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hosted by Chess Queen™ & 12th Women's World Chess Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk
Thursday, March 31, 2011
International Chess Open in Indonesia from Friday
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
As more an more countries join the chess fraternity, it makes us feel happy. Now, Indonesia will host its first Telin International Chess Tournament 2011 at Graha Citra Caraka Telkom building in Jakarta beginning on Friday.
About 100 chess players from around the globe are schedule to participate in the US$25,000 event, which is supported by PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Telin).
The seven-day tournament will feature world Grandmasters Eugene Torre of the Philippines with an Elo rating of 2495, Zhang Zhong of Singapore (2592), Dao Thien Hai of Vietnam (2507), Dibyendu Darua of India (2468), Merab Ganunashvili of Georgia (2599), Woman Grandmaster Anastasia Karlovich of Ukraine (2204), Woman International Master Sadeli Dhar of India (2134), as well as Indonesian Grandmaster Susanto Megantoro (2533) and Woman Grandmaster Irine Kharisma Sukandar (2354).
So far, Indonesia has five Grandmasters, 13 International Masters, 18 FIDE Masters, one Woman Grandmasters, four Woman International Masters and four Woman FIDE Masters.
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011 Hi everyone, There's such fascination about robots and computers playing chess and here's another project a chess fan has written to us about.
Arduino DIY-ers have built another chess project. This chess board looks like any chess board except the chess pieces are metallic and moved by a magnet below the board controlled by a robotic arm. The microcontroller controls stepper motors and servos which move the pieces between the squares. Sixty-four magnetically activated reed switches planted into the board allow the Arduino to track the location of each piece. The checkered board has to be a bit large to ensure smooth movement of the pieces between each other. But we don't know how it works when pieces are captured and have to be removed from the board.
Nur Nabila is new Malaysian women's chess champion
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
Nur Nabila Azman Hashim - Malaysian
women's chess champion
Malaysia just got their new women's chess champion - Nur Nabila Azman Hashim. The runners-up was her sister Nur Najiha. For most of the tournament, the two were leading together. Nur Nabila also beat defending champion Fong Mi Yen.
Nur Najiha made the first breakthrough in the sixth round as she overcame Camila Johari, while Nur Nabila could only score a draw with Tan Li Ting, another former national women’s champion. However, Nur Najiha’s sole lead in the championship was short-lived. In the seventh round, she drew with Tan, while Nur Nabila easily overcame a challenge from Amira Syahmina Zulkafli.
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
If you're planning an Asian trip you could very well check out the Thailand Open Chess Championship 2011 running from April 11-17 in Pattaya, Thailand. The tournament will be held in the five-star Dusit Thani Resort and Spa and is expected to draw more than 250 players from 50 countries making the tournament possibly the biggest and strongest in Thailand so far.
You can find more details about entry etc - though now you would have to go with a late fee - at this website.
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
One of the most closely watched national chess tournaments in the world now is the Chinese National Chess Championships. The 2011 edition of the event has begun and would run from March 30 to April 10 in Xinghua, Jiangsu, China. It will be an 11 rounds competition with time control 90 minutes for the whole game with an addition of 30 seconds per move starting from move one.
Ni Hua and Hou Yifan
GM Wang Yue and GM Bu Xiangzhi are the top seeds in the Open Section and also includes GM Hou Yifan. In the Women's Section top players are WGM Ju Wenjun, GM Zhao Xue, and WGM Shen Yang. You can watch live games here with games starting at 15:00 local time. More more news you can also check this website. For updates in English you can check www.chessdom.com.
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
Sachini Ranasinghe of Sri Lanka has become Sri Lanka's first WIM. We had an earlier report from FIDE that she got the WIM title after 25 years of Rani Hamid though Hamid is Bangladesh's first first WIM.
Sachini Ranasinghe - Sri Lanka's second WIM after 25 years.
Sachini has earned the title by winning the Asian Zonal 3.2 Women's Chess Championship. Meanwhile, Bangladeshi Grandmaster Ziaur Rahman, who was the top seed, won the Asian Zonals, by notching up 7.5 points out of possible 9 games. Grandmaster, Niaz Murshed placed second and Abu Safin Shakil was tird. Shrestha Sujendra Prasad from Nepal earned his FM title while Shakil earned his IM title.
