Davao chess gets a push

From: Sun Star Davao Feb 28

CHADRIC Builders & Construction Supply is making the right move. With its owner, Engineer Enrico M. Vanta, at the helm and manning the top board, the company is giving Davao City chess a big boost through its active support in organizing events and bankrolling chess teams. And if this is a chess game, Chadric is just making the opening moves. It's still not yet in the middle game and definitely far from the endgame.

If you're interested in Chess in RP this is quite a lengthy article about Enrico Vanta and his chess sponsorship program. You can read it here: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/

City of Sydney Championships

This year's City of Sydney format, four games played over two consecutive weekends, has failed to solve the problem of falling attendances. Played at North Sydney, a popular venue, only 21 players (including three overseas visitors) turned out for the main event, and 20 for the Under 1700 section.

Leading the Championship after four rounds is Polish junior Darek Swiercz who visited Rooty Hill last week for the WSCP Lightning tournament. On 3.5/4 he is just half a point ahead of Tomek Rej, NSW Champ Greg Canfell, Ronald Yu and Jason Hu. He is yet to play Tomek and Greg, the only two players rated ahead of him.

Also in the event are Rooty Hill players Joshua Christensen and Carrie Evans. Both are eligible for the U1700. Joshua managed a draw against Anthony Lo and Carrie has yet to score, although her first-round loss to German visitor, Sebastian Hermann, was a 74-move marathon. She resigned two pawns down in a bishop ending.

The U1700 has three joint leaders after the first weekend. They are Herman Rachmadi, Trent Parker and David Evans, all on 3.5/4. They are just ahead of Horst Bleicher, Mary Wilkie and Kinto Wan on 3.

Kinto is somebody worth watching—he's likely to make his mark. Rated on 847 he is undefeated so far. He beat the very experienced Horst Bleicher and Michael Tracey and drew with Phil Willis and myself. He's probably the smallest, youngest boy in the competition and it won't be surprising to see his rating take an enormous leap in the next list.

Standings for both events are available on the Rooty Hill web page here: http://www.rootyhillchess.org/cos07.html

Chess magic inspired by Harry Potter

The following item appeared in the Sheffield Star http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleID=2071129&SectionID=58

A CHESS competition with a magical twist will be taking place soon.

Chess Wizards of the North wants junior players to compete in the historical setting of the University of York St John while dressed as wizards.

The idea for the contest was conjured up by Chesterfield man David Bentley, who was inspired by the huge popularity of the new Harry Potter chess magazine. Over 47 issues readers can collect a complete Harry Potter chess set while learning how to play the classic game.

Mr Bentley’s interest in chess was sparked by his daughter Emma who, at 10 years old, is the All England Girls Eastern Region Chess Champion. He said: “It is a very different event with the unique theme set in a beautiful university. And it is the first of its kind in the UK that we know of.”

The event takes place on Sunday March 11 in the Temple Room of the University of York St John.Entry fees are £5 for juniors and £10 for seniors.For information visit www.chesswizard.co.uk, or contact Mr Bentley on 01246 221016.

US Marine chess team for Australia?

From the U.S. Marine Corps Times, February 22: Corps seeks chess players for teams

The Corps announced today it’s looking for chess players to represent it in competitions worldwide. Corps-wide messages detailed the criteria for leathernecks to join the 2007 All-Marine Chess teams. Chess players vying for one of six spots on the All-Marine team have until April 16 to apply. Applicants must be registered with the United States Chess Federation, the message says.


We're not sure if the USMC Chess Team will be visiting Australia, but the cycling team, which was also recruiting in the same article will be coming:

Cyclists licensed by USA Cycling have until March 13 to apply for a spot on the Armed Forces Cycling Team; its international competition schedule begins in April in Australia. According to MarAdmin 119/07, cyclists will be selected based on their performance and teamwork

Maybe we could get the Marines to visit for the Sydney International Open in April.
But whether or not they visit these shores, it may result in a whole new verse for the Marine's Hymn:

They may play a Marshall Gambit
Or defend with the K.I.D;
They'll fight their country's chess gamesAt home or across the sea.
And they'll use no guns or bayonetsBut to keep their honour clean,
They'll need to win a lot of games
The United States Marines.

Polska, Poland -- what's in a name?

I had a phone call during the week to ask if a 13 year old Polish visitor could play in the WSCP lightning tournament.

