AAI International Grandmaster Chess Tournament 2011

Final standings:

Rank		Name	Rtg	FED	1	2	3	4	5	6	Pts	Res.	SB
1	GM	Caruana Fabiano	2714	ITA	* *	1 ½	½ 0	½ ½	1 1	1 1	7	0	29.75
2	GM	Sasikiran Krishnan	2676	IND	0 ½	* *	1 1	0 ½	1 ½	1 ½	6	0	26.75
3	GM	Laznicka Viktor	2681	CZE	½ 1	0 0	* *	1 0	1 ½	1 ½	5½	0	25.25
4	GM	So Wesley	2667	PHI	½ ½	1 ½	0 1	* *	½ 0	½ ½	5	0	26.25
5	GM	Negi Parimarjan	2622	IND	0 0	0 ½	0 ½	½ 1	* *	1 0	3½	0	16.25
6	GM	Hou Yifan	2612	CHN	0 0	0 ½	0 ½	½ ½	0 1	* *	3	0	14.25

Hou Yifan had a tough tournament, scoring only 3.0/10. I think she needs to take a break before entering another mixed event.  No women only events, though!

AAI International Grandmasters Chess Tournament 2011

Hou Yifan, the sole female in this tough event, has moved out of last place and has scored some points.  Good for her!  There are three more rounds to go.

Standings after R7:

Rank after round 7
Rank		Name	Rtg	FED	1	2	3	4	5	6	Pts	Res.	SB
1	GM	Caruana Fabiano	2714	ITA	* *	½	1 ½	½	1	1 1	5½	0	15.00
2	GM	So Wesley	2667	PHI	½	* *	1 ½	0 1	½	½	4	2½	14.50
3	GM	Sasikiran Krishnan	2676	IND	0 ½	0 ½	* *	1	1	1	4	1½	12.25
4	GM	Laznicka Viktor	2681	CZE	½	1 0	0	* *	1 ½	1	4	1	11.25
5	GM	Hou Yifan	2612	CHN	0	½	0	0 ½	* *	0 1	2	0	5.50
6	GM	Negi Parimarjan	2622	IND	0 0	½	0	0	1 0	* *	1½	0	4.00

Perhaps Hou Yifan Needs a Break

She has yet to draw or win a game in the AAI International Grandmaster Chess Tournament 2011 taking place right now in India (June 22 - July 2, 2011).  It is a category 17 event, the highest yet held in India.

After three rounds, Hou has no points.  This is a double round-robin so all of the players will face each other, once with white pieces, once with black pieces.  Hou has 7 more rounds to go, but I'm telling you it doesn't look very promising for her at the moment.  Perhaps she is tired out from her nearly constant high-intensity events she's played in since winning the women's champion title in December, 2010.  She is gearing up for her match with GM Koneru Humpy of India later this year for the women's champion title (if it is, in fact, held.  As far as I am aware, either nobody has bid for this event or what bids have come in have been unacceptable to FIDE (perhaps because not enough bribe money is being offered).

Standings after R3:

Hou Yifan in Field of Six

Women's world champ Hou Yifan in field of six players at AAI Chess
IANS | Jun 20, 2011, 12.09pm IST

NEW DELHI: There is a sense of great expectancy as the six-player field descends for the inaugural AAI Grandmasters Chess tournament starting on Tuesday.

The six-player field includes women's world champion Hou Yifan of China, besides the prodigiously talented Fabiano Caruana, who completes 19 years next month, Czech Champion Viktor Laznicka, Filipino No. 1 Wesley So, Indian National champion Parimarjan Negi and Krishnan Sasikiran, India's second highest rated player after Viswanathan Anand.

The draw for the tournament will be held Tuesday in the presence of the six players and Sports Minister Ajay Maken.

The four foreign stars are all excited about coming to India. They not only want to play chess, but are also keen on tasting Indian food and experiencing Indian culture, about which they have heard so much.

"I have never been to India before and I very much look forward to playing there," said junior World No. 1, Caruana.

"I know that Indian chess is growing in terms of the strength and the number of players."

Though Laznicka feels that Sasikiran, with whom he shared the top spot back in Kolkata Open in 2008, is one of the favourites, Caruana sees the tournament is very open.

"I believe there is no favourite. All players are young, experienced and quite strong," he said.

Asked about what he knew about India and Indian chess, Laznicka said: "I like many things about India. It will be hard to express it in one sentence or in shot. But generally, I like the way chess players are treated in India."

The Indian duo, Sasikiran and Negi, have already qualified for the World Cup in Khaty-Mansiysk in Russia later this year. Negi, who holds the record of being the youngest Grandmaster from India, recently became the first Delhi player to win the National championships. The two are also Arjuna Awardees.

Sasi, the senior-most player in the field at 30, is a former national champion and winner of many international events, is also the only Indian other than Indian to cross 2700 in ratings. Amongst Sasi's many credits is a win over Anand in 2002.

Hou Yifan will look do well in the tournament and defend her world title later this year.

Wesley So of the Philippines is World Junior No. 4 and the National Champion of his country.

AAI International Grandmasters Chess Tournament 2011

GM Hou Yifan of China

Play begins June 21st and will continue to July 2, 2011.  A double round-robin of rising young chess stars, including current Women's World Chess Champion GM Hou Yifan of China.  Hou won the Women's title in December, 2010 and will be defending it later this year (presumably, if a sponor can be found) in a match with GM Koneru Humpy of India, who won the right to the challenge after scoring the most points from the Women's Grand Prix series (2009-2010).

I am interested to see how Hou does against the young men.  Here is a nice informational piece about the Tournament and some info on Hou Yifan.