 Additionally, some Russian players were staying at home to prepare for their national championship, a precursor to selection for the Olympiad team.Everyone was surprised to see the return of the Brazilian GM Henrique Mecking, a former world-class player, who had suffered a life-threatening condition some eighteen years previously and had been in a slow recovery ever since.Held at the Interpolis headquarters, round one heralded the largest number of 'big reputation' casualties since the introduction of the knockout format.