"Sure," I said. "Can he play five minute chess?"

"He can play two minute chess!" So he came.

That's him on the right wearing a hat labelled Poland and looking innocent.

I didn't realise who he was when I arrived, in spite of the phone call. He was just a little kid setting up the tables and pieces.

His name is Dariusz (call him Darek) Swiercz and I was fascinated to watch the ease of the demolition job he did on some of the top players -- including a number of 2000+ rated visitors. His only loss was to Jason Hu.

It's not surprising if you know his background. He's the top player in Poland for his age group, finished level with Raymond Song in the U12 World Youth Championship last year (just two points behind the winner), has a FIDE rating of 2235, and has already earned his FM title.

He's friendly, modest, polite -- and a killer chess player.

Nice to have enjoyed your visit, Darek. Hope you do well in the City of Sydney next week.

Missing, presumed lost

We’ve been missing a lot of regular faces at Rooty Hill lately. I’m sure the same thing is happening at other chess clubs.

Two years ago we mustered eight teams for the Grade Matches. This year we’ve managed only four teams for the WSCP and those teams have a rather cobbled-together feel about them. (In my U1600 team we have three players and four reserves. Of the three players Ernesto Alberici will be away on holidays for four weeks and I’ll be off for another two.) That leaves team captain, Allan Butler, to battle the opposition on his own with whatever help he can scrounge.

(It’s a bit like the old Rugby League joke when Australia sent only two players to battle the Poms. Leading 30-nil at half time one of them went to the pub leaving his mate to handle the entire English team on his own. When he learned that the final score had been 30-18 he asked how it had happened. His mate explained that he had been sent off ten minutes into the second half. Good luck Allan!)

But it’s not just the Rooty Hill U1600s who are struggling. The whole WSCP is in trouble.

Division A has only three teams from two clubs: Koala and Parramatta.
Division B is almost as bad: three teams from three clubs—Rooty Hill, Mounties and Parramatta.
Division C in another year would be in bad shape but this year is the strongest of the divisions. There are five U1600 teams from Liverpool, Mounties, Parramatta, Ryde Eastwood and Rooty Hill.
Division D also have five teams, but from only three clubs. They are Parramatta U1300 and U1400, Rooty Hill U1400 and U1500, and Wests U1400.

So what’s the common denominator? Apart from the normal ebb-and-flow of players in and out of the game we’re facing a strong new competitor. Poker.

It’s growing in popularity and, let’s face it, poker is a fascinating game. The current version offers good prize money for a limited outlay and seems to be sponsored by more and more licensed clubs. You can have a night’s cheap entertainment and, with luck, win a cash prize.

If money is the criterion by which we evaluate a game’s worth then chess can’t hope to compete with poker—the money isn’t there and never can be. Even so, I’d like to think there’s more to playing chess than winning cash.

Maybe we need a gimmick of our own. We might even pinch one from poker itself. Like Strip Chess. I’ve never played it myself but I understand it’s fun when you get mated. But perhaps not. After all, most chess players are blokes . . .

If you have any ideas about the loss of numbers click on the "Comments" tag below to share your ideas.

The plight of a chess champ

From Sri Lanka's The Nation on Sunday by By Ravi Nagahawatte

Sri Lanka’s Women FIDE Master Pramodya Senanayake is a little girl whose achievements in chess have hugely influenced boys and girls in her country to take to the 64-square-board game. Senanayake at present is a celebrity at chess having just added the national title to her list of victories.

The humble 16-year-old school girl from Musaeus College told The Nation that she felt happy to see many boys and girls take to chess following her successes but said that there should be more support for the sport from the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka (CFSL) and sponsors.

“As much as the game gains through the entrance of talented players each year it also loses a good number of senior players. This is because chess doesn’t promise players a secure future. As a result good players opt for more established careers. I plan to do the same,” she said.

When players like Senanayake travel abroad for tournaments they come in contact with foreign players who are devoted to chess. Does it make Sri Lankans feel that they don’t try hard enough?

“Sri Lanka doesn’t have a culture for chess. If a player takes to chess and doesn’t make it he or she will not have anything to show. As a result Sri Lankans drop out of chess to make room for studies. The majority of individuals who continue playing devote little time for chess because most of them still attend school,” explained Senanayake.

