CaTuRcHeSs.blogspot.com

Brilliant Kids Chess Weekend (U10 Boys and Girls)

2011-10-14T12:24:00.002+08:00

The Kids Chess Weekend continues at DATCC this Saturday, 15th October with the BRILLIANT KIDS Chess Weekend for boys and girls under the age of 10. Registration opens from 9:00am until 9:45am with Round 1 set to start at 10:00am. Entry fees isRM10 per child and the top kids finishing in the event to receive medals and/or certificates for their excellent effort. Games are played over 6 rounds with a time control of 25 minutes to finish.

To download the registration form and schedule for the event, please click HERE

For registration, information or inquiries, please contact Kaber Azzad at +60126178624 or write to him at info@chess-malaysia.com. Alternatively, you can also contact Jax Tham at +60133232280 to request for details.

UPSI Venue Change

2011-10-14T12:23:00.000+08:00

13 October 2011, Kuala Lumpur - The organizers of the upcoming UPSI Chess Rapid in Tanjung MALIM, Perak has a short announcement -

From Izza Hasrina, the Project Director cum President of UPSI Chess Club," Disini juga saya ingin memaklumkan bahawa penyertaan untuk menyertai kejohanan catur terbuka UPSI 2011 dilanjutkan sehingga 14 oktober kerana venue baru Dewan SITC dapat menampung lebih banyak peserta. Saya ingin memaklumkan bahawa venue Kejohanan Catur Terbuka UPSI 2011 telah diubah ke Dewan SITC kerana penyertaan yang ramai dan kemudahan yang lebih baik"

(translation in English - I wish to announce that the closing date for joining UPSI OPEN 2011 has been extended to 14th October 2011 as the new venue for the tournament has been changed to the SITC HALL to accommodate the increased number of players participating this year. The SITC HALLcan accommodate this dramatic increased in players and provides better playing conditions.)

Rifqah Wins Gold In Rapids

2011-10-14T12:22:00.000+08:00

13 October 2011, Kuala Lumpur - Last night Puteri Rifqah Fahada Bt Azhar finally got it right by winning the precious gold medal for team Malaysia at the 5th APSSO chess rapid individual girls category. Rifqah scored 5.5 points from 7 rounds of rapid play held over two days. She managed to reduce her draws to just one and won all the others.

Congratulations to Rifqah for perseveringly and gritty enough by winning and confirming her top seeding.

Meanwhile Yeoh Li Tian suffered by winning the Silver medal for Malaysia. Li Tian lost to Novendra Priasmoro in the fourth round of play. Novendra eventually ended as the champion of the boys individual rapid event.

To read more, please visit chess-results.com or at this link :-
http://chess-results.com/tnr57838.aspx?art=4&lan=1

UPSI OPEN UPDATE!

2011-10-14T12:21:00.000+08:00

13 October 2011, Kuala Lumpur - The organizers of the UPSI chess tournament to be held this weekend (15-16 October 2011) in Tanjung Malim, Perak has issued the following players registration list for the open, secondary school and primary school categories:-

SENARAI PEMAIN KATEGORI TERBUKA

1. MUHD SYAZWAN BIN ZULKIFLI
2. ABDUL HAQ MOHAMED
3. AHMAD FAIZAL BIN AHMAD FAHMI
4. AINUN ‘AFIFAH BINTI YUSOF
5. AISAH BINTI REDUAN
6. AL’NURUL AMIN BIN MUSTAPHA
7. ALIFFAUZI BIN MOHD HUZIR
8. AMIR QAYYIM BIN MOHD SAPRIN
9. ARAVINTHA RAM A/L SUPPIAH
10. BISYR ASFAR BIN AHMAD BAKHTIAR
11. Chin Yoon Mei
12. Chin Yoon Mei
13. DENI SATRIA
14. EFENDI BIN BAHURI
15. FIKRI BIN SALEH
16. FIQRI HAZIQ BIN MOHD SUHAIMI
17. Fong Choong Ee
18. Fong Choong Ee
19. Fong Yit Ho
20. Fong Yit Ho
21. Fong Yit San
22. Fong Yit San
23. Ganesh Mahendranathan
24. HALIM JOHARI
25. HEMASHINI A/P ILANGOVAN
26. HIDAYAT BIN SYAMSUL DARURATMAN
27. Ian Udani
28. JAZLAN HAFIZZUDIN BIN JAMIL
29. KAMALUDIN YUSOF
30. KHAIRUL AZAM
31. KHAIRUL FAIZAL BIN MOHAMMAD
32. KOVALAN A/L KRISHNANSAMY
33. KWAN TSZEE YEUBG
34. M.M HARITH
35. M.PUTRA ADHA
36. MAS HAFIZUL
37. MOHAMAD AZRIL FADLY B RAZALY
38. MOHAMAD FAISAL BIN MURAT
39. MOHAMED SAHARUDDIN BIN SABRI
40. MOHAMMAD AZIZUL BIN ABD AZIZ
41. MOHAMMAD AZMIR BIN MOHAMMAD ZAMRI
42. MOHD AZLAN BIN HASYIM
43. MOHD EZMI BIN MAHMOOD
44. MOHD HANIFF BIN SIDEK
45. MOHD KHAIRUL NIZAM
46. MOHD NUR ARIEF BIN RAZALI
47. MOHD RAZIF BIN ABDUL RAHMAN
48. MOHD RUQAIM ASYRAFI BIN SULAIMAN
49. MOHD ZULLGHAFARI
50. MUHAMAD AZHAR BIN ZAMLI
51. MUHAMMAD ARIEZ BIN AZMAN
52. MUHAMMAD ARIF BIN DALILA
53. MUHAMMAD AZIM B JALIL
54. MUHAMMAD AZWAN B MASARUDIN
55. MUHAMMAD HAFIZ BIN ROSLAN
56. MUHAMMAD HAIRUL BIN MASDOL
57. MUHAMMAD RAMLI BIN MOHAMMAD
58. MUHAMMAD SAFWAN SUFRI
59. MUHAMMAD SHAFIQ BIN ABDUL RAHMAN
60. Muhammad Zuhairi Bin Zainal
61. NAJWA BINTI AZIZ
62. NASAREE BIN MOHD ISMAIL
63. NOORAHIM BIN ABDULLAH
64. NOR AISYAH AKMAL BINTI MOHD YASIN
65. NORATIRAHWANI BINTI MUHAMAD DAUD
66. NUR SHAHIRAH BINTI MIOR HAMID
67. ROSDI BIN RAMLI
68. SALEH BIN ABD LATIF
69. SHAHRUL ISKANDAR BIN MOHD ALI
70. SOLOMON NYURANG JUK
71. SYAMAIZAR BIN LUP
72. SYAMSUL FAIZ BIN MOHD YUSOF
73. TANG WEI CHIAT
74. YASMIN BINTI ABDUL RAZAK
75. YASMIN BINTI ABDUL RAZAK
76. YASMIN KHAIRANI BINTI MUHAMMAD ISMADI
77. Zahid Sarkawi
78. TAULANI TUKIRAN
79. NAJWA BINTI MOHAMMAD ASHIM
80. NURUL AIN BINTI YAHAYA
81. JARAH ANAK GURANG
82. KIMBERLY JANE D.CUNANAN
83. RISSA Y.LAGUISMA
84. JAYSON BIN RAMOS
85. William Lee Kah Howe
86. Elgin Lee Kah Meng
87. YUSRI BIN M.SAPUAN
88. MOHD MAULANA MALANI BIN MOHD SAHID
89. NOOR AHMAD FAZILAH BINMOHAMAD SAHID
90. MUHD MUSTAKIN BIN JAMAL
91. MUHAMMAD FIRDAUS BIN OTHMAN
92. AHMAD FAIZ BIN ROSLAN
93. MOHD HAYUMMI BIN AHMAD SHAIFUDIN
94. MUHAMMAD AFIQ IZZUDIN BIN KAMARUDIN
95. AHMAD RAFIQ BIN RAZIF
96. MUHAMMAD ARIFF ASHRAF BIN ABDUL RAHIM
97. MOHD FIRDAUS B RAMLEE
98. AARON CH'NG DUAN XIAN
99. EZZUL HAKIM B OTHMAN
100. TAN LI TING
101. TAN JUN FENG
102. LOUIS MALISON GIMIR
103. NOORZULIANA BINTI JAZULI
104. AZMAN HISHAM BIN CHE DOI
105. MUHAMMAD NABIL BIN AZMAN HISHAM
106. NUR NABILA BINTI AZMAN HISHAM
107. MOHD FADLI BIN ZAKARIA
108. MOHD FAISAL BIN ZAKARIA
109. CAMILIA BIN JOHARI
110. MUHAMMAD ARIEZ AZMAN
111. TANG WEI CHIAT
112. MOHAMAD ZAKI BIN MOHAMAD YUSOFF
113. MUHAMMAD NOR HIZAD BIN JAMALUDIN
114. S M ZIKRI BIN S M MUBASIR
115. ADDELLEY MANSING
116. IRWAN BIN ASMIN
117. HADI FARHAN BIN SOETIYONO
118. EZZAIDAH BIN SAZALI
119. MOHD HUZAIRI BIN HUSIN
120. MUHAMAD ASYRAF BIN IBRAHIM
121. MUHAMMAD ZULLFAHMI BIN DARESHAH
122. SITI HAJAR BINTI SALIKAN
123. NUR FARAHIN BINTI ABD HALIM
124. KASWADI BIN KAMARUDDIN
125. GUAN XIN TING

