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USA's Top Daily Chess News Blog, Informative, Fun, and Positive

hosted by Chess Queen™ & 12th Women's World Chess Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk

 

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Chess Fever - 1925 Russian Comedy Film Starring Capablanca!

Hello chess blog friends, it's time for a chess movie! "Chess Fever" (Russian: Шахматная горячка, Shakhmatnaya goryachka) is a 1925 Soviet silent comedy film directed by Vsevolod Pudovkin and Nikolai Shpikovsky. Chess Fever is a comedy about the Moscow 1925 chess tournament, made by Pudovkin during the pause in the filming of Mechanics of the Brain. The film combines acted parts with the actual footage from the tournament. The hero's (Vladimir Fogel) preoccupation with chess leads to him missing his own wedding ceremony, but the marital peace is restored with the help of the World Chess Champion, José Raúl Capablanca.



 

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GM Aleksej Aleksandrov wins 1st Minsk Chess Open 2014

Hello chess blog friends, chess-news.ru reports that GM Aleksej Aleksandrov has won the first Minsk Chess Open. He scored a cool 7.5 in 9 rounds for a clear first ahead of five other players 1/2 a point behind. The second place was shared by Lintchevski of Russia, Podolchenko and Stupak of Belarus, Ukrainian Nosenko and FIM Trifonov. The legendary Viktor Kupreichik finished 12th with six points.

You cannot speak about chess in Belarus without mentioning Kupreichik. Viktor Davidovich Kupreichik (born 3 July 1949) at the beginning of his career, won individual gold medal at Ybbs 1968 (the 15th World Student Team Chess Championship). He was twice the winner of the Belarusian Chess Championship in 1972 and 2003. He also placed first at Wijk aan Zee (Masters' tournament) 1977, Kirovakan 1978 (jointly), Reykjavik 1980, Plovdiv 1980, Medina del Campo 1980, and Hastings International Chess Congress in 1981/82.


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Friday, July 25, 2014

Photo Chess Trivia: Name the Chess Superstars!

Hello chess blog friends, one of the best things that has happened to chess in recent times is chess superstars themselves. We have these very talented chess players who have given a new dimension to chess taking it to almost the top of mainstream news... they have brought glamour, personality, jazz and a certain impressiveness to chess. They have rescued chess so as to speak from the public image of being a sport for the nerds. Here's a photo of two chess superstars who have helped chess dazzle across the planet. Can you name them?


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1st World Chess Championship Steinitz vs Zuckertort Game Analysis Video - GM Bryan Smith at St Louis Chess Club

Hello chess blog friends, a super-cool chess video coming up for you: This is GM Bryan Smith taking up the game from the first world chess championship - Wilhelm Steinitz versus Johannes Zuckertort. Sit back and enjoy! This is via the very nice St Louis Chess Club and Scholastic Center,
 

 


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World Chess Composition, Solving Championships 2014 in Berne Aug 23-30

Hello chess blog friends, the 57th World Congress of Chess Composition and the 38th World Chess Solving Championship to be held from August 23-30, 2014 in Berne have been announced!

The Schweizerische Vereinigung der Kunstschachfreunde and the Organizing Committee "OK WCCC 2014", are hosting all delegates of the WFCC, national teams, individual chess solvers and composers and all those interested in problem chess, to attend the 57th World Congress of Chess Composition (WCCC) and 38th World Chess Solving Championship (WCSC).



The congress will be held in the Hotel Novotel Bern Expo, in Berne - Switzerland, part of the Novotel Hotel complex, from Saturday August 23rd (arrival) to Saturday August 30th (departure) with the Open Solving on Monday, August 25 and the WCSC on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 26 and 27.

The Hotel Novotel Bern Expo is a 4*-Hotel, located opposite the BERNEXPO exhibition center, the ice hockey stadium, the national horse riding center and 200 m from the Stade de Suisse (football stadium) and the Zentrum Paul Klee. There is a tram station right in front of the hotel, from where it only takes 7 minutes to the old city. The hotel features a restaurant, bar, Internet corner and free Wi-Fi in the whole hotel, private pay parking and a fitness center.

