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hosted by Chess Queen™ & 12th Women's World Chess Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk
Sunday, October 28, 2012
New in Chess Cover Trivia Quiz - Where's Chess Queen™ Alexandra Kosteniuk?
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hi everyone,
This is the latest New in Chess cover. Can you name all the chess players there?
That was way too easy a chess trivia quiz. As you know the 12th Women's World Chess Champion and her team of Russia won the gold at the Istanbul Chess Olympiad this year. You can read all about it at this personal post by the Chess Queen™.
Istanbul Chess Olympiad 2012: First Interview with Women's Champions - The Russian Team
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hi everyone,
Here are excerpts from the first interview the Russian team gave after winning the gold at the 40th Chess Olympiad in Istanbul recently. The interview was conducted as a press conference and is also available on the official website of the chess olympiad.
Hopefully, you haven't missed the following links, all the Chess Blog reports and Chess King game posts about the Istanbul Chess Olympiad.
Video of the Russian team singing their national anthem
Interview with the Russian team and their head coach
Karlovich: Dear ladies and gentlemen, I am extremely happy to congratulate the Russian women's chess team as these ladies have won the gold medals here in Istanbul. They have proved that they are the strongest in the world. My first question is, whether you really hoped to make it, guys? Rublevsky: We did. However to make this true we prepared a special opening variation, tried hard and simply played well to get the result.
Karlovich: What was the most decisive moment in the Olympiad for the Russian team?Kosteniuk: Perhaps it was the moment that started with a draw against Poland – we felt that there are three draws in a row and we simply need to do something. Than we managed to pull ourselves together and started winning again.
Karlovich: You are now two times Olympiad winners. What do you think of it? Gunina: We are proud, but indeed there is a big difference between these 2010 and 2012 Olympiads. In Khanty-Mansiysk we won 11 matches in a row – and there was nothing to be sorry about. However the real team is made only through defeats, when you have to overcome the obstacles and difficulties. This time we had hard times but we managed to do well. I am proud of what we have done. Kosteniuk: The trainers did their job well – and we are winners also because of their hard struggle to make us win these matches. Karlovich: What about the team composition, how do you feel about it? Najer: We are a very stable and firm team. Of course there are strong teams but none is such a balanced team as ours. We are really strong! Kosteniuk: Comparing with the other Olympiad in 2010 Alisa Galliamova was replaced by Natalija Pogonina but that is a normal situation – we still remain to be a team which keeps its spirit and strength.
40th Chess Olympiad: Glorious Homecoming Video of Chess Champs in Armenia!
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hi everyone,
It's awesome to win gold at the Chess Olympiad. Here is a cool video of the Armenian team - winners in the open section - doing the rounds on the Internet. Enjoy the glorious reception the Armenian team received at home. Plus, more chess videos currently being watched by chess fans worldwide. If you'd like to share a chess video of yours, do send it to us.
Chess Olympiad 2012 Champions Armenia in Istanbul
Also, don't forget to watch the Russian women's team winning the gold either with photos and video at Chess Queen™ Alexandra Kosteniuk's blog post on www.chessqueen.com.
Istanbul Chess Olympiad Photo Trivia + Opening Ceremony Info
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hi everyone,
First up the chess photo trivia! These are the women's defending champions' team from Russia at the Istanbul Chess Olympiad 2012. Can you name all the people in the photo? Click on the chess team's photo to see the answer and read Chess Queen™ Alexandra Kosteniuk's post in her personal blog at www.chessqueen.com.
Meanwhile, the opening ceremony update is that it takes place today - August 27 at the WOW Convention Center at 21:30 local time in Istanbul.The ceremony will be broadcast live in four languages simultaneously via the official website. It will include a warm welcome to the participants, presentation of the host country, a rich cultural program, national and FIDE anthems, officials speeches, and the drawing of colours for the first round.
The opening ceremony will be preceded by a press conference of the Turkish national teams at 19:00 and by the Captains meeting at 20:00, both to be held at WOW Hotel.