SENARAI NAMA PESERTA SEKOLAH MENENGAH

1. Fong Mi Lyn
2. ANIS FARIHA BINTI SALEH
3. IZHAR HAIREE BIN ZAWAWI
4. KHOR BOON YAW
5. MUHAMMAD IQBAL B AMRAN
6. NUR AINA BT RAMLI
7. MOHAMED HAFIZI B MOHAMED NAWI
8. JAZMINA BINTI MOHD SOPIAN
9. Mohd Faizal Roslan
10. MUHAMMAD ADIB BIN ABDUL RAHMAN
11. Lim Chuin Khai
12. Fong Mi Lyn
13. SHEIKH MUHAMMAD ZA`IM BIN SHEIKH ZAHIB
14. MOHAMMAD RIDZWAN BIN SAMSURI
15. Affan Amrish Mohd Jalani
16. Mazhar Che In
17. Muhd Zaen Azraei b Mohd Azni
18. M.Aliff Ashraf b Zulkifli
19. Wong Ji Xiong
20. Kalaikumar Selvam
21. Hamsanaa Devi a/p N.Tharumarajah
22. Nuriman Syakirah Ahmad
23. EQBAL HAKIMI BIN SABARUDDIN
24. MOHD NAQIB BIN MOHD YASSIN
25. MOHD AIMAN HAQIMI BIN MOHD RAZDI
26. MOHD AZIZI BIN NASARUDDIN
27. NURUL MAIZAN BINTI MAT HANAFIAH
28. NURUL DAYANA BINTI AHMAD
29. NUR FARISYA NABILA BINTIKHALID
30. Muhammad Zulhilmi bin Mohd Shah
31. Mohammad Dzul Haffiz bin Mohd Marzuki
32. Mohammad Luqman bin Ahmad Helmi
33. Muhammad Syahmin bin Md Amin
34. Mohamad Rahmat bin Azni
35. Nor Hasniza binti Mohamad Ikhsuan
36. Ainul Husna binti Abdul Aziz
37. DENIL ISKANDAR ARIF
38. MOHD AZIZ FARHAN
39. NUR NAJIHA BINTI AZMAN HISHAM

SENARAI NAMA PESERTA KATEGORI SEKOLAH RENDAH

1. IZZAH HALIM
2. FARHANA HALIM
3. AIMAN HALIM
4. SAHSWIN RAJ A/L KATHIRASAN
5. SARVEENAH A/P KATHIRASAN
6. FAHIM AL-FAQEH BIN SALEH
7. MUHAMMAD ASHRAAF BIN ABDULLAH
8. ISKANDAR ZULQANAIN BIN EFENDI
9. MIKAIL BIN ABDUL MANAF
10. KONG DAK NAM
11. MUHAMMAD FARIRIZUDDIN BIN MD SALLEHUDDIN
12. KHAIRUL DANIEL HAIQAL
13. Kelly Lim Pei Ying
14. AMIR MUQQRI BIN MOHD SAPRIN
15. AUNI `AQILAH AZAMMER
16. SYED MUHAMAD AQIL BIN SYED KAMARUZAMAN
17. MARYAM JAMEELA BINTI ZAINUDDIN
18. AZAM SHAMIL BIN ZAINUDDIN
19. MARYAM `AAQILAH BINTI ZAINUDDIN
20. SITI NURSYAKIRAH BINTI ZAMANSHAH
21. NUR SHAHIRAH BINTI ABDULLAH
22. AMAR ISKANDAR BIN FUAD
23. FAQIHAH NUWAIRAH BINTI MAHMARULIM
24. TAN WEI TING
25. ZAINOO IKMAL MAISARAH BINTI MOHAMAD NOOR
26. ZAINOOR IKMAL MUNIRAH BINTI MOHAMAD NOOR
27. MUHAMMAD NAJWAN BIN AZMAN HISHAM

For further enquiries please contact Iza Hazrina at hp 012-7412326 the project director or the program advisor Mohd Huzairi, h/p 013-5959350.

(source: Iza Hazrina, UPSI)

Pertandingan Catur Tertutup Kedah 2011

2011-10-14T12:19:00.000+08:00

Pertandingan Catur Tertutup Kedah 2011
Anjuran PERCAK/Jaffolea Chess Club
Tajaan PERCAK/Bayutiara Sdn Bhd
TARIKH:29-10-2011 (sabtu)
Waktu:8.00a.m-7.00p.m
Tempat:Sek Keb Gurun,Kedah

Hadiah-hadiah yang di tawarkan:
*seorang peserta hanya layak menerima 1 hadiah sahaja.

Terbuka:
1.RM200.00 + Piala Pusingan + Medal
2.RM150.00 + Medal
3.RM100.00 + Medal
4.RM80.00 + Medal
5.RM60.00 + Medal
6.RM40.00 + Medal
7.RM40.00 + Medal
8.RM40.00 + Medal
9.RM30.00 + Medal
10.RM30.00 + Medal

Bawah 18 Tahun:
1.Medal
2.Medal
3.Medal

Bawah 12 tahun :
1.Medal
2.Medal
3.Medal

Lain-lain Kategori:
1.Terbaik Veteran x Medal
2.Terbaik IPT x Medal
3.Terbaik Wanita x Medal
4.Terbaik Guru x Medal
5.Terbaik Perempuan bawah 12 x Medal

**pemenang juga akan dipilih untuk mewakili Negeri Kedah di kejohanan-kejohanan yang
akan diadakan di masa akan datang,cth:National Championship,National Woman Championship,Team event dan lain-lain(Jika ada peruntukan)
(Hadiah wang tunai di taja oleh PERCAK dan piala pusingan & Iringan sumbangan Bayu Tiara Engineering)
Pendaftaran dan pertanyaan boleh hubungi :

En Alias Bin Hanafi :012-5543609
En Syed Iskandar Shah :017-4731678

Pendaftaran boleh dibuat dengan menghubungi /sms Nama penuh, No K/P dan National Rating terbaru (sekiranya ada) kepada:

Tarikh tutup penyertaan adalah sebelum 28 Oktober 2011,10.00pm Pendaftaran lewat akan dikenakan denda RM 5.00 dan bergantung kepada kekosongan yang ada

Arbiter : Cikgu Marzuki Mat

Syarat-syarat peryertaan & Maklumat Lanjut:
http://percak.blogspot.com/

UPSI Open 2011

2011-10-14T12:17:00.001+08:00

The genius and his bluebird

2011-09-19T10:17:00.000+08:00

VASSILY IVANCHUK: THE GENIUS AND HIS «BLUEBIRD»

What do we actually know about the mysterious chess player from Lvov? The whole world calls him in a very simple and artistic way — a genius.

The reasons for that are very obvious: the entire world admires his pieces of art that he creates at the chess board. Plus the image of a man-mystery who lives in his own chess world.

Can we define his chess career as a mega-successful one? Both — yes and no. On one hand, Grandmaster famous all over the world, the European Champion 2004, the winner of elite tournaments (he won thrice in Linares), the 4-folded Olympic Champion (twice in the USSR team and twice in the national team of Ukraine), the World Champion in Blitz and the leader of the Ukrainian team since many years. Isn’t that enough? Yes, it is, if we speak about the personality of such a great chess talent.

Photo by Chess Base

The thing is that the main title of the strongest chess player of the planet remained and remains a «bluebird» slipping away from him. Ivanchuk was considered to be one of the main favorites of the Candidates Cycle in 1991—1992. However, having won Leonid Yudasin in the 1/8 of the finals, after the persistent fight in the additional games of quarterfinals Ivanchuk gave in to Arthur Yusupov.

He managed to fight for the world crown in the final match only once — it was at the World Championship Match of 2001—2002 in Moscow. At that time he was stopped on the way by the young Ruslan Ponomariov, who is by the twist of fate his opponent in the present match for the 3^rd place in the World Chess Cup 2011.

There is a theory that is very popular among journalists: the defeat of Ponomariov in semifinals influenced in a very negative way on the play of Ivanchuk in the parallel match against Alexander Grischuk. Subconsciously the wish to once again meet his former affronter in the match revenge has given its results. Certainly, the theory is rather unbelievable and Ivanchuk himself is insisting to have forgotten about those events. Of course, the lie detector was not on at the moment when he was making this declaration.

Ivanchuk will always remain in the memory of chess amateurs of Khanty-Mansiysk and of the whole world due to his emotional declaration dated November 2009 after his defeat to the little-known 16-year-old chess player from Philippines Wesley So in the second round of the World Cup. At the time he declared about the termination of his chess career: «I believe, — said Vassily, — that after this match I have nothing to do in serious chess. From now on chess is only a hobby for me ».

Certainly, all elite grandmasters have some kind of special connection with chess that has been formed for years and all of them take defeats as a small death. However, such a declaration in public is an extraordinary case. It must be said that no one took his declaration to leave chess seriously. As for the Grandmaster himself, he confirmed it later in his open letter where he stated that by no means he was going to leave chess.

Some time passed, negative emotions have faded away and Ivanchuk came back «to work» and started showing great results again. In the year 2010 he became the winner in the «round» tournament in Cuba again. Afterwards he brilliantly won at the first board at the 39^th World Olympiad having scored 8 out of 10.

At the Chess Olympiad — 2010. Photo by V. Barsky

They say that the one who travels faster — travels alone. Fortunately, it does not concern Ivanchuk. In 1991 Ivanchuk married one of the strongest chess players of the world Alisa Galliamova and they had a son Misha. Several years later the legendary chess couple (probably the strongest in the history) broke up. In 2007 Ivanchuk married for the second time.