Sachini and Zia also get tickets to the respective World Cup of Chess. Aktar Lisa from Bangladesh also scored 7 points and tied with Sachini. But her loss in an early round to Sachini kept her back on tie-break. FM Supeshala Thilkawardena earned the third place.
Cool video: Garry Kasparov at European Individual Chess Championship in France plus open letter to check cheating
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
Here is the video of legendary world chess champion Garry Kasparov's visit to the European Individual Chess Championship currently being held in Aix les Bains, France.
The recent French chess cheating scandal that you would have read about here on www.chessblog.com and other websites has affected the European Individual Championship also. www.chessvibes.com has carried a report about an open letter being circulated at the championship for players requesting for following rules:
- the arbiters reserve the rights to search any player’s pockets in case of suspicion
- no electronic devices can be brought into the playing hall, switched off or otherwise
- electronic boards can be unplugged if one of the players demands it
Spanish Grandmaster Francisco Vallejo Pons posted the open letter on Facebook which was cross-posted by the news website.
Alexei Shirov to be top seed at Sigeman Chess Tournament in Sweden
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hello everyone,
GM Alexei Shirov is the top seed at the 19th Sigeman Chess Tournament which is going to take place in Malmö, Sweden, from 9-13th June 2011. The format is 6-player round robin. The tournament is also featuring a nice mix of world's top juniors and Sweden's best players. You can access the official website here.
Participants:
GM Alexei Shirov ESP 2701
GM Anish Giri NED 2690
GM Wesley So PHI 2667
GM Jonny Hector SWE 2588
GM Nils Grandelius SWE 2547
GM Hans Tikkanen SWE 2541
Fide publishes regulations, bidding procedure for World Chess Championship 2012
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
We yet don't know where the World Chess Championship 2012 will be held. FIDE is publishing the bidding procedure and regulations for the FIDE World Championship Match 2012 betweenWorld Champion V. Anand and his challenger from the Candidates Matches. The match is scheduled for April-May 2012 and the deadline for receiving bids is 30 June.
Here are part of the bidding rules.
Each bid shall contain the following particulars as minimum:
a) Proposed exact dates of the event between 10 April and 31 May 2012.
b) Proposed venue of the event.
c) Proposed prize fund for the players (minimum 1,000,000 euros & should be offered net of any applicable local taxes).
d) The contribution to FIDE (net of any applicable local taxes and not less than 20% of the prize money) as stipulated in
Article 13.2 as well as the financial obligations stated in Article 14 of the Rules & Regulations of the World Championship
Match 2012
e) Commitment to cover all the other financial obligations to FIDE, in accordance with the Rules & Regulations of the
World Championship Match 2012
f) Commitment to cover all organizational costs, in accordance with the match regulations.
g) Category of official hotel (minimum 4- stars), and name if possible, with special room rates for visitors (including meals).
h) A statement that the applicant accepts the regulations of the match without any reservations.
i) An invitation for 2 (two) members of the FIDE Commission for World Chess Championships and Olympiads to inspect the
proposed venue and examine the other conditions, with all travel/hotel expenses paid by the bidder.
j) The applicant's name, signatures and authentication.
World Junior Chess Championship 2011 in India in August
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
The All India Chess Federation on behalf of the FIDE is going to host the World Junior Chess Championship - 2011 to be held in the south Indian city of Chennai from August 1-16 August 2011. You can find more details here.
The championships will be played in 13 rounds, Swiss System, in accordance with FIDE regulations of July 1, 2009. According to FIDE rules, the rate of play will be 90 minutes for the 40 moves followed by 30 minutes for all remaining moves with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move one. According to FIDE regulations, entitled to participate are chess players born on and
after January 1, 1991. Players would not be allowed to accept a draw before 30 moves!
Chess documentary of World Chess Champion Anatoly Karpov training and life
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
For all the fans of former World Chess Champion Anatoly Karpov and for all the lovers of chess, here are three nice videos of training and the champion's life. This was prepared before he was to take on Bobby Fischer. Enjoy. Don't forget to keep sending us your favourite videos for featuring here on www.chessblog.com.