In the same Building there are two more Hotels, the Hotel ibis Bern Expo and the Hotel ibis budget Bern Expo.
Accommodation

Prices are payable in CHF:
double room

per person / daysingle room
per day
Hotel Ibis Bern Budget CHF 70 / ~€ 56 CHF 140 / ~€112
Hotel Ibis Bern Expo CHF 100 / ~€ 80 CHF 165 / ~€132
Novotel Expo Hotel CHF 120 / ~€ 96 CHF 200 / ~€160

These rates include accommodation with breakfast (including tourist tax and VAT), free Wi-Fi, free use of all trams and buses within Berne and all chess activities as well as the excursion. Please check back with us for kid's rates.
As for now, the closing banquet will be extra, but we are still working hard on this.
The participation fee for those not staying in the hotels is CHF 120 / ~€100 and includes registration, the excursion and participation in the solving tournaments.

The Novotel Expo Hotel offers rooms with one queen size double bed. A couch can be converted into a second queen size bed.
The Hotel Ibis Bern Expo has mainly double rooms, only two twin rooms are available, with an optional additional bed.
The Hotel Ibis Bern Budget offers both, double rooms (additional bed possible, but the room will be very small) and twin rooms.

Participants who want to share a twin room and do not have a roommate are asked to inform the organisers. 

Berne is situated in the heart of Western Europe, very well reachable by plane (from the international airports Zurich and Geneva, where there are direct train services to Berne; and Berne itself has a tiny international airport), trains from all over Europe and by car.
Activities
Berne and its vicinity have a lot to offer. Franziska will publish a few ideas for activities and excursion on the web site in the next months. Please check the web site in the future to obtain more information.

Sheridan Handloser has offered to lead a few walks in and around Berne if participants and particularly accompanying persons are interested.

Please send your reservation before June 30th 2014 to:
Email: wccc2014@kunstschach.ch
WCCC2014, Thomas Maeder, Frohbergweg 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland


With your reservation you need to send the following information:
Your name and the names of all participants travelling with you
Arrival and departure dates
Name of the Hotel you prefer
Type of room (if applicable)
Type of payment (cash or credit card)

You will get confirmation of your reservation and we will forward your reservation to the hotels.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
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World Senior Team Chess 2014: Guess which Country won!

Hello chess blog friends, the world team chess championship 2014 has been won by which country... can you guess? But, before we tell you the answer, let's begin from the beginning. Here is the report via FIDE:
 


A decision was taken at the 2013 FIDE Congress in Tallinn to revive the World Senior Chess Championship. It was therefore, held this year in Vilnius, Lithuania. The Championship ran July 12-22, 2014 inside the splendid Town Hall, located in the very heart of Vilnius Old Town. A total of 28 teams from 14 countries took part, having a total of 129 players in their line-ups. According to the Championship Regulations, the tournament was open to any number of teams from the same national federation.
 


Following another clause of Regulations, the tournament was split into separate age groups: Senior 50+ and Senior 65+ Championships. Subsequently 18 teams of Senior 50+ section played 9 rounds Swiss while 10 teams of Senior 65+ battled out for the medals in a round-robin. Moreover, four women's teams were merged into the Senior 50+ Championship with their separate ranking, prizes and medals. Every match was played over 4 boards.

Two Russian teams ‘Russia’ and ‘Saint-Petersburg-Russia’ clearly dominated the field of Senior 65+ Championship. They began the Championship by quiet mutual tie 2:2, but then went on crushing their other opponents. In Round 4, Austria put the bar on ‘Russia’s advance by holding them down in a 2:2 tie. This enabled ‘San Petersburg-Russia” to get in front of their main rivals by 1 match point. The Petersburg team never let this advantage go and claimed gold with 17MP out of 18. The team ‘Russia’ stayed 1MP behind them and had to settle for the silver. The Latvians deservedly took bronze with 12 MP, one MP ahead of Austrians.
In Senior 50+ Championship the gold medals were mainly contested between local ‘Lithuania 1’ and ‘England 1’ teams. Before the 4th round the Englishmen were in the lead by 1MP, but lost to ‘Lithuania1’ 1,5:2,5 in round 4. Lithuanian’s IM Virginijus Dambrauskas win over IM John Cox on board 3 proved to be decisive. ‘Lithuania 1’ successfully marched on afterwards and took gold with 17 MP in total. The silver went to ‘England 1’ on 15 MP. 