Vassily and his wife. Photo by Chess Base

Now Ivanchuk is 42 years old (he was born on 18 March 1969 in the town Kopychintsy of Ternopolskaya Oblast of Ukraine). It has been more than 30 years since 6-year-old Vasya got acquainted with chess thanks to his father. However, Ivanchuk is still sincerely in love with this game and, according to his words, he is trying to play every game against any opponent in an equally serious manner. It does not matter who is sitting in front of you! This is probably the reason that Ivanchuk is always welcome at any chess tournament and the number of his fans is immense all over the world.

Maria Fominykh

Will Grischuk win with Black?

2011-09-19T10:15:00.002+08:00

WILL GRISCHUK MANAGE TO WIN AS BLACK?

The third games of the last matches of the Chess World Cup were played on Sunday, September 18 in Khanty-Mansiysk. The game between Russian grandmasters competing for the main prize ended first, just like yesterday.

However, unlike yesterday, today the game was much more tense and lengthy. Grischuk, playing White, once again started with e2-e4, and Svidler decided to deviate from the first game, opting for the Ruy Lopez instead of the Sicilian. On the third move Svidler surprised the opponent with a rare move 3…Bc5. Grischuk clearly did not expect it, so he started to think, but finally decided to go for the main line, where White aggressively breaks in the center. Svidler offered to exchange queens, accepting a worse ending. However, in the endgame Grischuk's time trouble began to tell. He was unable to stabilize the position and gave up a pawn; however, White's pieces developed significant activity. Svidler also started to take his time, but did not find the way to play for a win, and accepted more exchanges, which made a draw inevitable.

Svidler said that Grischuk's time trouble did not tempt him to take additional risks in this game: «Grischuk often plays under strict time pressure. I realize that he is not going to lose on time or even make an inferior move, so I have to keep playing according to the positional demands».

«Of course, my position was more pleasant, — said Grischuk, — and the main question was whether I can develop my pieces and play c4. If I can do this, I will have a big advantage. If not, I'll have nothing. In the end my losing chances are higher than my winning chances, but a draw is still the most likely outcome».

Vassily Ivanchuk and Ruslan Ponomariov played the Gruenfeld defense is their match for the 3^rd place. The transition from the opening to the middlegame was unsuccessful for Ivanchuk, who lost a pawn. Ponomariov tried to convert his advantage, but the game had clear drawing tendencies — the players had the opposite-colored bishops, and all the remaining pawns were located on the kingside. In the end Ivanchuk constructed a fortress, and when Black tried to break it, White sacrificed a knight for the last two pawns, reaching a drawn ending with a bishop and a knight against a bishop, with no pawns left on the board.

With three games passed, Svidler leads 2−1 vs. Grischuk, and Ivanchuk leads 2−1 vs. Ponomariov. The concluding classical games of the matches are scheduled on Monday, September 19. Grischuk and Ponomariov must win to tie the score. Grischuk will have Black, and Ponomariov will play White. If any of the matches are tied, the winners will be decided on tie-breaks.

All games are relayed with live grandmaster commentary in English and Russian on the official site of the World Cup: http://chess.ugrasport.com

Use the following link for computer analysis of the strongest engine — Houdini:http://chess.ugrasport.com/houdini.html

Jorn Sloth wins Nordic Senior Championship

2011-09-19T10:13:00.005+08:00

Nordic Senior Chess Championship Concluded

The 2011 Nordic Senior Championship was organized by the Icelandic Chess Federation from 10th to 18th September at the Headquarters of Reykjavik Chess Club at Faxafen 12. GM Heikki Westerinen defended the last year title in the field of 52 players.

After nine rounds of play Danish FM Jorn Sloth and Finnish GM Yrjo Rantanen shared the first place with 7 points each. The trophy goes to Sloth thanks to slightly better tie-break result. Full standings bellow.

Icelandic Chess Federation website

Final top 10 standings:

1. FM Sloth Jorn DEN 2328 – 7
2. GM Rantanen Yrjo A. FIN 2400 – 7
3. GM Olafsson Fridrik ISL 2434 – 6.5
4. FM Malmdin Nils Åke SWE 2307 – 6.5
5. GM Westerinen Heikki M.J. FIN 2340 – 6
6. Ofstad Per NOR 2182 – 6
7. Nilsson Weine SWE 1888 – 5.5
8. Halldórsson Bragi ISL 2198 – 5.5
9. Patola Eero FIN 1886 – 5.5
10. Solmundarson Magnus ISL 2219 – 5.5
11. Kristjánsson Ólafur ISL 2173 – 5.5
12. Thor Jon Th ISL 2188 – 5.5
13. Danielsson Robert SWE 2087 – 5.5

3 share first at the Zlatni Rat 2011 Open

2011-09-19T10:13:00.002+08:00

Three Grandmasters share first at the Zlatni Rat 2011 Open

The 2nd International Open Chess Tournament – Zlatni Rat 2011 was held from 9th to 17th September in Bol on the Croatian island of Brač. The organizers are Zlatni rat d.d. Bol, Vestibultravel Split, Croatian Chess Federation and Chess club Bačvice Split.

The tournament was played over nine rounds of Swiss system with the FIDE time control. 45 players and among them 9 Grandmasters competed.

Local Grandmasters Ante Brkic and Robert Zelcic and top seeded Robert Markus (2635) of Serbia shared the first place with 7 points each. Brkic grabs the trophy on superior tiebreak.

Final top 10 standings:

1. GM Brkić Ante CRO 2606 – 7
2. GM Zelčić Robert CRO 2564 – 7
3. GM Markuš Robert SRB 2635 – 7
4. GM Tratar Marko SLO 2477 – 6
5. GM Palac Mladen CRO 2591 – 6
6. GM Šarić Ibro BIH 2560 – 6
7. GM Kurajica Bojan BIH 2524 – 6
8. IM Lekic Dusan MNE 2397 – 6
9. GM Šarić Ante CRO 2489 – 6
10. WIM Šaric Kristina CRO 2219 – 6
11. FM Orak Ljubomir CRO 2308 – 5.5
12. GM Jovanić Ognjen CRO 2491 – 5.5

7th Asian Schools Chess Championships 2011

2011-09-19T10:12:00.000+08:00

7th Asian Schools Chess Championships 2011

On behalf of the Asian Chess Federation and FIDE, the All India Chess Federation has the honour of inviting all Asian National Chess Federations affiliated to FIDE to participate in the 7th Asian Schools Chess Championships 2011 (under-5, under-7, under-9, under-11, under-13 and under-15) in New Delhi, India from 16th (arrival) to 23rd (departure) December 2011.

Participation

- Invited Players, Each National Federation can enter one (1) player in each of the under 5,7, 9, 11, 13 and 15 (open and girls) categories, totaling a maximum of twelve (12) invited players.

- Additional Players, Additional (extra) players can also be registered.

- In order to ensure proper tournament standards, all invited players and all additional (extra) players must submit their registration through their National Federations not later than the 25th November 2011 (registration deadline).

- The players should be below the respective age groups on or before 1st January 2011.

All Invited players, one player per country in each category and a manager are entitled to free Board and lodging for 7 days starting from 16th December 2011 at the Official Hotel. No replacement from other categories can be made in case there is no official player in one category. All additional players and all other accompanying persons should pay the cost for board and lodging.

Download full regulations

Contact of the Organising Committee
The Secretary, Delhi Chess Association, Hotel KC Plaza, 5588, Basant Lane, Paharganj, New Delhi-55

Mr. MS Gopakumar, IA (Registration), 9868624216/ 9986883449
Mr. Sandeep Singh, FA (Registration), 9953435457
Mr. AK Verma (Accommodation), 9891468906
Mr. Bharat Singh (Chairman, Organising Committee), 9810000007

Email: delhichess64@gmail.com
Web site: www.delhichess.com

Can you help Kasparov find the winning plan (part 2)?

2011-09-19T10:11:00.001+08:00

White to move. How should white proceed?

This 2-game exhibition was just played. Kasparov defeated Vachier-Lagrave 1.5 - 0.5 in a rapid match. However, he missed a winning plan as white here. Can you find it?

Source: ChessToday.net

Hall of Famer Vera Menchik

2011-09-19T10:08:00.002+08:00

(1906-1944)
World – Inducted 2011

The world’s first women’s chess champion, Vera Menchik was born in Russia in 1906, learned chess at age 9, and moved to England as a teenager in 1921. Over the course of her career, she competed for Russia, Czechoslovakia, and England. She became the first Women’s World Champion in 1927, and successfully defended her title six times over the next 17 years. She would lose only one game over the course of these seven championship tournaments.

Menchik defeated many men in tournament play, including Max Euwe and Samuel Reshevsky. They and other notable players she beat became members of what was known as the “Vera Menchik Club.” From 1929 onward, she was a fixture at Hastings Congress tournaments, as well as at other international competitions. One of her greatest successes was at Ramsgate 1929, when she tied for second with Akiba Rubenstein just a half-point behind Jose Raul Capablanca and ahead of her teacher Géza Maróczy. She won matches against Jacques Mieses in 1942 and Sonja Graf in 1934 and 1937.

Menchik’s career was cut tragically short when she, her two sisters, and their mother were killed in a V-1 rocket bombing raid at their South London home in June 1944. The Women’s Olympiad trophy is known as the Vera Menchik Cup in her honor.

Official World Chess Hall of Fame website: http://www.worldchesshof.org

Hou Yifan guarantees share of WGP title with 1 to play

2011-09-19T10:07:00.005+08:00

With 1 round to go, Hou Yifan has already clinched at least a share of first. She will have black against Danielian in the final round. All she needs is just a draw to clinch clear first.

