Fide Chess Ratings: Carlsen, Judit go into 2011 as World No. 1

Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010

Hi Everyone,

Fide Chess Ratings for January 1, 2011 are released.

Magnus Carlsen and Judit Polgar go into 2011 Rated No. 1 on the official Fide List. Find more statistics and all the details at the official Fide website here. Chess Queen Alexandra Kosteniuk is at the 15th slot among the women.

Top 20 Players January 2011

Rank Name Title Country Rating Games B-Year 1 Carlsen, Magnus g NOR 2814 17 1990 2 Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2810 17 1969 3 Aronian, Levon g ARM 2805 9 1982 4 Kramnik, Vladimir g RUS 2784 16 1975 5 Karjakin, Sergey g RUS 2776 20 1990 6 Topalov, Veselin g BUL 2775 10 1975 7 Grischuk, Alexander g RUS 2773 20 1983 8 Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar g AZE 2772 9 1985 9 Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2764 0 1969 10 Nakamura, Hikaru g USA 2751 16 1987 11 Ponomariov, Ruslan g UKR 2744 0 1983 12 Radjabov, Teimour g AZE 2744 0 1987 13 Gashimov, Vugar g AZE 2736 10 1986 14 Wang, Yue g CHN 2734 21 1987 15 Nepomniachtchi, Ian g RUS 2733 11 1990 16 Gelfand, Boris g ISR 2733 9 1968 17 Wang, Hao g CHN 2731 33 1989 18 Svidler, Peter g RUS 2730 11 1976 19 Kamsky, Gata g USA 2730 6 1974 20 Wojtaszek, Radoslaw g POL 2726 0 1987 Top 20 Women January 2011 Rank Name Title Country Rating Games B-Year 1 Polgar, Judit g HUN 2686 0 1976 2 Koneru, Humpy g IND 2607 18 1987 3 Hou, Yifan g CHN 2602 23 1994 4 Kosintseva, Tatiana g RUS 2570 15 1986 5 Kosintseva, Nadezhda m RUS 2552 11 1985 6 Dzagnidze, Nana g GEO 2550 4 1987 7 Stefanova, Antoaneta g BUL 2546 4 1979 8 Muzychuk, Anna m SLO 2529 6 1990 9 Cmilyte, Viktorija g LTU 2526 14 1983 10 Harika, Dronavalli m IND 2520 16 1991 11 Lahno, Kateryna g UKR 2518 8 1989 12 Cramling, Pia g SWE 2516 4 1963 13 Ju, Wenjun wg CHN 2514 17 1991 14 Chiburdanidze, Maia g GEO 2502 4 1961 15 Kosteniuk, Alexandra g RUS 2498 17 1984 16 Galliamova, Alisa m RUS 2497 11 1972 17 Zhao, Xue g CHN 2496 30 1985 18 Zhu, Chen g QAT 2495 10 1976 19 Zatonskih, Anna m USA 2493 6 1978 20 Socko, Monika g POL 2489 9 1978

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com

Video of Liv Tyler playing chess with Magnus Carlsen in NY

Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010

Hello Everyone,

Continuing our series of chess videos here is one with - yes, yes, yes, - Liv Tyler playing chess with Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen at The Village Chess Shop, New York City.

We bet you haven't seen it before! It would have been nicer if the video was longer. Earlier, this year, Magnus Carlsen and liv Tyler had starred together in the G-Star Advertising Campaign.

(Here's our earlier post - of July 7, 2010 - headlined 'World No. 1 Chess Grandmaster Carlsen now also a fashion model'




We're surprised this video never went with all the G-Star videos that flooded the Internet at the time of the campaign!

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com

Reggio Emilia 2010 Chess Tournament - Vallejo Pons leads after Round 3

Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010

Find great photos of GM Francisco Vallejo Pons

at www.chesspics.com

Hello Everyone,

The news from the Reggio Emilia Chess Tournament in Italy is that Francisco Vallejo Pons has taken over the lead after the third round from Nigel Short. Navara and Morozevich still have to play a pending game on January 1, 2011. You can access the official website of the tournament here.

The 53rd Reggio Emilia masters tournament is being held from December 28, 2010 to January 6, 2011 and includes the current top two Italian players.

