Posted by Blog Admin @ 11:34 PM, Thursday Mar 31st, 2011 Category:Blogs , Susan Polgar
1st of April will be celebrated with an interesting event in Russia. Ten Blondes will challenge ten Brunettes in a unique match of mind battle over the chess board.
The tournament will be a 10 rounds event, the time control is 5 minutes per player. More information by e3e5.com and russiachess.org
Posted by Blog Admin @ 11:22 PM, Thursday Mar 31st, 2011 Category:Blogs , Susan Polgar
So, Gomez teams power field in inter-province chess By Roy Luarca Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 23:28:00 03/31/2011
MANILA, Philippines—Multi-titled Tagaytay City and defending champion Local Water Utilities Administration-Quezon City have been tagged as favorites in the 2011 National Inter-Province chess team championships starting on Friday at the Cabagnot Training Center in Kalibo, Aklan.
Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino will draw power from Grandmaster Wesley So while LWUA-A will lean on GM John Paul Gomez in their bid for the P100,000 top purse.
At least 30-teams, led by the country’s top titled and untitled players, are seeing action in the five-day event organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines in cooperation with the Aklan provincial government.
NCFP president Prospero “Butch” Pichay and Aklan Gov. Carlito S. Marquez will make the ceremonial moves during the colorful opening ceremony set at 1 p.m.
The team captains’ meeting will be held at 10 a.m. to determine the pairing.
With returning GM Mark Paragua at the helm, Misamis Oriental is also expected to contend for the crown and the finely crafted trophy donated by Governor Marquez.
Posted by Dennis Monokroussos @ 10:44 PM, Thursday Mar 31st, 2011 Category:Blogs , The Chess Mind
Vladimir Potkin and the five players who entered round 9 (of 11) tied for first all drew, and now they have a lot of company. Twelve players are tied for first with 7 points in the European Chess Championship, and sixteen more players are but a half a point behind them. The leaders are, in tiebreak order:
Vallejo Pons, Potkin, Ragger, Iordachescu, R. Mamedov, Zhigalko, Parligras, Wojtaszek, Khairullin, Polgar, Vitiugov and Jobava.
The event is heating up, and there have been many exciting games in the tournament. (Polgar in particular has been involved in some extremely interesting games, but she’s hardly alone in playing eye-catching chess.) I have been and will continue to present games from the tournament for my ChessLecture.com shows, and of course lots of chess sites have been giving coverage. (See for example the translations of Sergey Shipov’s reports, over on the Chess in Translation website.)
Posted by Blue Devil Knight @ 10:01 PM, Thursday Mar 31st, 2011 Category:Blogs , Chess Confessions
As most of you know, I haven’t been exactly on top of my game as a chess improvement blogger. Since my humiliation at the World Open a couple of years ago, I didn’t have much motivation to study chess. I just don’t have the talent required, the minimal, basic innate chess IQ to hit 2000 with years of serious study. Basically, after that tournament I came away thinking I was a chess retard.Or so I
Posted by Peter Doggers @ 2:55 PM, Thursday Mar 31st, 2011 Category:Blogs , ChessVibes
With a third consecutive draw, Vladimir Potkin allowed five GMs to join him in the lead in round 8 of the European Championship. In the 9th round the first five boards split the point, and so with two rounds to go 12 players are sharing the lead with 7/9 in Aix les Bains, including Judit Polgar.
General info
The 12th European Individual Chess Championship is being held from March 21 till April 3rd, 2011 in Aix les Bain, France. It’s an 11-round Swiss system with a total of 407 participants (172 GMs). There are 23 qualification spots for the World Cup 2011 in August-September in Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia). The games start every day at 15:00 CET (live here). More info here.
Report rounds 8-9
On Wednesday tournament leader Vladimir Potkin drew with Black after a tough fight with Radoslaw Wojtaszek. Logically, the winners who followed on half a point joined him in the lead: Markus Ragger (who beat Mikhail Kobalia), Viorel Iordachescu (who beat Alexander Moiseenko), Mircea-Emilian Parligras (who beat Ivan Cheparinov), Rauf Mamedov (who beat Jon Ludvig Hammer) and Nikita Vitiugov (who beat Denis Khismatullin).
