Everything is ready for the FIDE World Cup which begins next week in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia from Nov. 21st thru Dec. 15th!  The pairings for Round 1 of the World Cup have been posted on FIDE.com.

We would like to wish our players good luck. GO USA!

ROUND 1 PAIRINGS (For U.S. PLAYERS participating at the World Cup)

• GM Tomashevsky, Evgeny RUS GM Ivanov, Alexander USA
• GM Wang, Hao CHN GM Friedel, Joshua E USA
• GM Jobava, Baadur GEO IM Robson, Ray USA
• GM Motylev, Alexander RUS GM Hess, Robert USA
• GM Kamsky, Gata USA GM Antonio, Rogelio Jr PHI
• GM Onischuk, Alexander USA GM Flores, Diego ARG
• GM Smirin, Ilia ISR GM Ehlvest, Jaan USA
• GM Baklan, Vladimir UKR GM Shabalov, Alexander USA
• GM Savchenko, Boris RUS GM Shulman, Yuri USA
• GM Tregubov, Pavel V. RUS GM Akobian, Varuzhan USA

CLICK HERE to see the FULL LIST OF ROUND 1 PAIRINGS

There is a total of 128 players participating in the event.  This is a knock-out elimination tournament which is a qualifier for the World Championship.  In each round, the winners progress to the next round until the winner is announced at the end of Round 7 (review tournament format below).  Last one standing wins….

Tournament Format:

“There shall be six (6) rounds of matches comprising two (2) games per round, with the winners progressing to the next round, plus the final seventh (7th) round comprising of four (4) games.
Round 1: there shall be 128 players Round 2: there shall be 64 players Round 3: there shall be 32 players Round 4: there shall be 16 players Round 5: there shall be 8 players Round 6: there shall be 4 players Round 7: there shall be 2 players”  Download Complete Tournament Regulations Here

World Cup Schedule

• Nov. 20th: Opening Ceremony / Players Meeting
• Nov. 21st: Round 1 – Game 1
• Nov. 22nd: Round 1 – Game 2
• Nov. 23rd: Tiebreaks
• Nov. 24th: Round 2 – Game 1
• Nov. 25th: Round 2 – Game 2
• Nov. 26th: Tiebreaks
• Nov. 27th: Round 3 – Game 1
• Nov. 28th: Round 3 – Game 2
• Nov. 29th: Tiebreaks
• Nov. 30th: Round 4 – Game 1
• Dec. 1st: Round 4 – Game 2
• Dec. 2nd: Tiebreaks
• Dec. 3rd: Round 5 – Game 1
• Dec. 4th: Round 5 – Game 2
• Dec. 5th: Tiebreaks
• Dec. 6th: Round 6 – Game 1
• Dec. 7th: Round 6 – Game 2
• Dec. 8th: Tiebreaks
• Dec. 9th: Free Day
• Dec. 10th: Round 7 – Game 1
• Dec. 11th: Round 7 – Game 2
• Dec. 12th: Round 7 – Game 3
• Dec. 13th: Round 7 – Game 4
• Dec. 14th: Tiebreaks / Closing Ceremony
• Dec. 15th: Departures

Related Links:

• Visit the Official World Cup Website!
• World Chess Cup Regulations (PDF Download)
• Complete List of Participants in the World Cup
  

About Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia (From the Official Tournament Website)

Time difference between Moscow and Khanty-Mansiysk: 2 hours
Geographic latitude: 61°00′
Geographic longitude: 69°01′

Khanty-Mansiysk, a capital of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug, is situated in the Western Siberia on Irtysh river (a port), only 15 km . away from a fall of Irtysh into Ob, 264 km west of railway station “Pyt’-Yah”, 1076 km . north-east of Tyumen, 2759 km . north-east of Moscow on seven treed hills.

This nice and comfortable town reminds of Scandinavian resorts.

