Arjun Erigaisi set to battle Kramnik, Grischuk, Aronian, Gelfand, Yifan and co. at Satty Zhuldyz Rapid and Blitz

by Shahid Ahmed - 20/04/2023

India no.5 and World no.37, Arjun Erigaisi will take part in his second rated tournament of the year, Satty Zhuldyz in Astana, Kazakhstan. Arjun will battle against the 14th world champion - Vladimir Kramnik, three-time World Blitz champion - Alexander Grischuk, the only two-time World Cup winner in history - Levon Aronian, Germany no.1 Vincent Keymer, the former world championship challenger - Boris Gelfand, World no.1 woman - Hou Yifan, Armenia no.2 Haik Martirosyan, 44th Olympiad Gold medalists - Javokhir Sindarov and Jakhongir Vakhidov, former World Rapid and three-time World Blitz Women's champion, Kateryna Lagno, and the reigning two-time World Blitz Women's champion - IM Bibisara Assaubayeva. Who do you think will win the tournament? Round 1 starts today at 5 p.m. local time, 4:30 p.m. IST. Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

A star-studded Rapid and Blitz event

The first side event of the FIDE World Championship 2023 concluded yesterday. The super-strong Satty Zhuldyz Rapid and Blitz event part of the Satty Zhulyz Chess Festival starts today. Arjun Erigaisi will face GM Haik Martirosyan (ARM), GM Jakhongir Sindarov (UZB), GM Hou Yifan (CHN) and GM Alexander Grischuk in the first four rounds starting today.

Two-time World Cup winner - GM Levon Aronian, reigning two-time consecutive World Blitz Women's champion - IM Bibisara Assaubayeva and 14th World Champion - GM Vladimir Kramnik | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Satty Zhuldyz Chess Festival Official logo | Photo: Official site

Press Conference

Press Conference panel (L to R): WFM Maria Emelianova, GM Levon Aronian, IM Bibisara Assaubayeva, GM Vladimir Kramnik and Alexandr Ten | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Press Officer - WFM Maria Emelianova (FRA) | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

The only two-time FIDE World Cup winner - GM Levon Aronian (USA) and reignin two-time consecutive World Blitz Women's champion - IM Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ) | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

14th World Champion - GM Vladimir Kramnik | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Alexandr Ten, President of JSC Satty Zhuldyz | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Press Conference | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Players

The star-studded line-up of dozen participants is - GM Vladimir Kramnik, GM Levon Aronian (USA), GM Boris Gelfand (ISR), GM Alexander Grischuk, GM Hou Yifan (CHN), GM Javokhir Sindarov (UZB), GM Vincent Keymer (GER), GM Hayk Martirosyan (ARM), GM Kateryna Lagno, GM Arjun Erigaisi, GM Jakhongir Vakhidov (UZB) and IM Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ).

The Satty Zhuldyz Rapid and Blitz line-up | Photo: Official site

Schedule

The Rapid event will take place from 20th to 22nd April. Rest day is on 23rd April. The Blitz event will take place on 24th and 25th April 2023.

Satty Zhuldyz Chess Festival schedule | Photo: Official site

Total prize fund

The total prize fund is 120000000 KZT.

Commentators

The Official Commentators for the Rapid and Blitz events will be - IM and WGM Jovanka Houska (ENG), FM James Canty (USA), Anvar Shaikhymov (KAZ) and Talgat Gubaidulin (KAZ).

The Official Commentary team | Photo: Official site

Arjun Erigaisi arrives in Astana, Kazakhstan | Video: ChessBase India

Inauguration Ceremony | Video: ChessBase India

Kramnik and Aronian answers at the Press Conference | Video: ChessBase India

I wish Arjun Erigaisi all the best - Digvijay Patil, Second Secretary, Embassy of India in Astana | Video: ChessBase India

Levon Aronian and Boris Gelfand watch Arjun Erigaisi play a friendly game | Video: ChessBase India

Watch Satty Zhuldyz Rapid Round 1-4 Live Commentary by IM and WGM Jovanka Houska, FM James Canty, Anvar Shaikhymov and Talgat Gubaidulin | Video: ChessBase India

Day 1 Rapid Round 1-4 pairings

Round 1 on 2023/04/20
Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.
1	1	2359	IM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara		GM	Lagno, Kateryna	2485	12
2	2	2626	GM	Gelfand, Boris		GM	Vakhidov, Jakhongir	2513	11
3	3	2630	GM	Keymer, Vincent		GM	Grischuk, Alexander	2731	10
4	4	2756	GM	Kramnik, Vladimir		GM	Hou, Yifan	2618	9
5	5	2720	GM	Aronian, Levon		GM	Sindarov, Javokhir	2578	8
6	6	2685	GM	Erigaisi, Arjun		GM	Martirosyan, Haik M.	2587	7
Round 2 on 2023/04/20
Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.
1	12	2485	GM	Lagno, Kateryna		GM	Martirosyan, Haik M.	2587	7
2	8	2578	GM	Sindarov, Javokhir		GM	Erigaisi, Arjun	2685	6
3	9	2618	GM	Hou, Yifan		GM	Aronian, Levon	2720	5
4	10	2731	GM	Grischuk, Alexander		GM	Kramnik, Vladimir	2756	4
5	11	2513	GM	Vakhidov, Jakhongir		GM	Keymer, Vincent	2630	3
6	1	2359	IM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara		GM	Gelfand, Boris	2626	2
Round 3 on 2023/04/20
Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.
1	2	2626	GM	Gelfand, Boris		GM	Lagno, Kateryna	2485	12
2	3	2630	GM	Keymer, Vincent		IM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	2359	1
3	4	2756	GM	Kramnik, Vladimir		GM	Vakhidov, Jakhongir	2513	11
4	5	2720	GM	Aronian, Levon		GM	Grischuk, Alexander	2731	10
5	6	2685	GM	Erigaisi, Arjun		GM	Hou, Yifan	2618	9
6	7	2587	GM	Martirosyan, Haik M.		GM	Sindarov, Javokhir	2578	8
Round 4 on 2023/04/20
Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.
1	12	2485	GM	Lagno, Kateryna		GM	Sindarov, Javokhir	2578	8
2	9	2618	GM	Hou, Yifan		GM	Martirosyan, Haik M.	2587	7
3	10	2731	GM	Grischuk, Alexander		GM	Erigaisi, Arjun	2685	6
4	11	2513	GM	Vakhidov, Jakhongir		GM	Aronian, Levon	2720	5
5	1	2359	IM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara		GM	Kramnik, Vladimir	2756	4
6	2	2626	GM	Gelfand, Boris		GM	Keymer, Vincent	2630	3

Details

Links

Official site

Tournament Regulations

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