Letter From Grandmaster Igor Kurnosov

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Letter From Grandmaster Igor Kurnosov

Response to the letter published by Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (sent to e3e5.com)

Grandmaster Igor Kurnosov sent a letter to the popular chess portal e3e5.com as a response to the letter published by Shakhriyar Mamedyarov:

"Dear colleagues and chess fans! In response to the letter circulated in the press by Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, I have to clarify the situation. I suggest you take a look at the game Mamedyarov-Kurnosov from round six of the Aeroflot Open, together with my brief comments. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nb6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3 0-0 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.0-0-0 f5 10. h4 fxe4 11.h5 gxh5 - A well-known theoretical position, which I believe, favors black. Here my opponent made a move that was new to me - 12.d5 Ne5 13.Bh6 Nec4. I have also considered Rf7, but I did not like that, after taking Rh5, the Knight loses tempo [13 ... Rf7?! 14.Bxg7 Rxg7 15.Rxh5] 14.Qg5 Rf7. The only move 15.Bxc4. This seemed questionable to me, even though objectively it is not bad. 15 ... Nxc4. After the 40-minute thought on the previous move, my opponent offered a draw. But I felt that I had serious advantage and didn't see the grounds to accept the draw.

16.Rd4? - I thought that Qd6 would give me strong initiative. It turned out that Nb2 led to decisive advantage, but this move I had not considered. Imagine what would be the story had I previously analysed this variation at home!? 16 ... Qd6?! 17.Bxg7 Rxg7 - The only move! 18.Qxh5 Qf4 + - Also unique, the checkmate was threatening and the Knight was in danger. Now I invite all qualified chess players to set this position and withing three minutes find the next three simple moves for Black! I believe most if will be forced! 19.Kb1 Bf5 20.fxe4 Bg4 21.Nge2? loses immediately! [21.Qh6 Qf2] 21 ... Qd2! 0-1.

Black is in winning position. Here the opponent stopped the clock and, without shaking my hand or signing the formular, reached out to the arbiter's table. The rest of the story you already know... I believe that all players, regardless of title or rating, should respect themselves and their colleagues, instead of blaming them on computer assistance without reason. At the same time playing relatively weak!

Mamedyarov's claim that I took the coat and went to the toilet after each move, does not correspond to reality. On the first 12 moves, which we played relatively fast, I did get up from the table. When my opponent thought for 40 minutes on the move 15, I went twice to the smoking area which is only 2 meters from the hall entrance, and always full of players, arbiters, there was also a guard. And on few occasions I went to wash my face with cold water, but I never talked to anybody while doing so. The arbiters had no pretensions towards me, either before or after the protest.

Thereat, I simply did what I always do. While opponent thinks, it is much easier for me to contemplate about the position while walking and not looking at the board. As far as I know, most players do the same. Unfortunately, all this negativity affected my play later in the tournament ... I would also like to thank all those who supported me on the Internet or in private conversation!

I would suggest: 1. Organizers of major tournaments to equip the entrance of the playing area with metal detectors and other means which would exclude the possibility of assistance, and would eliminate all baseless accusations and insults, which affect the image of the player. 2. International chess organizations to develop a set of rules that would execute serious sanctions for those who use assistance, as well as for those who unjustly accuse the others of receiving the aid!