Standings after 3 rounds

1.	Vallejo Pons, Francisco	g	ESP	2698	2½
2.	Short, Nigel	g	ENG	2680	2
3.	Ivanchuk, Vassily	g	UKR	2764	1½
4.	Caruana, Fabiano	g	ITA	2709	1½
5.	Onischuk, Alexander	g	USA	2683	1½
6.	Movsesian, Sergei	g	SVK	2721	1½
7.	Navara, David	g	CZE	2708	1
8.	Godena, Michele	g	ITA	2549	1
9.	Gashimov, Vugar	g	AZE	2733	1
10.	Morozevich, Alexander	g	RUS	2700	½

Here is also a nice video from the tournament.





Here is a nice game from Round 3. You can run them in our flashplayer or see the moves in the pgnplayer.


PGN: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O f6 6. d4 Bg4 7. c3 Bd6 8. Be3 Ne7 9. Nbd2 O-O 10. Qb3+ Kh8 11. h3 Bh5 12. Qxb7 Bf7 13. dxe5 fxe5 14. Nb3 Bc4 15. Rfd1 Rb8 16. Qa7 Ra8 17. Qb7 Be2 18. Nxe5 Qe8 19. Rxd6 cxd6 20. Re1 dxe5 21. Rxe2 Ng6 22. Rd2 Qe6 23. Nc5 Qxa2 24. Kh2 Qc4 25. Rd7 Rab8 26. Qxc6 Rxb2 27. Rxg7 Rfxf2 28. Bxf2 Rxf2 29. Qc8+ Kxg7 30. Ne6+ Qxe6 31. Qxe6 Rxg2+ 32. Kh1 Rg3 33. c4 Rc3 34. Qd7+ Kh8 35. h4 h5 36. Qc8+ Kg7 37. Qd7+ Kh8 38. Qd6 Kg7 39. c5 Rh3+ 40. Kg1 Rxh4 41. c6 Rg4+ 42. Kf2 Rf4+ 43. Ke3 Rf6 44. Qd8 Rf7 45. c7 Ne7 46. Qd6 1-0

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com

Ukrainian prodigy Illya Nyzhnyk becomes youngest GM at 14

Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010


Hi Everyone,

Ukrainian Grandmaster Illya Nyzhnyk

Talented Ukrainian prodigy is now the world's youngest Grandmaster at the age of 14. Illya Nyzhnyk fulfilled his third and final Grandmaster norm at the just-concluded Groningen Chess Festival. The tournament ran from December 21-30, 2010 at the Sportcentrum Rijksuniversiteit & Hanzehogeschool in Groningen, Netherlands. The Festival is traditionally organised around Christmas and has continued for the last  47 consecutive years.


The Festival consisted of Open A with the prize fund of 6500 EUR, Open B (1700-2200 elo, 2000 EUR), Open C (U1800 elo, 1000 EUR) and Groningen Compact, a five-round swiss event. You can check the official website here..


The final standings saw a six-way tie for the first place with GM Dejan Bojkov eventually winning the title on tie-break.


Top-20 final Standings


1. Bojkov, Dejan GM BUL 2542 6.5 2631
2. Nyzhnyk, Illya IM UKR 2535 6.5 2671
3. Bluvshtein, Mark GM CAN 2587 6.5 2606
4. Brandenburg, Daan IM NED 2515 6.5 2639
5. Ernst, Sipke GM NED 2590 6.5 2628
6. Van Kampen, Robin IM NED 2454 6.5 2627
7. Andriasian, Zaven GM ARM 2585 5.5 2540
8. Prohaszka, Peter GM HUN 2536 5.5 2550
9. Gupta, Abhijeet GM IND 2600 5.5 2550
10. Rotstein, Arkadij GM GER 2538 5.5 2551
11. Lobzhanidze, Davit IM GEO 2496 5.5 2471
12. Grover, Sahaj IM IND 2432 5.5 2475
13. Bok, Benjamin IM NED 2458 5.5 2390
14. Baklan, Vladimir GM UKR 2613 5.5 2502
15. Naroditsky, Daniel FM USA 2425 5.5 2474
16. Van Oosterom, Chiel IM NED 2426 5.5 2398
17. Baghdasaryan, Vahe ARM 2303 5.0 2474
18 Werle, Jan GM NED 2578 5.0 2466
19 Romanishin, Oleg M GM UKR 2534 5.0 2437
20 Nijboer, Friso GM NED 2583 5.0 2423


From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com

Chess puzzles: Two mates-in-3!

Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010

Hi Everybody,

Two very interesting White to move and checkmate-in-three puzzles for the year-end. You can run the answers in the flashplayer below. Enjoy!

Magnus Carlsen - Hans K Harestad, Copenhagen, 2003

Frank Healey vs. ?, 1902

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com

Cool chess motif used in advertisements: Three nice videos

Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010

Hi Everyone,

Just when we think we've carried all those advertisements or commercials from around the world with chess in them, along comes an email or twitter message from a reader with fresh videos. Here are some sent to us by @swakilki via @chessqueen and @kosteniuk on twitter. (You're following Chess Queen Alexandra Kosteniuk on twitter - right?)

Enjoy the videos.









P.S. Oh we're high on chess which has no hangover!

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com

Reggio Emilia Chess Tournament R2: Nigel Short leads with perfect score

Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010

Hello Everyone,

The update from the 53rd Torneo di Capodanno in Reggio Emilia, Italy, after two rounds, is that British Grandmaster Nigel Short leads with a perfect score. Check the official website here and also see www.chessdom.com for some great analysis.

Find nice photos of the

British Grandmaster Nigel Short at www.chesspics.com.

Round 2 results

• Nigel Short - Alexander Morozevich 1-0
• David Navara - Fabiano Caruana 1-0
• Vassily Ivanchuk - Francisco Vallejo Pons 1/2-1/2
• Vugar Gashimov - Sergei Movsesian 1/2-1/2
• Michele Godena - Alexander Onischuk 1/2-1/2

However, David Navarra and Alexander Morozevich would play their game on the rest day for the others - January 1, 2011.

Standings after Round 2

1. Short, Nigel g ENG 2680 2
2. Vallejo Pons, Francisco g ESP 2698 1½
3. Navara, David g CZE 2708 1 + 1 game
4. Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2764 1
5. Movsesian, Sergei g SVK 2721 1
6. Onischuk, Alexander g USA 2683 1
7. Gashimov, Vugar g AZE 2733 ½
8. Caruana, Fabiano g ITA 2709 ½
9. Godena, Michele g ITA 2549 ½
10. Morozevich, Alexander g RUS 2700 0 + 1 game

Here are two interesting games that you can view in our flashplayer below or run the moves through our pgnplayer.

PGN: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. dxc5 Nc6 7. a3 Bxc5 8. Qg4 O-O 9. Bd3 Qe7 10. Bd2 f6 11. Qh4 h6 12. exf6 Nxf6 13. O-O-O e5 14. fxe5 Nxe5 15. Nf3 Nxd3+ 16. cxd3 b5 17. Rhe1 Qb7 18. Be3 Bxe3+ 19. Rxe3 a5 20. Rde1 b4 21. Re7 Qb6 22. axb4 axb4 23. Nd1 Bg4 24. Kd2 b3 25. Ke2 Ra4 26. Qg3 Nh5 27. Qe5 Rf5 28. Qc3 Bxf3+ 29. gxf3 d4 30. Re8+ Kh7 31. Qc8 Nf4+ 32. Kf1 Qb5 33. Nf2 Nxd3 34. Rh8+ Kg6 35. Qe6+ Kh5 36. Rb8 Qe5 37. Rxe5 Ra1+ 38. Re1 Rxe1+ 39. Qxe1 Nxe1 40. Kxe1 Rxf3 41. Rd8 Re3+ 42. Kf1 Rc3 43. bxc3 dxc3 44. Nd3 1-0

