33 Indians will travel to Aeroflot Open 2019 fully sponsored by the Government

by Shahid Ahmed - 31/01/2019

We can say that Indian chess is in safe hands when we know that we have a strong administration in the form of AICF and the government of India supporting the sport. 33 Indians will be travelling to the Aeroflot Open 2019 on 18th of February 2019 sponsored completely by the Government of India. It includes both male and female players in senior, junior and sub-junior category. These players will have absolutely no cost as the sports authority of India will take care of not only flight and accommodation, but also visa costs and also give the players a daily allowance. Aeroflot Open has three sections: A (above 2550), B (2300 to 2550) and C (below 2300). One of the Indian GMs will be the top seed in the B section. Can you guess who he is?

One of the biggest challenge all Indian players face is the lack of exposure. It is sure that Indian chess circuit is very strong and Indian players are too, but every once in a while they need to expand their horizon as not all Asian/World/International events can take place in one country. It is important for each player to be acquainted with different styles of play, foreign atmosphere, change in climate, cuisine and culture. It helps a player to grow not over the board only, but overall as a player and human being too. All of this can be taken care if the best players of the country get a chance to play in International events. However, the biggest impediment is finance. Many of the talented youngsters of our country is unable to go to foreign tournaments because of financial constraints.

The All India Chess Federation under the leadership of Bharat Singh Chauhan has made a brilliant move. The foreign exposure trip was reinstated last year. Total 33 Indians including 29 players and 4 officials have been selected at the Aeroflot Open 2019 at full cost of Government. The Sports Authority of India will ensure the sponsorship of the entire Indian contingent.

It's heartening to see the efforts of AICF and also of the sports minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore in supporting Indian chess | Photo: Bharat Singh Chauhan's Facebook page

The letter received by AICF from Government of India

The total spending by the government will be Rs.40 lakh!

That's the Official Hotel. Hotel Cosmos is the place where the tournament will take place

Lalith Babu is the top seed in Aeroflot Open 2019 B group

Former National Premier and current National Rapid Champion GM Lalith Babu will be the top seed in the B group | Photo: Amruta Mokal

Lalith Babu has already made an impressive start to 2019 with 2776 performance at the Gibraltar Masters 2019.

Confirmed list of players in A group (2549+)

No.		Name	FideID	FED	Rtg	Typ
1	GM	Wei Yi	8603405	CHN	2733
2	GM	Wang Hao	8602883	CHN	2714
3	GM	Artemiev Vladislav	24101605	RUS	2709
4	GM	Mamedov Rauf	13401653	AZE	2703
5	GM	Inarkiev Ernesto	4162722	RUS	2692
6	GM	Maghsoodloo Parham	12539929	IRI	2679
7	GM	Sasikiran Krishnan	5004985	IND	2678
8	GM	Sethuraman S.P.	5021596	IND	2665
9	GM	Sjugirov Sanan	4189302	RUS	2663
10	GM	Zvjaginsev Vadim	4113403	RUS	2642
11	GM	Alekseenko Kirill	4135539	RUS	2637
12	GM	Indjic Aleksandar	911925	SRB	2630
13	GM	Sarana Alexey	24133795	RUS	2630
14	GM	Paravyan David	4194985	RUS	2627
15	GM	Grachev Boris	4129199	RUS	2626
16	GM	Firouzja Alireza	12573981	IRI	2618	U18
17	GM	Goganov Aleksey	24109959	RUS	2612
18	GM	Van Foreest Jorden	1039784	NED	2612
19	GM	Idani Pouya	12510130	IRI	2611
20	GM	Zhou Jianchao	8603537	CHN	2609

Check out the players' list of group A

Confirmed list of players in B group (2299-2549)

No.		Name	FideID	FED	Rtg	Typ
1	GM	Lalith Babu M R	5024595	IND	2547
2	IM	Harutyunian Tigran K.	13303635	ARM	2542
3	GM	Debashis Das	5024854	IND	2538
4	IM	Demidov Mikhail	4197143	RUS	2520
5	GM	Lintchevski Daniil	4171055	RUS	2517
6	GM	Potapov Pavel	4169786	RUS	2516
7	GM	Karthik Venkataraman	25006479	IND	2515
8	GM	Levin Evgeny A.	4182596	RUS	2512
9	FM	Afanasiev Nikita	24183555	RUS	2508
10	GM	Gasanov Eldar	14104466	UKR	2500
11	IM	Drygalov Andrey	24171735	RUS	2485
12	IM	Zakhartsov Vladimir	4145097	RUS	2483
13	IM	Golubov Saveliy	24176729	RUS	2482
14	IM	Bilguun Sumiya	4901541	MGL	2471
15	IM	Flom Gabriel	621650	FRA	2467
16	IM	Kozionov Kirill	24101729	RUS	2460
17	IM	Belyakov Bogdan	24104795	RUS	2459
18	IM	Iniyan P	25002767	IND	2456	U18
19	IM	Kazakovskiy Valeriy	13507443	BLR	2456
20	WIM	Shuvalova Polina	24171760	RUS	2450	U18

Check out the players' list of Group B

Confirmed list of players in C group (Unrated-2299)

No.		Name	FideID	FED	Rtg	Typ
1	IM	Iljin Timofey	14110180	UKR	2298
2	WGM	Gomes Mary Ann	5013623	IND	2296
3	FM	Volkov Sergei	4176588	RUS	2293
4	FM	Kuznetsov Mikhail V.	4194900	RUS	2292
5	FM	Vlassow Valentin	4164008	RUS	2289
6		Chinguun Sumiya	4902572	MGL	2286	U18
7	WGM	Mirzoeva Elmira	4127951	RUS	2281
8		Mochalin Faddey	34147290	RUS	2270	U18
9	FM	Babikov Ivan	4161106	RUS	2268
10		Ning Kaiyu	8614750	CHN	2267	U18
11		Egorov Pavel	24122637	RUS	2266
12	FM	Erzhanov Arman	4138821	KAZ	2261
13		Gharagyozyan Artur	13303279	ARM	2253
14		Pranavananda V	5073588	IND	2234
15	IM	Filipenko Alexander V	4104471	RUS	2231	S60
16	FM	Rozanov Pavel B.	4129270	RUS	2226
17	WIM	Mahalakshmi M	5001080	IND	2219
18		Namini Armin	1706322	SWE	2214
19	IM	Malinin Yuri	4131975	RUS	2210
20		Mamatov Melis	13800027	KGZ	2203

Check out the players' list of Group C

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