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.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com

Join Chess Fans to Play Against Russian National Chess Team - 17th Anniversary of 1st Correspondence Chess Match

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

Hi everyone,

Top Russian Grandmasters and members of the Russian national chess team, Peter Svidler, Sergey Karjakin, Alexander Grischuk and Evgeny Tomashevsky will play a team chess match against chess fans via a special website set up for the event.

This special chess event is being held to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the first-ever correspondence chess match played between Russian Grandmaster Alexander Petrov against three chess players from St. Petersburg. The correspondence game was played from April 27 to October 2, 1837. Petrov is known for the Petrov Defense or the Russian Defence - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6. Petrov is also known as the great Russian theorist, chess master and writer. He was one of the strongest chess player in the first half of the 19th century.

The Russian Chess Federation is organising the chess match with general sponsorship by Gazprom via a specially created online site. Fans who register as members of the team will be able to send their movies. The move receiving the most votes would be played. You can register and take part.

Start Time - June 25, 2012 at 15:00 Moscow time.

There will be lot of prizes for those who send the most correct answers, best answers, etc.

Site of the match by correspondence

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com