Muzychuk will have black against Ju Wenjun in the final round. She must win and hope that Hou Yifan would lose to have a chance to catch up.

Standings after 10 rounds

Rk		Name	Rtg	FED	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Pts	Rp
1	GM	Hou Yifan	2578	CHN	*	½	½	1	½	1	½		1	1	1	½	7½	2662
2	IM	Muzychuk Anna	2545	SLO	½	*		½	½	½	½	1	½	1	½	1	6½	2581
3	WGM	Ju Wenjun	2536	CHN	½		*	½	1	½	1	0	½	½	½	1	6	2543
4	WGM	Tan Zhongyi	2429	CHN	0	½	½	*	½		½	½	½	1	1	1	6	2560
5	GM	Zhao Xue	2497	CHN	½	½	0	½	*	1	½	0	1	½		1	5½	2523
6	WGM	Ruan Lufei	2477	CHN	0	½	½		0	*	½	1	½	½	1	1	5½	2524
7	GM	Zhu Chen	2490	QAT	½	½	0	½	½	½	*	1	0		½	½	4½	2441
8	GM	Danielian Elina	2517	ARM		0	1	½	1	0	0	*	1	0	½	½	4½	2433
9	IM	Munguntuul Batkhuyag	2465	MGL	0	½	½	½	0	½	1	0	*	1	½		4½	2466
10	GM	Cmilyte Viktorija	2525	LTU	0	0	½	0	½	½		1	0	*	½	½	3½	2367
11	IM	Kovalevskaya Ekaterina	2421	RUS	0	½	½	0		0	½	½	½	½	*	½	3½	2377
12	WIM	Yildiz Betul Cemre	2308	TUR	½	0	0	0	0	0	½	½		½	½	*	2½	2309

Official website: http://shenzhen2011.fide.com

Can you help Kasparov find the winning plan?

2011-09-19T10:07:00.002+08:00

Black to move. How should black proceed?

This 2-game exhibition was just played. Kasparov defeated Vachier-Lagrave 1.5 - 0.5 in a rapid match. However, he missed a winning plan as black here. Can you find it?

Source: ChessToday.net

Svidler, Ivanchuk one game away from winning match

2011-09-19T10:06:00.002+08:00

Final. Match for the 1st place

Grischuk, Alexander (RUS) 0 ½ ½ 1.0
Svidler, Peter (RUS) 1 ½ ½ 2.0

Final. Match for the 3rd place

Ivanchuk, Vassily (UKR) ½ 1 ½ 2.0
Ponomariov, Ruslan (UKR) ½ 0 ½ 1.0

Official website: http://chess.ugrasport.com

Women's GP round 10 results

2011-09-19T10:05:00.003+08:00

Round 10 results

	Name	Rtg	Res.		Name	Rtg
GM	Zhu Chen	2490	0 - 1	IM	Munguntuul Batkhuyag	2465
WIM	Yildiz Betul Cemre	2308	½	IM	Kovalevskaya Ekaterina	2421
GM	Zhao Xue	2497	0 - 1	GM	Danielian Elina	2517
GM	Hou Yifan	2578	½	WGM	Ju Wenjun	2536
IM	Muzychuk Anna	2545	½	WGM	Ruan Lufei	2477
WGM	Tan Zhongyi	2429	1 - 0	GM	Cmilyte Viktorija	2525

Official website: http://shenzhen2011.fide.com

I do not recall on the events that took place such a long time ago

2011-09-19T10:05:00.000+08:00

VASSILY IVANCHUK: I DO NOT RECALL ON THE MATCH 2002

The Ukrainian Grandmaster Vassily Ivanchuk is leading in score in the match against his compatriot Ruslan Ponomariov. The winner told the journalists on the flow of the game in his interview.

-Vassily, how did you manage to win with Black?

— My opponent developed the opening in a rather unlucky way. After the moment when we exchanged queens, it became obvious that Black had a serious advantage. Frankly speaking when I captured with my Rook on f2, Ruslan managed to arrange his pieces and it seemed to me that he had enough compensation for a pawn. However, in the mutual time-trouble he made a rough mistake and the blow on g2 was decisive.

— Tell us please whether the victory inspires you? Do you feel that you are leading in the match?

— I am not thinking about that so far. I will be thinking about the next game in the nearest future.

— Many journalists consider this match as continuation of your match with Ponomariov 10 years ago. Do you keep it in your mind or you don’t recall on it?
— I do not recall on the events that took place such a long time ago.

— Question from photographer: do you like sea? If yes, do you prefer to swim or simply delight the picturesque views?

— I like sea very much. Sometimes I swim and from time to time I simply relish its beauty. This year I played in the Greek League: the sea is marvelous there and all the conditions are met for the perfect rest.

Official website: http://chess.ugrasport.com

Women's GP round 9 report

2011-09-19T10:04:00.004+08:00

Round 9 report

In the 9th round both games between Chinese players finished with score - Hou Yifan defeated Ruan Lufey and Ju Wenjun was stronger in the game against Zhao Xue. After four draws in a row Anna Muzychuk managed to win against Viktorija Cmilyte. Elina Danielian was very close to catch a full point in the game against Betul Yildiz as well but made a mistake and game was drawn. Ekaterina Kovalevsklaya and Tan Zhongyi had good chances in the endings but had to be satisfied with a draw results in the games against Munguntuul Bathhuyagh and Zhu Chen accordingly. After 9 games Hou Yifan keeps the leading position in the tournament one point ahead of Anna Muzychuk who placed second. Ju Wenjun and Zhao Xue share the third place.

Viktorija Cmilyte - Anna Muzychuk 0-1

Viktorija Cmilyte: Bg6 is a long forced line but I`m not sure now because after Kg7 I didn’t see a normal move, so maybe Qe4 was a mistake. Maybe Qd2 was better. Basically it was very hard to remember all lines because the position was extremely complicated. One mistake can cost a lot for both sides.

Anna Muzychuk: Yes I prepared these lines and was ready to go for it. I had to check lots of variations today because usually I don’t play Slav Defense. I remember this line in my analyses. It seems to me that after Bg6 computer showed that this position is equal. I was calculating only Rfc8 but then during the game I decided to take with another rook. For some reasons I didn’t calculate 21.b4, I was thinking about 21.Rd1 only.Qe7 22.Rd4 and I can not take the bishop and play Nf6 instead and I could not estimate this position. If I take a bishop it can be very dangerous, White could have at least perpetual and in some variations they can really fight for more.

Ju Wenjun - Zhao Xue 1-0

Ju Wenjun: After Bf5 I think White got an advantage – they had two bishops and d5 pawn is weak. I played a new variation today, I had never played it before.

Zhao Xue: I was not really surprised because I’ve played many game in that opening from both sides. I missed her move Bb2 after I played Rd6. I answered Qd8 and it should be a very bad move. I think I could have some activity on the King side but I didn’t know how to play and improve my position.

Ruan Lufei – Hou Yifan 0-1

Ruan Lufei: I think White had slightly better position. After 20…Kh8 I should have played Re1 she can answer Rfe8 and then Qd3. Maybe this changing of moves was better. Also gf was a mistake, I should have played Nd5 Qd6 and Qb4…

Hou Yifan: …but here I can play Bc6 and it’s still complicated. I think after f6 White are still a little bit better but Black can hold the position. It seems just unclear for me. Maybe gf is not really good move because I have a pawn up after that. This endgame is still not easy for me to win. Of course her last move is just a blunder.

Elina Danielian – Betul Yildiz 1/2 – 1/2

Betul Yildiz: I’ve played this opening two times before and we prepared it with my coach today. I think I didn’t play it successfully. I was ready till her move g3 I had a feeling she is going to play this variation. The first mistake was Na5.

Elina Danielian: What can I say? The position was completely winning for me today! I think even Be5 is completely winning I should not play Bd6 after but of course Rdd8 was just winning a rook.

Ekaterina Kovalevskaya – Munguntuul Bathhuyagh 1/2 – 1/2

Ekaterina Kovalevskaya: I think I had a completely winning endgame but I didn’t manage to win it. I was calculating Ng6 instead of Nc3 but I thought I did not have time. If she plays Ke8 I can play Re7 take her knight and give a rook for her pass pawn after. But I was not sure about Kg8.
Munguntuul Bathhuyagh: I was also not sure about Ng6 it seems I could hold the position and my pass-pawn is very dangerous. Maybe also White could have played Kg1 instead of Ke1.

Tan Zhongyi – Zhu Chen 1/2 – 1/2

Zhu Chen I’ve got quite normal position in the opening but then I played terrible move Nf5. If I take gf I don’t think I have problems. After Nf5 she played Ne4 and the position became just worse. In the opening I could play Qa5 instead of Nd6 but she could play back Nc4 and make a repetition but I wanted to play more. I think till the end she had better position and she was trying to win it. After 34…Rd8 I thought I could keep my position and after 41… Rd1 I thought I was going to survive. My opponent was playing very fast maybe there were some better chances for her.

