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Source: Susan Polgar Blog

RP chess: Splendid or sick?
By Recah TrinidadPhilippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 04:34:00 08/05/2008

MANILA, Philippines—This is not about Beijing and the Olympic Games, set to dazzle and burst in splendor right in the Chinese capital on Friday.

This is about Philippine chess which, based on what national chess officials continue to tell us, could be entering a new golden era.

With report of assorted restrictions, it’s easy to suspect that Beijing, after having organized what could go down as the best Olympics of the modern era, might be hiding several disgusting details from the world.

Well, in the case of RP chess, there have been many glorious reports on the state of the game in the country.

But what’s been kept behind a smoke-screen, obviously the true state of chess in the Philippines, is provided in the following report penned and lent to us by Atty. Samuel Estimo, national master and many-time captain of the Philippine Olympic Chess Team.

Read on:

* * *

National Chess Federation of the Philippines president Prospero Pichay recently signed a contract with Intchess Asia of Singapore authorizing the latter to handle NCFP tournaments in the Philippines.

Pichay’s move was a big blunder and, if it were in a game of chess, he should have resigned immediately.

“It’s an insult to the organizational skills of Filipinos,” grumbled Mr. Florencio Campomanes, former head of the World Chess Federation.
Campo has every reason to question Pichay’s act because it was he who organized the 1978 World Championship match in Baguio City between Karpov and Korchnoi.

Campo was also the main man behind the staging of the 1992 Manila Chess Olympiad—the best ever in the history of the sport.

* * *

According to Campo, there’s no need for a foreigner to manage our tournaments here. The NCFP-Intchess Asia deal also wages war against the very essence of a national sports association.

The NCFP is a non-stock, non-profit entity envisioned to develop the sport of chess, and should not be engaging in business concerns, more so with a foreign company.

Allowing a Singaporean corporation to take part in chess projects here is like permitting a foreign country to intervene in Philippine affairs.

Equally lamentable was Pichay’s unceremonious and unilateral rejection of GM Eugene Torre’s request for inclusion in the Philippine team going to the Dresden Chess Olympiad this year.

Here is the full article.

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Numerous GMs participating in Miami Chess Open
(Spanish release)

http://www.themiamichessopen.com/

The GM Alexander Shabalov announced his participation in the Miami Chess Open. Shabalov has been US champion 4 times (1993, 2000, 2003, 2007). Some other strong players are included in the list as well, beginning with the Israeli GM Viktor Mikhalevski (2675 USCF) armenian-american grandmaster Varuzhan Akobian (2652) a former US Junior Champion and two times World Open Champion and Gilberto Hernandez (2564) three times Mexican champion. Together with this players are the Cuban born GM Julio Becerra (2650), and GM Darmen Sadakasov (2600) from Kazahakstan.

All the above players have confirmed their participation in this very excited tournament pending confirmation are GM Hikaru Nakamura (2700) and GM Juan Carlos Gonzalez Mexico which have also been invited.

Among female players we have WFM Liulia Cardona (2257) who was the second highest rated female player in Cuba before she arrived to the US.

We should call the attention to the fans about the prizes offered in this event. 100,000 USD in prizes will be given with 70% of these prizes guaranteed regardless of the amount of players who20sign up. There will be 8 different sections or categories (Open, under 2100,under 1900,under 1700, under 1500, under 1300, under 1100 and one for players who do not have any rating)

The hours of play will be: Wednesday 10 at 7pm, the 11th at 1pm and 7pm, on the 12th and the 13th at 11am and 6pm and on Sunday the 14th at 10 am and 4:30pm but there also different schedules for the players wanting to play the event in 3 or 4 days if the participant prefers it.

We would like to remind the media that the pictures with flash should be taken within the first ten minutes of the game been played. The spectators will have the opportunity to follow the games in a projected screen that will be at the tournament site.

Aside from that and completely free in different rooms within the hotel facilities conferences, analysis of games and simuls will be offered in all cases offered by grandmasters and the most outstanding players of the event.

The party is about to begin! Enjoy the ride!

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BCC-Weblog

• Saturday August 9:
• 4SS; G/65.
• 2 Sections: Open & U1900;
• $400 Guaranteed: 100-50-50 in both sections.
• EF: , to BCF members if received by 8/7; more at door.
• Registration: 9:00 to 9:50.
• Rounds: 10:00, 12:40, 3:10, 5:20
• Send entries payable to Boylston CF at 240B Elm St. Suite B9 Somerville, MA 02144

Source: United States Chess Federation http://main.uschess.org/index2.php?option=com_rss&feed=RSS2.0&no_html=1
Check out more info on Nakamura’s Mainz 960 win, including a victory over Najer and a video interview link. Also watch Macauley Peterson’s video interviews with Vinay Bhat and Vishy Anand.

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Standings after 5 rounds:

1. Radjabov, Teimour g AZE 2744 3
2. Cheparinov, Ivan g BUL 2687 3
3. Grischuk, Alexander g RUS 2728 3

4. Gashimov, Vugar g AZE 2717 2½
5. Svidler, Peter g RUS 2738 2½
6. Gelfand, Boris g ISR 2720 2½
7. Jakovenko, Dmitry g RUS 2709 2½
8. Kamsky, Gata g USA 2723 2½
9. Wang Yue g CHN 2704 2½
10. Al-Modiahki, Mohamad g QAT 2556 2½
11. Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2781 2½
12. Aronian, Levon g ARM 2737 2½

13. Karjakin, Sergey g UKR 2727 2

14. Navara, David g CZE 2646 1½

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Source: United States Chess Federation http://main.uschess.org/index2.php?option=com_rss&feed=RSS2.0&no_html=1
In his daily Corner live from the U.S. Open (Dallas, August 2-10) Jerry Hanken philosophizes on chess culture, comparing U.S.A to India.

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Radjabov - Cheparinov
Sochi Grand Prix

It was an all out battle today between Radjabov and Sochi Grand Prix leader Cheparinov. In the position above, White just played 33.Rd6. Black blundered and played 33.Rxd7. Can you find the best defense for Black?

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

This car has an expected starting price of ,250,000. Even in the convertible mode, it can go 217 mph. Can you name this car?

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Black to move. How should Black proceed?

8/1N3p2/7p/3k4/2b1p3/6P1/5PPK/8 b - - 0 50

Marshall, Frank James - Nimzowitsch, Aaron (Berlin, 1928), presented by Andreas

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Source: Susan Polgar Blog

Round 8 pairings:

Fridman (5½) – Bernal Moro (6½)
Zatonskih (5) – Benjamin (5½)
Christiansen (5½) – Werle (5), etc.

Official website: http://www.curacaochess.net

Source: Susan Polgar Blog