2011 Turkish Isbank Chess League

Turkish Isbank Chess League 2011

Text and pictures by Anastasiya Karlovich

The Turkish Isbank Chess League takes place in Konya-Hilton Garden Inn Hotel from June 28th till July 9th, 2011. This year 276 players from 14 clubs are participating in the event. The Turkish Team Championship (1st Chess League) was inaugurated in 1995. In 2004, it changed its name to Super League but after the Turkish Isbank assumed sponsorship in 2006, the name was changed once more to the Turkish Isbank Chess League. 36 grandmasters and 86 titled players in all are present in Konya right now. The top boards include top players such as GM Pavel Eljanov (UKR, 2712), GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov (UZB, 2685), GM Ernesto Inarkiev (RUS, 2679), GM Liviu Dieter Nisipeanu (ROU, 2662), GM Evgenij Miroshnichenko (UKR, 2651), GM Boris Savchenko (RUS, 2630), GM Mikheil Mchedlishvili (GEO, 2629) and others. Each team consists of 10 boards: the first four boards of every team are the titled players, followed by a female athlete, a junior player, U16 boy and girl tables, and U14 boy and girl tables. The time control is 90 minutes for 40 moves plus 30 minutes to the end of the game with a 30-second increment.

Games and information will be available daily at the official website.

Konya-Hilton Garden Inn Hotel hosts the players of Turkish Isbank Chess League

Playing hall of the tournament

Vice-president of TCF Gulkiz Tulay and Aylin Ketenci of Isbank (the main sponsor
of the event) made a first symbolic move in the game Gagunashvili-Parligras.

Rustam Kasimdzhanov and Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu playing for Isek Aquamatch Club.

Pavel Eljanov faced his compatriot Evgenij Miroshnichenko in the first round and made a draw.

A future chess player learns how to play chess

National Team member and player of Mert Erdogdu with his friends from Gazi
University Chess Club.

TCF team of managers takes care of the championship: Melih Sagit, Umit
Kucukahmetoglu, Ismail Fuat Vural, Celal Kacar.

Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu is the only player who doesn't wear a special uniform of Isek
Aquamatch Club but helps with his result – 1.5/2.

Evgenij Miroshnichenko (UKR, 2651), playing for Adana Truva Chess Club and has
two draws after two rounds.

The organizers provided coffee and delicious Turkish delights for all participants...

…take a closer look!

Chess players analyze their games in the lobby of the hotel

Five guys and one girl, but she seems to have had the last word here

1          ADANA TRUVA CHESS CLUB (2308 – Average Team Rating)
2          ANTALYA DENİZ GENÇLİK SPORT CLUB (2271 – Average Team Rating)
3          BJK (2305 – Average Team Rating)
4          BURSA TOPHANE ENDÜSTRİ MESLEK LİSESİ SPORT CLUB (2236 – Average Team Rating)
5          BÜYÜKÇEKMECE MERSİN EZGİ CHESS CLUB (2162 – Average Team Rating)
6          ÇELİKKOL TURİZM PAMUKKALE UNİVERSITY SPORT CLUB (2216 – Average Team Rating)
7          GAZİ UNIVERSITY CHESS CLUB (2330 – Average Team Rating)
8          ISEK AQUAMATCH CLUB (2344 – Average Team Rating)
9          ITU SPORT CLUB (2394 – Average Team Rating)
10        MANİSA DORUK COLLEGE CHESS CLUB (2414 – Average Team Rating)
11        TARSUS ZEKA CHESS CLUB (2265 – Average Team Rating)
12        TURKISH AIRLINES SPORT CLUB (2066 – Average Team Rating)
13        YAPI KREDI SPORT CLUB (2355 – Average Team Rating)
14        YESILKOY SPORT CLUB (2150 – Average Team Rating)

Links Official tournament site The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 11 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.

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