The ‘Russia Women’ team with 12MP surprisingly took place 3 at final standing.However the bronze medals were awarded to ‘Rositsan ir Maccabi Lithuania’ team who collected 12MP too.

Instead the Russian ladies were honoured with gold medals in the Ladies 50+ Championship. ‘Georgia Women’ and ‘Latvia Women’ teams gathered 9MP each, but the Sonneborn-Berger tie-break favoured Georgians who received silver. Former Women’s World Champion Nona Gaprindashvili, playing the 1st board, added 5,5 points to her team.

Official website

Results

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Thursday, July 24, 2014

Remembering Azerbaijan Chess Talent Vugar Gashimov: Statue Unveiled

Photo via www.chess-news.ru
Hello chess blog friends, the Azerbaijan press reports that a memorial statue of Vugar Gashimov was unveiled today on the 28th birth anniversary of the talented chess player. Azerbaijan Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Ismail Ismailov said, Gashimov had made a tremendous contribution to chess history of Azerbaijan. He said the Azerbaijan Government would take steps to ensure that Gashimov was remembered. A memorial chess tournament - for children - was also inaugurated today. 
Gashimov's father, present on the occasion, thanked the sculptor, Azad Aliyev.. He also spoke about Vugar's love for chess and his joy in keeping the Azerbaijani flag flying high with chess victories. 

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This is how they play Chess in Chicago (Fox TV Video)



Hello chess blog friends, here's a cool chess video from Chicago. We think they're having fun with chess in the sun. Let's join them...






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Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Four Tie at 1st US Junior Girls Chess, Munoz Wins Scholarship

Hello chess blog friends, the 2014 US Junior Girls Chess Invitational in New Hampshire (July 17-21) has concluded with four co-champions: Claudia Munoz, Apurva Virkud, Maggie Feng, and Akshita Gorti. Munoz was awarded the $10K scholarship to the University of New Hampshire on tie-break. 

I'm blessed that I won the U.S. Girls Junior Chess Championship. As a #HispanicI'm looking to inspire other #Latinos pic.twitter.com/fFRwrbecfC
— Claudia Munoz (@chesscampeona) July 21, 2014

In 1966, the United States Chess Federation started the Boys Closed Championship, which provides the winner a seat into the prestigious US Championship. This year, F. Alex Relyea, FIDE arbiter and Associate National Tournament Director based in Bedford, NH, decided that an equally prestigious event for girls should exist. “There are some amazing young girls playing. We need to have the same prestigious titles for them that we have for boys.” He worked with the United States Federation to create and host the inaugural event in New Hampshire. UNH Manchester will provide a $2,500 award renewable up to four years and Relyea Chess will provide a total prize fund of $6,200 with top prize of $2,000 and lowest prize of $200.



Organizer Alex Relyea told Chess Life Online (of the US Chess Federation), "This tournament was very hard fought, with the lead changing almost every round. Quad-champions, with two more players just half a point back shows just how tight the tournament was. Special thanks to the University of New Hampshire for its sponsorship. It was an honor to spend five days with the players."

USCF President Ruth Haring thinks this event bodes very well for the future of women in chess in America: "The 1st Junior Girls Closed is stronger than US Women's Championships in the 79's and early 80's‏. This tournament is an exciting event which will give experience to our talented girls playing in the round-robin format."

Find full information, standings, photos and download a pgn file on the official website.

