Blitz Chess Video Stefanova - Kosteniuk

Hi everybody!

The following is just one of the 10 recently published chess blitz videos from the 2010 Women's World Chess Blitz Championship, posted on Alexandra Kosteniuk's YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/chessqueen).

Posted on Chess Queen™ Alexandra Kosteniuk's

Chess Blog www.chessblog.com

Nice start for ladies in Antwerp

Hello dear chess friends!

Here is the latest news about the women's tournaments that are taking place right now or will start still in September.

From September 18, 2009 to September 26, 2009 the Inventi Chess tournament is taking place in Antwerp, Belgium. Among the participants are two ladies: Antoaneta Stefanova (2535) and Anna Muzychuk (2542).

The other players of this tournament are: Etienne Bacrot (2709), Gabriel Sargissian (2678), Emil Sutovsky (2676), Krishnan Sasikiran (2661), Bartosz Socko (2637), David Howell (2624), Jan Timman (2588) and Bart Michiels (2451). Today the first round was played and both Stefanova and Muzychuk won their games.

Below is the position from the game Jan Timman - Antoaneta Stefanova. White just played 24. Bxf4 what is the strongest move for Black now?

There are two wonderful photo reports by GM Ye Rongguang of the recent women's world team chess championship that took place from September 1 to September 12 in Ningbo, China,

have been published on www.chessbase.com, you can watch them here and here. Above you can see a very nice portrait of Nadezhda Kosintseva.

The Serbian Women's Chess League is taking place in Pozarevac, from September 14 to September 22nd, 2009. After 8 rounds the chess club BAS is leading with Bojkovic Natasa (2429), Gaponenko Inna (2438) Vasilevich Tatjana (2423) Stojanovic Andjelija (2323) and Drljevic Ljilja (2207). The full results and team-compositions can be found here.

The Women GM Chess Tournament Krk - Mediterranean Golden Island in Croatia took place from September 11 to September 18, 2009. Tatiana Shadrina and Nino Maisuradze shared first and second place with 7 points out of 9. The full table can be found here.

Maotai Prince Cup China National Chess King/Queen Championships is taking place from 17th to 25th September 2009 in Jinzhou, China, each group has 8 players. Time control: 90 minutes + 15 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move from first move.

Chess Queen Championship participants:

1 Hou Yifan g CHN 2585 1994

2 Zhao Xue g CHN 2542 1985

3 Ruan Lufei wg 2486 1987

4 Xu Yuhua g 2485 1976

5 Shen Yang wg 2453 1989

6 Ju Wenjun 2443 1991

7 Tan Zhongyi 2435 1991

8 Huang Qian wg 2424 1986

Official site: http://live.chinaqiyuan.com/chessen_jz.html Parings and resuts of the King championship are here. Parings and resuts of the Queen championshipare here.

The First Teller Ede Memorial Chess Tournament will be held from September 24th to October 5, 2009 in Paks, Hungary. The following women are playing in this event: WGM Majdan Joanna 2382 POL, IM Vajda Szidónia 2375 HUN, WGM Gara Tícia 2354 HUN, WGM Doluhanova Evgeniya 2327 UKR, WGM Kochetkova Julia 2310 RUS, WIM Toth Lili 2172 HUN. Average rating: 2320 Category: 3. The official tournament website is http://www.ase.hu/marxgy/2009/

The 2nd Fide Women Grand Prix event is going to take place in Nanjing, China from September 27-October 9,2009. Here is the list of the participants of this event: Zhao, Xue (2544), Ju, Wenjun (2443), Dzagnidze, Nana (2536), Sebag Marie (2531) Xu, Yuhua (2485) Zhu, Chen (2473), Mrktchian, Lilit (2467), Shen, Yang (2453), Batkhuyag, Munguntuul (2412), Kovanova, Baira (2406), Fierro, Martha (2394), Yildiz, Betul (2217).

So there are many interesting events and there will be even more this autumn. As usual autumn is the golden time for chess players and fans.

