Top Chess Stars to Play Tashir Chess in Memory of 9th World Chess Champin Tigran Petrosian

Hello chess blog friends, a special chess tournament in memory of chess legend GM Tigran Petrosian will be held in Moscow from November 3-11. The chess tournament is being organised by the Tashir Group of Companies and the Russian Chess Federation. Petrosian was the ninth World Chess Champion. 2014 is the 85th birth anniversary year of Petrosian. 

Some of the top chess players of the world will be attending the tournament. The chairman of the tournament organising committee is the President of the Republic of Armenia, Mr. SerzhSargsyan.

The competitors in the 21 Category tournament will be: the World Cup holder, three-time Olympic Chess Champion Levon Aronian (Armenian), former world champion Vladimir Kramnik (Russia), two-time World Blitz Chess Champion Alexander Grischuk (Russia), former Vice World Chess Champion Boris Gelfand (Israel), Vice World Champion Peter Leko (Hungary), China’s leading Grandmaster Din LiZhen, two-time Chess Champion of Russia Alexander Morozevich and the winner of the Russian Championship Higher Leagues Ernesto Inarkiev (Russia).The tournament will be a round-robin. The prize fund of the tournament is 100,000 euro.

Zara Agemyan, aide to the President of the Tashir Group of Companies, Head of Communications and Marketing department, says: “Tashirinvariably strives to support the most promising cultural and sports initiatives.We are convinced that a tournament where the world’s most prominent grandmasters compete will become yet another contribution of our Group to the sports and culture development in Russia. An international tournament is not a mere mastery competition betweenchess players from different countries. It also represents a uniting effort for nations, an additional confirmation that for people who have a passion for something no borders or divisions exist."

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Classical Chess Puzzle: Bobby Fischer – Tigran Petrosian 1-0

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

Hi everyone, 

A little chess flashback here. This position is from the game Bobby Fischer – Tigran Petrosian, 1961. White is to play and checkmate in three. Though, of course, in the real game, Petrosian resigned after White’s next move. Can you spot the winning combination? You can find the solution with Chess King.

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Tigran Petrosian Wins Grand Europe Chess Open 2013

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

Hi everyone, 

Armenian grandmaster Tigran Petrosian showed an astounding level to finish clear first at the Grand Europe Open 2013 which took place on 1-9 June at the Albena Hall in the city of Albena, Bulgaria.

Petrosian had an undefeated performance with seven wins and two draws to leave his closest followers a whole point behind. He arrived to the last round as sole leader, but with no less than four players at a half point distance. However, he defeated Romanian GM Vajda Levente with black to clear all doubts and take the winner’s trophy.

Four players tied on 7/9 points. Another Romanian, Mircea-Emilian Parligras was declared second on tiebreaks, while Armenian Hrant Melkumyan was given the bronze medal.

The tournament awarded 70 prizes that amounted to 30,000 Euros. 1st place – 5,000 Euros; 2nd place – 3,500 Euros; 3rd place – 2,500 Euros.

Thirty different nationalities were represented in the event.

Official website

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Armenia Chess Championships 2013: Tigran Petrosian, Anna Hairapetian Crowned Champions

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

Hi everyone,

Here is the final chess update from the Armenia national chess championships of 2013. GM Tigran Petrosian has won the men's crown, and WIM Anna Hairapetian is the new women's champion. The Armenian Chess Championship was played January 11-21, 2013, in Yerevan. Tigran Petrosian, the reigning champion from 2012, confirmed his title after finishing clear first with 7,0/9.

It was one of the most exciting Armenian chess championships ever and it all came to a showdown in the last round. Tigran Petrosian had half a point advantage ahead of the 2010 champion Avetik Grigoryan, and Petrosian needed to defend his lead with the black pieces exactly against Grigoryan. Despite white having the initiative during the whole game, Petrosian held the attack and reaffirmed his title, according to a Chessdom update.

The victory gives Petrosian the highest national title and the right to participate in the Armenian national chess team together with Levon Aronian, Vladimir Akopian, Gabriel Sargissian, and Sergei Movsesian.