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Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Wesley So wins ACP Golden Chess Classic 2014


Hello chess blog friends, the 2nd ACP Chess Classic title goes to GM Wesley. Playing in Bergamo, the talented young chess player from the Philippines won the title with 4.5 out 6 - a full point ahead of Baadur Jobava. Zoltan Almasi was third with 3 points. All information, games, photos and reports can be found at the tournament website: www.acpgoldenclassic.com.
Place Points TPR Rating
1 Wesley So 4½ 2844 +7,6
2 Baadur Jobava 3½ 2714 +0,4
3 Zoltan Almasi 3 2660 -2,7
4 Emil Sutovsky 3 2672 +4,3
5 Daniele Vocaturo 2½ 2621 +2,6
6 Sabino Brunello 2½ 2624 +3,9
7 Ian Nepomniachtchi 2 2529 -16,1

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Monday, July 21, 2014

GM Evgenij Agrest, GM Stefan Djuric win Open Internationnal d’Echecs des Sables d’Olonne 2014

Hello chess blog friends, latest chess tournament news via FIDE -- GM Evgenij Agrest and GM Stefan Djuric have won the Open Internationnal d’Echecs des Sables d’Olonne 2014. The Open Internationnal d’Echecs des Sables d’Olonne 2014 was held on 12-18th July at the Centre des Congres, les Atlantes, 85100 les Sables d’Olonne, France.

A total of 118 players competed in the 9-round Swiss open. Grandmasters Evgenij Agrest and Stefan Djuric shared the first place with 7 points each.

Final standings:
1-2. GM AGREST Evgenij 2587 SWE and GM DJURIC Stefan 2393 SRB - 7,0
3-9. GM KUNIN Vitaly 2567 GER, GM GREENFELD Alon 2540 ISR, GM CHABANON Jean-Luc 2477 FRA, GM LAGARDE Maxime 2521 FRA, GM OKHOTNIK Vladimir 2396 FRA, GM MEIJERS Viesturs 2475 LAT and IM TIRARD Hugo 2439 FRA - 6½
10-14. GM SUMETS Andrey 2632 UKR, GM DEGRAEVE Jean-Marc 2579 FRA, GM LE ROUX Jean-Pierre 2560 FRA, GM SRIRAM Jha 2375 IND and ASHANINA Olga 2000 RUS - 6,0
15-31. FM DESLANDES Pascal 2291 FRA, ROGER Mehdi 2198 FRA, BORDAIS Benjamin 2035 FRA, FM SAADA Julien 2378 FRA, CADERON Michel 2027 FRA, MALOBERTI David 2037 FRA, LAPLANCHE Denis 2160 FRA, IM BEDOUIN Xavier 2341 FRA, MALEKI Nicolas 2121 FRA, LIVET Florian 1724 FRA, GALLOIS Jerome 1948 FRA, GUILLEVIC Julien 1891 FRA, DEGRAEVE Thomas 1559 FRA, DA SILVA Quentin 1994 FRA, IMPEROR Lorene 1865 FRA, REUBREZ Christophe 1794 FRA and DE COMBES Fernand 1829 BEL - 5½ etc


Find more details at the official website.

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Chess and Music: German Chess Talent Paehtz Performs Sinatra hit! (Video)

Hello chess blog friends, chess and music do go together. Proving that again is chess talent Grandmaster Elisabeth Paehtz from Germany. In this video for www.chess-news.ru, she performs the Frank Sinatra hit 'My Way'. How many other top chess players can you name who also are actually singers or musicians?








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Live Final of Largest ever International Schools’ Online Chess Tournament

Hello chess blog friends, we've got an interesting children's chess news update.

Yes2Chess Finals take place at Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Hyde Park

German school Privates Gymnasium Brecht crowned international chess champion school





Privates Gymnasium Brecht from Hamburg, Germany has won the coveted title of Yes2Chess champion school, an international chess competition for primary school children, having emerged triumphant from the Yes2Chess finals in London this week. Yes2Chess was developed by Barclaycard and the charity Chess in Schools and Communities, and is part of Barclays’ commitment to helping 5 million young people fulfil their potential.

A total of 40 children from eight countries – UK, Germany, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark and the USA – were in London this week to battle it out for the overall tournament title.

The UK was represented by St Bridget’s Church of England School from West Kirby which included Tom Winston, aged 10; Rafael Parry, 10; George Creasy, 8; Advait Bavikatte, 8 and Heather Marshall, 10. All 5 members put up a valiant fight but the title was eventually claimed by the German team.
 



The week’s events mark the culmination of months of online matches, in which more than 20,000 school children from over 400 schools across the eight countries where Barclaycard has businesses were encouraged to test their chess skills against one another. 355 Barclaycard volunteers across the eight regions have participated in the programme and have gone into schools to help teach the children chess.

