Chess Charity Project for Disabled Kids: World GMs for Children

Hello chess blog friends,

On November 9, within the framework of the International TASHIR Chess Tournament in memory of Tigran Petrosian a special session of simultaneous game “World Grandmasters for the children” will be held. The young chess players with physical disabilities will have a unique opportunity to play with the greatest grandmasters of the world. The event is organised by the Tashir Group of Companies, the Russian Chess Federation and the charity Fund "The country of talents" with the program of the all-Russian charity evenings for disabled children "Melody of the game".

Eight children from the Moscow Metropolitan Area correctional schools will contend with the participants of the International TASHIR Chess Tournament in memory of Tigran Petrosian held from November 3 till 11 at Novotel Moscow City. A team of grandmasters will compete with the children: the World Cup holder, three-time Olympic Chess Champion Levon Aronian (Armenian), the ex-world champion Vladimir Kramnik (Russia), the two-time World Blitz Chess Champion Alexander Grischuk (Russia), the Vice World Chess Champion Boris Gelfand (Israel), the Vice World Champion Peter Leko (Hungary), the China’s leading grandmaster Din LiZhen, the two-time Chess Champion of Russia Alexander Morozevich and the winner of the Russian Championship Higher Leagues Ernesto Inarkiev (Russia).

The judge of the "World Grandmasters for the children” simultaneous game will be Boris Postovsky – the chief judge of the International TASHIR Chess Tournament in memory of Tigran Petrosian. The grandmaster Rafael Vaganian will reward the participating children of the session.

Zara Agemian, head of communications and marketing of the Tashir group of companies: "Disabled children have unlimited mental capacity, a great will-power to overcome all difficulties on the way to the victory. Any actions today are shaping the tomorrow, and our task is to create the conditions contributing to the intellectual development of the younger generation. We are happy to be able to hold a special tournament for children within the framework of the main tournament and to give children the chance to play and socialize with the greatest grandmasters of modernity".

Rafael Vaganian, the grandmaster, the Chairman of the appellation committee of the International TASHIR Chess Tournament in memory of Tigran Petrosian:

"For the improvement of the young players, live communications with the leading grandmasters of the world play a great role and computers can’t replace it. I remember many years ago all boys and I used to look at Tigran Petrosian, how greedily we were devouring every word of the great champion! This game for disabled children will surely give them plenty of bright emotions and inspire for a deeper study of chess. Our game brings people together and stays with us for life!"

The main aim of the evening is to attract the attention of the public and the media to the possibility of self-realisation and socialisation of disabled children through studying chess.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
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Efforts on to include chess in the Olympics: Kirsan Ilyumzhinov

Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013

Hello everyone,

FIDE president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who was in Chennai recently for the closing ceremony of the World Chess Championship, spoke to P. K. Ajith Kumar of SportsStar and said FIDE was making all effort to have chess in the Olympics. Here are excerpts from the interview: 

Question: Are you happy with the way the World Championship was organised in Chennai?

Answer: I am very happy. It was conducted extremely well. FIDE would like to thank the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa for sponsoring the World Championship. But for her enthusiasm and total support, this World Championship would not have come to India.

Can India hope for more major events?Yes, definitely. Chennai itself could have some big events in the near future. I have talked to the Chief Minister about the possibilities of conducting some important women’s events, such as the Grand Prix and the World Championship. She is keen about FIDE’s proposals. I am also impressed by her scheme to introduce chess to schools. That is the way forward for Indian chess.

Don’t you think it is time India hosted the Chess Olympiad too?Yes, very much so, as India is one of the strongest nations in world chess. We have already started talking about having the Chess Olympiad in India. We are considering Mumbai, New Delhi and Chennai as possible venues.

You were very keen about chess being in the Olympics and had even got it as an exhibition sport at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, with Viswanathan Anand and Alexei Shirov playing a two-game match. My efforts are still on to include chess in the Olympics. FIDE is already in discussions with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to include chess in the Winter Olympics. We will have an official meeting with the IOC in February 2014. We would like to make it to the Summer Olympics eventually, but we thought we could get an entry into the Winter Games first.

What are your thoughts on Magnus Carlsen becoming the new World champion? I think it’s good that we have someone like Carlsen as the World champion. He is young, dynamic. He belongs to today’s generation and could attract even more young people towards chess.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog 
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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Studio Anne Carlton Unveils 2013 World Championship Chess Set

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

Hi everyone, 

 

Studio Anne Carlton unveiled the 2013 World Chess Championship Chess Set on Thursday, March 14th.
The new set celebrates the launch of this year's chess championship that kicked off Friday, March 15th at the London Candidates tournament. The Yorkshire based company was appointed by Agon, organisers and rights holders of the World Chess Championship Cycle, to work alongside designer Daniel Weil to produce a contemporary set for 2013.

Michael Lee, Managing director of Studio Anne Carlton, said: "Thanks to Agon, World Chess is on the cusp of a new era, set to reignite global audiences and inspire a new generation.

"The Championship Chess Set is the flagship product that is intended to be used in all Championship events and Daniel Weil is a true grand master when it comes to design.

"Studio Anne Carlton is delighted to have been appointed the official manufacturer and we are already working with Daniel to extend the range."

Hand-crafted in natural and ebonised boxwood, The World Chess championship Chess Set retails at £199.99. The 50cm World Chess Championship rosewood and maple chessboard retails at £99.95.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
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www.chessqueen.com
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World Chess Blitz & Rapid Championships 2013 - Fide Announces Regulations

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

Hi Everyone,

Fide has announced the regulations for the FIDE World Blitz Championship 2013 & FIDE World Rapid Championship 2013. Here is a summary. The full pdf file is available at this link.

The FIDE World Blitz & Rapid Championships shall be organized annually under the aegis of FIDE by a federation entrusted with the task by the General Assembly or the Presidential Board at least one
year in advance. All rights for the organization of the World Blitz & Rapid Championships and the title of the World Blitz Champion or World Rapid Champion belong to FIDE.


Format
The events will be Swiss pairings tournaments and will be held over two days for Blitz and three days for Rapid. The Blitz will have fifteen rounds with each player playing with white and black
against his paired opponent. The Rapid will be fifteen rounds, Swiss event.

Participation
3.1 All players rated at least 2500 in any of the three FIDE rating lists (Standard, Blitz or Rapid) as on the 1st of March 2013 are eligible to participate in the World Blitz Championship.
3.2 The Blitz & Rapid Championships are open to all the National Champions representing their National Chess Federation regardless of their title or rating.
3.3. Applications have to be sent by the national federations only.

Organisation
At least two months before the tournament, the organising federation will send an invitation to all affiliated federations. The invitations shall be approved by the FIDE President. Copies of the
invitation shall also be sent to the FIDE President, to the Continental Presidents and to the Zone Presidents.

Time Control
5.1 In the Blitz Championship, each player will have 3 minutes + 2 seconds additional time per move, starting from move 1.
5.2 In the Rapid Championship, each player will have 15 minutes + 10 seconds additional time per move, starting from move 1.

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