Official website: http://shenzhen2011.fide.com

English team announced

2011-09-19T10:04:00.001+08:00

Confirmation of England teams for the European Team Championship
Sep 17, 2011

I’m pleased to announce that the England teams for the 2011 European Team Championships are as follows:

Open: GM Michael Adams, GM Nigel Short, GM David Howell, GM Gawain Jones, GM Nick Pert

Captain: to be confirmed

Women: IM Jovanka Houska, IM Dagne Ciuksyte, WFM Maria Yurenok, WFM Kanwal Bhatia, WFM Sarah Hegarty

Captain: Glenn Flear

Dates: 3rd-11th November 2011
Accommodation: Porto Carras Grand Resort, Halkidiki, Greece
Venue: Olympic Hall Congress Centre, Porto Carras Grand Resort, Halkidiki, Greece
Round Times: 1-8 15:00 (3-10 Nov) Rd 9: Nov 11 13:00
Time Control: 90 minutes for 40 moves + 30 minutes for the rest of the game + 30 second increment from move 1

Registration Deadline: 16th September 2011
Deadline for team changes: 3rd October 2011

Website: www.euroteams2011.com

Lawrence Cooper, ECF Director of International Chess

I decided not to deviate from the recipe of success

2011-09-19T10:01:00.002+08:00

SVIDLER IS KERZHAKOV IN CHESS

The second games of the final matches were played at the World Cup on Saturday September 17 in Khanty-Mansiysk.

The battle between Russian grandmasters Peter Svidler and Alexander Grischuk turned out not to be very long — already on the 16^th move the opponents agreed for a draw. Grischuk was trailing, and was expected to strive for a full-blooded fight playing Black, that is why he responded to e2-e4 with the sharp Najdorf Sicilian. However, we must point out that this system is sharp only if White also strives for a fight. As for Svidler, taking into account the match situation, he opted for a quiet game.

Svidler: As I said yesterday, most of my White games are drawn. I decided not to deviate from the recipe of success that is working very well. Seriously speaking, it was not exactly what I wanted when I played 6.a4, but rather soon we got a whittled position.

Grischuk: Today Peter proved once again that he is a man of his word. Like Alexander Kerzhakov who used to say: «I kicked, I kick and I will keep kicking!», Peter is saying: «With White I drew, I draw and I will draw!». I have calculated something: White has ten main lines on the 6^th move, and 6.a4 is among the most solid and boring ones.

The match for the 3^rd place and for the last ticket to the World Championship cycle between Ukrainian grandmasters Vassily Ivanchuk and Ruslan Ponomariov was more eventful.

Ponomariov with White did not handle the Vienna Variation good enough, and after the opening got a hopeless position. Very soon queens disappeared from the board, and Black’s advantage became more obvious in the endgame. White had to speed up in order to develop the kingside while Black gained the initiative all over the board: they pushed their pawns on the queenside and penetrated into the opponent’s camp with the rook. White defended very persistently: having sacrificed a pawn, he activated all his pieces, after which the fight flashed with renewed energy. However, in strict time trouble Ponomariov blundered a blow on g2, after which White’s position became hopeless.

To conclude, after two playing days Svidler is ahead of Grischuk with the score 1,5−0,5, and Ivanchuk is leading with the same score in the match against Ponomariov. The 3^rd games of the World Cup matches for the 1^st and 3^rd places will be played on Sunday, September 18.

Let us remind you that the opponents are to play four classical games at this stage. If they finish with the score 2−2, then the fight will be continued on tie-breaks.

All the games of the World Cup broadcast live and accompanied by the commentaries of the Grandmasters both in English and Russian can be found on the official site of the World Chess Cup 2011http://chess.ugrasport.com

The computer analysis by the strongest in the world Houdini program can be found onhttp://chess.ugrasport.com/houdini.html

LIVE Ratings

2011-09-19T10:00:00.003+08:00

#	Name	1.9.2011	Change	Games	LIVE Ratings
1	Carlsen, Magnus	2823	0	0	2823.0
2	Anand, Viswanathan	2817	0	0	2817.0
3	Aronian, Levon	2807	0	0	2807.0
4	Kramnik, Vladimir	2791	0	0	2791.0
5	Topalov, Veselin	2768	0	0	2768.0
6	Ivanchuk, Vassily	2765	+2.8	14	2767.8
7	Radjabov, Teimour	2752	+15.2	10	2767.2
8	Karjakin, Sergey	2772	-9.4	6	2762.6
9	Svidler, Peter	2740	+19.8	14	2759.8
10	Gashimov, Vugar	2756	+1.4	10	2757.4
11	Nakamura, Hikaru	2753	0	0	2753.0
12	Grischuk, Alexander	2757	-7.6	14	2749.4
13	Gelfand, Boris	2746	0	0	2746.0
14	Ponomariov, Ruslan	2758	-15	14	2743.0
15	Kamsky, Gata	2756	-14.2	8	2741.8
16	Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	2746	-5.4	6	2740.6
17	Morozevich, Alexander	2737	+0.4	6	2737.4
18	Wang, Hao	2733	0	0	2733.0
19	Adams, Michael	2733	-0.4	4	2732.6
20	Jakovenko, Dmitry	2716	+11.8	8	2727.8
21	Moiseenko, Alexander	2726	-0.4	6	2725.6
22	Nepomniachtchi, Ian	2718	+6	6	2724.0
23	Giri, Anish	2722	0	0	2722.0
24	Vitiugov, Nikita	2726	-4	6	2722.0
25	Navara, David	2705	+15.2	10	2720.2
26	Le, Quang Liem	2717	+3.2	6	2720.2
27	Caruana, Fabiano	2712	+6.6	9	2718.6
28	Leko, Peter	2728	-9.6	2	2718.4
29	Dreev, Aleksey	2711	+6.8	6	2717.8
30	Tomashevsky, Evgeny	2710	+7.4	6	2717.4
31	Polgar, Judit	2701	+16	10	2717.0
32	Movsesian, Sergei	2715	+1.6	4	2716.6
33	Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime	2715	-1.4	4	2713.6
34	Jobava, Baadur	2712	+0.4	6	2712.4
35	Dominguez Perez, Leinier	2710	+1	8	2711.0
36	Efimenko, Zahar	2703	+7.8	6	2710.8
37	Vallejo Pons, Francisco	2716	-6.8	4	2709.2
38	Naiditsch, Arkadij	2707	+1.9	10	2708.9
39	Wojtaszek, Radoslaw	2704	+4	4	2708.0
40	Wang, Yue	2716	-8.8	2	2707.2
41	Almasi, Zoltan	2710	-3	4	2707.0
42	Malakhov, Vladimir	2710	-3.6	2	2706.4
43	Laznicka, Viktor	2701	+3.8	7	2704.8
44	Li, Chao b	2710	-5.8	2	2704.2
45	Berkes, Ferenc	2706	-2.6	4	2703.4
46	Shirov, Alexei	2713	-10.2	4	2702.8
47	Andreikin, Dmitry	2705	-2.4	4	2702.6

Source: http://chess-evolution.com/live_rating.php

Interview with a former World Champion Zhu Chen

2011-09-19T10:00:00.000+08:00

Official website: http://shenzhen2011.fide.com

Zhu Chen: “We were really lucky for each other…”

Zhu Chen was born March 13, 1976 in Wenzhou, Zhejiang. In 2001, she became China 's second women's world chess champion after Xie Jun, and China 's 13th Grandmaster. In 1988 Zhu became the first Chinese player to win an international chess competition when she won the World Youth Championship among girls U-12 in Romania. She repeated her success and became the World Champion in her age groups in 1994 and 1996 as well. In 2002 at the age of 25 she defeated Russian player Alexandra Kosteniuk in the Women's World Chess Championship and became the eleventh World Champion among women. In 1998,2000,2002 she played for Chinese Olympiad team and bacame three times team world champion. Zhu gave up the chance to defend her world title in Georgia in May 2004 due to a jammed schedule and her pregnancy. In 2000 Zhu married to Qatari Grandmaster Mohamad Al-Modiahki, and in 2006 she transferred to Qatar chess federation.

Anastasiya Karlovich: You have so much attention from media in China. Is it a common situation?

Zhu Chen: It’s a very normal situation here. Sometimes I feel under pressure when I play in China. I was playing not so well in Doha and in China last year. So I have a hope that my results will be better in Russia.

Anastasiya Karlovich: Which connection do you have with China? How do you live in between two different cultures?

Zhu Chen: It’s a different life but it’s not so difficult for me now because I have been living in Doha for last 8 years and I know the type of life in Qatar and China. Normally I’m much free in Doha – I like to spend time on a beach with kids. In China I always get more attention from friends, journalists.

Anastasiya Karlovich: Do you come often to China?

Zhu Chen: I used to play in Chinese league but I stopped playing it this year because it has a difficult schedule. I had to fly so many times to China in order to play 2-3 games. We also have 5 hours time difference and it’s not so easy.

Anastasiya Karlovich: How is the tournament going for you so far?

Zhu Chen: I think until now I’m doing quite well comparing to all other Grand Prix tournaments I’ve played. I’m satisfied with the quality of my chess games here – it is not so bad but I’m still waiting for the results (laughing).

Anastasiya Karlovich: It seemed like you were ill at the beginning of the tournament…

Zhu Chen: Yes I was very ill but I feel better now. It’s always a bad reason to explain your results.

Anastasiya Karlovich: It’s well-known you were training with famous Russian player Alexander Morozevich. In his interview for chessvibes he told that it was not only him trying to help you but he also learnt interesting things from you. What can you say about that cooperation?

Zhu Chen: He tried very hard to help me. I was really happy to have such a coach. It seems to me he is so talented and I think he was really born to play chess. Maybe it was the waste of time for him in Doha – he has such a high level! At the same moment it was more relaxing time for him. It` s a pity he didn’t qualify in Hanty-Mansiysk. I really hope he’ll get the title of the World Champion one day. He has a big talent and he is working hard. I was very proud of his return to chess – it was very successful. In his interview probably he meant that I clarified to him the Chinese way of thinking but it’s difficult to explain. I also feel that my chess quality becomes better. In the other hand maybe we are good to work together, we are good friends as well and sure I would like to continue such cooperation in the future.

