The 53rd Biel Chess Festival in the starting blocks

The eight participants in the Grand Master Tournament (GMT) are known. Santosh Vidit (IND) will defend his title. Among the opponents are the runner-up at the Women's World Championship GM Aleksandra Goryachkina (RUS), Gata Kamsky (USA), World Champion runner up in 1996, Michael Adams (ENG), British number one, and the reigning Swiss Champion Noël Studer. The Organisation Committee remains confident that circumstances in the second half of July will allow the 53rd consecutive edition of the Biel Chess Festival to be held.

The organising committee believes it is still too early to make a final decision about the possible realisation or cancellation of the 2020 festival. OC President Peter Bohnenblust declared: "We are still confident and are following the development very closely. A cancellation at this time would send the wrong signal. The preparations for the 53rd Festival 2020 are thus continuing in the usual framework, although circumstances may lead to certain adjustments. Up-to-date information for participants and spectators can be found on our website (www.bielchessfestival.ch).

Based on current positive developments, the OC hopes to be able to hold the 53rd consecutive festival in Biel from July 18 to 29, 2020. In addition to the seven traditional open tournaments for all levels of play, there will be a simultaneous exhibition and the flagship event, the GMT, which, like last year, will be played as a Triathlon (the overall ranking will include classic, rapid and blitz games).

The 2020 program features two major innovations.

One innovation we have called the Quadriathlon. This competition is intended to reward the amateurs for their loyalty who, in addition to completing the ATO or MTO (only players who pay the full registration fee are concerned), also participate in at least two of the three daily tournaments (Blitz, Rapid or Fischer chess). For the classification of the Quadriathlon, the best three of four results will be totalled.

The considerably increased prize money at the Swiss Championship of Fischer-Chess should also be mentioned.

Thank of the support of the ACCENTUS Foundation, the other novelty, held on the opening day, is the first ever Fischer's chess tournament in Biel that with all the players from the GMT. The result does not count for the Triathlon but is a tie-breaker in case of a tie at the end of the main GMT event.

Tournament Director Paul Kohler is very satisfied with the GMT field. As last year, a good mixture of generations will certainly provide excitement. Half of the players had not yet been born when Gata Kamsky finished second ex-aequo – with, among others, Michael Adams! – at the legendary Biel Interzonal Tournament in 1993. This event was Kamsky's first step on his road to the 1996 World Championship match, where he was ultimately beaten by Anatoly Karpov.

 

Participants:

  • Santosh Vidit (IND), World number 23, 2726 Elo, born 1994
  • Liem Le Quang (VIE), World number 31, 2706 Elo, born 1991
  • Michael Adams (ENG), British Number 1, 2701 Elo, born 1971
  • Gata Kamsky (USA), World Championship runner-up 1996, 2674 Elo, born 1974
  • Romain Édouard (FRA), French Championship runner-upe 2018, 2649 Elo, born 1990
  • Aleksandra Goryachkina (RUS), Women's World Championship runner-up 2020, 2582 Elo, born 1998
  • Noël Studer (SUI), Reigning Swiss champion, 2580 Elo, born 1996 
  • Vincent Keymer (GER), Number 1 U16 in Europe, 2558 Elo, born 2004

For a detailed information of the participants of the GMT, and further details about the various events at the 53rd International Chess Festival, refer to our website www.bielchessfestival.ch.

 

Further information:

Peter Bohnenblust, OC President: 076 405 80 87

Paul Kohler, Tournament Director: paul.kohler@bielchessfestival.ch

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