The tournament final took place yesterday at Barclaycard presents British Summer Time (BBST) in Hyde Park. As well as the matches, which were hotly contested, there were many light hearted moments during the day including human chess games - where actors, dressed as kings, queens, bishops and knights acted as chess pieces on a giant chessboard, with children from some of the visiting schools directing the moves.

The students also got to venture up the BBST Better View platform which raised them 100 feet into the air for a bird’s eye view of the whole of Hyde Park and the wider London skyline.
 

The closing stages of the tournament began on Monday, when the 40 final participants attended a reception at the Houses of Parliament. Following a tour of the building, the children watched David Chan, CEO of Barclaycard Europe, and David Howell, Grandmaster and British Chess Champion, pit their wits against one another in an unusual chess game - David Howell was blindfolded! - before being given the opportunity of taking on the chess Grandmaster themselves.

MPs including Esther McVey, Minister of State, Maria Eagle, Shadow Secretary of State, Greg Hands, Deputy Chief Whip and David Mowat, MP for Warrington South, also attended the reception and chatted to the children.

David Chan said: “This week’s events have been a wonderful way to celebrate the success of the Yes2Chess initiative. Our young chess fans have had a great time in London and the Grand final at Barclaycard Presents British Summer Time in Hyde Park was a tense and exciting affair! And of course I’d like to congratulate the new champion school Privates Gymnasium Brecht in Hamburg, for their very well deserved win, St Bridget’s in West Kirby for representing the UK so well and indeed all the international teams for making it such a great contest – it has truly been a memorable few days.

“Research has shown that learning how to play chess from a young age helps to develop key skills such as critical thinking and reasoning, and improves memory and concentration. We are really proud that the programme has helped over 22,000 children from around the world to date, uniting them through a shared enjoyment of the game, and we hope many more children will take up chess.”

Malcolm Pein, CEO of Chess in Schools and Communities, said: “Yes2Chess has been the world’s largest ever online tournament for schools. We are delighted that our partnership with Barclaycard has enabled us to impact so many children through both the tournament and Barclaycard’s employee volunteer programme that has enhanced our delivery of chess to inner city schools in the UK.

“There is a growing awareness amongst education professionals that learning to play chess at a young age can improve educational outcomes. The game crosses the barriers of age, sex, culture and language and we look forward to expanding Yes2Chess next year and to bring this wonderful game to more children around the world.”

Please visit www.yes2chess.org to find out more about the tournament and how schools can get involved.


From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
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Sunday, July 20, 2014

Hollywood Chess Trivia Photo: Name the Stars

Hello chess blog friends, how good is your chess knowledge when it comes to Hollywood and classics? This photograph was taken on the sets of 'Cape Fear'. Can you name the stars?

 This photo was found on Pinterest. Click on photo to check answer.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
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US Masters Chess Returns to N Carolina Labor Day Weekend

Hello chess blog friends, here's Gary Newsom writing on the US Masters for the US Chess Federation website: The US Masters is set to make its third consecutive appearance in North Carolina. This year's edition will again be held over Labor Day weekend at the same venue as the previous two years; The Embassy Suites Hotel in Greensboro, NC.

Tournament organizers Dr Walter High and Gary Newsom have built up a big-time tournament atmosphere in the Tar Heel state, taking over the North Carolina Open in 2010 and doubling attendance to 200+ the first year. Taking on the US Masters in 2012 was a natural progression after the success of the state event. The event has continued to grow and it looks to be even bigger and better this year.

The US Masters is the feature event of The Greensboro International Chess Festival, as the total event is called. The festival also includes the North Carolina Open and the Saturday Scholastics. Last year over 400 players competed.

The 2014 US Masters hopes to build even further on last year's version, which was a super swiss featuring 21 GM and a slew of lesser titled players. A total of 8 norms were achieved.

There is something for everyone here. A big time international event for title seekers. A large event for the weekend warrior. A Saturday scholastic for the kiddies. All this and a $30,000 unconditionally guaranteed prize fund.