GM Igor Kurnosov, 28.02.2009

Abierto Aeroflot 2009 - Resultados Finales

Final Descargar Partidas PGN

Rank	Name	Flags	Score	Fed.	M/F	Rating	TPR	W-We	Col.Bal.	Rat-HiLo	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1	GM Bacrot, Etienne		6.5	FRA	M	2722	2775	+0.62	-1	2607.3	½	1	½	1	½	½	½	1	1
2	GM Moiseenko, Alexander		6.5	UKR	M	2676	2770	+1.11	1	2602.9	1	½	1	½	1	½	½	½	1
3	GM Zhou, Jianchao		6.0	CHN	M	2612	2753	+1.71	-1	2638.9	1	½	½	1	½	1	½	½	½
4	GM Predojevic, Borki		6.0	BIH	M	2650	2706	+0.64	-1	2571.1	0	½	½	1	1	1	1	½	½
5	GM Zhigalko, Sergei		6.0	BLR	M	2587	2765	+2.15	1	2655.4	½	½	½	1	1	½	1	½	½
6	GM Kurnosov, Igor		6.0	RUS	M	2602	2758	+1.89	1	2642.4	1	1	1	½	½	1	½	0	½
7	GM Potkin, Vladimir		6.0	RUS	M	2613	2748	+1.61	1	2626.6	½	1	½	½	½	1	½	1	½
8	GM Tomashevsky, Evgeny		6.0	RUS	M	2664	2743	+0.92	1	2610.3	1	½	1	½	½	½	1	0	1
9	GM Pashikian, Arman		6.0	ARM	M	2621	2729	+1.29	1	2598.9	½	½	½	1	1	1	½	1	0
10	IM Yudin, Sergei		5.5	RUS	M	2562	2706	+1.78	-1	2636.9	½	0	1	½	0	1	1	1	½
11	GM Zhou, Weiqi		5.5	CHN	M	2542	2714	+2.15	-1	2632.9	0	½	½	½	1	1	1	1	0
12	GM Filippov, Anton		5.5	UZB	M	2556	2711	+1.94	-1	2631.9	0	½	1	1	½	½	½	½	1
13	IM Kosintseva, Tatiana	w	5.5	RUS	F	2497	2702	+2.52	-1	2621.9	½	½	0	1	1	½	1	½	½
14	GM Sargissian, Gabriel		5.5	ARM	M	2677	2685	+0.10	1	2598.7	½	½	1	1	½	½	½	½	½
15	GM Vitiugov, Nikita		5.5	RUS	M	2687	2672	-0.18	1	2591.4	1	½	½	½	½	½	0	1	1
16	GM Zvjaginsev, Vadim		5.5	RUS	M	2636	2665	+0.36	1	2571.6	1	½	½	½	½	1	½	0	1
17	GM Aleksandrov, Aleksej		5.5	BLR	M	2636	2644	+0.10	1	2566.4	1	½	½	0	½	1	½	1	½
18	GM Riazantsev, Alexander		5.5	RUS	M	2634	2636	+0.03	1	2561.4	½	1	½	½	½	½	1	½	½
19	GM Khairullin, Ildar		5.0	RUS	M	2574	2671	+1.17	-1	2643.1	0	1	½	½	½	1	1	½	0
20	GM Andriasian, Zaven		5.0	ARM	M	2564	2689	+1.51	-1	2643.1	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	1	½
21	GM Kotsur, Pavel		5.0	KAZ	M	2563	2676	+1.37	-1	2632.0	½	½	½	0	1	1	0	1	½
22	GM Ajrapetjan, Yuriy		5.0	UKR	M	2490	2642	+1.84	-1	2599.1	0	½	½	1	½	1	½	½	½
23	GM Dreev, Alexey		5.0	RUS	M	2688	2607	-1.01	-1	2570.0	0	1	½	½	½	0	1	1	½
24	GM Amonatov, Farrukh		5.0	TJK	M	2647	2613	-0.44	-1	2569.1	½	½	½	1	½	½	½	½	½