Cheparinov played, as always, uncompromising chess. It looks like the Bulgarian fell into some preparation by his opponent, for a change.
Against Daniel Fridman, reigning Russian Champion Ian Nepomniachtchi reached the following, remarkable position.
Nepomniachtchi-Fridman Aix les Bains 2011
First, by giving a lot of checks, White managed to win the a6 pawn with tempo. 45. Qc5+ Kf6 46. Qf8+ Ke6 47. Qg8+ Kd7 48. Qg7+ Kc8 49. Qh6 f4 50. Qxa6+ Kd7 51. Qb5+ Kd6 52. Qb4+ Kd7 53. Qd4+ Ke8 54. Qe5+ Kd7 55. Qd5+ Ke7 56. Qc5+ Kd7
Now, as was probably the best practical chance, White liquidated to a queen ending: 57. Ke4 f3 58. gxf3 g2 59. Qxf2 c1Q 60. Qxg2 Qc4+ 61. Kf5 Qf7+ 62. Ke5 Qe7+ 63. Kf4 Qxh4+ 64. Kf5 Qd4 65. Qh3 Ke7 66. Qxh5
Although this position is a draw according to the tablebases, White won at move 84.
To continue the theme of endings, Judit Polgar showed magnificent technique in a typical Accelarated Dragon ending against Gadir Guseinov.
Polgar-Guseinov Aix les Bains 2011
We refer to the game viewer below for the full game. For now we’ll just note that the way Polgar squeezed a full point out of this position was quite impressive. In fact by now we might as well add that the Hungarian lady seems to be playing her best chess in years in Aix les Bains. On Thursday she beat Lupulescu with Black, defending a sharp position, to reach shared first in the standings.
Top seed Peter Svidler is half a point behind the group of leaders. In the 9th round he won a tough ending when his opponent allowed a petite combinaison.
European Individual Championship 2011 | Aix les Bains | Round 9 Standings (Top 100)
Rk.
Ti
Name
FED
Rtg
Pts.
TB1
TB2
TB3
1
GM
Vallejo Pons Francisco
ESP
2707
7.0
2898
41.5
54.0
2
GM
Potkin Vladimir
RUS
2653
7.0
2839
42.0
53.0
3
GM
Ragger Markus
AUT
2614
7.0
2827
40.0
51.0
4
GM
Iordachescu Viorel
MDA
2626
7.0
2806
39.5
51.0
5
GM
Mamedov Rauf
AZE
2667
7.0
2794
38.0
49.5
6
GM
Zhigalko Sergei
BLR
2680
7.0
2785
37.0
47.0
7
GM
Parligras Mircea-Emilian
ROU
2598
7.0
2767
41.5
52.5
8
GM
Wojtaszek Radoslaw
POL
2711
7.0
2751
40.5
52.5
9
GM
Khairullin Ildar
RUS
2634
7.0
2736
40.0
50.0
10
GM
Polgar Judit
HUN
2686
7.0
2723
38.5
49.5
11
GM
Vitiugov Nikita
RUS
2720
7.0
2708
40.5
52.0
12
GM
Jobava Baadur
GEO
2707
7.0
2675
37.5
47.5
13
GM
Zherebukh Yaroslav
UKR
2560
6.5
2760
39.5
49.5
14
GM
Volokitin Andrei
UKR
2677
6.5
2753
40.5
51.5
15
GM
Nepomniachtchi Ian
RUS
2729
6.5
2741
38.0
50.0
16
GM
Feller Sebastien
FRA
2657
6.5
2731
39.0
50.0
17
GM
Ivanisevic Ivan
SRB
2617
6.5
2722
37.0
47.5
18
GM