Anastasiya Karlovich: Which ambitions and goals do you have?

Zhu Chen: My ambitions are to have a good life! I have two kids now and I think my chess career is not so much important. I want to help my kids to grow up healthy. I want to give them good education, spend time with them – all those things are very important.

Anastasiya Karlovich: To be without family during chess events is a part of the life of professional chess players. Can you concentrate on chess only or it’s necessary for you to know what’s going on at home?

Zhu Chen: During the tournament I always try to concentrate on chess but I’m an emotional type of person so I always feel sorry for my kids when I leave them for so long. When I go back home I try to spend as much time as it’s possible with them and try to compensate my absence.

Anastasiya Karlovich: You said you are emotional person. In which other words can you describe your personality?

Zhu Chen: Well I’m working hard time to time depending on the mood (laughing). When I want to do something sooner or later I’ll achieve it. If I have a goal I always have it in my mind and I go for it. I’m not really a self confident person I do not really trust in myself in general. I don’t think I play really good chess, I think I only play some good games.

Anastasiya Karlovich: It’s not common words from somebody who achieved the best level in chess, who was World Champion.

Zhu Chen: Maybe, but I mean my games are far from really good level.

Anastasiya Karlovich: Is it difficult to stay on the same level with a new generation? Can you compare your preparation and their preparation nowadays?

Zhu Chen: Any time I’m interviewed there is at least one question connected to Hou Yifan (laughing). I think even Zhao Xue is already one generation older than Hou Yifan. A current World Champion is young and very-very talented chess player that’s why she got the best conditions. Many Chinese women players don’t have the permanent coach. They train with different people and it’s not very stable situation. Hou Yifan got the attention since she was very young and in the national team they allowed her mother to stay with her and accompany her in all tournaments. I think all the other chess players never had such conditions. She had much more confidence from the beginning and more tournaments as well. All those factors helped her but of course at the same moment she worked very hard since she was very young. When I was growing up we also had a coach and almost same conditions but my parents were not with me. You can imagine me as a 10 years old kid growing up without parents in a different city. Surely I had some friends but of course it would be better if we were together.

Anastasiya Karlovich: You and your husband are both grandmasters; do you want your kids to play chess?

Zhu Chen: My husband is a sport fan in general. Actually when the first child was born he said he wanted our kid to do some sport and it didn’t matter for him which kind of sport. Our younger daughter is not interested in any kind of sports yet. Our older daughter Dana likes to swim but we don’t allow her to do it professionally. She also likes to play chess a little bit but I don’t know about the future. Maybe if I stay more time at home they’ll learn chess more.

Anastasiya Karlovich: How do you see yourself in 10 years?

Zhu Chen: I don’t think I’ll play in so many serious tournaments any more, well, maybe few of them. I don’t want to fight for too long because I want to spend more time with my family.
I like to play chess but I like to have normal life as well. I fell in love with my husband when we were about 20 years old. When we were 24-25 we got married. When I was 28 I gave a birth to my first child, so I think in my life I was doing everything step by step. The general picture looks nice. I won all my titles when I was spending my time with my husband. I felt relaxed and happy together with him. After he knew me he reached his GM title and became Arabic Champion. We were really lucky for each other I believe. We take care of our life and we do some investments. My husband used to play stock and he is good in that. I played Chinese stock market as well but the outcome was more or less equal and that was a really lucky result (laughing).

Pictures by Karlovich Anastasiya

With White I drew, I draw and I will draw!

2011-09-19T09:58:00.002+08:00

PETER SVIDLER: I DECIDED TO STICK TO THE RECIPE OF SUCCESS

The second game of the final match between the Russians Peter Svidler and Alexander Grischuk ended in a draw. The participants commented on the flow of the game at the press conference.

— Peter, please tell us about the game development?

Svidler: As I said yesterday, most of my White games are drawn. I decided not to deviate from the recipe that is working for success. Seriously speaking, I did not really want it when I made a move 6.a4, but we got a whittled position rather fast. It would have been nice if the Knight f3 was on e3, but it was very far from necessary squares in the final position. After my move 12.Qe2 that might be considered as a novelty, we got a practically forced position where we agreed for a draw. Black are doubling on «с» line, White on the «d» one and neither one of them really move. In general, it was rather logical that the game at that moment was drawn, because there is not really any serious plan. There is a possibility that White move Knight e1-d3 and Black move their Knight on c5; as a result knights are exchanged and after this there is no material left to play with. Therefore, the draw is very logical in the final position. It is clear that one could have played in a more ambitious way but once again — this is not the first White game in this tournament where I do not manage anything from the opening.

— Alexander, what is your point of view in respect of this game?

Grischuk: While Petya was speaking I have calculated: at the 6^th move White have 10 main lines and the move 6.a4, the firmest and the most boring one, is among them. Indeed, the moves 15.b3 and16.Rd1 are very precise ones; It seemed to me that my position was better, but after this I understood that Black did not have any chances to win. Of course, if the play is precise — Black have less chances to lose.

— Alexander, taking into account the match situation, do you consider today’s result as a «digestible» one?

Grischuk: Yes, it is okay, there are more games ahead. Today Peter proved once again that he is a man of his word. Like Alexander Kerzhakov who used to say: «I kicked, I am kicking and I will keep kicking!», Peter is saying: «With White I drew, I draw and I will draw!»

— Peter, do you have a feeling that tomorrow’s game will be a decisive one?

Svidler: All games are important. I do understand that you don’t have such an impression from today’s one, but all of them are important. It is obvious that tomorrow’s game will be one of them, but in any case we still have two ahead of us.

Official website: http://chess.ugrasport.com

Zambia Win Silver In Chess

2011-09-19T09:57:00.003+08:00

2011 All Africa Games: Zambia Win Silver In Chess
TIME PUBLISHED - Saturday, September 17, 2011, 2:14 pm

Zambia collected its second medal at the All Africa Games on Friday with victory in the chess event.

And the Judo team got off to the worse possible start in their campaign with two of the six-member contingent bowing out.

Daniel Jere won an individual silver in the chess tournament where Zamba finished 4th behind Angola on bronze, South Africa on silver and Egypt on gold in the team event.

Meanwhile back on the judo mat, Judokas Boaz Munyonga and Malama Mpilikisha have been ejected from All Africa Games in what is Zambia last interest at the All Africa Games before the curtains come down on Sunday.

Munyonga missed out on bronze after losing to Nigerian Jude Solomon in the 81 Kg class while Mpilikisha lost to Bernard Etoga of Cameroon in the 66 Kg class.

Zambia’s final medal hopes at the All Africa Games now lie in Mathews Mpunza and Joshua Kanjemba in the men’s judo event and Esther Sandu and Rita Tembo in their women’s judo event.

Source: http://www.lusakatimes.com

Should I have time, I would dance

2011-09-19T09:57:00.000+08:00

RUSLAN PONOMARIOV: SHOULD I HAVE TIME, I WOULD DANCE

The first game of the match for the third place between the Ukrainian Grandmasters Vassily Ivanchuk and Ruslan Ponomariov finished in a draw.

Ponomariov: The game has just finished; it is difficult to say something without thorough analysis. The game turned out to be complicated enough; there was an unusual pawn structure with doubled pawns. It was difficult to realize who has a better position. Moving my pawn till e3, I hoped to get my game, but there were problems: my paen managed to enter the White camp but it could be lost easily.

— What do you think, Vassily, was it a quality game?

Ivanchuk: It is difficult to say about quality. In any case I made a mistake by move 41. Kf3. After 41 Bxf4 perhaps I had some chances to win: I was not risking anything. After this move my opponent forced a draw from the position of strength/

— A question not concerning chess. What books and movies did you bring with you?

Ivanchuk: I read books which I bought in the Church store here in Khanty Mansiysk.

Ponomariov: I read books of fantasy style. Reading helps to relax, to get asleep. If I watch movies from time to time, I choose the light ones. For instance, I can watch some movie after having a bath. Generally life is monotonous now, we are here to play. — A question from a photographer: do you dance? If yes, what dances do you dance?

Ivanchuk: once I was attending the dance section, but I don’t remember well how to dance. I remembered only the dances’ names:: cha-cha-cha, rumba…

Ponomariov: I never studied how to dance on a professional level. Sometimes we go out and dance with my girl friend. I am not a good dancer; she tries to show some motions to me. In principle, I like it. Should I have more time — I would probably take dances course.

Official website: http://chess.ugrasport.com

Fighter at the chess board

2011-09-19T09:55:00.000+08:00

RUSLAN PONOMARIOV: MERRY FELLOW IN LIFE AND FIGHTER AT THE CHESS BOARD

Official website: http://chess.ugrasport.com

Ruslan Ponomariov is maybe the most successful chess player in the entire history of Chess Cups despite the fact that he never became the holder of this trophy.

Ruslan twice reached the finals and once each quarterfinals and semifinals in the four knock-out tournaments in Khanty-Mansiysk (in 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2011). Every time the Ukrainian brilliantly passes most of the distance and gets to the point of two steps from the final ribbon, however, at the last moment he missteps and lets one or several of his opponents move forward. Ponomariov’s victory in the FIDE World Championship 2001—2002 (it was also the knock-out tournament) always remains the brightest highlight of his career. This success of the 18-year-old player was like an exploding bomb, because he broke the record of Mikhail Таl who became the champion at the age of 23 and Garry Kasparov who won the chess crown at the age of 22. It seemed that something incredible happened!

