Weekend Chess News Updates from Around the World

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,

Everyone seems to be focused on the exciting London Chess Classic. So, here's a quick compilation of some chess news links that you could browse while watching the London Chess Classic Round 7 live at the official website.

Meanwhile, here are some of the top chess news links this weekend:

Astana Chess Federation holds chess tournament for veterans: The Astana Chess Federation is now actively popularizing chess in the capital. This time, veterans of war and labour clashed in the mind battle on the black-and-white board. Recently, the Federation has been organizing chess tournaments among students and government employees. The tournament, which was held under the Swiss system included seven rounds, was attended by more than a dozen of veterans of the Almaty district of the capital. The winners of the tournament sere awarded with diplomas and valuable gifts. The winner also gained the grand prize, the First Place Cup.

Chess champ gives back to the game he loves: Prescott - Tom Green learned how to play chess in the fourth grade, but it wasn't until a year later while living in Oregon that he became enamored with the game. At the time, Green's uncle was serving in the Navy and stationed in the western Pacific American territory of Guam. Green's aunt was there, too, and she mailed him a letter asking him a basic question. "She said, 'You send me the money and I can get you either a mahjong set (Chinese board game) or a chess set. Which would you like?' " Green recalled Thursday. Green, who had saved some cash that he earned from picking berries in an orchard as a youngster, didn't hesitate. He sent his aunt $42.50 for a hand-carved ivory chess set, and he's been playing ever since. Today, Green is a 65-year-old gifted veteran player from Prescott who teaches a Chess Fundamentals class that's part of a special interest group in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Yavapai College.

Lunch with the FT: Magnus Carlsen: The 22-year-old Norwegian is set to become the highest-rated chess player of all time. Martin Sandbu meets him in a Lebanese restaurant in London. High quality global journalism requires investment. It had not occurred to me that diet could be an important part of success at chess before I had lunch with the world’s number one chess player. But Magnus Carlsen’s nutritional needs caused some headaches. The first choice, a Chinese restaurant that is apparently one of Carlsen’s London favourites, turned out to be closed. The second, another Chinese in Soho the FT proposed as a substitute, was rejected by Carlsen the day before the lunch.

FIDE SEMINAR FOR INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZERS 

6-8 February 2013, Moscow (Russia):  Objective: To educate and certify Organizers on an international basis. The seminar is organized during the Moscow Chess Open by the FIDE Events’ Commission (EVE), the Russian State Social University (RSSU) and the Moscow Chess Federation with the support of the Russian Chess Federation. 

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
YouTube Channel