Special thanks to my friend from Canada Wayne Mendryk for letting me know about some events and sending me links and all the info. :)

Posted by: Alexandra Kosteniuk

Women's World Chess Champion

www.chessblog.com

STAR Interview: Antoaneta Stefanova

With a great pleasure I'm introducing another woman chess star - Antoaneta Stefanova. Winning the Women's World Chess Championship in Elista, Russia in 2004, Antoaneta became the 10th women's world chess champion. She's been one of the leaders of the women's chess for many years and she's also been very succesful in men's tournament, beating many strong GM's.

What is your place and date of birth?

Sofia, Bulgaria, 19.04.1979

How did you start playing chess?

When I was 5 years old my father Andon Stefanova showed me and my sister Ani how to play. We loved it instantly.

What are your main achievements in chess?

I was several times World and European champion in diferent age groups as a child, European Women Champion 2002, Women World Champion 2004-2006, Winner in the first World Mind Sports Games-Rapid 2008. I have also won many tournaments for both Men and Women.

What is your peak rating?

2560

Do you consider yourself a professional chess player?

Yes, although I am also finishing my Master degree in Finance this year.

How often do you study chess? How many hours a day?

I play many tournaments, so I take some days off between them. But when preparing for important event, I work up to 8 hours per day.

Do you have a chess trainer or you study chess by yourself?

My trainer from 5 to 16 years old was my father. We were mainly working with books and computer programs when they appeared. Later on I have worked occasionally with several Grandmaster - I would like to mention GM Vladimir Georgiev - who has helped me a lot during the World Championship 2004, GM Kiril Georgiev - one of the strongest ever Bulgarian chess players, and GM Atanas Kolev who has also been the coach of the Bulgarian Women National team as well. I do not have a permanent trainer though,it costs a lot,and without the help of the federation or a personal sponsor it is imposible.

What do you study most: openings, middle game or endgames?

I try to study all stages of the game.

Do you prefer to play chess with men or with women?

Both

Why do you think men are stronger than women in chess?

It is very complex - historicly women have not been encouraged to play chess from early age. We see now more female players getting stronger, but still there is very litle attention paid by federations, sponsors or organisers. There are also objective reasons - I believe in order to perform well in long term a chess player needs to be in a very good physical shape and in that of course men have advantage.That is why I think is correct to have separate WomenChampionships.

When did you feel happiest about being a chess player? Why?

I feel happy every time I play a good game.

If you had not become a chess player what career would you have chosen?

Artist

How many brothers and sisters are there in your family?

I have one elder sister.

You became chess history's 10th women's world chess champion, how did you feel at the moment you won that title?

To be honest in the first moments I was too tired to understand what it means.Only later,when I returned home in Bulgaria and saw haw happy and proud are my family,friends and complete strangers,it hit me-I was the first ever Bulgarian Chess World Champion.

Did you life change significantly after your world title?

It did in several ways. It meant more invitations to strong tournaments, but also lots of responsabilities representing my country and Women Chess around the world.

What's your home?

I have a nice appartment near the biggest park in downtown - Sofia.

What is your favorite chess book?

I like all of Dvoretsky and Nunn's books.

What is your favorite non-chess book?

It is dificult to name one. I love reading and read absolutely everything. Right now I am reading Giacomo Casanova-Histoare de ma vie, and Michael Newton - Life between lives.
Whom do you consider the best chess player in history?

Kasparov and Fischer

What is the best game you have ever played?

I enjoy most of the games I win, but I am also aware of the many mistakes in them. If I have to name one perhaps it should be the game I won against GM M.Gurevich at Gibtelecom Masters 2008 in Gibraltar.

What do you like doing besides playing chess?

Reading, dancing and drawing pictures. My father is an artist, so probably I got my love for art from him.

Do you believe in the future of women’s chess?

If FIDE, the players and organisers start working together to make more interesting events - then yes.

What is the best chess country in the world?

Probably Russia and Spain, but if it is about organising team events then it should be Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria.

What is the best organized women’s tournament you took part in?

Krasnoturinsk (Russia), but the best mixed tournament for Women players is without a doubt Gibraltar

What is your dream in chess?

To see the day when Women Chess will be as popular as Men's.

What is your favorite chess piece?

All of them

What is your favorite place in the world?

