ChessUpdated.com   Chess World in Synthesis

Source: United States Chess Federation http://main.uschess.org/index2.php?option=com_rss&feed=RSS2.0&no_html=1
GM Michael Rohde’s personal account of the World Open (July 1-6, Philadelphia) includes six annotated games along with tips on eating like a GM and he and his son Danny’s run for big money.

Source: United States Chess Federation http://main.uschess.org/index2.php?option=com_rss&feed=RSS2.0&no_html=1
A reader wavers from yelling Checkmate, you lose! and saying nice
game. GM Joel explains when declaring checkmate is rude, and when it
is the right thing to do. (content/view/8563/341/)Ask Joel a question at askgmjoel@uschess.org.

This is the Frazier Alumni Pavillion, site of the 2008 Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls, the most prestigious all-girls event in the United States.

I just finished an inspection of the Frazier Alumni Pavillion. This is a part of the preparation for the upcoming 2008 Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls which will take place on July 27 - August 1 at Texas Tech University.

We aim to put on a spectacular top-notch event. About 50 players have confirmed their participation.

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Black to move. Can Black hold this position?

Szabo, Laszlo - Benko, Pal (Hungary 1951), presented by Andreas

1b3rk1/1q3p1p/p3rBp1/5RQ1/8/2P5/P5PP/5R1K b - - 0 28

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Round 7 results:

Volokitin, Andrei - Shirov, Alexei 0-1
Inarkiev, Ernesto - Sutovsky, Emil 1-0
Onischuk, Alexander - Rublevsky, Sergei ½-½
Wang Hao - Jakovenko, Dmitry ½-½
Bologan, Viktor - Gashimov, Vugar ½-½

Standings after 7 rounds:

1.Shirov, Alexei g ESP 2741 5

2. Jakovenko, Dmitry g RUS 2709 4½
3. Rublevsky, Sergei g RUS 2699 4½

4. Wang Hao g CHN 2691 4
5. Gashimov, Vugar g AZE 2717 4

6. Bologan, Viktor g MDA 2686 3

7. Sutovsky, Emil g ISR 2654 2½
8. Onischuk, Alexander g USA 2670 2½
9. Inarkiev, Ernesto g RUS 2675 2½
10. Volokitin, Andrei g UKR 2672 2½

Official website: http://russiachess.org/

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Relic Made to Ward Off ‘Evil Eye’ Found
By ARON HELLER,
AP
Posted: 2008-07-14 22:48:55
Filed Under: Science News

JERUSALEM (July 13) - An Israeli lifeguard taking his regular morning swim off the Mediterranean coast in southern Israel discovered a 2,500-year-old marble talisman to ward off the evil eye, the Israel Antiquities Authority said Sunday.

The lifeguard turned over the ancient disc that once adorned the bow of an ancient warship or cargo ship to keep evil away, the Israeli archaeology body said.

Experts say the relic, discovered off the coast Palmahim beach where the ancient Yavne-Yam port city once stood, dates back to the 5th or 4th century B.C. The white disc, flat on one side and convex on the other, measures 8 inches in diameter. The center of the disc is perforated, and the remains of two circles are painted around the center of it to represent the pupil of an eye.

Yaakov Sharvit, director of the Marine Unit of the Israel Antiquities Authority, said the finding confirms mythological tales about superstitious sailors.

Here is the full story.

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Mig Greengard for the birth of their beautiful daughter last Thursday!

Source: Chess Ninja

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

White to move. Is this a win, loss, or draw for White? How should White proceed? No computer on this one please.

Source: Chess Today

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Press Release 14-7-2008

The annual international open tournament “Summer Cup 2008″ has started under the best conditions in the 5-star Porto Carras complex in Northern Greece. In total, 81 players from 13 countries are participating (Greece, Ukraine, Russia, Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Sweden, FYROM, Serbia, Italy, France, Hungary and Finland) and among them are GM Alexander Zubarev (UKR), IM Robert Ris (NED), GM Rolando Kutirov (FYR), WGM Marina Makropoulou (GRE) and WGM Anastazia Karlovich (UKR).

The games are been held in the Meliton Congress Hall of Porto Carras from 12 to 19 July. It is also confirmed that Porto Carras has been chosen by FIDE as the venue for the World Youth Chess Championships in October 2010.

Organisers of the “Summer Cup 2008” are IM George Mastrokoukos and Aggelos Tzermiadianos while Chief Arbiter is IA Alexandros Kostouros. Apart from the players, another 150 people are visiting the event in order to combine chess with 5-star holidays.

Among the distinguished visitors are the IMs George Michelakis (president of the investment firm Gladstone Partners) and Andreas Tzermiadianos (writer of well-known chess books), Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou (ECU marketing director), Francois Soupe (head of alternative investments pricing of Societe Generale Bank) and many more friends of chess. After the 4th round, GM Alexander Zubarev (UKR) and the junior player Georgios Kanakaris (GRE) are leading the standings with 4 wins (100%) and they face each other in the 5th round.

Full results, standings, games and photos can be found in the official website of the event: www.greekchess.com/cup2008
_______________________________________________________________________________

PRESS CENTER “Summer Cup 2008”
Tel: (+30) 6977973587, Fax: (30) 2121219426
URL: http://www.inchess.com/
Email: cup2008@greekchess.com

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Chess advocates want game to have greater role in school

MONROE — Along the Gulf Coast in southwestern Louisiana, Henry Heights Elementary in Calcasieu Parish teaches by this simple mission statement:

” … to provide an education that allows all students the opportunity to grow and develop to their fullest potential.”

Ina F. Delahoussaye, parish director of technical assistance for school improvement, believes chess may be the key.

Chess — a 2,000-year-old game said to be “the touchstone of the human intellect” — is seeing a dramatic increase within the scholastic community, though it has flourished in some places more than others.

Numerous studies have concluded chess develops mental abilities used throughout life such as concentration, critical thinking and abstract reasoning, and can be used as a tool to teach problem-solving and reasoning.

Delahoussaye used grant funding to start scholastic chess clubs in southern Louisiana years ago, following an analysis of the game’s effect in improving academic outcomes in other states.

Chess clubs since have proliferated along the I-10 corridor, and a Louisiana Chess Association roster of state winners attests to its growth there.

But schools in the northeastern part of the state have been slower to incorporate chess as a valid teaching tool, and existing chess clubs are small in number.

“As for northern Louisiana, it is a shame, but we don’t have much activity there,” said Adam Caveney, president of the LCA. “There is a position on our executive board reserved for a representative from north Louisiana, but unfortunately, this position has been vacant for several years.”

The main issue may boil down to distance.

Monroe and Shreveport are a long drive to New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Lake Charles, considered the “Mecca” for chess in Louisiana.

Wanda Witherington, of Farmerville, hopes to see that change.

“If we could get interest going in the northeast like they have in the southern part of the state, our children would benefit greatly,” she said.

Witherington co-sponsors an active chess club at Cedar Creek, a private school in Ruston.

Here is the full story.

Source: Susan Polgar Blog