ChessUpdated.com   Chess World in Synthesis

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

A champion should play all formats
Vijay Tagore
Sunday, July 20, 2008 04:08 IST

It is not Viswanathan Anand’s style to make controversial statements. He believes playing chess, across the board, not off it. When Garry Kasparov was slamming the door on him during the 1995 PCA World championship final in New York, the Indian Grandmaster, then a challenger to the ‘world champion’, chose not to whine. Now when Vladimir Kramnik, now a challenger to Anand’s crown, has launched an attack on his status as a world champion, Anand chose to ignore him too. Vijay Tagore finds out what effect Kramnik’s outburst has had on Anand. Excerpts:

Kramnik has made some strong remarks on Mexico world championship and some of them were trained at you. Do you see it as an attempt to psyche you ahead of your match in Bonn?

I prefer not to give too much attention to interviews. I think you should just play your chess and not find excuses. I understand that there will be a lot of out-of-the-board tactics and this could come under that category. I remember before and after Mexico also similar kind of rhetoric was used from their side.

He rubbished Mexico 2007 as a compromise.

As a champion you should learn to play all formats and accept the results. I think this topic has been discussed a lot. We have to get to the present situation. You don’t see Federer complain about Nadal winning Wimbledon. Nor do you have the debate whether a grass court player is a classical player and hence better. They play on different surfaces. One plays better than another on different surfaces. But you try to play your best on all courts.

Do you think Kramnik is yet to reconcile to the defeat in Mexico?

If there is an event called the World Championship and someone wins it he or she is the World Champion. You can’t suddenly find conditions that make them a lesser champion, if it doesn’t favour you. I played in Moscow 2001 and Ponomariov won. He rightfully has a claim to the title.

Is it binding that only match-play should decide a world champion, not a tournament play?

How to find a true World Champion is an enigma all chess players are very keen to solve. The tournament format seemed very just and interesting now we have a new format to find the World Champion. In my opinion a champion is someone who plays tournaments, shows his preparation, is unafraid of challenges and not too scared to put his title on the line. There is no use of a title if you play badly.

Kramnik claims to have saved the world chess from another split by taking part in Mexico.

I don’t know if that is the popular opinion. I think analysing his games keeps me fairly occupied these days, I don’t want to start analysing his words.

Is it case of being a bad loser?

No comment. Kramnik is a world class player and he will be a tough rival in October and that is what I will be focusing on. I am not really thinking of his past results or his interviews. He has shown he is a good match player and has played matches in the last few years.

Here is the full article.

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

White to move. Is this a win, draw or loss for White? How should White proceed?

Prokesh 1939, presented by Andreas

8/8/8/7K/2k5/3pp3/8/5R2 w - - 0 1

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Coming Sunday: Guide to Tucson’s fall programs for kids
By Rosalie Robles Crowe
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona Published: 07.19.2008

The Star’s annual listing of fall programs for school-age youngsters is designed to help families find the ideal activity to meet any interest requirements.

…There’s academic help for kids who need some enrichment, tutoring for those wishing to learn another language and instruction for chess enthusiasts.

Some of these activities meet weekly or maybe a couple times weekly. Others meet daily after school, ideal for kids whose parents work.
Such programs provide more than early-morning or late-day entertainment for kids, however.

They provide supervised activities in nurturing environments. Participants get a chance to try new things, discover new interests, meet new friends.

Here is the full article.

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

White to move and checkmate in 4. No computer please

5B2/5p2/4pP2/3pPB2/2pP4/1pP5/pP6/k1K5 w - - 0 1

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE!

Saturday, August 9, 2008

11:00 am to 3:30pm

A CALL TO PEACE, an annual event hosted by The World Peace Prayer Society will be held in the picturesque walnut grove at The World Peace Sanctuary in Amenia, New York.

Join an intimate gathering of friends and community members who feel a CALL to generate positive, focused intentions for peace to prevail on earth at this critical time.

Carry a state flag and join in the procession of a colorful flag ceremony as we collectively send prayers for peace to prevail in the United States of America.

Join us as we mark this time in history! Come place your “wishes” for peace in our Peace Pole time capsule, which will be planted on this day in recognition of our USA 2008 Presidential Election.

Listen to the names of the Native American Nations of this country as we honor the indigenous peoples of this land.

Special guest speaker, Ann Linden of the Amenia Historical Society will speak about Amenia’s icons, historical sites, and transition of the past 20 years in honor of The World Peace Prayer Society’s 20th Anniversary.

Chairperson, Masami Saionji, accompanied by President, Hiroo Saionji and Vice President, Rika Saionji of The World Peace Prayer Society are traveling all the way from Japan, to join us in honor of this special occasion.

