Video clip: Alexander Ipatov

A brief interview with Ukrainian grandmaster Alexander Ipatov, who plays for the Turkish Chess Federation and who is a big fan of Barcelona, and soccer in general. He’ll be in Camp Nou when Barca will try to come back from their 2-0 loss against AC Milan! [vsw id=”cwAx-ouwhfw” source=”youtube” width=”560″ height=”315″ autoplay=”no”]

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Video clip: Pavel Eljanov

Pavel Eljanov is a strong Ukrainian grandmaster, but in Reykjavik he is “only” the 8th seeded player. That’s how strong the tournament is! In this brief interview he talks about his chances to win, and which players he’d like to face behind the board. [vsw id=”iCTl4b0ajKc” source=”youtube” width=”560″ height=”315″ autoplay=”no”]

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Video clip: David Navara

A brief interview with David Navara, one of the five 2700 players who are playing in the Reykjavik Open this year. In the third round the Czech grandmaster played against the legendary Fridrik Olafsson, Iceland’s first grandmaster. [vsw id=”db8ik5xmLBs” source=”youtube” width=”560″ height=”315″ autoplay=”no”]

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Video clip: Yuri Shulman

A brief interview with American grandmaster Yuri Shulman, who plays in the Reykjavik Open for the fourth time in the last five years. This year he came together with his father! [vsw id=”EEb8RWHT7CI” source=”youtube” width=”560″ height=”315″ autoplay=”no”]

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Video clip: Ding Liren

A brief interview with Ding Liren, the reigning champion of China and one of many players from his country participating in the tournament this year. He had to settle for a draw in the first round against a much lower rated opponent, and we think a jetlag might have been the main reason… [vsw id=”n93qykca0nc”…

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First Game of the day!

This time around in the Reykjavik Open we will be giving out prizes for the game of the day. Our friends in the “12 Tónar” music store will be giving a CD each day for the best game. We have a small committee which decides on the game of the day. The game of the…

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A grueling double round day

Three Icelanders have joined the foreign guns at the top of the table with 2 out of 2 after the first round of the day, they are Throstur Thorhallsson, Hjörvar Steinn Grétarsson and Guðmundur Kjartansson. Today is the dreaded double-round day and many players used the opportunity to take the one bye that is allowed…

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Happy birthday Siggi!

We wish Sigurdur Steindorsson a happy birthday. Siggi Palli as we call him in Iceland hasn’t played much chess for a while but decided to enter the Reykjavik Open this year. He was the first to pay the entry fee, the first to draw somebody 600 elo points below him and the first to lose…

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