Khanty-Mansiysk is a town with unique, even for 21 st century, social infrastructure is flourishing: according to the decision of the authorities all industrial productions were moved out of the town. In and around the town taiga wood was cleared and put to an appropriate ecological state. In essence taiga wood became a national park of Siberia .

Here in practice a rare combination of comfortable urbanism and ecological purity was created. Taiga spread for hundred kilometers to all parts from the town provides the existence of such unique.
Nowadays Khanty-Mansiysk is forming not only as a centre of the oil region but is becoming more like centre of business activity, sport, and national culture. Arts Centre for Talented Children of North which is one of the best in Russia , biathlon centre of the international level, airport of original architecture, equipped with the modern facilities having strip for all types of aircraft, office and business centre, House of Peoples’ Friendship, Temple Complex for 1000 church members with Samarovo high school for 60 people, telephone and TV connection that give possibility to contact any place around the world, street coin-box telephones, comfortable housing – this is not a complete list of available and raising facilities that change the image of the ancient town. Uniqueness of the modern architecture in combination with nature attracts hundreds of tourists and guest to this town annually.

Official website of town of Khanty-Mansiysk: www.admhmansy.ru

GREETING MESSAGES (From Official Tournament Website- Click Here to Visit the Site)

Greeting message from Governor of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra – A.FILIPENKO

Dear friends!

I’m heartily delighted to welcome the participants of World Chess Cup in Ugra! Undoubtedly this event is significant for sport and social life of autonomous okrug and Russia.

All conditions are created in the region for intensive development of this intellectual kind of sport, some traditions are introduced in training good chess players. During last years Ugra gained the reputation of chess centre, here international tournaments, competitions for Governor Cup, other chess competitions are held. Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous okrug is preparing to meet World Chess Olympiad.
There is no doubt that another meeting of the world leading chess players will become the bright sport event full of interesting occasions, great victories, unforgettable impressions.

Greeting message from President of Republic of Kalmykia –  KIRSAN ILYUMZHINOV, FIDE President

Dear participants and guests of World Chess Cup 2009!

Dear ladies and gentlemen!

On behalf of the headship of international chess federation and Presidential Board I warmly and heartily welcome the participants, guests, Mass Media representatives at the hospitable Ugra land!
During the last years Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous okrug – Ugra gained the reputation of a big sport centre, here winter sports competitions of the highest level are organized – in biathlon, skiing, snowboarding etc. I’m glad to note that hospitable Khanty-Mansiysk receives again the outstanding Grand Masters who got this right through the hard and arduous selection system.
I want to note that here chess have the real love and support. I express my appreciation to the headship of Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous okrug and personally to the Governor, my senior friend, Alexander Filipenko, to all the sponsors, the Organizing Committee, Russian Chess Federation, Mass Media representatives, volunteers – to all who take active part in propaganda of the most intellectual kind of sport.
I’m sure that participants and guests of the World Chess Cup will be able not only to get acquainted with the Siberian beauty but also to take with them unforgettable impressions about this wonderful land.
I wish all the participants bright and uncompromising struggle, success in sport and creative work, good health and all the best!

Gens Una Sumus! We are the family!

Greeting message from Deputy Prime Minister of the RF, President of the Russian Chess Federation – ALEXANDER ZHUKOV

Dear friends!

On behalf of the Russian Chess Federation I’m glad to welcome the participants, organizers and guests of World Chess Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk!

Today the capital of Ugra may be called with good reason one of the big world chess centers. This Russian town receives the World Cup for the third time. I’m sure that the experience in organizing the competitions of such a high international level will let Khanty-Mansiysk to hold honourably the 39 th World Chess Olympiad next autumn.

Almost all the strongest chess players gathered in Khanty-Mansiysk, during three weeks they will fight for victory, for the way into the tournament of the contenders and for the right to challenge the title of the world champion.
I would like to wish the participants of the World Cup nice matches and good luck in sport. I hope that the tournament will become the bright event in chess life and will remain in memory of chess fans for many years.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE ON THIS EVENT!!!