The children were treated to a spectacular opening ceremony last night here in Disneyland Paris. Entertainment included jugglers, magicians and face artists. They were also privileged to visits from World Champion Anatoly Karpov, Mickey Mouse, Pluto and Goofy.

This morning, however, they were down to the serious business of playing chess. Forty-nine nations from around the world are participating with each country sending its champions in four categories (Boys 13- 14, Boys 10 - 12, Girls 13 - 14 and Girls 10 -12).

The top table games from each category can be followed live on the internet at www.disney.co.uk. Grandmaster analysis on the internet is provided by Anatoly Karpov. Here we provide a selection of games from the top tables with analysis provided by English GM, Danny King. Tomorrow there are three rounds of speed chess starting at 9:00am. In the afternoon, the children have the afternoon off to enjoy the park.

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 e6 4. Nf3 Nge7 5. Bb5 d5 6. d3 Bd7 7. Bxc6 Bxc6 8. O-O g6 9. Qe1 Bg7 10. Qh4 O-O 11. Bd2 Nc8 12. Qf2 c4 13. e5 Qb6 14. Qxb6 Nxb6 15. Nd4 Rfc8 16. Rfc1 Bf8 17. Be3 Bc5 18. Kf2 Bxd4 19. Bxd4 Na4 20. Ne2 Bb5 21. Ke3 Nc5 22. Bxc5 Rxc5 23. Nd4 Ba6 24. dxc4 Rxc4 25. c3 Rac8 26. g4 b5 27. a3 Kf8 28. Rf1 Ke7 29. f5 Rg8 30. fxe6 fxe6 31. Rf6 Bc8 32. Raf1 Rg7 33. R1f4 Bd7 34. Rf8 a5 35. Rb8 Rc5 36. Rf6 Rf7 37. g5 Rc4 38. Rb7 (1-0)

This was a superb positional victory from White. He began the game aggressively, threatening a kingside attack, but unexpectedly , and cleverly, exchanged queens a little later to gain control in the centre of the board. With a knight cemented in the middle preventing his opponent's counterplay, the Polish player slowly crept forward, eventually breaking through with his rooks. At the end, Black's king was powerless to prevent the mating attack from White's two rooks and knight, so he resigned.

1. Nf3 c5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 g6 6. e4 Bg7 7. Ne2 O-O 8.O-O d6 9. Nbc3 Bg4 10. h3 Bxe2 11. Nxe2 Qc7 12. c3 Rad8 13. Nf4 e6 14. Qa4 d5 15. exd5 Nxd5 16. Nxd5 exd5 17. Rd1 d4 18. cxd4 Rxd4 19. Rxd4 Bxd4 20.Bxc6 Qb6 21. Bg2 Bxf2+ 22. Kh1 Bxg3 23. Qb3 Qd6 24. Be3 Re8 25. Rf1 Qc7 1-0

The game started gently: both sides brought out their pieces and castled their kings into safety before engaging in battle. Then on move 20 White made a dramatic - and risky - lunge in an attempt to win a bishop. Black missed a great counter shot (20…Qxg3+ would have won) after which White took the extra bishop and consolidated her advantage.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bd7 6. f3 Nc6 7. Be3 a6 8.Qd2 e6 9. g4 Be7 10. h4 Qc7 11. h5 h6 12. O-O-O Nxd4 13. Bxd4 b5 14. Bg2 b4 15. Ne2 e5 16. Be3 a5 17. Ng3 Rc8 18. Kb1 Be6 19. Nf5 Bxf5 20. gxf5 O-O 21.Bf1 d5 22. Bd3 Kh7 23. Rdg1 Bc5 24. Rxg7+ Kxg7 25. Bxh6+ Kh7 26. Qg5 Rg8 27.Qxf6 Qe7 28. Qxe7 Bxe7 29. Bc1 d4 30. f4 Bd6 31. f6 Kh8 32. b3 exf4 33. Be2… and later drawn.1/2-1/2

The top board struggle between the American and the Pole in the boys under 14 section did not disappoint. Daniel Fernandez, the American, playing White, launched a violent assault with his pawns against the Pole’s kingside. Kamil Miton countered well, blocking the pawns and starting his own attack on the American’s king. The initiative swung back yet again as the American hit out with a rook sacrifice, and finally a position of dynamic balance was reached after the queens were exchanged. A draw was a fair result both remained undefeated by round three.

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 b5 5. Bg5 b4 6. Ne4 Bb7 7. c4 bxc3ep 8.Nxc3 exd5 9. Nxd5 Bxd5 10. Bxf6 Qxf6 11. Qxd5 Qxb2 12. Rd1 Qc3+ 13. Rd2 Qc1+ 14. Rd1 Qc3+ 15. Rd2 c4 16. Qe4+ Be7 17. e3 Nc6 18. Bxc4 f5 19. Qd5 O-O-O 20. O-O g5 21. Ba6+ Kc7 22. Rb1 Bb4 23. Rdd1… and White won a little later by a direct attack on Black’s king (1-0).

There was drama in this top clash as the hotly tipped French girl, Marie Sebag, declined a forced draw early on in the game and went for the win against the determined Arianne Caoili. However, Marie had over-estimated her chances. The Philippine brought her king to safety, co-ordinated her forces and then commenced a devastating attack against the exposed Black king.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Nc6 8.Be2 Bg4 9. Be3 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 e5 11. d5 Nd4 12. Bd1 Nd7 13. O-O Nb6 14. Qd3 Qe7 15. Rc1 a6 16. Re1 Rfe8 17. Be2 Rad8 18. Bf1 c6 19. Qb1 cxd5 20. exd5 Qd7 21. Ne4 Qxd5 22. Nc5 Kh8 23. b4 f5 24. Red1 Qf7 25. a4 Qe7 26. a5 Nd5 27. Bxd4 exd4 28. Bc4 Nc3 29. Qd3 Nxd1 30. Qxd1 Rd6 31. h3 Bh6 32. Rb1 Qc7 33. Qd3 Bg7 34. Rc1 Qe7 35. Qf3 Qg5 36. Rd1 Qf6 37. Nxb7 Rc6 38. Nc5 Qd6 39. Bb3 Rb8 40. Bd5 Rxc5 41. bxc5 Qxc5 42. Bb7 Qxa5 43. Qc6 Qe5 44. Bxa6 Rd8 45. Bd3 Qd6 46. Qc4 Qd5 47. Qc7 Be5 48. Qc2 Qd6 49. Qe2 Re8 50. Qf3 Rb8 51. g3 Qc5 52. Kg2 Bf6 53. Re1 Qc3 54. Qe2 Kg7 55. Rd1 Rb2 56. Qf3 Rb3 57. Qd5 Rb8 58. Bc4 Rf8 59. Qd7+ Kh6 60. Qd5 Kg7 61. Qd7+ Kh6 62. Bf1 1/2-1/2

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