25	GM Smirin, Ilia		5.0	ISR	M	2647	2602	-0.56	-1	2563.4	½	½	1	½	0	1	½	½	½
26	GM Nepomniachtchi, Ian		5.0	RUS	M	2628	2595	-0.44	-1	2555.6	½	½	½	½	½	½	1	0	1
27	GM Huzman, Alexander		5.0	ISR	M	2602	2582	-0.26	-1	2533.1	½	1	0	½	½	½	½	1	½
28	GM Zhigalko, Andrey		5.0	BLR	M	2572	2695	+1.48	1	2649.4	½	½	1	½	1	½	0	½	½
29	GM Dyachkov, Sergej		5.0	RUS	M	2553	2674	+1.46	1	2630.0	0	1	½	½	½	1	½	½	½
30	GM Wen, Yang		5.0	CHN	M	2504	2656	+1.83	1	2611.4	½	0	½	½	1	1	0	1	½
31	GM Grachev, Boris		5.0	RUS	M	2655	2658	+0.01	1	2606.7	½	1	1	½	0	0	½	½	1
32	GM Ehlvest, Jaan		5.0	USA	M	2595	2637	+0.51	1	2601.9	1	½	½	0	1	½	1	0	½
33	GM Naiditsch, Arkadij		5.0	GER	M	2693	2645	-0.61	1	2600.4	1	½	½	½	0	0	½	1	1
34	GM Kazhgaleyev, Murtas		5.0	KAZ	M	2630	2617	-0.18	1	2571.9	½	1	½	1	½	0	½	½	½
35	GM Mamedov, Rauf		5.0	AZE	M	2638	2604	-0.44	1	2560.9	½	½	½	1	0	0	1	½	1
36	GM Landa, Konstantin		5.0	RUS	M	2626	2611	-0.23	1	2560.7	1	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	½
37	GM So, Wesley	j	5.0	PHI	M	2627	2577	-0.65	1	2541.4	1	0	1	½	0	½	1	½	½
38	GM Grigoriants, Sergey		4.5	RUS	M	2565	2647	+1.03	-1	2643.7	½	1	½	½	½	1	0	½	0
39	GM Safarli, Eltaj	j	4.5	AZE	M	2564	2636	+0.90	-1	2635.9	½	1	½	½	1	0	½	½	0
40	GM Onischuk, Alexander		4.5	USA	M	2659	2580	-0.98	-1	2576.9	1	0	0	1	½	½	0	1	½
41	GM Romanov, Evgeny		4.5	RUS	M	2576	2621	+0.56	1	2635.3	½	1	½	½	½	½	0	0	1
42	GM Melkumyan, Hrant		4.5	ARM	M	2519	2618	+1.22	1	2620.0	½	½	1	0	½	½	0	½	1
43	GM Bareev, Evgeny		4.5	RUS	M	2645	2567	-0.95	1	2564.3	½	½	½	1	½	0	1	½	0
44	GM Van Wely, Loek		4.5	NED	M	2625	2496	-1.43	1	2522.0	½	0	0	0	+	½	1	1	½
45	GM Sjugirov, Sanan	j	4.0	RUS	M	2562	2572	+0.15	-1	2627.3	½	0	1	½	½	½	½	½	0
46	GM Maslak, Konstantin		4.0	RUS	M	2541	2572	+0.42	-1	2615.9	½	½	½	½	½	½	0	½	½
47	GM Shomoev, Anton		4.0	RUS	M	2567	2562	-0.04	-1	2610.6	1	0	½	0	½	0	½	1	½
48	GM Vazquez Igarza, Renier		4.0	ESP	M	2558	2547	-0.09	-1	2598.7	0	½	½	0	½	0	1	1	½
49	IM Chadaev, Nikolai		4.0	RUS	M	2568	2546	-0.25	-1	2584.6	½	0	½	½	1	0	0	1	½
50	GM Akobian, Varuzhan		4.0	USA	M	2619	2528	-1.11	-1	2569.6	½	½	½	½	½	0	½	1	0
51	GM Bocharov, Dmitry		4.0	RUS	M	2647	2490	-1.87	-1	2537.1	½	0	½	0	0	1	½	½	1