Bu Xiangzhi, Li Chao qualify for World Cup of Chess from Asian Zone 3.5
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
Here are the updates from the Asian Zone 3.5 Chess Championships. These were held from March 20-28 in Tianjin, China. The men's tournament is a qualifier for the 2011 World Cup of Chess and top two finishers book tickets for Khanty-Mansiysk. 55 players competed in the 9-round Swiss tournament.
Bu Xiangzhi
Last round top games all ended in draws, granting the Grandmasters Bu Xiangzhi and Li Chao B the first two places as they scored seven points each. GM Zhou Jianchao and Lu Shanglei shared the third place with 6.5 points.
Ju Wenjun
The Women's tournament that took place alongside and is a qualification for the 2012 Women's World Championship. Thirty two participants competed over 9 rounds of Swiss system. Top four finishers progress in the World Championship cycle. Reigning China champion Ju Wenjun and second-seed Shen Yang are joint winners with 7.0 points each.
Final standings (women):1-2. WGM Ju Wenjun 2519 and WGM Shen Yang 2443 - 7.0
3. WGM Huang Qian 2394 - 6.5
4-5. WGM Wang Yu A. 2398 and WGM Gu Xiaobing 2369 - 6.0
6-9. Wang Doudou 2182, WF Zhai Mo 2136, WGM Ding Yixin 2376 and WGM Zhang Xiaowen 2344 - 5.5
10-14. Guo Qi 2331, WGM Tan Zhongyi 2428, Wang Jue 2275, Ni Shiqun and Xu Huahua 2139 - 5.0 etc
The Chinese Chess Championships 2011 start from March 29 in Xinghua, Jiangsu, and continue until April 10.
European Chess Championship R7: Potkin leads plus some nice games
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
Grandmaster Vladimir Potkin is going great at the European Individual Chess Championship currently on in Aix Les Bains, France. He has notched up six points out of seven rounds and is ahead of 19 other grandmasters with half a point. You can access the official website here.
The 12th European Individual Chess Championship is being held from March 21 till April 3rd, 2011 in Aix les Bain, France. It’s an 11-round Swiss system with a total of 407 participants (172 GMs). There are 23 qualification spots for the World Cup 2011 in August-September in Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia). The games start every day at 15:00 CET (live here). Meanwhile, here are some nice games from Round 5.
GMs Bruzon, Dominguez qualify for World Cup of Chess
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Khanty Mansisyk - Preparing for World Cup of Chess 2011
Hi everyone,
Back to news from Havana. Cuban Grandmasters Lazaro Bruzon and Leinier Dominguez have won the two tickets for the 2011 World Cup of Chess by winning the Zonal 2.3 regional qualifying tournament that concluded on Sunday in Santiago de los Caballeros, the Dominican Republic
Dominguez won the event with 11 points of 12 possible with his victory on Sunday over Jamaican Jomo Pitterson, while Bruzon placed second with 10.5 points after he tied with Colombian Sergio Barrientos.
Apart from qualifying to the World Cup, with these results, Dominguez added 9.5 points to his current ELO rating of 2716 while Bruzon continued nearing the 2700 mark as he currently has 2686 and he added 7.1 points. The third spot of the competition was for Mexican Manuel Leon Hoyos, who ended with 9.5 points.
The World Cup of Chess is scheduled for Khanty Mansiysk, Russia, from August 26 to September 21 later this year.
Cool chess video - Second part of Korchnoi interview with Europe Echecs
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
Some time back we had given you the first part of the Viktor Korchnoi video. Here is our earlier www.chessblog.com post with the first part of the interview that Europe Echecs conducted with Viktor Korchnoi.
Cool video - The chess strategy for children's education
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
We found this real cool video at this link. It's about Wendi Fischer, executive director of America's Foundation for Chess, who has become a celebrity among the elementary school set. It's not the first initiative to teach chess to elementary students. Since 1986, Chess-in-the-Schools has taught the game to low-income students in New York City Public Schools. No one keeps track of how many teachers use the board game as a teaching tool, though plenty of books are available to help them. The foundation, based in Bellevue, Wash., aims to expand First Move nationally and beyond.
Anand wins friendly rapid chess match against Kasimdzhanov 3.5-0.5
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
In a friendly, 4-game rapid match held on Sunday, March 27 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan Vishy Anand beat Rustam Kasimdzhanov 3.5-0.5. The first game ended in a draw and then the World Champion won the three remaining games.