This schoolgirl winning the FIDE Master title at the Chess Olympiad last year gave Sri Lanka chess a shot in the arm. The feat has exposed the need that women players should be trained for tournaments just like male players. However, strangely the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka has shown no interest to acknowledge Senanayake’s feat of becoming the first Sri Lankan women to win a FIDE Master Title.

There's quite a lot more interesting content in this interview with Senanayake. You can find it at http://www.nation.lk/2007/02/18/sports2.htm (right beneath the Rugby article).

John Abraham plays chess in between filming

Hollywood / Bollywood!     First it was Bogie, now it's John Abraham.

The following article is from The Hindu dated February 16:

Mumbai, Feb. 16 (AP): Bollywood heartthrob John Abraham, often voted one of the Indian movie industry's sexiest stars, kills time between takes by playing computer chess, a report said Friday.
Abraham, 34, is passionate about the game. He also loves reading books and watching movies about chess players.
``Whenever I have some hours to while away, I get busy with the game. I play against the computer,'' he told the Mumbai Mirror newspaper. ``It's one of those childhood habits that refuse to leave me.''
But the one person Abraham can never beat is his brother. ``My younger brother Allen is perhaps the most intelligent guy I have ever met,'' he said. ``Over the years I have been unable to beat him at the game.''
Abraham even buys chess sets when he travels abroad _ he now has 25.
Abraham, one of India's top models, made his film debut three years ago. He has starred in several blockbuster movies since he struck fame in the 2004 action adventure ``Dhoom.''

Read the rest of this article here: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200702161615.htm

Reykjavík to become Chess Capital

Reykjavik, scene of the Fischer-Spassky match and now Fischer's home, is keen to keep up its profile as a chess-friendly city. The following article is from the Iceland Review on Line dated Feb 16.

The City Council approved Reykjavík Mayor’s Vilhjálmur Th. Vilhjálmsson’s suggestion yesterday, regarding Iceland’s capital becoming the Chess Capital of the world by 2010.
According to Fréttabladid, the City plans to support the project with ISK three million (EUR 34,000, USD 44,000). The project will be undertaken by the recently founded Chess Academy of Reykjavík.
The Chess Academy is a private institution designed to further interest of chess in Reykjavík, which cooperates with the Chess Federation of Iceland, several chess clubs, elementary schools and companies in Reykjavík.
The Academy will also organize the annual Reykjavík Chess Tournament which attracts international chess players, as Morgunbladid reports.
According to Fréttabaldid, the Reykjavík Chess Academy is currently looking for contributions to reach an initial capitalization of ISK 20 million (EUR 225,000, USD 296,000).

Immoral Ties?

Under the heading World's best chess player suspected of immoral ties Russia's on-line newspaper Kommersant today published a report, dated Feb 09, that the Association of Chess Professionals, possibly in conjunction with FIDE, is to conduct an inquiry into Topalov's extraordinary results.

Read the story here: http://www.kommersant.com/p741182/r_530/FIDE_investigate_claims_Topalov/

Sydney International Open

With the entry of the Philippines' Rogelio Antonio Jr the number of grandmasters registered for this trail-blazing tournament has reached ten. There are also eight IMs, five FMs and one each WGM, WIM and WFM.

The top players are, in rating order:
Sergei Shipov (Russia, GM, 2591)
Victor Mikhalevski (Israel, GM, 2590)
Mihaljo Stovanovic (Serbia, IM, 2576)
Georgy Timoshenko (Ukraine, GM, 2563)
Rogelio Antonio Jr (Philippines, GM, 2551)
Murray Chandler (England, GM, 2548)
Carlos Matamoros Franco (Ecuador, GM, 2540)
Ian Rogers (Australia, GM, 2529)
David Smerdon (Australia, IM, 2460)
Zong-Yuan Zhao (Australia, IM, 2455)
Darryl Johansen (Australia, GM, 2454)
Dejan Antic (Serbia, GM, 2452)
Tejas Bakre (India, GM, 2441)
Gary Lane (Australia, IM, 2421)

Behind those are a host of very talented players -- some with titles and some who are getting very close to one. So far there are five Australian players looking for another title norm in this. They are Smerdon and Zhao who need a GM norm, and Xie, Bjelobrk and Ly knocking on the door for their IM.

The entries are still coming in for this, the most exciting chess tournament ever conducted in Australia. The atmosphere should be extraordinary.

Congratulations Brian Jones (and Vasil Tulevski who has been an enthusiastic supporter) on your vision and acumen.