With a comfortable hotel at a discount rate, low EF proportional to prize fund, book vendors, GM lectures, simuls and all the chess excitement you can stand, the US Masters/North Carolina Open is perfect for a Labor Day weekend chess getaway!
Find tournament details here.

Remember to submit your own Labor Day chess stories from the US Masters or around the US to jshahade@uschess.org.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
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Your GM Coach at Home: How to Analyse your Chess Games with Chess King 4

Hello chess blog friends, not everyone has a chess GM coach living round the corner and available to help. Get your own most-affordable super-strong GM at home - Chess King! Here's a nice video to help you understand Game Analysis with Houdini in Chess King 4 for PC/Mac. This video (part of a playlist of 25 tutorial videos about the chess software Chess King 4 by chess guru Steve Lopez and chess queen and Grandmaster Alexandra Kosteniuk) shows us Game Analysis with Houdini in the chess software Chess King 4.







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3 Totally Mad Chess Things to Do Today - International Chess Day July 20

Hello chess blog friends, July 20 is the International Chess Day and also the 90th anniversary of FIDE. How about three mad and crazy things to do today to celebrate your love for chess? The ideas are totally loony and you are not expected to take them seriously. Just have fun with chess.


Photo via chictopia.com
1 - Dress and accessorise today with everything chess=y for example... pick a black and white ensemble and match it with black and white arm bands. Wear your chess love today!

2 - Inform every single person you meet - even if its a stranger on the subway - that it's the International Chess Day today. Give it a try.


3 - Play endless chess games on the Internet or at your local club... maybe create a record of sorts over 100 bullet chess games today.... Keep playing until you can play no more and drop into your bed!

Warning: Do not try to risk life - yours or that of others - in trying to prove your love for chess. Just have fun. Wink. 

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GM Savic Miodrag, IM Saric Sinisa Win 5th Chess Vojvodina

Hello chess blog friends, here's latest chess tournament news via FIDE: GM Savic Miodrag R SRB 2522 and IM Saric Sinisa SRB 2400 have won the joint first place with 7,5 points each at the 5th International Chess Championship of Vojvodina took place 12-18th July at the Master Centar in Novi Sad, Serbia. The chess event was organised by the Vojvodina Chess Federation and Serbia Chess Federation.

FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov visited the playing hall and gave a speech before the start of the 8th round. A total of 200 players from 17 federations competed in the 9-round Swiss Open. GM Atalik Suat TUR 2550, IM Azaladze Shota GEO 2499, GM Drazic Sinisa SRB 2430 and IM Kadric Denis BIH 2494 shared the third place with 7 points each.

On 6,5 points were GM Tosic Miroslav SRB 2427, FM Liou Yian USA 2387, IM Arsovic Zoran SRB 2433, FM Burovic Ismet BIH 2366, FM Napoli Nicolo ITA 2267, IM Nestorovic Nikola SRB 2439, IM Nestorovic Dejan SRB 2408, Erden Kadir TUR 2181, GM Lajthajm Borko SRB 2526 and FM Pantelic Sasa SRB 2312.



From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
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Saturday, July 19, 2014

Funny Chess Video: Ivanchuk vs Kramnik!

Hello chess blog friends, here's another funny chess video and it's from the chess olympiad itself! Watch chess stars Vassily Ivanchuk and Vladimir Kramnik in a... er... funny chess moment. Have a great chess weekend!






From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
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Chess and Peace, No War: We need to Compete in a Friendly Way, says Chess Queen

Hello chess blog friends, it's a beautiful world and sports, including chess, is the most amazing way to talk about peace. Why not take a special vow of peace as a chess player? Wherever you are, and whoever you are... if you are reading this, vow to nurture peace in thought and action. We would love to hear your ideas on chess and peace as well so don't forget to leave a comment.


This photo features 12th Women's World Chess Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk of Russia during her trip to Peru and the Machu Picchu to play with U-16 World Champion Deysi Cori. More photos at www.chesspics.com.
Chess Queen Kosteniuk is also ambassador for Peace and Sport. You can read her posts on peace and sports at www.chessqueen.com = her personal chess blog. Here is a nice video from one of her posts:

WHY ALEXANDRA KOSTENIUK IS A CHAMPION FOR PEACE




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Mandela Memorabilia Auction features Special Chess Set

Hello chess blog friends, a special chess set as part of auction of Nelson Mandela memorabilia has taken place in Johannesburg, South Africa. The chess set - of figures from either side of the apartheid battle - was auctioned along with several other items. Here is a nice photograph of the chess set via the BBC website, where you can also read a nice report on the full auction. 