The match between the reigning World Champion Viswanathan Anand and his second and former FIDE World Champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. It was organized by the Chess Federation of Uzbekistan and the “Forum” Foundation, and held directly after the traditional Georgi Agzamov memorial. The match consisted of four games with the time control of 25 minutes plus 10 seconds increment.
Rustam Kasimdzhanov, Uzbekistan’s number one player, won the knockout FIDE World Championship in 2004 and held the title until 2005. Later he joined Anand’s team to help the World Champion defend his crown, won in Mexico in 2007, in matches against Kramnik in Bonn, 2008, and against Topalov in Sofia, 2010.
Although Anand has been known for decades for his speedy chess, Kasimdzhanov is not a bad rapid player himself. His 2004 title was partly based on excellent play in rapid tiebreaks while most recently, Kasimdzhanov won the Rapid Championship of the 16th Asian Games, held in November in Guangzhou, China.
Rapid Match Tashkent
Name
Ti
NAT
Rtng
1
2
3
4
Total
Perf
Anand, Viswanathan
g
IND
2817
½
1
1
1
3½
3023
Kasimdzhanov, Rustam
g
UZB
2687
½
0
0
0
½
2495
The first game was drawn in a Petroff where Kasimdzhanov might have had a slight advantage in the final position. Then, the Uzbek grandmaster played an excellent game and reached a winning ending in the second game. However, he blundered. In the third game Anand won quickly in another Petroff. In the last game Anand got a tiny edge right out of the opening and used back rank tactics to win.
UMBC defends title in Final Four of College Chess in United States
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
Next weekend UMBC will defend its title of best college chess team in the United States at the Final Four of College Chess. The match will be held on 1-3 April at Booz Allen Hamilton's corporate site in Herndon, VA.
Each year, the top four USA schools from the Pan American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship are invited to compete for the President's Cup in a match that has come to be known as the 'Final Four of College Chess'. The winner is considered to be the top US college chess team.
This year, the UMBC team will face three teams from Texas universities: Texas Tech University, the University of Texas at Dallas, and the University of Texas at Brownsville.
Director of the UMBC Chess Program, Professor Alan Sherman, believes that UMBC has the strongest team but says "We are fielding the same team that won the Final Four last year and that placed second in the 2010 Pan-Am in Milwaukee. It will be a close fight in which any of the four teams could possibly win."
UMBC's team consists of International Grandmasters Leonid “Chief” Kritz, Sergey “The Stealth” Erenburg, Giorgi Margvelashvili, International Master Sasha “Plaplan” Kaplan and International Woman Grandmaster Sabina "Sunshine" Foisor (alternate). Supporting the team are UMBC Chess Coach Igor Epshteyn and Associate Chess Director Sam Palatnik.
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Checkmate: Chess is much more than just board game. Left to right, Stefan, Claudio Garcia-Espejo and Niraq, show focus, fun and fearlessness at the Bloor/Gladstone Library chapter of Chess in the Library. Courtesy/Daniela Muller-Shapiro
Hi everyone,
We found this very interesting feature on a project called 'Chess in the Library'. It was Brookbanks Public Library in North York that was the birthplace of Chess in the Library - a weekly program created by Canada's youngest female International Master, Yuanling Yuan, 17. The library is where young chess players gather to play and learn.
Already two years in, Yuan's idea has been a tremendous success. Chess in the Library now spans across 12 Toronto libraries, and has more than 40 volunteers. The program also operates in three libraries in Ottawa, and one library in Victoria, BC and Calgary, Alta.
Chess in the Library is designed to boost social and intellectual development. Chess demands the expansion of math and literacy skills and the emotional capacity to learn how to win and lose. But more importantly, these skills help prepare participants for the challenges which lie ahead as they transition through elementary school to middle school, to high school and beyond - something not offered by today's digital mediums.
Although video games do offer entertainment, there's limited emphasis on engaging one's intellectual faculties.
"Instead of just hitting buttons, you have to decide how you want to play and consider the consequences of your actions," said Kevin Wu, 15, executive director of the program. "Chess is a parallel to life - cause and effect."
Wu started playing when he was seven years old after his parents bought him a book on chess. Since then, he's been completely absorbed by the game. Following in Yuan's shoes, he's now a Candidate Master.
