The Ivolginsky datsan (Republic of Buryatia) hosted the 10th international chess festival «Sagaalgan-2012» on 16-18 March, with awards from the Damba Darzha Zayayev Dasha Choinkhorlin Buddhist University.  The festival has been a stage in the Rapid Grand Prix of Russia/ Russian Cup for two years now. METROPOL Group of Companies has invariably been the festival’s general partner since 2006.
The tournament meets with growing acclaim each year not only in Buryatia and Russia, but in other countries as well. This year’s list of star contestants included Sergei Rublevsky, winner of the 58th Russian Championship, member of Russia’s Olympic team and senior coach of Russia’s women’s team; Aleksei Aleksandrov, Belarusian grand master, European rapid chess champion, European classic chess runner-up; Dmitry Bocharov, last year’s tournament winner; Namkhai Battulga, international master, Mongolia; Urtnasan Nasanzhargal and Altan-Ulzy Yenkhtuul, both FIDE masters.   
All the best Buryat chess players also participated in the tournament, including international grand master Anton Shomoev, international masters Oleg Badmatsyrenov and Inna Ivakhinova.
“17 international grand masters are participating in this tournament, and we are very happy with the fact. On behalf of Sangha of Russia, I extend my gratitude to them for the respect they show to us,” Pandito Khambo Lama Damba Ayushev said in his opening address.
Pavel Maletin, 26-year-old international grand master of Novosibirsk, scored 11 points to win the Sagaalgan 2012 tournament.   Bair Tsyrenov, Director, IFC METROPOL Representative Office in Buryatia, the tournament’s general partner, handed him the first prize of 100 thousand rubles.  
Pavel Smirnov of Mezhdurechensk, an international grand master, came second. International grand master Anton Shomoev of Buryatia came third.
“The Sagaalgan 2012 chess festival is unique in terms of not only its setup, but also its participants.  We consider the tournament important not only as a sports event, but also as evidence of the fact that we are capable of many things, and that many things are changing for the better.  We will continue to support this tournament, and, since its scale is increasing, we will increase the prize fund every year,” – said Mr Tsyrenov. 

Photo: Aleksei Aleksandrov, European rapid chess champion, played 20 simultaneous chess games at the festival’s opening.

Photo: The festival drew lots of young chess enthusiasts.
 

Photo: Bair Tsyrenov, Director, IFC METROPOL representative office in the Republic of Buryatia, makes a speech.

Photo: Bair Tsyrenov and Pandito Khambo Lama Damba Ayushev with the tournament winners.

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