Any place with warm climate and palm trees:)

What is your favorite kind of food?

sea food and any fruit
What are your future plans for this year?

Several Open Tournaments, a strong Mixed Round Robin in Antwerpen in September, European Club Cup and European Team championship.

What is the main difference between women’s chess nowadays and women’s chess when you were just starting playing chess?

I believe Women Chess has developed very much in the last 20 years-we see now many more strong players. Also the whole system of Women events is developing. It was good to witness the begining of the European Individual Women Championship, the knockout World Championship, Fide Women Gran Prix and more. Of course, I hope we'll see many more to come - for example regular World and European Rapid and Blitz championship as well as tournaments for all level Women Chess players around the world.

Lately we are seeing many things happening in chess in Bulgaria, is chess very popular in your country? Do you have special support from the government for playing chess? Do people recognize your in the streets?

In Bulgaria Chess was always well respected,and almost everyone knows at least the basic rules of the game. Unfortunately in the last years there are many economical problems in the country and many traditional events has been canceled. Also the budget of the federation is very small,with a litle help from the goverment. It is dificult to attract sponsors in this moment, but the fact that World top level events like Mtel Masters are organised every year gives me hope that it will be better with time. Otherwise the top players are quite well known for the public, so, yes people recognise me in the streets.

What do you think we should do in order to make women’s chess more attractive to the media?

If we want chess to be televised then probably we should have more top level Rapid and Blitz events. I also like the idea of the "Glass Cube'" which was used in Bilbao and Mtel Masters-playng in open air gives a better way to the audience and media to follow the tournaments.In general I believe in every country and every event the organisers should try to work better with the media. The chess players should also follow some dress code regulations and be more media friendly.

Posted by Alexandra Kosteniuk
Women's World Chess Champion
www.chessblog.com

Women's World Chess Champions

Hello everyone!

Since my blog is about women's chess I would like to start by introducing you to the whole list of women's world chess champions and the history of the women's world chess championships. This information is taken from Wikipedia.

Women's World Champions	Years	Country
Vera Menchik	1927–1944	Czechoslovakia / United Kingdom
Lyudmila Rudenko	1950–1953	Soviet Union / Ukraine
Elisabeth Bykova	1953–1956	Soviet Union / Russia
Olga Rubtsova	1956–1958	Soviet Union / Russia
Elisabeth Bykova	1958–1962	Soviet Union / Russia
Nona Gaprindashvili	1962–1978	Soviet Union / Georgia
Maya Chiburdanidze	1978–1991	Soviet Union / Georgia
Xie Jun	1991–1996	People's Republic of China
Susan Polgar	1996–1999	Hungary / United States
Xie Jun	1999–2001	People's Republic of China
Zhu Chen	2001–2004	People's Republic of China
Antoaneta Stefanova	2004–2006	Bulgaria
Xu Yuhua	2006–2008	People's Republic of China
Alexandra Kosteniuk	2008–present	Russia

The Women's World Chess Championship is played to determine the women's world champion in chess. Like the World Chess Championship, it is administered by FIDE.

Unlike most sports, women are able to compete against men in chess, and so some women do not compete for the women's title.

The regulations of the women’s world chess championship can be found on the FIDE web-site.

The Women's World Championship was established by FIDE in 1927 as a single tournament held alongside the Chess Olympiad. The winner of that tournament, Vera Menchik, did not have any special rights as the men's champion did — instead she had to defend her title by playing as many games as all the challengers. She did this successfully in every other championship in her lifetime (1930, 1931, 1933, 1935, 1937 and 1939). Menchik died, still champion, in 1944 in a German air raid on Kent.

The next championship was another round-robin tournament in 1949-50 and was won by Lyudmila Rudenko. Thereafter a system similar to that of the men's championship was established, with a cycle of Candidates events (and later Interzonals) to pick a challenger to face the reigning champion.

