Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2011
As last year I arrived in seaside Wijk aan Zee well in advance of the tournament. (Already Wednesday.) Yesterday was quite
busy with interviews and also the traditional Grandmaster groups Meet and Greet in Hotel Zeeduin (where the A-group players
are staying). Earlier in the day I met my Danish friend GM Peter H. Nielsen and started looking forward to playing some Nintendo
Wii-games only to discover that he was here as a second for V.Anand.
A G-star press conference in London publicised the next female model, Gemma Arterton. I?ll continue as the male model for
the spring/summer campaign 2011?
The Tata organiser have managed to put together exceptionally strong fields in all the Grandmaster Groups (A, B and C) and
we have to reason to expect an exciting, high quality tournament.
Pressing the blue simulation button during the opening ceremony today resulted in start number 4; White in round 1 against
fellow 2800-player L.Aronian, Armenia tomorrow at 1:30 pm local time and an extra white overall.
My highest rated opponents Anand, Aronian, Kramnik and Grischuk all drew high start numbers and get an extra black this time
around, while Nakamura drew white. I?ll have white against the first two and the latter, and black against Kramnik and Grischuk.It
is great to be in Wijk, this will be my 8th consecutive January spent here.
Magnus Carlsen, Wijk aan Zee, Holland, January 14th 2011.