Corus Chess Tournament 2007 -- C-Group Profiles
 Average rating 2486, Category 10
 




Name: Michal Krasenkow (GM)
Country: Poland
Date of Birth: 14.11.1963
Rating: 2651
World Ranking: 55
Group Seeding: 1

Section C's top seed (and Poland's leading player) is a mathematician, and an experienced chess Grandmaster. His Corus record is quite possitive, having won the B Group in 2002. His promotion to the A Group for 2003 saw a bad time for him, and he finished in second-to-last place. Krasenkow, a very active chess player, has represented Poland on board 1 on many occasions, and has won many open and closed events on an international level. A former top 10 player, Michal participated in European leagues, but his best results were the Vlissinen Open (8/9) and the Torre Memorial (6/8). He will take some stopping in the C Group, that is for sure.


Name: Ian Nepomniachtchi (IM)
Country: Russia
Date of Birth: 14.07.1990
Rating: 2587
World Ranking: 181
Group Seeding: 2

It goes to show the competitiveness in chess when an IM goes to Corus (regardless of group) as a number 2 seed. Nepomniachtchi is a product of the Russian Chess School, and former junior champion. He is currently under 18 world vice champion. 2006 brought Ian little to write home about really, tie for second in the Izmailov memorial, with 7/9, and a very nice 8/11 at the World Youth Stars. In the latter stages of 2006 he finished in 5th place at the Russian Super-final. If nothing else, Corus will be great experience for him, though I expect him to get a little more out of it than that. He could well take a few unpredicted points.


Name: Emanuel Berg
Country: Sweden
Date of Birth: 28.12.1981
Rating: 2585
World Ranking: 187
Group Seeding: 3

The second Swedish GM in the field, and the country's youngest, chess is not the only aspect of Emanuel's life. He is a father of two. He comes to Corus after a very nice 2006, which saw him shoot up over 40 rating points, to get near to the 2600 mark. The year saw him take second place in the strong Gruppen tournament, victory in an event in Spain, and a nice 7/11 at the European Championships. Can he book himself a seat to Corus B 2008? That must be an aim, surely.


Name: Parimarjan Negi
Country: India
Date of Birth: 09.02.1993
Rating: 2538
World Ranking: 402
Group Seeding: 4

What can one say about this young GM from India? Going in to chess history as the second youngest GM ever with his 13 years 4 month and 22 days, he had hardly allowed the dust to settle from being the youngest player ever to achieve an IM title. That was just one year earlier, give or take. He already has a wealth of experience under his belt, competing actively in Asian events and world junior championships (bronze medal in 2004). This is not his forst visit to Corus either, 2005 saw his debut and 5.5 point 8th place. That is something he will be looking to improve on this year for sure.


Name: John van der Wiel
Country: the Netherlands
Date of Birth: 09.08.1959
Rating: 2511
World Ranking: 615
Group Seeding: 5

John van der Wiel is twice Dutch Champion, and former European junior champion. He plays exciting chess, able to mix it with the best, and rarely shying away from sharp bloody chaos that the 64 squares can bring sometimes. These days, he competes mainly in Dutch events, mainly opens and the national league. At the Dutch Championships last year he finished on 50%, which put him in the middle of the table. Interestingly enough, John achieved his GM title in 1982, before many of his fellow competitors were even born.


Name: Hou Yifan (WFM)
Country: China
Date of Birth: 27.04.1994
Rating: 2509
World Ranking: 635
Group Seeding: 6

Considering that Parimarjan Negi is 13 and not the youngest participant of Corus top groups, one might wonder where to look in order to find the youngest. Well, the quest is over, it is this young WFM from Beijing, China, who is just 12! In July 2005 her rating was 2158, but had risen a whooping 330 points in less than a year, to nearing 2500! She tied for second in the Chinese women's championships, scored a staggering 11/13 at the Olympiad in Turin which alone netted her 68 points, and at the Women's World Championship she made it to round 3. In Yerevan she won silver medal at the World Girls Championships, and was the highest scoring female in the China-Russia match a few months ago. After winning the 2003 under 10 world championship for girls, she tied for first in the boys section in 2004, eventually coming 3rd on tiebreaks. Already one of China's leading players, she will have a lot of her fellow competitors shaking in their shoes -- and quite rightly so!