The first Candidates tournament was held in Moscow, 1952. Elisabeth Bykova won and proceeded to defeat Rudenko with seven wins, five losses, and two draws to become the third champion. The next Candidates tournament was won by Olga Rubtsova. Instead of directly playing Bykova, however, FIDE decided that the championship should be held between the three top players in the world. Rubtsova won at Moscow in 1956, one-half point ahead of Bykova, who finished five points ahead of Rudenko. Bykova regained the title in 1958 and defended it against Kira Zvorykina, winner of a Candidates tournament, in 1959.

The fourth Candidates tournament was held in 1961 in Vrnjacka Banja, and was utterly dominated by Nona Gaprindashvili of Georgia, who won with ten wins, zero losses, and six draws. She then decisively defeated Bykova with seven wins, no losses, and four draws in Moscow, 1962 to become champion. Gaprindashvili defended her title against Alla Kushnir of Russia at Riga 1965 and Tbilisi/Moscow 1969. In 1972, FIDE introduced the same system for the women's championship as with the men's: a series of Interzonal tournaments, followed by the Candidates matches. Kushnir won again, only to be defeated by Gaprindashvili at Riga 1972. Gaprindashvili defended the title one last time against Nana Alexandria of Georgia at Pitsunda/Tbilisi 1975.

In 1976-1978 Candidates cycle, 17-year-old Maya Chiburdanidze of Georgia ended up the surprise star, defeating Nana Alexandria, Elena Akhmilovskaya, and Alla Kushnir to face Gaprindashvili in the 1978 finals at Tbilisi. Chiburdanidze proceeded to soundly defeat Gaprindashvili, marking the end of one Georgian's domination and the beginning of another's. Chiburdanidze defended her title against Alexandria at Borjomi/Tbilisi 1981 and Irina Levitina at Volgograd 1984. Following this, FIDE reintroduced the Candidates tournament system. Akhmilovskaya, who had earlier lost to Chiburdanidze in the Candidates matches, won the tournament was but was still defeated by Chiburdanidze at Sofia 1986. Chiburdanidze's final title defense came against Nana Ioseliani at Telavi 1988.
Chiburdanidze's domination ended at Manila 1991, where the young Chinese star Xie Jun defeated her, after finishing second to the still-active Gaprindashvili in an Interzonal, tying with Alisa Maric in the Candidates tournament, and then beating Maric in a tie-breaker match.

Susan (also known as Zsuzsa) Polgar won the 1992 Candidates tournament at Shanghai. The Candidates final - an 8 game match between the top two finishers in the tournament - was a drawn match between Polgar and Ioseliani, even after two tiebreaks. The match was decided by a lottery, which Ioseliani won. She was then promptly crushed by Xie Jun (8.5-2.5) in the championship at Monaco 1993.

The next cycle was dominated by Susan Polgar. She tied with Chiburdanidze in the Candidates tournament, defeated her easily in the match (5.5-1.5), and then decisively defeated Xie Jun (8.5-4.5) at Jaén 1996 for the championship.
In 1997, Russian Alisa Galliamova and Chinese Xie Jun finished first and second, but Galliamova refused to play the final match entirely in China. FIDE eventually awarded the match to Xie Jun by default.

However, by the time all these delays were sorted out, Polgar had given birth to her first child. She requested that the match be postponed. FIDE refused, and eventually set up the championship to be between Galliamova and Xie Jun. The championship was held in Kazan, Tatarstan and Shenyang, China, in 1999 and Xie Jun won with five wins, three losses, and seven draws.

In 2000, a knock-out event, similar to the FIDE men's title and held alongside it, was the new format of the women's world championship. It was won by Xie Jun. In 2001 a similar event determined the champion, Zhu Chen. Another knock-out, this one held separately from the men's event, in Elista, the capital of the Russian republic of Kalmykia (of which FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov is president), from May 21 to June 8, 2004, produced Bulgarian Antoaneta Stefanova as champion. As with Polgar seven years prior, Zhu Chen did not participate due to pregnancy.

In 2006 the title returned to China. Interestingly, the new champion Xu Yuhua was pregnant during the championship.
In 2008, the title went to Russian grandmaster Alexandra Kosteniuk, who, in the final, beat Chinese prodigy Hou Yifan 2.5-1.5.

Posted by Alexandra Kosteniuk
Women's World Chess Champion
http://www.chessblog.com/