52	GM Minasian, Artashes		4.0	ARM	M	2557	2592	+0.46	1	2636.1	½	½	0	½	1	1	½	0	0
53	IM Ponkratov, Pavel		4.0	RUS	M	2557	2586	+0.39	1	2626.0	1	1	0	1	0	0	½	½	0
54	GM Lysyj, Igor		4.0	RUS	M	2620	2546	-0.90	1	2583.7	1	½	½	0	½	0	½	½	½
55	GM Rodshtein, Maxim		4.0	ISR	M	2650	2524	-1.53	1	2563.6	½	0	½	½	0	½	1	0	1
56	GM Li, Chao b		4.0	CHN	M	2628	2515	-1.37	1	2559.1	0	½	1	½	½	0	1	0	½
57	GM Maze, Sebastien		4.0	FRA	M	2578	2516	-0.73	1	2556.3	0	1	0	0	1	0	½	1	½
58	GM Petrosian, Tigran L.		4.0	ARM	M	2623	2507	-1.40	1	2554.4	½	½	1	0	½	1	0	0	½
59	GM Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar		4.0	AZE	M	2724	2735	+0.07	3	2599.6	½	1	1	½	1	0	-	-	-
60	GM Li, Shilong		3.5	CHN	M	2559	2519	-0.50	-1	2606.6	0	½	½	1	½	0	½	0	½
61	IM Robson, Ray	j	3.5	USA	M	2455	2516	+0.69	-1	2593.4	0	½	0	1	1	1	0	0	0
62	GM Smirnov, Pavel		3.5	RUS	M	2579	2558	-0.27	1	2642.4	1	1	0	½	½	0	½	0	0
63	GM Dziuba, Marcin		3.5	POL	M	2556	2528	-0.35	1	2619.1	½	1	½	0	½	0	0	0	1
64	GM Vaganian, Rafael A		3.5	ARM	M	2596	2497	-1.23	1	2581.9	1	½	0	½	½	0	½	0	½
65	GM Ghaem Maghami, Ehsan		3.5	IRI	M	2604	2495	-1.36	1	2571.7	1	½	0	0	0	1	0	½	½
66	GM Bartel, Mateusz		3.5	POL	M	2594	2485	-1.35	1	2559.6	½	0	½	0	½	½	½	0	1
67	GM Gajewski, Grzegorz		3.5	POL	M	2581	2423	-1.70	1	2545.1	0	0	0	½	½	0	+	1	½
68	GM Zherebukh, Yaroslav	j	3.0	UKR	M	2558	2479	-0.94	-1	2615.9	½	½	0	0	½	½	0	0	1
69	GM Ragger, Markus		3.0	AUT	M	2540	2467	-0.85	-1	2600.9	½	0	0	½	0	1	0	1	0
70	WGM Shen, Yang	w	3.0	CHN	F	2448	2464	+0.20	-1	2587.7	0	½	1	0	½	1	0	0	0
71	GM Grigoryan, Avetik		3.0	ARM	M	2506	2384	-1.23	-1	2566.7	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	+
72	IM Kosintseva, Nadezhda	w	3.0	RUS	F	2486	2472	-0.16	1	2601.9	½	0	0	1	0	½	½	½	0
73	GM Milov, Vadim		3.0	SUI	M	2669	2467	-2.25	1	2548.1	½	0	0	1	0	1	½	0	-
74	IM Ipatov, Alexander	j	2.5	ESP	M	2493	2400	-1.10	-1	2572.9	0	0	1	0	½	0	1	0	0
75	GM Volkov, Sergey		2.5	RUS	M	2627	2399	-2.46	1	2534.9	1	0	0	½	0	½	½	0	-
76	IM Salem, A.R. Saleh	j	2.0	UAE	M	2473	2220	-2.24	-1	2533.1	0	½	0	0	½	0	0	+	0
77	GM Chuprov, Dmitry		1.5	RUS	M	2571	2419	-1.02	3	2544.5	0	½	1	0	0	-	-	-	-
78	GM Kotanjian, Tigran		0.5	ARM	M	2568	2240	-1.53	5	2526.7	0	½	0	0	-	-	-	-	-