Name: Stellan Brynell
Country: Sweden
Date of Birth: 28.09.1962
Rating: 2501
World Ranking: 701
Group Seeding: 7

Believe it or not, 44-year-old Brynell makes his Corus debut. Though older does not necessarily mean wiser, Stellen is certainly the more experienced of the bunch, not only in play but serving as commentator at events, as well as having works published on sites such as chessbase. He plays mainly local open and closed events and some European leagues, with mixed spoils.


Name: Nadezhda Kosintseva (IM)
Country: Russia
Date of Birth: 14.01.1985
Rating: 2496
World Ranking: 743
Group Seeding: 8

Study partner and older sister of GM B competitor Tatiana, Nadezhda Kosintseva is a renowned player within chess in her own right. She has a different style to that of her sister, who prefers sharp games and openings, while Nadezhda prefers quieter, more technical discussions across the board. It has brought her success, she is the current European Women's Vice Champion, and she scored a great 7.5/10 at the Turin Olympiad. Her favourite players are Fischer, Kasparov, and Judit Polgar. She will celebrate her 21st birthday at Corus!


Name: Zhaoqin Peng
Country: the Netherlands
Date of Birth: 08.05.1968
Rating: 2431
World Ranking: 1546
Group Seeding: 9

Originally from China, and former member of their chess team, Zhaoqin moved to Holland for love in 1996 and re-patriated. Holland's leading player, she has won the Dutch Women's Championships a staggering 7 times, 2006 being one of them. At the Turin Olympiad, she scored 8/11 on board 1 and 6/11 at the European Team Championships. This being said, her experience of Corus is a 3.5/13 in the group C of 2004, so she will be looking to make up for it this year!


Name: Harman Jonkman
Country: the Netherlands
Date of Birth: 30.05.1975
Rating: 2425
World Ranking: 1643
Group Seeding: 10

Harmen is a bit of a local boy, coming from Beverwijk, which is the very next town to Wijk aan Zee (and where I have to get the train to and bus from in order to get to the tournament). He has an amazing hunger for chess, playing as much as he can, but perhaps he is best known for his chess calender (you will find this on our links page), which is not argued by many as the best in the world. A former under 16 Dutch Champion, Jonkman has played Corus many times, though he will want to forget his Group C 5.5/13 of last year. Perhaps his travelling and other projects work against him sometimes.


Name: Wouter Spoelman
Country: the Netherlands
Date of Birth: 05.06.1990
Rating: 2414
World Ranking: 1911
Group Seeding: 11

Holland's youngest IM, already having a good bit of competition experience under his belt. He has competed in European and World Youth tournaments and is a regular face at many open and closed events. In 2005, Wouter also competed in Corus C, earning a 6.5/13 score. In 2006 he participated in the Capelle la Grand, and Aeroflot, achieving 5.5/9 and 4.5/9 respectively. He has been rewarded by a rating gain of around 100 points.


Name: Thomas Willemze
Country: the Netherlands
Date of Birth: 23.08.1982
Rating: 2393
World Ranking: 2472
Group Seeding: 12

Thomas is a multiple times Dutch Youth Champion, and has represented his Country in world events, including the European Youth Championship, in which he finished in 10th place. Until recently he was mainly a tactical player, but after wisely working on his technique and positional skills, is becoming a good all-round player. Against GM's he does ok, and at the Cultural Village closed event in Wijk aan Zee in the late part of 2006, he scored 7/9 and earned his ticket to Group C.


Name: Edwin van Haastert (IM)
Country: the Netherlands
Date of Birth: 12.08.1974
Rating: 2391
World Ranking: 2524
Group Seeding: 13

Not a lot has been heard of Edwin van Haastert in recent years, but as a junior player in the 1980's he participated very sucessfuly in team events with the LSG Leiden club. Edwin finds himself playing Corus due to Marc Overeem declining to play. One should not take anything away from Edwin, however, as he recently defeated GM Yge Visser in a qualification match for the 2007 Dutch Championships.


Name: Manuel Bosboom (IM)
Country: the Netherlands
Date of Birth: 24.01.1963
Rating: 2375
World Ranking: 2954
Group Seeding: 14

Manuel Bosboom is an experienced Dutch IM, who lives not far from Wijk aan Zee. His chess career has seen him participate in no less than 7 Dutch championships, and this is his 6th visit to the Corus tournament. This year, he will certainly wish to improve on his disappointing 5/13 of Corus 2005. As well as being a formidable classical chess player, Manuel has a liking for the faster time controls. In the blitz tournament of Corus 1999 (actually it was still Hoogevens then) he sensationally defeated Garry Kasparov -- with black! No Kasparov in Group C, but Manuel will come out with his agressive style none-the-less!