Svidler Peter
RUS
2730
6.5
2720
40.0
50.0
19
GM
Inarkiev Ernesto
RUS
2674
6.5
2715
37.0
47.0
20
GM
Nevednichy Vladislav
ROU
2534
6.5
2712
34.0
43.5
21
GM
Mcshane Luke J
ENG
2683
6.5
2700
37.5
47.5
22
GM
Moiseenko Alexander
UKR
2673
6.5
2694
39.0
50.0
23
GM
Jakovenko Dmitry
RUS
2718
6.5
2690
36.5
46.5
24
GM
Motylev Alexander
RUS
2677
6.5
2684
37.0
46.5
25
GM
Kobalia Mikhail
RUS
2672
6.5
2682
39.0
51.0
26
GM
Nielsen Peter Heine
DEN
2670
6.5
2669
37.0
47.0
27
GM
Smirin Ilia
ISR
2658
6.5
2627
34.0
44.5
28
GM
Beliavsky Alexander G
SLO
2619
6.5
2614
36.5
47.5
29
GM
Nisipeanu Liviu-Dieter
ROU
2673
6.0
2762
42.0
54.0
30
GM
Azarov Sergei
BLR
2615
6.0
2754
41.0
51.5
31
GM
Sutovsky Emil
ISR
2692
6.0
2752
39.5
51.0
32
IM
Wirig Anthony
FRA
2480
6.0
2749
42.5
51.0
33
GM
Khismatullin Denis
RUS
2662
6.0
2717
39.0
50.5
34
GM
Reinderman Dimitri
NED
2601
6.0
2717
38.0
49.0
35
GM
Lupulescu Constantin
ROU
2626
6.0
2716
39.0
50.0
36
GM
Guliyev Namig
AZE
2522
6.0
2713
35.5
45.5
37
GM
Korobov Anton
UKR
2647
6.0
2712
38.5
49.5
38
GM
Riazantsev Alexander
RUS
2679
6.0
2705
34.5
44.5
39
GM
Kovchan Alexander
UKR
2563
6.0
2701
40.5
51.5
40
GM
Rublevsky Sergei
RUS
2678
6.0
2686
34.5
45.0
41
GM
Dreev Aleksey
RUS
2697
6.0
2680
40.0
50.5
42
GM
Esen Baris
TUR
2528
6.0
2669
38.5
49.0
43
GM
Navara David
CZE
2722
6.0
2667
38.0
48.0
44
GM
Cheparinov Ivan
BUL
2664
6.0
2663
39.0
50.5
45
GM
Gabrielian Artur
RUS
2532
6.0
2662
38.0
48.5
46
GM
Gustafsson Jan
GER
2647
6.0
2653
35.5
45.5
47
GM
Fressinet Laurent
FRA
2693
6.0
2643
36.5
46.5
48
GM
Saric Ivan
CRO
2626
6.0
2639
37.0
48.0
49
IM
Vedmediuc Serghei
MDA
2422
6.0
2624
35.5
46.0
50
GM
Pashikian Arman
ARM
2642
6.0
2624
35.0
45.0
51
GM
Kotronias Vasilios
GRE
2583
6.0
2623
36.0
47.0
52
GM
Lenic Luka
SLO
2623
6.0
2622
34.0
44.0
53
GM
Kulaots Kaido
EST
2601
6.0
2614
34.0
45.0
54
GM
Gharamian Tigran
FRA
2650
6.0
2599
36.5
47.5
55
GM
Salgado Lopez Ivan
ESP
2630
6.0
2597
34.0
44.5
56
GM
Papaioannou Ioannis
GRE
2605
6.0
2594
32.0
42.0
57
GM
Popov Ivan
RUS
2613
6.0
2586
35.0
45.5
58
GM
Matlakov Maxim
RUS
2625
6.0
2575
34.5
44.5
59
GM
Volkov Sergey
RUS
2621
6.0
2568
33.0
42.5
60
GM
Sjugirov Sanan
RUS
2643
6.0
2553
32.5
42.0
61
GM
Khalifman Alexander
RUS
2637
6.0
2530
32.0
41.0
62
GM
Postny Evgeny
ISR
2585
6.0
2510
32.0
42.5
63
GM
Guseinov Gadir
AZE
2584
5.5
2740
41.0
51.5
64
GM
Grachev Boris
RUS
2675
5.5
2680
37.0
49.0
65
GM
Papin Vasily
RUS
2569
5.5
2662
38.0
49.0
66
GM
Hracek Zbynek
CZE
2631
5.5
2657
37.5
49.0
67
GM
Savchenko Boris
RUS
2616
5.5
2652
40.0
51.0
68
GM
Zhigalko Andrey
BLR
2571