Ten years ago the young modest boy was not taken as a serious runner-up for the world chess crown. Obviously, everyone remarked his fighting qualities, steel nerves and mature positional comprehension, but still they didn’t consider him to measure up to the laurels crown. Certainly ten years ago the age standards in chess were not the same; and today with the new «generation next» of Grandmasters it is different and no one is surprised when schoolies are fighting head to head with experienced chess players. The winner himself modestly confessed in his interview that he did not count for such a success. Having become the World Champion in Moscow, Ruslan, as it was written by Pushkin, «made us respect him », but still he did not take his place in the same row with great champions in the mind of chess community. He will have to make another exploit — to win the match for the world crown.

The way to the success of Ruslan Ponomariov is a typical American dream story. The future Grandmaster was born on October 11 in 1983 in a small mining town Gorlovka of Donetsk Region in the family of an engineer and a teacher. When Ruslan was 5 years old his father taught him to play chess. At the age of 9 Ruslan won the Youth Championship of Donetsk Region and got the first category. The director of the chess club in Kramatorsk Mikhail Nikitich Ponomariov discovered a huge talent in the young chess player and offered Ruslan’s parents to train their son. In September 1993 Ponomariov moved to Kramatorsk where he lived in the family of his namesakes.

The lessons with experienced coaches brought fruitful results very fast. In the same year Ponomariov became the Champion of Ukraine Under-12 and in one year he won the 3^rd place in the World Championship, and one year later he became the European Champion in his category. Since then Ruslan started playing in the tournaments for grown-ups, in the year of 1996 when he was almost 13 he won the European Championship Under-18 and one year later the World Championship in the same category. Winning one Ukrainian «round» tournament after another Ponomariov has gained a very decent rating and at the age of 14 he got the Grandmaster title — at the moment he was the youngest Grandmaster title holder in the world.

In 1998 the 15-year-old Ponomariov played for the national team of Ukraine for the first time at the Olympiad in Elista and showed the best result of the team having taken the first place on the second reserve board. The Ukrainian team won the bronze medal mainly thanks to his performance. Ruslan won a zonal tournament of the FIDE World Championship in Donetsk in the same year and became the youngest runner-up for the world crown in the chess history.

The young challenger passed the first Round of the FIDE World Chess Championship in Las Vegas very successfully and faced Vesselin Topalov in the next one. The battle of the two future World Champions was very tense. Ponomariov won the first game, but Topalov equaled the score in the second one and after snatched a victory in the tie-break.

In 2000 he participated in the Chess Olympiad for the second time and he moved from the second reserve to the second board. This time the Ukrainian had no competitors. In Istanbul he won bronze medal in the composition of the National team and individual «gold». At the World Championship of the same year he performed not very well, losing in the first round.

Who would have thought it that already in a year Ruslan Ponomariov would manage to pass six knock out rounds in the next World Championship, having outplayed Lie Venliang, Sergey Tiviakov, Kiril Georgiev, Alexander Morozevich, Evgeny Bareev and Peter Svidler and would meet Vassily Ivanchuk in the finals, and again winning him with 4.5−2.5? Ponomariov was awarded with the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise for the victory in the World championship.

The same year in the traditional super tournament in Linares Ponomariov confirmed that a victory in Moscow was not just luck but professionalism: he got the second place, being behind only Kasparov and won a game against Ivanchuk.

Being the FIDE World Chess Champion Ruslan Ponomariov had to (in the frameworks of the Unification process stated in the Prague Agreement 2002) play the Unification Match for the «Absolute Champion» title against the winner of the match Kramnik-Leko. Match Ponomariov-Kasparov was planned for September 2003 but was cancelled in the last moment. The reasons are not known by now. At the press conference on the site «Crestbook» Ponomariov made the following comments:

«The official reason of match cancellation was my non-compliance in the question of match organization. But try to understand me. I wanted that I, being the active World Chess Champion, would have the same rights and chances to win the match as my opponent does. I was constantly in touch with the FIDE representatives, came to meet Ilyumzhinov in Moscow. But I never met Kasparov to negotiate it, FIDE was the one to read his position. All attempts of mine to meet him even after the match in Yalta was cancelled were unsuccessful.

It is obvious for me that there was collusion between them for mutual support. Kasparov wanted to become the World Champion again and in return made his peace with Ilyumzhinov and started to support him as FIDE President. I stood on their way. As a result I got the relevant attitude towards me.»

Generally speaking this is very old and dark story. We would like to remind you that Kramnik-Leko match took place anyway. Later there was a Unification match, played by Kramnik vs Topalov, but this is already another story…

Photo by Chess Base

Let us come back to our hero. After the match cancellation it took some time for him to recover. In the next World Chess Championship (knock out system) which took place in Libya in 2004 he just refused to take part in it. He remained in the shadow for some period though he continued winning the strong tournaments and got «gold» at the 2004 Olympiad in Spain in the composition of the Ukrainian National Team. He was awarded with the Order of Merit. He moved from Kramatorsk to Kiev in the same years.

Starting from 2005 the World Chess Championship which was played in a knock out system was renamed to the World Cup and it was a qualifying competition. We have already written the detailed information on the World Cups. Ruslan Ponomariov started to conquer the new peaks and he did it successfully — he went till the finals in the first Cup, he was eliminated in the tie breaks by the Armenian Grandmaster Levon Aronian. In general 2006—2009 years cannot be called the most successful in Ponomariov’s career. Nevertheless he showed the brightest performance and stable high results. In the

World Cup 2007 Ponomariov managed to go till the quarterfinals, where he lost to the winner of the tournament Gata Kamsky. In two years he again went till the finals where lost to Boris Gelfand in the tie breaks.

In 2010 the dark streak was replaced by the lucky one. In the end of July Ponomariov won the super tournament in Dortmund where he was ahead of Vladimir Kramnik, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Peter Leko. In autumn the same year he won the Gold medal in the composition of the National Team at the World Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk (Ponomariov was back to the team after some break which was caused by some misunderstanding with the National Federation leadership).

This year Ruslan won the strongest from the composition point of view Ukrainian Chess Championship. The tournament took place in Kiev where Ponomariov and his relatives live now. His younger sister Lyudmila used to come to the venue to grieve for Ruslan. Their mother named her children after the heroes of the famous poem of Pushkin.

Ruslan and Lyudmila. Photo by Chess Base

What else we know about Ruslan Ponomariov? Now he lives in three countries — Spain, the Ukraine and Russia. He is not married but has a girl friend, her name is Iness.

With girl friend Iness. Photo by E. Surov

Iness accompanies Ruslan at the tournaments from time to time. He likes to travel during free time, likes to read and listen to the music (basically rock and bard songs), he likes to watch movies (one of the favorite movie directors — Woody Allen). He lives an active life:
swims, cycles, roller-skates, goes to walking tours, gym and practices yoga. Ruslan is cool and severe fighter at the chess board. But if you meet this green-eyed blond-brown fellow in jeans and sweater in the streets, it would not be obvious for you.

Maria Fominykh

Chithambaram stuns top seed of India

2011-09-19T09:53:00.003+08:00

National Junior Champion Aravindh Chithambaram stuns top seed of India

Aravindh Chithambaram of Tamil Nadu, the country’s highest U12 rated player who became the youngest to win the National Junior Championship that concluded at Goa on Sep 14th upsets the top Indian GM Deep Sengupta on the 2nd day of the 4th Mayor’s Cup International Chess Tournament 2011organised by Venus Chess Academy co-sponsored by LIC.

On the 3rd table playing with white GM Deep Sengupta (ELO 2572) against Aravindh Chithambaram (ELO 2213) opted for Sicilian Dragon. The game was equally poised till on the 30th move Aravindh captured the central pawn. After exchange of the Queens, in the endgame Aravindh’s Bishop became far more superior than the Knight of Deep.

Aravindh got his Bishop on g3, followed by the Rook on the 2nd rank. Deep accepted his defeat when he was threatened with a mate or a loss of piece. This was a surprise to everyone.

One the 1st board the top seed Aleksandrov Aleksej (ELO 2618) playing with black pieces against WGM Kiran Manisha Mohanty (ELO 2213) opted for Ruy Lopez setup. By his clever maneuvering on the board he created a central connected passed pawn, which made Kiran resign the game.

On the 2nd board Satara’s Sameer Kathmale (ELO 2209) playing with the 3rd seed GM Andrei Deviatkin(ELO 2580) faced Classical Caro-Kann defense. Sameer developed his pieces rapidly and posted his Knight on d6 square with commanding position. Although he won a pawn, he allowed his opponent to eliminate the pieces and reached rook ending where he could not exploit the advantage of extra pawn and thus shared the point.

Ivanchuk scores, Svidler holds

2011-09-19T09:53:00.000+08:00

Final. Match for the 1st place

Grischuk, Alexander (RUS) 0 ½ 0.5
Svidler, Peter (RUS) 1 ½ 1.5

Final. Match for the 3rd place

Ivanchuk, Vassily (UKR) ½ 1 1.5
Ponomariov, Ruslan (UKR) ½ 0 0.5

Official website: http://chess.ugrasport.com

It is hard to play against your close friend

2011-09-19T09:52:00.002+08:00

In the first game of the final the Russian GM Peter Svidler outplayed with Black his compatriot Alexander Grischuk. The opponents-friends told us about the game at the press conference.

— Peter, you don’t look happy…

— Svidler: It turns out to be more difficult to play against your close friend. I do not know what to add, I am not a favorite of my dispirited look either …

— Alexander, please can you share your feelings about today’s game.

— Grischuk: Usually when you blunder a rook — you lose. Even though I did not get a bad position I still lost. There is some kind of logic here: it happens this way very seldom when after a rook blunder you get a positive result.