Istanbul Chess Olympiad, Open Chess, Blitz Events for Everyone from Aug 30
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012 Hi everyone,
The excitement is high as the opening of the Istanbul Chess Olympiad draws near. It is a matter of prestige for every chess player to win for her or his country. The motto of the Chess Olympiad 2012 is “Let’s meet where the continents meet”. Istanbul is a world city. Although no longer the capital of Turkey, Istanbul still remains the country’s cultural and business centre. As Byzantium, Constantinople and finally, Istanbul, it has been the capital of three Empires, each leaving their mark in the form of stunning palaces, castles, mosques, churches and monuments.
First, here is the chess video of the official presentation for Istanbul as the host of the 2012 Chess Olympiad.
The International Chess Festival 'İstanbul Open 2012 " will also be held in İstanbul from August (arrival) to 09th September (departure) 2012. Two Open Tournaments (A and B) will be made up according to the ratings of the participants. Besides this a Blitz Tournament will be held within the festival.
There is no entrance fee for GM title players. The entry fee has to be paid in the festival office. This must be done at least two hours before the tournament begins. The tournaments will qualify for FIDE ratings. Foreign players who have a valid passport will be accepted for the tournament.
Chess in Schools Conference at Chess Olympiad in Istanbul
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hi everyone,
The Istanbul Chess Olympiad is less than a week away. There will be several other events running parallel to the mega chess tournament. One of these is the Chess in Schools Conference, sponsored by the Rosneft Oil Company. Speakers from around the world will make their presentations at the first in a series of international chess in schools conferences. This first conference lays the emphasis on Chess in Schools from the viewpoint of FIDE's national federations, especially in the light of the CiS100 Projects in Slovakia and Slovenia, now being rolled out in Algeria, Moldova and Peru, with more to follow. Sporting and research aspects will also be covered.
Speakers include Prof.Dr.Caner Açikada, Dean of the School of Sport Science and Technology, Hacettepe University, Ankara and Malola Prasath Thittanimuttam Sundaramadhavan, Director for Research, Development & Dissemination, the Foundation for Learning Research in Chess, India.
Camera in Russian Chess Girls' 'Locker Room'! (More Photos' Link Updated)
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hi everyone,
That's the Russian team for the Russia vs China special chess match beginning on July 1 in St Petersburg. Can you name all of them - the chess girls and their head coach?
The Russian men's and women's chess teams are all set for the special Russia versus China chess match from July 1-9, 2012 in St Petersburg, Russia.
This is a traditional chess team match between the two countries that has been taking place from 2001 in every year of the Chess Olympiad. The 2012 team chess match will be a practice friendly between both the men's and women's chess teams of both the countries before the Istanbul Chess Olympiad.
Each team will consist of six people – 5 players and 1 captain.
The tournament format is each plays each (Scheveningen), total 5 rounds of classical chess from the 2nd to 6th of July, additional two rounds of rapid chess will be played on the 7th and 8th.
Men's chess teams
Russia Evgeny Tomashevsky (2738) Dmitry Jakovenko (2736) Ian Nepomniachtchi (2716) Nikita Vitiugov (2703) Maxim Matlakov (2668)
China Wang Hao (2738) Li Chao B (2703) Wang Yue (2690) Ding Liren (2679) Yu Yangui (2626)
Women's chess teams
Russia Valentina Gunina (2530) Alexandra Kosteniuk (2457) Natalia Pogonina (2447) Olga Girya (2414) Baira Kovanova (2391)
China Zhao Xue (2549) Ju Wenjun (2529) Shen Yang (2419) Huang Qian (2417) Ding Yixin (2353)
Lots of more photos of the Russian women's team having fun in the beautiful sunshine of Peterhof park now at www.chessqueen.com.
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hi everyone,
FIDE Vice President Georgios Makropoulos and the President of Turkish Chess Federation Ali Nihat Yazici signed a contract on holding the 40th World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey.
According to Chessdom the ceremony was attended by a number of officials including FIDE Treasurer Nigel Freeman. Let us remind you that Turkey won the right to organise the Chess Olympiad 2012 at the FIDE congress in Dresden. Particularly, Makropoulos said, "I have visited 90 countries so far. I think Istanbul is the most beautiful city among the cities I have seen. Turkish Chess Federation is currently the biggest chess federation in the world and with a huge gap between the second. With the support of Ministry of Sport and Türkiye İş Bankası, I am confident that we will organise this Olympiad perfectly."
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Best chess wishes to you! Alexandra Kosteniuk
12th Women's World Chess Champion
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