1999 World Open Photo Essay


Open Section	Winners


GM Pal Benko provided game analysis for players and is shown here next to the famous Benko Gambit	FM Milees Ardaman playing white against GM Vladimir Akopian in Tournament of Champions

Armenian GM Akopian from the same game as above in the Tournament of Champions	The two winners of the Tournament of Champions, GMs Akopian and Jaan Ehlvest

GMs Giorgi Kacheishvili and Artashes Minasian sitting next to each other in the Tourn of Champions	Ukrainian GM Igor Novikov from Tournament of Champions

GM Alex Shabalov playing white in the Tournament of Champions	Ukrainian GM George Timoshenko from the Tournament of Champions, Ehlvest is next to him

GMs Yermolinsky and Bologan played in the World Open Two Weekend schedule	Bologan is playing black against NM Anna Khan

GM Bologan defeats Yermolinsky to stand 4-0 in Tow Weekend action	The two young winners of the Under 1000 event, Gautam Nagendra (left) edges out Alisa Melekhina, on tiebreaks, both had 7-2 scores.

NM Steve Winer is playing GM Timoshenko	GM Pavel Blatny from the Czech Republic, one of the winners of the World Open Major

Polish GM Alek Wojtkiewicz playing FM Ardaman from the Major	GM Arthur Bisguier, while he lost this game vs GM Igot Novikov, tied for first in the Major

GM Timoshenko playing white against Virginian Walter Koroljow in the Major	Turkish GM Suar Atalik

Former US Champion GM Joel Benjamin	GM Bologan playing white

GM Alberto David from Luxembourg	Estonian GM Jaan Ehlvest

GM Alex Fishbein sets clock in World Open action	US Women's Champion Irina Krush

GM Alex Ivanov, who was in clear first going into the final round, contemplates first move	IM Boris Kreiman

English GM Tony Miles playing in the US for the first time in many years.	GM Novikov with the World Open Chess Cam to the left

IM Rashid Ziatdinov playing white	GM Gennady Sagalchik

GM Alex Stripunsky	GM Atalik as white in serious thinking mode

1998 WO Champ, GM Alex Goldin from Russia gets set to play FM John Curdo	Ask GM John Fedorowicz to smile and you never know what will happen :) GM Serper sits next to him

NM Macon Shibut from Virginia is playing white against GM Alex Stripunsky	Maryland born GM Alex Sherzer playing white

GM Atalik playing white against GM Novikov	Another view from the same game

One of the ten winners, GM Jaan Ehlvest, who will be playing in the FIDE Championship in Vegas	GM Timoshenko, with noted chess photographers Jerome Bibuld (l) and Bill Hook (r) in the background

GM Alex Ivanov, one of the ten GMs who tied for first in the World Open Open Section.	GM Alek Wojtkiewicz wins the WBCA Blitz with a score of 9.5/10 defeating IM Finegold in the final round

IM Ben Finegold was 8-0 going into the final round, He had never failed to finish first in a WBCA event since 1992 and his 2776 rating was fourth in the world. He finshed third with 8.	Jorge Sammour-Hasbun, playing black here against English IM Matthew Turner, finshed second in the Blitz, won the WO Action and did well in the World Open itself