The grand ceremony opening of the Moscow Open 2014, the 10th International RSSU Chess Cup was held on Saturday, Fabruary 1 in the assembly hall of the Russian State Social University main corpus. The organizers and the honored guests came to congratulate and pass their wishes to the participants of the competitions. The dance performed by the artists of the Chess Battles Moscow Music Hall helped the guests to get positive emotions before the official part started.

First Vice-President of the Department of Physical Culture and Sport of Moscow, Olympic Speed Skating Champion Mr. Nikolay Gulyaev wished interesting and breathtaking games to the participants of the festival. He also wished the guests and supporters to experience pleasure from the games.  

The Chairman of the Veterans’ Council of Moscow Mr. Vladimir Dolgikh marked that several hundreds of veterans, sincerely devoted to the game of chess, are among the participants of the tournament. Vladimir said that he is in favor of the chess becoming a bigger part of education of young people.

First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of Russia Mr. Alexander Torshin has greeted the participants of the festival on behalf of the Council and Mrs. Valentina Matvienko personally. He expressed sincere gratitude to the organizers, who have been gathering the chess elite under the umbrella of the festival for ten years already.

“I can’t help making sure and being surprised by the wisdom of the chess. I will always remember the day when being a boy I became a member of the display of the multi-board chess play with Mikhail Tal,“ film director, Peoples’ Artist of the Russian Federation, deputy of Moscow State Duma Mr. Evgeny Gerasimov said. He also added while addressing to the participants: “I wish you to remember this great day for long. Good luck and excellent play!”

Multiple World Chess Champion Mr. Anatoly Karpov arrived to the ceremony opening of the festival directly from the meeting of the Russian Chess Federation, where he was elected as a RCF Vice-President. Anatoly passed the regards from the delegates of the meeting. He also assured that the Russian Chess Federation will continue to provide the festival with the support. He also thanked the Rector- founder of the RSSU, the Honored President of the Moscow Chess Federation Mr. Vasily Zhukov. “The tournament exists only thanks to Vasily,” Karpov marked. He also wished the participants to play at least one game to be remembered for the rest of the life.

FIDE Events Commission Secretary Mr. Theodoros Tsorbasoglou greeted the participants, guests and organizers of the tournament on behalf of the International Chess Federation. “Sochi will host the Winter Olympic Games that will start within several days. And today is a big day for the chess in Russia. The meeting of the Russian Chess Federation is held and the tenth festival Moscow Open, the RSSU Chess Cup is being open. I would like to congratulate you for these events.”

Vasily Zhukov, who had to open the festival, appeared before the participants of the ceremony in the jacket, almost fully covered with the medals and the orders. “For the tenth time in a row Moscow becomes the capital of the chess world,” Vasily marked. “Distinguished people of the present have come today to the RSSU, and the lifeline of each of them was full of the chess and the devotion to them.” Zhukov wished good luck to the participants of the tournament in the course of their life, and innumerous number of future editions to the festival. After that he declared the Moscow Open 2014, the 10th International RSSU Chess Cup open.

You can find the photos here.