PGN: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c3 O-O 12. Nc2 Rb8 13. Be2 Bg5 14. O-O Be6 15. Ncb4 Qc8 16. Qd3 Nxb4 17. Nxb4 a5 18. Nd5 Qd7 19. Rad1 Rfc8 20. Qg3 Qd8 21. a3 h6 22. Bg4 Rc5 23. Bxe6 fxe6 24. Ne3 Qe7 25. Rd3 Rf8 26. f3 Bh4 27. Qg6 Rf6 28. Qh5 Rf8 29. Rfd1 Rc6 30. g3 Bg5 31. Nc2 Qd7 32. h4 Bd8 33. Kg2 Qe7 34. Qg4 Bb6 35. h5 Kh8 36. Kh3 Rf7 37. Ne1 a4 38. Ng2 Bc7 39. f4 Rc4 40. Nh4 Kh7 41. fxe5 dxe5 42. Rd7 Qe8 43. Qg6+ Kg8 44. R1d3 Rc6 45. Rxf7 Qxf7 46. Qxf7+ Kxf7 47. Rd7+ Kf6 48. Ng6 Bd6 49. Kg4 Rb6 50. Nh8 Be7 51. Rd3 Bc5 52. Rf3+ Ke7 53. Rf7+ Ke8 54. Rxg7 Be3 55. Rg8+ Ke7 56. Ng6+ Kf6 57. Rf8+ Kg7 58. Rf3 Bc1 59. Rf2 Rd6 60. Rc2 Rd1 61. Nxe5 Re1 62. Nc6 Rxe4+ 63. Kf3 Re1 64. Nd4 e5 65. Nxb5 e4+ 66. Kg4 e3 67. c4 Bd2 68. c5 Rd1 69. Nd4 Ba5 70. Nf5+ 1-0

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com

Winning start for Short, Pons in Reggio Emilia 2010 chess tournament

Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010

Piazza Prampolini is the heart of the Reggio Emilia town - formerly known as Grand Piazza. The Palazzo del Monte, encompasses a belfry, and the Crostoso fountain which represents the allegory of the river flowing through the town.

Hello Everyone,

The 53rd Torneo di Capodanno in Reggio Emilia saw very interesting games all around. In the first round, Nigel Short and Francisco Vallejo Pons notched up victories - the former capitalising on an opponent's attack gone wrong and the latter on the opponent's blunder in time trouble. Meanwhile, Alexander Morozevich finally reached Reggio Emilia after two days of traveling. His match with David Navara has been posted to the rest day - January 1, 2011.

Results of Round 1

• Nigel Short - Vugar Gashimov 1-0
• Alexander Morozevich - David Navara (postponed to 1st January)
• Fabiano Caruana - Vassily Ivanchuk 1/2-1/2
• Francisco Vallejo Pons - Michele Godena 1-0
• Alexander Onischuk - Sergei Movsesian 1/2-1/2

You can follow the action live at the official website here.

Meanwhile, here is the Short-Gashimov game from Round 1 that you can enjoy in the flashplayer below or run the moves through our pgnplayer.

PGN: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nf3 Be7 8. Bc4 O-O 9. O-O Nc6 10. Re1 Be6 11. Bb3 Na5 12. Bg5 Nxb3 13. axb3 Nd7 14. Bxe7 Qxe7 15. Nd2 Nb6 16. Nf1 f5 17. exf5 Bxf5 18. f4 Bg6 19. fxe5 dxe5 20. Qe2 Qh4 21. Qe3 Rf6 22. Ne4 Rxf1+ 23. Kxf1 Qxh2 24. Nf2 Rf8 25. Qxb6 Qh1+ 26. Ke2 Qxg2 27. Rf1 h6 28. Kd2 Rf6 29. Qc5 Kh7 30. Rae1 Rc6 31. Qxe5 Rxc2+ 32. Ke3 Qc6 33. Ne4 Qb6+ 34. Kf4 Qxb3 35. Rf3 Qb4 36. Rc3 Rf2+ 37. Kg3 Rf5 38. Qe6 Qxb2 39. Rc8 h5 40. Qg8+ Kh6 41. Qh8+ Bh7 42. Qd8 g5 43. Nd2 Rf6 44. Rc7 h4+ 45. Kg2 Bg8 46. Rd7 Qc3 47. Re3 Qc6+ 48. Ne4 Rg6 49. Rd6 Qc2+ 50. Kg1 Qb1+ 51. Kf2 Qa2+ 52. Re2 Qf7+ 53. Kg1 Qf5 54. Nf6 Qc5+ 55. Kh2 1-0

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com