5.5
2651
40.0
51.0
69
GM
Ter-Sahakyan Samvel
ARM
2575
5.5
2645
38.0
48.5
70
GM
Halkias Stelios
GRE
2579
5.5
2644
38.5
49.5
71
GM
Pantsulaia Levan
GEO
2595
5.5
2644
38.5
48.0
72
GM
Fridman Daniel
GER
2661
5.5
2643
37.5
48.0
73
IM
Ziska Helgi Dam
FAI
2432
5.5
2643
32.0
42.0
74
GM
Bologan Viktor
MDA
2671
5.5
2640
36.0
46.5
75
GM
Maze Sebastien
FRA
2559
5.5
2639
40.5
50.5
76
GM
Jones Gawain C B
ENG
2578
5.5
2639
38.5
49.0
77
GM
Stevic Hrvoje
CRO
2611
5.5
2636
37.5
48.5
78
GM
Safarli Eltaj
AZE
2628
5.5
2636
35.5
46.5
79
GM
Pridorozhni Aleksei
RUS
2542
5.5
2630
40.0
50.5
80
GM
Romanov Evgeny
RUS
2624
5.5
2626
35.0
46.0
81
GM
Laznicka Viktor
CZE
2688
5.5
2624
36.0
46.5
82
GM
Sargissian Gabriel
ARM
2676
5.5
2615
36.0
46.0
83
GM
Nyback Tomi
FIN
2656
5.5
2614
34.0
44.0
84
GM
Sanikidze Tornike
GEO
2542
5.5
2609
36.0
46.0
85
GM
Andriasian Zaven
ARM
2645
5.5
2598
33.0
43.5
86
GM
Tregubov Pavel V
RUS
2598
5.5
2593
37.5
47.5
87
GM
Zvjaginsev Vadim
RUS
2663
5.5
2593
34.0
44.5
88
GM
L’ami Erwin
NED
2623
5.5
2592
35.5
46.0
89
GM
Bartel Mateusz
POL
2638
5.5
2587
34.5
44.5
90
GM
Smeets Jan
NED
2660
5.5
2585
36.5
47.0
91
IM
Manea Alexandru
ROU
2392
5.5
2585
32.0
41.0
92
GM
Hammer Jon Ludvig
NOR
2606
5.5
2582
38.5
49.0
93
GM
Jaracz Pawel
POL
2565
5.5
2581
34.5
44.0
94
GM
Georgiev Kiril
BUL
2666
5.5
2575
33.5
43.5
95
GM
Akopian Vladimir
ARM
2675
5.5
2574
35.5
45.5
96
IM
Goganov Aleksey
RUS
2469
5.5
2566
34.5
42.0
97
IM
Michalik Peter
SVK
2471
5.5
2560
33.5
41.5
98
GM
Vuckovic Bojan
SRB
2626
5.5
2557
35.5
45.5
99
GM
Edouard Romain
FRA
2600
5.5
2557
33.5
43.5
100
GM
Sedlak Nikola
SRB
2556
5.5
2557
33.0
43.5
The French cheating case continues to be the talk of the town in Aix les Bains. At Chess in Translation we read that in Sergey Shipov’s latest report from Aix les Bains (where he’s not playing, but coaching) he returned to the issue of cheating, after discussing it with the President of the ECU, Silvio Danailov, over breakfast. As Colin notes, by now the whole situation appears to have led to the European Championship taking place under a cloud of suspicion and even, perhaps, paranoia.
In the mean time the official website published a brief video interview with Garry Kasparov, who visited the Championship this week. It was conducted by Leo Battesti, Vice President of the French Chess Federation (apparently the one holding the camera) and Jean-Michel Pechine of Europe-Echecs, who asks the questions. The 13th World Champion also reacts on the cheating saga.
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