Super-GM Bu Xiangzhi confirmed for the Canadian Open

Super-grandmaster Bu Xiangzhi of China is confirmed to play in the 2007 Canadian Open Chess Championship.

GM Bu, just 21, has been the top-ranked chess player in China. With a FIDE rating of 2656, he is currently No. 2 in his country, a point behind GM Zhang Pengxiang.

In the 2006 Chess Olympiad, where the Chinese team finished in second place, GM Bu played first board. He won four games and drew eight, including his games against top GMs Vladimir Kramnik, Viswanathan Anand and Levon Aronian.

When GM Bu became a Grandmaster in 1999 at the age of 13 years, 10 months, 13 days, he was the youngest person to hold the title. He gave up status of the world's youngest Grandmaster to Sergey Karjakin in July 2002.

Notable players that GM Bu has defeated include GMs Vassily Ivanchuk, Gata Kamsky and Sergey Karjakin.

The 2007 Canadian Chess Championship takes place July 7 to 15 at the Ottawa Marriott. For more information and to register online, visit http://canchess.ca.