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The Ninth Karpov tournament, named for the former world champion, ended in a four-way tie between Sergei Rublevsky of Russia, Dmitry Jakovenko of Russia, Vugar Gashimov of Azerbaijan and Alexei Shirov of Spain. Each scored 5.5 points in the nine round event. Wang Hao of China was a half point behind the leaders in fifth [...]
Source: http://gambit.blogs.nytimes.com/rss2.xml

Dear chessfriend

I’ve a pleasure to inform you of the ” Torre Normanna’s Tournament”, big events of Chess and Holidays in Italy.

This is a link :
www.xadrez.it

Best regards

-XADREZ-
Chess, Events and Travels

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info@xadrez.it
MSN: info@xadrez.it
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Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Kramnik begins psychological warfare versus Anand

Challenger Runs Down Champion’s Mexico Triumph, Calls WC ‘A Huge Compromise’
Amit Karmarkar TNN

When Garry Kasparov took on V. Anand in the PCA World Championship title match in New York (1995), Vladimir Kramnik was one of his seconds. Not surprisingly, the latter knows a thing or two about psychological warfare. His latest interview is full of salvos ahead of his World championship title match against Anand scheduled at Bonn in October.

Sample these pearls of wisdom from Kramnik:

“Look at the catastrophic record Anand has against Kasparov. Kasparov managed to beat him almost everywhere they played, even though Anand has belonged to the absolute top players in the world for 15 years. This difference cannot be explained purely in chess terms, there must have been some psychology.

“You can call me an old-fashion guy, but I still believe that the real chess championship is actually a match between the best players, not a tournament.

“The tournament in Mexico was from my point of view a huge compromise.

“It was always my goal to end the unhappy period when the World Chess Federation organised their ridiculous knock-out or round robin tournaments for the title… So in order not to cause another split I, in the end, agreed to compromise and played the tournament (Mexico)….I have no right not to consider him (Anand) the World Champion. A question is, however: what is the value of such a title?

“I will compete against him this year in the real contest for the chess crown. I attach ten times more attention to the coming match in Germany — consequently this event is 10 times more important to me than the tournament in Mexico. “The winner of the match Kramnik-Anand won’t be World Champion only from a legal point of view, he will be considered to be the World Champion and best chess player by the entire public.”

From one angle, whatever Kramnik is saying makes sense. He also seems confident of beating Anand in this 12-game match. Indeed, the Russian starts as a favourite against an Indian who is deemed suspect in this format.

The majority of chess world has high regard for Kramnik. For, he defeated none other than Kasparov in a head-to-head match (London, 2000) and that too with a great idea of Berlin Defence which, according to Anand’s former second Elizbar Ubilava, took his games with black from opening to the endgame without having to play much of the middlegame!

However, Kramnik’s stance in some of the above quotes smacks of double standards and selective amnesia.

Kramnik believes that the real championship should come through a match, not a tournament. That’s understandable. Partly because he won’t win many tournaments now with Anand, Magnus Carlsen, Vassily Ivanchuk, Veselin Topalov and Levon Aronian in form and playing great aggressive chess. In fact, if chess decides to award three points for a win and one for a draw (instead of existing one and 0.5 respectively), Kramnik could well announce his retirement. But if it sticks to the current rule, he can the “best second ever” in most of the tournaments due to his high percentage of draws.

He says that the tournament in Mexico was a huge compromise and Fide’s knock-out version was ridiculous. He also says he played the former for the betterment of chess. By the same logic, even Anand is playing a match against him for the betterment of chess only. For, the Indian had already proved his superiority over Kramnik in Mexico.

Kramnik must have forgotten that he played Fide’s knockout version in Las Vegas (1999) and was knocked out in quarter-finals by Briton Michael Adams.

Here is the full article.

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

I received a mailing from the USGA today (I am not a golfer although I do watch from time to time when Tiger Woods play). Here is what the letter shows:

Individual, and Junior Membership Benefits ( a year - for dual membership)

• Latest edition of the “The Rules of Golf”
• USGA Championship Annual and U.S. Open Program publications
• Personalized USGA bag tag, Member ID and Member Handbook
• Preference over the general public to apply for USGA Championship tickets, including the U.S. Open
• An annual subscription to Inside the USGA
• Special Member Discounts on merchandise from our catalog and online store
• Exclusive Members-only U.S. Open Hat
• Volunteer opportunities at USGA Championships
• Discount car rental pricing at Hertz.
• Just added! Special USGA Member only rate to any 1-day ESPN Golf School Program.

Champion Club ( a year)

• All items listed above plus:
• USGA Calendar and U.S. Open Ball Marker/Repair Tool
• One year of Travel + Leisure Golfsubscription value is .90

In the mailing, this website is also included: https://members.usga.org/join

I had no interest to join the USGA prior to this mailing. But because I received the mailing and how things were worded, I joined online. After I joined, I immediately got the following message:

Congratulations and thank you for supporting the USGA and our Members Program!

If you would like to make any changes or if you would like to speak to a customer service representative, please call 800-XXX-XXXX (9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. ET) or e-mail us at membership@usga.org.

I remember similar promotional effort back in the 80’s and 90’s from the USCF.

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Local students attend chess camp

Lindsborg, Kansas

LINDSBORG – Students from throughout the U.S., including several from the McPherson area, are attending a one-week chess camp at the Karpov Chess School in Lindsborg.