This is a classical blunder as it is described in the chess literature. The move Nb6 does not threaten yet, there are other moves threatening. White defended by move 18. Nd6 from these other moves, but after it namely the move Nb6 can be made.

— Peter, how can you explain your fantastic results with Black at this tournament?

— Svidler: Frankly speaking, you cannot. Historically it turned out that I always played better with White than with Black. Here I regularly get from weak to doubtful positions and after I face some unexplainable events as it happened today. I think that somewhere closer to the 15^th move the position of Black was very complicated from the objective point of view. It is miraculous that after the move 15…Bxe4 the move 16.Nxe4 is not hopeless right away, there was a move 16…0−0. If not for castling the game cannot be saved. Afterwards in the strict time-trouble there were mutual mistakes — starting from the move 18.Nd6. Then I did not capture the right material probably after the move 18…Nb6 19.Rxf7, the move 19…Bxd6 was a winning one, and what I did, probably, was not a winning one at all …

Going back to your question, every time playing White at this tournament I get nothing and the game is over by move 15. As for Black, on the contrary I receive some development of the game and thereafter it somehow works out — I don’t have a slightest idea what is the reason for that.

Official website: http://chess.ugrasport.com

Yifan closing in on another Women's Grand Prix

2011-09-19T09:51:00.003+08:00

Standings after 9 rounds

Rk		Name	Rtg	FED	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Pts	Rp
1	GM	Hou Yifan	2578	CHN	*	½		½	1	1	½	1	1		1	½	7	2682
2	IM	Muzychuk Anna	2545	SLO	½	*		½	½		½	½	1	1	½	1	6	2595
3	WGM	Ju Wenjun	2536	CHN			*	1	½	½	1	½	½	0	½	1	5½	2539
4	GM	Zhao Xue	2497	CHN	½	½	0	*	½	1	½	1	½			1	5½	2564
5	WGM	Tan Zhongyi	2429	CHN	0	½	½	½	*		½	½		½	1	1	5	2527
6	WGM	Ruan Lufei	2477	CHN	0		½	0		*	½	½	½	1	1	1	5	2525
7	GM	Zhu Chen	2490	QAT	½	½	0	½	½	½	*			1	½	½	4½	2479
8	IM	Munguntuul Batkhuyag	2465	MGL	0	½	½	0	½	½		*	1	0	½		3½	2423
9	GM	Cmilyte Viktorija	2525	LTU	0	0	½	½		½		0	*	1	½	½	3½	2403
	GM	Danielian Elina	2517	ARM		0	1		½	0	0	1	0	*	½	½	3½	2386
11	IM	Kovalevskaya Ekaterina	2421	RUS	0	½	½		0	0	½	½	½	½	*		3	2382
12	WIM	Yildiz Betul Cemre	2308	TUR	½	0	0	0	0	0	½		½	½		*	2	2290

Official website: http://shenzhen2011.fide.com

Board of RCF Trainers’ Council backs Evgeny Bareev

2011-09-19T09:51:00.000+08:00

Board of RCF Trainers’ Council backs Evgeny Bareev to continue as the head coach of Russia

On 1st August the Chairman of the Board of the Russian Chess Federation Ilya Levitov RCF received a resignation letter from the head coach of the Russian national team GM Evgeny Bareev.

The resignation is associated with the unsuccessful performance at the World Team Chess Championship in China, where the Russian team did not reach the winners podium and finished on the 4th place.

Anna Burtasova reports on the RCF website that Board of RCF Trainers’ Council met on 15th September at the Central Chess Club on Gogol Boulevard in Moscow. The main topic was to recommend the candidates for the position of head coach of the men’s team.

In attendance were:

Bykhovsky AA, honored trainer of the USSR – Chairman of the Board
Bareev EI, Grandmaster, Honored Master of Sports
Dvoretsky, MI, honored trainer of the USSR
Nadyrhanov S., GM (SFD)
Dokhoyan YR, Grandmaster, Honored coach of Russia
Zlochevsky AB, Grandmaster, Honored coach of Russia
Korotylev AN, GM
Makarychev SY, Grandmaster, Honored trainer of the USSR
Motylev AA, GM
AS Nikitin, honored trainer of the USSR
Potkin, VA, GM
Rashkovsky NN, GM (UVR)
Strutinskaya GN, International Master
Yakovich YR, GM (PFD)

Ivakhin MP (International Master, SFD), Malakhov VN (GM, CFD), A. Khalifman (Grandmaster, Honored Master of Sports, St. Petersburg) participated in the meeting through Skype.

There were as many as 13 nominations for the post. GM Rashkovsky immediately withdrew his candidacy but added that he will be ready to help anyone who would be appointed.

Secret ballot identified three candidates for the second round of voting – Evgeny Bareev, Alexander Motylev and Alexander Khalifman.

The second round of voting resulted in 9 votes for Bareev, 5 for Motylev and 1 for Khalifman. (Bareev abstained, Khalifman did not vote.)

The Board of RCF Trainers’ Council recommended Evgeny Bareev to be the new/old head coach of the team for the upcoming European Team Chess Championships in Porto Carras, Greece. The final decision will be with the Supervisory Board of the RCF.

Armenia – Russia chess match will be held in Yerevan

2011-09-19T09:50:00.002+08:00

Armenia – Russia chess match will be held in Yerevan
By Times.am at 16 September, 2011, 5:40 pm

A match between the teams of twice Olympic Champion, World Champion Armenia and many-times Olympic Champion, ex-World Champion Russia is going to be held in Yerevan, Armenia on October 15-20, 2011, armchess.am informs.

The match with participation of the world-renowned grandmasters is going to be held on eight boards, in three formats – Rapid, Fisher chess, Blitz.

Source: http://times.am

Bagirov Memorial in Riga

2011-09-19T09:49:00.005+08:00

Vladimir Bagirov Memorial in Riga

Riga Chess Federation, Alexei Shirov and Riga Armenian Society are organizing Vladimir Bagirov Memorial which will take place on 20th September from 17:30 in Riga, Latvia.

The blitz tournament with 12 rounds and the time control 3+3 is being held on the initiative of GM Daniel Fridman, who is flying in from Germany on his own account in order to participate.

Alexei Shirov’s contribution and symbolic entry fees form the prize fund.

Bagirov’s long time friend Evgeny Sveshnikov and Bagirov’s pupil Normunds Miezis are also expected to play.

Vladimir Bagirov (Baku, August 16, 1936 – Finland, July 21, 2000) was a Soviet-Latvian Grandmaster, author, and trainer. He played in ten USSR Championships, with his best result being fourth place in his debut in 1960. Bagirov was World Senior Champion in 1998. He passed away while playing a tournament game in the Heart of Finland Open. Read more.

Top players list:

1 GM Shirov Alexei ESP 2713
2 GM Fridman Daniel GER 2652
3 GM Miezis Normunds LAT 2534
4 GM Sveshnikov Evgeny LAT 2504
5 IM Neiksans Arturs LAT 2502

Shenzhen Women's Grand Prix resumes

2011-09-19T09:49:00.002+08:00

Round 9 pairings

	Name	Rtg	Res.		Name	Rtg
WGM	Tan Zhongyi	2429	-	GM	Zhu Chen	2490
GM	Cmilyte Viktorija	2525	-	IM	Muzychuk Anna	2545
WGM	Ruan Lufei	2477	-	GM	Hou Yifan	2578
WGM	Ju Wenjun	2536	-	GM	Zhao Xue	2497
GM	Danielian Elina	2517	-	WIM	Yildiz Betul Cemre	2308
IM	Kovalevskaya Ekaterina	2421	-	IM	Munguntuul Batkhuyag	2465

Official website: http://shenzhen2011.fide.com

Mumbai Mayor’s Cup International Open Chess Tournament – Round 1

2011-09-19T09:47:00.002+08:00

Mumbai Mayor’s Cup International Open Chess Tournament – Round 1

The 4th Mayor Cup International Chess Tournament 2011, organized by Venus Chess Academy and hosted by Goregaon Sports Club and Co- Sponsored by LIC, saw a good response of 280 players taking part in the tournament, out of which 15 are GMs, 30 IMs and 4 WGMs.

The Tournament was inaugurated by Mr.Vinod Poddar, Chairman Indoor Sports of Goregaon Sports Club. Mr Ratan Poddar, IM Shekhar Sahu Vice-President AICF and Mr. R M Dongre, Treasurer AICF and organizing Secretary were present on the dias.

On the first table playing with white pieces Aleksej Aleksandrov (ELO 2618) against Madhurima Shekhar (ELO 1906) opted for Queens Gambit Declined exchange variation main line. On the 21st move Madhurima captured the knight of Aleksey which exposed her king to direct attack making her lose the game on 23rd move.

On the 2nd board Pune lad Atharv Godbole (ELO 1894) surprised everyone by drawing against the 2nd seed GM Kravtsiv Martyn (ELO 2583). The game which started in the Ruy Lopez went for closed variation. On 23rd move Kravtsiv played g6 which created a serious problems to him and gave a clear advantage to white. Thus seeing a losing position Kravtsiv offered a draw which was quickly accepted by Atharv.

On the third board GM Deviatkin Andrei (ELO 2580) played a long game against local player Vishwesh Kocherekar (ELO 1882). Vishwesh opted for French defense which was replied by a rare move from white. In the end game with opposite-coloured Bishops the experience of Andrei counted and he won the game in 48 moves.

On the 4th board GM Deep Sengupta (ELO 2572) checkmated BMC player Ganesh Solkar (ELO 1880) in 32 moves, in the French defense game.

Vitthal B. Madhav
FIDE Arbiter,
Secretary,
Suburban Mumbai Chess Association