Indian Chess Talent B Adhiban Praised by Vishy Anand, Qualifies for World Cup

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013

Hi everyone,

Here is a cool chess feature for all fans of Indian chess. Recently, B. Adhiban qualified for the World Chess Cup, to be held in Norway from August 5, and the youngster is determined to make the opportunity count, writes P. K. Ajith Kumar in the Sports Star.

In an interview after winning his fifth World chess championship, in Moscow last year, Viswanathan Anand was asked to name India’s most promising chess players. On top of Anand’s list was B. Adhiban. For those following the Chennai youngster’s career, it was hardly a surprise.

He is a natural. He is easily one of India’s more talented kids on the 64 squares. He has won the World Under-16 championship and been part of an Indian team that won the bronze in the World team championship.

Recently, Adhiban, 21, qualified for the World Cup, to be held in Norway from August 5. He made the cut from the Asian championship in Manila. He was placed fifth in the tournament when the tie-breakers were applied; on points he was ranked second. He had 6.5 points, half-a-point behind the champion, Li Chao of China.

To meet the qualifying mark, he had to defeat John Paul Gomez of the host nation in the final round. “It was a comfortable win for me, as I had a strong attack on the king-side,” said Adhiban. “I was pretty relieved with that victory as I had badly wanted to qualify for the World Cup. Looking back, I feel I should have done even better; I drew far too many games, five of them. If I could have converted one of those draws into a win, I could have won the title.”

It is this desire to win that set him apart from most of his contemporaries, as an upcoming talent. It was refreshing to watch a young Adhiban, still at school, playing imaginative chess, game after game, always wanting to win.

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Philippines Chess: Boxing Champ Manny Pacquiao Registers for Asia Continental Chess Tournament

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013

Hi everyone,

Interesting chess news: World's second highest paid athlete to play chess!

MANILA, Philippines – In an interesting bit of chess news, we hear that Philippines boxing icon Manny Pacquiao has enlisted for the Asian Continental Chess Championship scheduled from May 18 to 27 at the Midas Hotel in Pasay City.

Emmanuel 'Manny' Dapidran Pacquiao is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is the first eight-division world boxing champion in which he has won ten world titles, as well as the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He is also the second highest paid athlete in the world, according to his Wikipedia profile!

Grandmaster Eugene Torre, who is co-organizing the event announced the event as the nine-round Swiss System tournament to be known as the Manny Pacquiao Chess Cup. A total cash prize of $100,000 will be up for grabs in the event that serves as the last qualifying tournament for the 2013 World Cup in August in Norway.

The top five in the men’s division and the winner in the women’s division will earn slots to the World Cup. In case previous qualifiers win or finish among the top five, then the next best player gets the slot. The Eugene Torre Chess Foundation, Inc. is organizing the event in association with the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) under Butch Pichay, the Asian Chess Federation and FIDE.

“This will be a historic event because one of the world’s sporting icons, Manny Pacquiao, is supporting us. We will make sure it becomes a successful event,” said Torre.

Registration to the tournament is ongoing, according to Asia’s first grandmaster. He expects the top players from China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia and the former Soviet republics to compete.

The NCFP has already sent invitations to the different national federations, and so far Torre said there’s been a tremendous response. He added that Filipino players, the International Masters and the National Masters, are also very interested in joining the event. “We are all very excited. I hope a Filipino qualifies for the World Cup. We will be happy with one but it will be a big bonus if we get two slots,” said Torre.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
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Also see her personal blog at
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World Chess Cup, Chess Olympiad: Steering Committee Set Up

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi Everyone,

The Azerbaijani president has signed an order on establishment of the Steering Committee for holding World Chess Cup 2015 and World Chess Olympiad 2016. News reports state that the First Deputy Prime Minister Yagub Eyyubov has been appointed as chairman of the Organizing Committee. The Committee includes ministers, committee, service chiefs, president and vice-presidents of the Chess Federation.

The Organizing Committee is to develop a special Action Plan for holding World Chess Cup 2015 and World Chess Olympiad 2016 in Baku and to ensure its implementation.

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

Hello from the World Chess Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk

Hello everybody!

I'm in Khanty-Mansiysk right now. It's my first trip to this town and I'm already pretty impressed with what I saw today. During the opening ceremony that took place today the Governor of the Ugra Region - Alexander Filipenko told that this Cup is the general repetition before the Chess Olympiad 2010 which will take place here from September 19 till October 4, 2010.

Tomorrow is the first round of the World Cup. Boris Gelfand, ELO-favorite of the tournament, during the drawing of colors today picked the white pawn, that means all odd numbers will play white in the first round. I will start my match against Shakhriar Mamedyarov with the black pieces.

Below are some photos from the opening ceremony.

That's the welcome speech by the prime-minister of Russia Alexander Zhukov and the Governor of the Ugra region Alexander Filipenko.

Drawing of colors. Elo-favorite of the tournament Boris Gelfan picked the white pawn.

Posted by Alexandra Kosteniuk

Women's World Chess Champion

www.chessblog.com

Flying to Moscow in a few moments

Hi to all!

I'm at the airport, flying in a few moments to Russia, where I will play lots of chess tournaments.

First in Moscow, thanks to my being the current Women's World Chess Champion, I have been invited to play in the strongest blitz chess tournament on the planet, the World Blitz Championship, where the strongest players on the planet will be playing, such as Anand, Kramnik, Aronian, Carlsen, Invanchuk, Ponomariov, Morozevich, Karpov, Grischuk, Karjakin... even the other ones are fantastic chess players. I will probably be the lowest rated player in the tournament, so that it's a wonderful opportunity for me, and means that I can only gain from it!

I will do my best, and hope I will be able to present you some new games on my YouTube channel, to complement the nice blitz or rapid wins I have had against some male Grandmasters such as Sutovsky 1, Sutovsky 2, Amanov, Korotylev, Almasi, Dlugy, Hracek, Tregubov, Potkin, and Balashov.

After the World Blitz Championship I will fly to Khanty-Mansiysk, to play in the World Cup, also with the world's best male chess players. More info here.

Best wishes!

Alexandra Kosteniuk

Women's World Chess Champion

www.chessblog.com