Petrosian wins Agzamov Open Chess Tournament on tie-break
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everybody,
The 5th International Chess Tournament, dedicated to the memory of Georgy Agzamov, the first grandmaster of Uzbekistan, was played from 17th to 26th march at the Central House of Officers of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Tashkent.
Grandmasters Marat Dzhumaev, Anton Filippov (Uzbekistan) and Tigran Petrosian (Armenia) shared the first place with seven points each. Petrosian was declared winner on superior tiebreak score.
On March 27 Chess Federation of Uzbekistan and "Forum" Foundation will organise a friendly match between the current World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand (India) and the 17th World Chess Champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov (Uzbekistan) in Tashkent. The match consists of four rapid games. Time control: 25 minutes per game with a 10-second increment per move starting at move one.
Final standings:
1-3. GM Petrosian Tigran L. ARM 2620, GM Filippov Anton UZB 2604 and GM Dzhumaev Marat UZB 2465 - 7.0
4-12. GM Turov Maxim RUS 2635, GM Roiz Michael ISR 2661, GM Yuriy Kuzubov UKR 2627, GM Kazhgaleyev Murtas KAZ 2618, GM Barsov Alexei UZB 2503, GM Mchedlishvili Mikheil GEO 2629, GM Megaranto Susanto INA 2533, GM Miroshnichenko Evgenij UKR 2670 and IM Khamrakulov Dzhurabek UZB 2479 - 6.5
13-17. GM Evgeny Alekseev RUS 2688, GM Jumabayev Rinat KAZ 2562, GM Ismagambetov Anuar KAZ 2496, Temirov Bakhyt KAZ 2326 and Zamruk Alexander RUS 2380 - 6.0 etc
BE SOMEONE Spring Break Chess Camp - April 4 to April 8, 2011
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011 Hi everyone,
We've featured Orrin Checkmate Hudson, 'Master Motivator Teacher and Mentor,' earlier on www.chessblog.com. Here is latest news from him.
He will hold his annual Spring Break Leadership Chess Camp from Monday, April 4 through Friday, April 8, 2011 in Stone Mountain, Georgia. This week long leadership camp will be from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with early drop-off and late pickup available. Hudson will use his signature chess skills and abilities as he offers information, insight and advice on the importance of making every move in life count.
You can watch this nice video too.
Hudson has trained more than 20,000 students and his goal is to reach one million youngsters as he continues to train new teachers/motivators to spread the positive life lessons learned through the game of chess. Hudson is a believer in the 'pay it forward' concept.
"I was a young know-it-all teenager in Alabama and I was on the road to certain destruction and possibly even a premature death, " he readily admits. "But I had a teacher who saw potential in me, I'm not sure what that was, but he taught me the game of chess." Hudson is quick to say that seemingly simple act "saved my life."
"By using the game of chess, my teacher showed me that for every move I make on the chess board there are consequences," he adds. Hudson then stresses what is the bottom line of this game. "I not only learned how to play chess but I also gained self-esteem and realized I could be someone if only I chose the right moves in my life."
Hudson went on to serve as an Alabama State Trooper but later realized his true calling. "I knew I had to give back. I saw too many young African American males headed down the wrong path - gangs, drugs, crime, sexual irresponsibility, no education and focus -, the same path I was on until someone cared enough to set me straight." Hudson deftly uses the thinking man's game of chess to both teach and mentor at the same time. It is a combination that is both effective and unobtrusive.
Here are the details for contacting: Spring Break Chess Camp 949 Stephenson Road Stone Mountain, Georgia 678-526-0292 Monday, April 4 to Friday April 8, 2011 9am to 3pm
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hello everyone,
We're still remembering the exciting London Chess Classic 2010 which was won by Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen in December. It is great that the London Chess Classic 2011 has now been announced to take place from December 3-12 this year.
Garry Kasparov presents the trophy and winners cheque for €50,000 to London Classic winner 2010, Magnus Carlsen.
Tournament director IM Malcolm Pein said here that the participants for the third edition of this fantastic chess event are still to be confirmed. The event will be held, as always, at the nice Olympia Conference Centre. This time there will be an additional player making it a 9 round 9 player event. 1 player per round will have a day off and help the commentary team. In the tradition of promoting chess in the UK there will be junior training, lectures, GM and amateur opens. There is an increased prize-fund too.
