov, IvangNED26630½0½½..00½½.*.2593
14.Hou, YifangCHN26030.00.0.½½01½.*2586

Group B had no female players, therefore not relevant.

75th Tata Steel GpC Wijk aan Zee (NED), 12-27 i 2013cat. X (2476)
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1.Brunello, SabinogITA2572*½½111.½1..1.12751
2.Peralta, FernandogARG2617½*1.½.½11..1½172684
3.Swinkels, RobingNED2508½0*.½½.½½..1112566
4.Klein, DavidmNED24450..*1.½0110.112536
5.Mekhitarian, Krikor SevaggBRA25430½½0*½1..½1..152526
6.Kovchan, AlexandergUKR25790.½.½*½1½½..½152520
7.Burg, TwanmNED2492.½.½0½*.01½½1.2488
8.Bitensky, IgormISR2400½0½1.0.*.½½1.042430
9.Gretarsson, Hjorvar SteinnmISL251600½0.½1.*1½.½.42457
10.Romanishin, Oleg MgUKR2521...0½½0½0*1½1.42417
11.Admiraal, MiguoelfNED2321...10.½½½0*0½½2371
12.Goryachkina, AleksandrawgRUS2402000...½0.½1*½½32339
13.Van Der Werf, MarkmNED2450.½00.½0.½0½½*.2323
14.Schut, LisawmNED2295000000.1..½½.*22267

What I do not understand is how the organizers, who have in prior years hosted several strong female players in the B and C groups, failed so miserably this time around.  I mean - really?  Yeah, I get that they want to feature players from the home country.  Okay, but NO FEMALE PLAYERS IN GROUP B?  One female player in Group C rated 2402 when there are dozens to choose from in the wider world rated 2500 and above, who would surely be more competitive.  And Hou Yivan for Group A?  What?  GM Antoneta Stefanova would give a better result in the A Group, for one!  Geez.  Wonder what went on.  Was it a matter of money?  Did they not offer enough up front to the best female players in the world to make it worthwhile for them to come to Wijk aan Zee?  Was it, instead, a deliberate decision to shut out the best female players and set up the THREE that are playing for total, abject failure? 

I won't be covering the rest of this event.  I mean, I only care about the female players and the tournament the organizers put together this year that used to feature top female players is just - bullshit!

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