Russia - China Match 2008 !

The two chess power house country meet in a match from 18-27 September in Ninbo,China. This will be the 5th time both country meet in this traditional event. The 1st one held in 2001 where the Russian won but the Chinese triumph the next 3 editions ( Moscow 2004, China 2006, and Nizhny Novgorod, Russia 2007) .

The Match is played with the Sheveningen system and consists of three stages ( classical, Rapid and Blitz)

18 -22 September - five classical matches with FIDE Time Control .

23 September - Free day.

24-26 September - Rapid chess ( two circles),

27 September (final day) - Blitz match.

Russia


Men Line up

1. GM Peter Svidler (2738)
2. GM Dmitry Jakovenko (2709)
3. GM Evgeny Alekseev (2708)
4. GM Ernesto Inarkiev (2675)
5. GM Evgeny Tomashevsky (2646)

Average rating : 2695

Average age : 25 years old


Female Line up

1. IM Tatiana Kosintseva (2511)
2. WGM Natalia Pogonina (2469)
3. IM Nadezda Kosintseva (2460)
4. IM Ekaterina Korbut (2459)
5. IM Ekaterina Kovalevskaya (2435)


Average rating : 2467

Average age : 25 years old

China

Men Line up

1 GM Bu Xiangzhi (2710)

2 GM Ni Hua (2705)

3 GM Wang Yue (2704)

4 GM Wang Hao (2691)

5.GM Li Chao (2590)

Average rating : 2680

Average age : 21 years old

Women Line up

1. GM Zhao Xue (2522)
2. WGM Ruan Lufei (2499)
3. GM Xu Yuhua (2483)
4. WGM Shen Yang (2445)
5. WGM Huang Qian (2430)

Average rating : 2476

Average age : 21 years old

Men Team

Although some may argue that Russian Men teams is weak considering their top guns such as Vladimir Kramnik, Alexander Morozevich and Alexander Grischuk not in the line up, the teams is still strong enough to beat and they are actually slighlty stronger on average rating to the Chinese men team. However , Chinese 5th board the 19 years old and rapid improve player - GM Li Chao -who is the recent DATMO 2008 champion with a relatively "low" FIDE rating 2590 which not display his "actual" strength. He is expected to reach the 2600++ in the next FIDE rating list.

The Chinese men team is slightly younger then the Russian men team. Ni Chua is the oldest ( 25 years old) and Li Chao and Wang Hao is the youngest ( both 19 years old).

The Russian team is headed by the oldest player Peter Svidler ( 32 years old) and the youngest is Evgeny Tomashesvky (21 years old)

Women Team

Women match is contradict to men team where the Chinese is stronger based on the average rating. The Russian however didn't bring their new World Champion - Alexandra Kosteniuk who is surely need a break . The same goes to the chinese - new Vice World Champion - Hou Yifan.

The Oldest Chinese player is former World Champion - Xu Yuhua (32 years old) and the youngest is Shen Yang ( 19 years old).

The Russian oldest player is Ekaterina Kovaleskaya (34 years old) whereas the youngest is Tatiana Kosintseva (22 years old).

source : chessdom and russianchess