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Friday, July 18, 2014

A Memorable Life: Bobby Fischer Show at the World Chess Hall of Fame

Hello chess blog friends, the World Chess Hall of Fame has a new exhibition coming up in Saint Louis. This one is based on World Chess Champion, the legendary Bobby Fischer.


July 14, 2014 (Saint Louis, MO) - From his earliest years as a child prodigy to becoming the only player ever to achieve a perfect score in the U.S. Chess Championships, from winning the World Championship in 1972 against Boris Spassky to living out a controversial retirement, Bobby Fischer stands as one of chess's most complicated and compelling figures.

A Memorable Life: A Glimpse into the Complex Mind of Bobby Fischer opens July 24, 2014, at the World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF) and will celebrate Fischer's incredible career while examining his singular intellect. The show runs through June 7, 2015.

"We are thrilled to showcase many never-before-seen artifacts that capture Fischer's career in a unique way. Those who study chess will have the rare opportunity to learn from his notes and books while casual fans will enjoy exploring this superstar's personal story," said WCHOF Chief Curator Shannon Bailey.
Several of the rarest pieces on display are on generous loan from Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield, owners of a a collection of material from Fischer's own library that includes 320 books and 400 periodicals. These items supplement highlights from WCHOF's permanent collection to create a spectacular show.

Highlights from the exhibition:

· Furniture from the home of Fischer's mentor Jack Collins, which can be seen in an image of the young prodigy seated and sharpening his skills

· Notebooks created for Fischer's world championship preparation by International Master Robert Wade that include annotations of games by Soviet Grandmaster Mark Taimanov and Tigran Petrosian, two opponents that he defeated in the 1971 Candidates Matches

· The famous "Red Book" of Boris Spassky's best games, which Fischer studied constantly during his preparations for the 1972 World Championship

· Drafts of Fischer's classic chess publication My 60 Memorable Games with handwritten notes from Fischer and Larry Evans

"Bobby is one of the game's most enduring figures because everyone can learn something from his story. If you're a player, you can study his brilliant games and improve your own. Those who are merely curious about Fischer can see how he faced challenges and be inspired by his intellect," Bailey said.
About Robert "Bobby" Fischer
Robert "Bobby" Fischer was named the 11th World Chess Champion when he defeated Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union in a 1972 match that came to symbolize the tensions of the Cold War. This title brought him his highest level of fame and was the defining achievement in a career that included many notable triumphs. Fischer won the U.S. Open in 1957 and was the youngest person to gain first place in the U.S. Chess Championships in 1957/58, a title he would ultimately earn eight times. He won 20 consecutive games in World Championship qualifying events-an all-time record. His book, My 60 Memorable Games, is widely considered one of the greatest pieces of chess literature ever written.

About the World Chess Hall of Fame
The World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF) is a nonprofit organization committed to building awareness for the cultural and artistic significance of chess. It opened on September 9, 2011, in Saint Louis's Central West End after moving from previous locations in New York and Miami.

The WCHOF is housed in an historic 15,900 square-foot building that includes three floors of galleries, the U.S. and World Chess Halls of Fame and the stylish Q Boutique. It sits immediately across Maryland Avenue from the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, forming a "chess campus" that has been recognized as the chess capital of the United States as well as one of the game's top international centers.

It is the only cultural institution of its kind in the world and the only solely chess-focused collecting institution in the U.S.

For more information, visit www.worldchesshof.org.
Media Contact: Amanda Cook
amanda@amandacookpr.com
314-598-0544


From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
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Thursday, July 17, 2014

Funny Chess Moments Video: Kasparov Blunders vs Anand

Hello chess blog friends, here's another video from the Funny Chess Moments series. Though, it's more painful than funny. Watch for yourself.











Speaking of brutal chess moments... here's another video!




From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
YouTube Channel
 


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