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011 Hi everyone,
We have nice news that possibly the first scholastic chess tournament has been held in Holland recently. It shows the growing influence of chess as a tool for children's learning and education.
Holland-area youth compete in a chess tournament Saturday at Holland Christian High School.
Here is the nice report that you can read in full here. Van Raalte Tech High School Junior Patrick Brott had played in chess tournaments before, but this was the first one where he mastered the sheer excitement of playing. Concentrating hard, he won three out of his first four games in the rated tournament at Holland Christian High School on Saturday. “I’m always excited to learn and get more experience,” Brott said. “I had to take deep breaths to calm myself down.”
His brother, Ryan Brott, was at his first chess tournament, and didn’t fare as well, losing to a younger player. “I lost to a prodigy,” he joked.
The scholastic chess tournament — the organisers from HollandChess.com said it was the first in Holland within recent memory — drew dozens of grade-school-age participants from as far away as Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. They competed in rated and unrated divisions.
Studies have shown that the centuries-old game, based on warfare in the middle ages, helps children develop their minds, said organizer David Posthuma. More noticeably, however, it helps students build their powers of concentration. “They learn how to sit still; they learn how to focus,” Posthuma said.
The tournament was sponsored by HollandChess.com, Haworth and CapTrust Financial Advisors. HollandChess.com was founded by parents at Eagle Crest Charter Academy in Holland about five years ago. It expanded this year to become independent of the school and bring in students in grades K-8 from around the area.
“Our goal is to have a first-rate program here in Holland,” Posthuma said. “We hope to launch this fall a high school group.” He said there were about 60 students involved in the group, and he expected to have more than 100 involved next year.
European Chess Championship R4: Potkin, Savchenko in joint lead with perfect score
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hello everyone,
The 12th European Individual Chess Championship for Men is being held from March 21 till April 3rd, 2011 in Aix les Bain, France. The thermal city is in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.
After four rounds, Vladimir Potkin and Boris Savchenko are the only two players left with a 100% score. Judit Polgar is one of the 19 players on 3.5 points while top seed Peter Svidler has half a point less as he was held to a draw by two IMs.
The Championship is a Swiss system of 11 rounds. The time control is 90 minutes for 40 moves and then 30 minutes to finish the game, plus 30 seconds per move starting with the first move. The games start every day at 15:00 CET (live here) while Tuesday, March 29th is a rest day.
Three-way lead at zonal chess qualifier in Dominican Republic for World Chess Cup
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
We don't have chess news coming out of Cuba very easily or often. But here's some from Havana.
GM Lazaro Bruzon
Cuban Grandmasters (GM) Lazaro Bruzon and Leinier Dominguez, along with Mexican Manuel Leon Hoyos - all with eight points, share the lead of the Zonal 2.3 regional qualifying tournament currently underway in Santiago de los Caballeros, the Dominican Republic, which grants two tickets for the 2011 World Cup of Chess.
In the tenth round of the event on Thursday, Dominguez and Leon Hoyos tied in the top spot with Bruzon —who rested— after their victories against Salvadoran Hector Leyva and Dominican Lisandro Muñoz, respectively. The World Cup is scheduled for Khanty Mansiysk, Russia, from August 26 to September 21 later this year. The qualifier is being played using a 13-round single round-robin format.
Genius chess champion Bobby Fischer's personal collection of letters to be auctioned
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
Remember our earlier post about the Philip Weiss Auctions opening bidding for the chess set used in the 1972 World Chess Championship by Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky?
We have news that some private letters written by Fischer would also be auctioned along with the signed chess board. You can also try live online bidding.
As part of their April 2, 2011 auction in the 'Folkart, Native American, & Military' category, along with several other items, up for auction will be the 1972 World Chess Championship Chess Set used by Bobby Fischer & Boris Spassky (Signed by Both). This chess set was used in the legendary “Back Room” game of the Championship held in Reykjavik, Iceland. It was given to the President of the Icelandic Chess Federation in October 1972, and comes with Letter of Authenticity. Also a collection of personal letters from Bobby Fischer will be auctioned.
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12th Women's World Chess Champion
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