And finally, take part in a World Peace Prayer Ceremony by carrying a flag for one of the 192 countries in the world as we send our prayers for peace to each one in a colorful and moving procession.

Children’s activities, chess simul, nonprofit booths, peace gift items, food and more!

THIS IS A FREE EVENT. RAIN OR SHINE.

For more information and directions, please visit: http://www.worldpeace.org/ or call 845-877-6093

Join your voices in A CALL TO PEACE and COME MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

May Peace Prevail On Earthis an all inclusive universal message. It is a meetingplace of the heart bringing together people of all faiths, backgrounds andculture to embrace the Oneness of our planetary family!

The World Peace Prayer Society (WPPS) is a not-for-profit organization.

WPPS is a non-sectarian, non-political organization associated with the Department of Public Information at the United Nations. The work of WPPS encompasses the globe in ways that support peace, harmony and goodwill among all citizens. WPPS is not a religion or a church organization.

We have high res professional photos available for free!

Please let me know if you need anything else.

Jami

Jami L. Anson
Marketing/Outreach
World Peace Sanctuary
26 Benton Road, Wassaic, NY 12592
845-877-6093 ext 205845-401-9469 (cell available at all times) jami@worldpeace.org

World Peace Sanctuary http://www.worldpeace.org/

Shop Peace to Spread Peace http://www.shoppeace.org/

2008 International Peace Pals Art Exhibition http://www.wppspeacepals.org/

May Peace Prevail on Earth Alliance http://www.mppoealliance.org/

The Peace Pole Project http://www.peacepoleproject.org/

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

It is Saturday Open Forum! Carlsen is back in action tomorrow. He will attempt to defend his title at Biel. He defeated GM Onischuk in the blitz playoff last year after the pair were tied in the final standing. Here is the field this year:

Magnus Carlsen NOR 2775
Leinier Dominguez CUB 2708
Evgeny Alekseev RUS 2708
Etienne Bacrot FRA 2691
Alexander Onischuk USA 2670
Yannick Pelletier SUI 2569

Can Magnus break 2800 or earn the #1 ranking from this event? He is at 2791 right now based on the LIVE rating.

The Susan Polgar All-Star training will start Monday and the SP National Invitational for Girls will start next Sunday. Both will be held on campus at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.

What would you like to discuss this week? The forum is yours!

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Fischer hated press — sometimes for good reason
Saturday, July 19, 2008 2:59 AM
By SHELBY LYMAN

The media were the bane of Bobby Fischer’s existence. He avoided them, fled from them, even once asked a friend whether it was legal to kill a journalist.

Friends were warned never to give reporters information about him. Those who did were summarily excluded from Fischer’s life — forever. Whether the interview was negative or a glowing account didn’t matter.

After he became world champion, his aversion seemed to worsen. A lifelong chess associate, fellow grandmaster Robert Byrne, was cut off when he became a journalist — as was this writer, a much more casual acquaintance. We were journalists, and that was it.

Usually, the media had trouble getting their facts straight about Fischer. The American grandmaster Yasser Seirawan once declared that most of what he had read about him was simply wrong or misleading.

Fischer’s naive directness offered succulent grist for the media mill. He was brutally honest.

A contemporary reader would cringe at an archival Harper’s interview of the teenage chess prodigy that included politically incorrect remarks about gays, girls, working-class subway riders and poorly dressed Jewish chess players.

By any measure, of course, Fischer was extraordinarily individualistic. He had his own slant on virtually everything and typically and stubbornly insisted on doing things his way. The independence, even defiance, made him especially vulnerable to media misunderstandings and caricatures.

His reflection in the media — often cruelly unfair — frequently caused him painful embarrassment.

Source: dispatch.com

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

The “Lake Sevan 2008″ International tournament took place from July 10-20, 2008 in Martuni, Armenia. Here are the final standings:

1. Pashikian, Arman g ARM 2564 6½
2. Zhou Jianchao g CHN 2604 6
3. Zhigalko, Sergei g BLR 2583 5½
4. Andriasian, Zaveng ARM 2533 5
5. Ter-Sahakyan, Samvel f ARM 2480 4½
6. Melkumyan, Hrant m ARM 2507 4½
7. Meier, Georg g GER 2556 4
8. Grigoryan, Avetik m ARM 2537 3½
9. Pantsulaia, Levan g GEO 2607 3
10. Amin, Bassem g EGY 2561 2½

Official website: www.sevan.chessacademy.am

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Source: Streatham & Brixton Chess Club http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

The Chess Game (1833)

Charles Bargue

White to move. How should White proceed?

Kubbel 1929, presented by Andreas

6n1/3p4/8/1P2k1n1/4P3/B5K1/3P4/8 w - - 0 1

Source: Susan Polgar Blog