Unfortunately, the Sparkassen Chess Trophy has to announce two cancellations from the A-Open. National player and regular guest GM Dmitrij Kollars is unfortunately still busy with rehab after a shoulder operation, so he won't be able to make it to Dortmund 2024.
Kollars has thrilled spectators on the stage of the Dortmund International Chess Days in recent years. His victory over world champion Vladimir Kramnik last year was extraordinary. Now he has had to cancel his long-planned participation in the Sparkassen Chess Trophy for health reasons. The Chess Olympiad in Budapest is coming up soon, for which he wants to be in top shape again. Kollars hopes to be back in Dortmund in 2025!
The appearance of GM Abhimanyu Mishra, which was expected by many, will also have to be cancelled in 2024. He was announced as a participant in the A-Open some time ago and received special attention because he is the youngest grandmaster of all times.
In the last few days, the organisers have been working hard to find new participating grandmasters for the A-Open. We are pleased to present GM David Gavrilescu, 21-year-old Romanian national player, and GM Andrey Sumets, winner of many international tournaments, as participants in the A-Open of the Sparkassen Chess Trophy 2024.
The two open tournaments will start on Saturday, 10 August at the Alte Schmiede cultural centre.