The entry list is updated daily and can be viewed on the official site by clicking here: http://www.chessaustralia.com.au/open/index.cfm?p=section&a=Entries

Kramnik marries French journalist in Paris Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky

From InterfaxReligion.com February 05: The World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik married the Le Figaro journalist Marie-Laure Germon at the church wedding ceremony in Paris Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky, the primatial see of the Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox Churches in Western Europe under the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

However Kramnik’s spouse did not follow her husband into the Orthodox faith and remained Protestant, the Izvestia periodical said on Monday.

‘In Moscow they would have demanded her conversion into the Orthodoxy before the wedding ceremony. But we take things like that easier,’ the cathedral’s rector Archpriest Anatoly Rakovich told Izvestia.

Ms. Germon and Mr. Kramnik were not the first Russian-French couple to marry in the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Rue Daru. Pablo Picasso married the Russian ballerina Olga Khokhlova there in 1918. Mstislav Rostropovich’s daughters had their weddings in the same cathedral too.

We wish Vladimir and Marie-Laure a long and happy life together.

This article can be found at http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=2557

Strong Oz Contingent at Gibraltar Chess Congress

The Gibraltar Chess Congress was won this week by GM Vladimir Akopian of Armenia on 7.5/9 ahead of a three-way dead-heat for second between Alexander Areshchenko (Ukraine), Hikaru Nakamura (USA) and Emil Sutovsky (Israel).

There was a strong Australian contingent in this tournament. GM Ian Rogers, IM David Smerdon, Queensland junior – soon to be IM – Moulthun Ly, and Sydneysider, Malcolm Tredennick. David and Moulthun were both seeking their final GM/IM norms in this but just missed out. Moulthun only needed to win his final game to get the norm.

The Smurf led the Australians home with 5.5/9, followed by Ian and Moulthun on 4.5, with Malcolm just behind with 4 points.

Malcolm Tredennick found himself faced with one of Simon Webb’s Heffalumps in Round 3. After winning his Round 2 game he was paired with former US Champion Hikaru Nakamura. (If you’ve never met a Heffalump – or if you’ve met one but didn’t know what it was – read Chess for Tigers.)

You can see the full cross table here: http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/Gib2007/Masters%20Crosstable.html


To view selected games of Gibtelecom Masters using ChessTheatre, click here www.rootyhillchess.org/chesstheatre/Gibral/CT_Gibral.html

Aronian, Topalov, Radjabov share Corus win

From ArmeniaNow.com, Armenia's on-line news service -- Feb 2
Armenian grandmasters Levon Aronyan won the prestigious Corus Tournament in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands, with 8.5 points, sharing the first spot with Bulgaria’s Veselin Tapalov and Azerbaijan’s Teimur Rajabov. But according to additional showings, Aronyan was recognized the best at the tournament.
A victory in Round 13 allowed Aronyan to catch up on points with Topalov and Rajabov, who had been in the lead before the last round, in which they played each other and ended their game in a draw.
Last year Aronyan was only 9th at this tournament, but he went on to win the Linares tournament, the Olympiad (as part of Team Armenia) and the prestigious Mikhail Tal memorial.
Armenia’s Gabriel Sargsyan finished second, with 8 points in Group B at Corus.
Currently, Aronyan is preparing to play at Linares and Monaco tournaments.
Grandmaster Karen Asryan won Armenia’s chess championship 2007. After the last 11th round, Karen Asryan and Tigran Kotanjyan had 7.5 points. According to the regulation, they played two additional games to decide the winner, in which Asryan was more successful. Tigran L. Petrosyan took third.
On Thursday, Vladimir Hakobyan won the 5th Gibtelecom Masters Tournament in the UK, gaining 7.5 points in nine rounds.
View this article at http://armenianow.com/?action=viewArticle&AID=1981&CID=2059&IID=&lng=eng

Nigel Short pushes for cheating enquiry

This story just won't go away. Chessbase, in a major story, outlines the mounting number of accusations (not yet evidence) against Topalov.

quote
01.02.2007 The international press has picked up the story on cheating allegations that have been leveled at Veselin Topalov and Silvio Danailov during the Wijk aan Zee tournament. There have been claims that signalling was also used during the 2005 World Championship in San Luis, Argentinia. Nigel Short, who was in San Luis, observed something sinister in San Luis. Press reports.
unquote

Read this important story at Chessbase: http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3644

Boris Spassky turns 70

He was born on January 30, 1937 in Leningrad, learnt the moves at five and was one of the great child prodigies in chess. Boris Spassky went on to win multiple USSR championships and qualify for Candidates and World Championship matches. In 1969 he beat Petrosian to become the tenth chess world champion. Today Boris Vasilievich turns 70. To read the rest of this interesting biographical article, visit Chessbase: http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3641

Topalov again . . .