Among local area students attending are Sean Bocks, Levi Lawless and Nathan Bray, Galva; Michael Christian and Matt Richert, Hillsboro; Annie Reinert and Paul Masterson, Lindsborg.

Isabella Harvey and Charles Kinzel, McPherson will attend the second camp, which follows the one that is currently under way. The students came to study chess under Varuzhan Akobian, one of the top Grandmasters in America.

“I can’t begin to tell you how fortunate we are to have someone with Varuzhan’s expertise to be our lead instructor,” said Karpov Chess School Director Tom Brownscombe.

The students will spend the better part of their days studying the intricacies of chess, and then take an afternoon swimming break. In the evenings, students will relax by playing a rapid version of chess known as Blitz. Other evenings, they will play another version of chess called Bughouse. Grandmaster Akobian will be assisted by Brownscombe, Marck Cobb, Chris Purdy, and Layton Cobb.

The 25-year-old Akobian, known simply as “Var,” was born in 1983 in Yerevan, Armenia. When he was only 5, his family moved to Mongolia. Because of the severe winters, Var and his sister spent a great deal of time inside. It was then that he learned to play chess and to fall in love with the game that would become his life’s work.

Source: www.mcphersonsentinel.com

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Black to move. How should Black proceed?

Source: Chess Today

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

The reigning U.S. Women’s Champion turns 30 today. Happy Birthday to Anna!

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

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

Nadareishvili, 1937, presented by Andreas

8/1p6/8/4B3/8/5B2/1p1p3p/bk1K4 w - - 0 1

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

9th Karpov Poikovsky (RUS), July 8 to 17, 2008
cat. 18 (2691)

Final round results:

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

Here are the final standings:

1-4. Rublevsky, Sergei RUS 2699 5½
1-4. Jakovenko, Dmitry RUS 2709 5½
1-4. Gashimov, Vugar AZE 2717 5½
1-4. Shirov, Alexei ESP 2741 5½

5. Wang Hao CHN 2691 5

6. Bologan, Viktor MDA 2686 4

7-10. Sutovsky, Emil ISR 2654 3½
7-10. Inarkiev, Ernesto RUS 2675 3½
7-10. Onischuk, Alexander USA 2670 3½
7-10. Volokitin, Andrei UKR 2672 3½

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

The College Chess Tournament of Champions features the best Player from each College across the United States. A six round Swiss-style tournament, the College Champions is held at the same location as the U.S. Open.

The Tournament of Champions has been established to determine thetop individual college player in the United States. A prize fund details to be announced here soon.

Important note: the tournament is Free!

General Information

Eligibility:
This event is open to all colleges in the United States. Participants must have been enrolled in the spring semester prior to the U.S. Open. Up to three players from each college may enter. An official of their university using the entry form provided by the USCF must certify players.

There will be three sections:a) Open, b) Under 2100 c) Under 1700.

Playing Schedule:The 6-round Swiss and Tournament Reception will consist of the following dates and times: Tournament

Reception 4 PM Saturday, August 2, 2008
(REQUIRED ATTENDANCE AND CHECK-IN). All participants are required to attend for photo session, and introduction of dignitaries.

Round 1-Saturday, August 2, 2008. Same time as evening round of US Open.
Round 2-Sunday, August 3, 2008- 11AM,
Round 3-Same starting time as evening round of US Open.
Round 4-Monday, August 4, 2008- 11 AM.
Round 5-Same starting time as evening round of US Open.
Round 6-Tuesday, August 5, 2008- 11 AM, Tournament Awards Ceremony- 4PM.

The time control will be 90 minutes per player with 30 second increment added per move. This is the approved FIDE time control.This schedule is especially convenient, because it allows players an opportunity to participate in the U.S. Open. See webpage located at: http://main.uschess.org/tournaments/2008/usopen/. This is possible because you can now enter the 6 day schedule with a bye in Round 1 or the 5 day schedule of the US Open.

Travel & Accommodations:Players are responsible for their own travel and accommodations. Players sharing rooms should make their arrangements carefully, as neither the USCF nor the tournament are responsible for any consequences arising from such arrangements.

Where?The College Tournament of Champions will begin on Saturday August 2, 2008 and end on Tuesday August 5, 2008. This event is run during our US OPEN which for this year begins on August 2 and ends on August 10, 2008.

The Westin Park Central12720 Merit DriveDallas, TX 752511-888-627-7032 Chess Rate

Entry Form:The entry form can be found at http://main.uschess.org/tournaments/2008/usopen/.

Emergency Contact Information:
Each player must provide the Tournament Director with a phone number of a parent or other responsible adult in case of an emergency.

Contact information:
James Stallings, Chair College Chess Committee
800 W. Campbell
Richardson, TX 75080
(972) 883-2898
FAX (972) 883-2896
E-Mail: james.stallings@utdallas.edu

Current Entries:

Open Section

Daniel Fernandez 2436 UT Brownsville
Bayaraa Zorigt 2217 UT Dallas
Jeremy Stein 2128 Johns Hopkins
Corbin Yu 2085 Grinnell College

Under 2100 Section
Lilia Doibani 2025 UT Dallas
Arturo Garcia 1991 UT Brownsville
Andrew Applebaum 1951 Grinnell College

Source: Susan Polgar Blog