M-tel Masters 2008 8th - 18th May 2008

Central Military Club, Sophia, one of the oldest cities in Europe.

The six-player field includes the Bulgarian duo of Veselin Topalov Bulgaria. ELO 2780 and Ivan Cheparinov, ELO 2713 Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan), ELO 2735 Levon Aronian (Armenia), ELO 2739 Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine) 2751 and Xiangzhi Bu (China) 2691
Both Ivan Cheparinov and Teimour Radjabov have just finished the Fide Grand Prix in Baku, will they play any better here than they did at Baku? Lets wait and see! Also will Xiangzhi Bu play just as good as Yue Wang did at the Fide Grand Prix?
We are about to start and GM Veselin Topalov will be giving ONE blindfold exhibition before the games start and his opponent is not even a strong chess player! Remember the days of the late Pillsbury when he took on 20 or so players blindfold and won the majority of them! Those were the days without computer assistance!

This year the web site of the tournament will again offer the game Play Like Topalov which is already popular among the fans. Traditionally last year’s winner in the game, this time Jason Juett from USA will have the chance to play a game against the 19th World Champion Veselin Topalov. This will happen on 6 May, a day before the official opening of M-Tel Masters in the Military Club in Sofia. Bulgaria’s best GM will play blindfold. With all expenses paid, it's not a bad idea after all because anyone in the world can sign up free and play the next move you think Topalov will make against against his opponants and maybe play him next year!
Past Bulgarian Chess Champions

Live games
Host Site

Today 7th May the blindfold game between Jason Juett was a surprise to the chess fans of Veselin Topalov when he announced a draw! sorry but I am a huge fan of Pillsbury when it comes to blindfold! jason was of course nervous and will stay for the fist round of the games and then make his way back home to the USA triuphant!

Round 1 - 08.05.2008
15.00 EEST (12.00 UTC)

Aronian, Levon Vs Topalov, Veselin 0-1

Cheparinov, Ivan Vs Xiangzhi, Bu 1-0

Radjabov, Teimour Vs Ivanchuk, Vassily 0-1

View Round One Games
Download PGN (zip)

Round Two - 09.05.2008

Topalov, Vs Ivanchuk, V 0-1

Xiangzhi, Bu Vs Radjabov, T 1/2-1/2

Aronian, L Vs Cheparinov, I 1/2-1/2

View Round Two Games
Download PGN (zip)

Live Games

Game of the Day Round One ECO: E00 Catalan
Game of the Day Round Two ECO C11 French Classical