While this blog is certainly not intended to denigrate Veselin Topalov, there have been a number of disturbing, recent stories in which he is perhaps the unfortunate protagonist. This one comes from news.bg, an on-line Bulgarian news source who, in turn, quoted The Guardian. Because of the author's association with Kramnik's manager, the accusation would have little weight had not the tournament referee taken it seriously enough to stand between Topalov and Danailov during the Karjakin game.

News.bg: Jan 29 – New Cheating Allegation against Topalov — Author: Dimitar Tabakov, The Guardian

A new cheating allegation against Veselin Topalov was made at the weekend just as the world No1-ranked grandmaster started his grudge game against the world champion, Vladimir Kramnik, in the elite Corus tournament in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands.

An article in a German newspaper claimed that the Bulgarian's manager, Silvio Danailov, made suspicious hand and facial movements while in eye contact with his player during Topalov's second-round game a week earlier against the Dutch champion, Loek van Wely.

Each time Van Wely moved, Danailov would leave the hall, make a mobile phone call and then return. While Topalov considered his next move his manager would scratch himself several times behind his ear or tap his glasses with his finger.

It later emerged that the writer of the article, the international master Martin Breutigam, is an associate of Kramnik's manager, Carsten Hensel, the Guardian writes today.

Last week a Topalov aide published a book titled Toilet War, repeating and extending the allegations that Kramnik had himself used a computer aid during their 2006 world title series in Elista in Russia, which the Muscovite won by a narrow margin.

Both Van Wely, who attributed his 35-move defeat to being outplayed, and the chief arbiter voiced no suspicions. However, in the next day's third round when Topalov had a dubious position against the Ukrainian prodigy Sergey Karjakin and Danailov again tried to establish eye contact, the referee blocked his view.

There was no handshake when Topalov and Kramnik sat down for Saturday's penultimate round. After four hours' play they reached a dead level ending with king and knight for the Bulgarian against king and pawn. The above article was published in news.bg, an on-line Bulgarian news service. It appears to have been first published in The Guardian.

To read the rest of the article go to http://international.ibox.bg/news/id_1039137717.

No return match for Topalov

Focus News Agency, Jan 28 – FIDE President Rules out Topalov - Kramnik Return Match:Antalya. A World Championship return match between Veselin Topalov and Vladimir Kramnik will not take place. The decision was taken by FIDE’s Presidential Council, which met in Turkey’s resort Antalya, Mayak Radio reported. “The possibility of a World Championship return match between Veselin Topalov and Vladimir Kramnik is ruled out”, FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov said. “We can’t even in theory take the responsibility for such a match because under the established rules the match should end six months before the start of the new World Championship in September 11 in Mexico. So, Topalov – Kramnik return match has to start not later than February 11, so that it can end in a month. But it is impossible to happen”, Ilyumzhinov added. FOCUS News Agency Reminds:Former FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria lost the world chess title after a dramatic defeat in additional games versus Vladimir Kramnik in Elista in October 2006. Topalov and his manager Silvio Danailov sent an invitation to Kramnik for a return match in Sofia. They provided USD 2 million as a prize fund. Under the regulations of FIDE, any player with a rating of 2700 or higher can issue a challenge for a match of 12 games for the World Championship title against the incumbent World Champion.

Topalov Accused of Cheating

Sofia News Agency: Jan 26 – Bulgaria's Topalov Accused of Cheating during Games:Bulgaria's top chess player Vesselin Topalov was involved in another scandal after Germanys' Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper accused him he used help during games from his manager.The newspaper claimed Topalov used his manager Silvio Danailov to get hints for his moves on the chessboard and that could be clearly seen on the Veik-an-Zee tournament. Suddetusche also claims there are rumours Topalov won the San Luis 2005 world tournament using illegal means, because his manager showed him which were the best moves according to a computer program. According to the author Danailov and Topalov communicated in a secret, non-verbal manner.