Chess kings fight for Super Cup

In November 15–25, 2011 Moscow hosted the 6th Tal Memorial, a traditional Grand Master tournament. The Russian Chess Federation, sponsored by Gazprom, is the organizer of the competition commemorating Mikhail Tal, a legendary chess player, the six times USSR Champion, the World Champion and the Grand Master. The tournament has been held in Moscow since 2006.

This year ten famous chess players from Russia, India, Norway, Armenia, Ukraine, the USA and Israel participated in the tournament. Russia was represented by Vladimir Kramnik, Sergey Karjakin, Peter Svidler and Ian Nepomniachtchi.

Ian Nepomniachtchi, a Russian chess player was the third, Levon Aronian from Armenia took the second place and the winner of the Tal Memorial was Magnus Carlsen from Norway, being currently on top of world’s rating.

Magnus Carlsen is one of the youngest participants of the super tournament – this year he turned 21 on November 30. He was born in Tonsberg, Norway. In 2004 Magnus became the Grand Master at the age of just 13, in 2006 – the Champion of Norway, in 2007 he won his first major international tournament which took place in the town of Biel, Switzerland. For the second year in a row Magnus Carlsen has become a winner of the Tal Memorial chess tournament. This year the 6th Tal Memorial was the most competitive tournament and one of the best in its history, according to winner.

Gazprom supports not only professional chess players, but also beginners. In September 2010 the Chess Academy, built as part of the Gazprom to Children program, was opened in Khanty-Mansiysk. The Company’s subsidiaries hold chess tournaments on a regular basis.