Final standings
1 GM Petrosian Tigran L. 7
2 GM Grigoryan Avetik 6.5
3 GM Hovhannisyan Robert 6.5
4 GM Andriasian Zaven 5
5 GM Pashikian Arman 4.5
6 IM Hayrapetyan Hovik 4.5
7 GM Ter-Sahakyan Samvel 4
8 GM Melkumyan Hrant 3.5
9 GM Kotanjian Tigran 2.5
10 FM Aghasaryan Robert 1

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Armenia Chess Championship 2013: Petrosian Leads

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

Hi everyone,

The latest chess news from Yerevan is that Tigran Petrosian is leading the Armenia's men chess championship after three rounds. He beat Robert Aghasaryan to keep a perfect score. Robert Hovhannisyan and Hovik Hayrapetyan scored a victory accordingly over Arman Pashikyan and Hrant Melkumyan to stay in second place.

Zaven Andriasyan-Avetik Grigoryan, Hrant Melkumyan- Samvel Ter-Sahakyan, Arman Pashikyan- Hovik Hayrapetyan, Robert Aghasaryan- Robert Hovhannisyan and Tigran Kotanjyan-Tigran Levon Kotanjyan are the pairings for the fourth round on Tuesday. Armenia's men chess championship started on January 12 and will conclude on January 21.

Meanwhile, in the Armenia women's chess championship, Gasparyan, Karapetyan, Movsisyan and Hayrapetyan have scored 1,5 point each to share 1-4 places.

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Armenia National Chess Championship 2013 from Jan 11

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

Hi everyone,

Tigran Petrosian, defending 2012 Armenia champion

This makes for a cool chess news post: All Armenia national chess champions from 2009 - 2012 are taking part in the Armenia national chess championship 2013. The Armenian Chess Championship 2013 will take place January 11-21, 2013. Ten of the strongest Armenian Grandmasters will compete in a round robin event for the title and a spot on the national team, according to a Chessdom news update.

All champions from 2009 to 2012 are participating in the competition. Top seeded is former European Blitz Champion Hrant Melkumyan. His main opponent is the defending Armenian chess champion from 2012 Tigran Petrosian. Third by rating is the 2011 Armenian champion Robert Hovhannisyan. Fourth seeded is the 2009 Armenia Champion Avetik Grigoryan.

The list of players is completed by GM Zaven Andriasian, GM Samvel Ter-Sahakyan, GM Tigran Kotanjian, IM Hovik Hayrapetyan, and FM Robert Aghasaryan.

Armenian chess champions
Here is the history of the Armenian chess championship. This year will be the 72nd editon of the tournament.

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Can Chess Make You a Millionaire?

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

Hi everyone,

 

Yes, chess can take care of your bread, butter and jam! The Armenian team that became champions at the 40th Chess Olympiad in Istanbul recently are going to receive a nice cash award: 20 million AMD. Levon Aronian, Levon Aronian, Sergei Movsesian, Vladimir Akopian, Gabriel Sargissian, Tigran Petrosian, will get the noted award. Also, 114 million AMD are given by the Government to award the other members of the Armenian team, according to the Press service of Armenian Government. 

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The Chess Arbiter - Lothar Schmid on Fischer-Spassky, 1972

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

Hi everyone,

A chess arbiter's role is crucial, but goes unnoticed as he works in the background. The 1972 World Chess Championship between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky was almost abandoned but for a timely intervention from German arbiter Lothar Schmid!

On the 40th anniversary of that match, Dresden-born Schmid spoke to German online newspaper 'The Local'. "Everyone spoke of a duel between east and west, and that's what it was," Dresden-born grand master Schmid remembers of the match played in Reykjavik, Iceland. "I was accepted by both players," he said.
The West German saw the delayed finally start on July 11. 

"I play chess, so I can put myself in the players' place," said Schmid, now an 84-year-old publisher living in Bamberg, where he says Fischer visited him twice. The 29-year-old challenger from the US, took on the Russian World Champion Spassky, six years his senior. But there were protracted and increasingly ill-tempered negotiations to get through first.

"It was possible after all to bring such two very different characters together," said Schmid, who had already refereed the semi-final between Fischer and Armenian Tigran Petrosian a year earlier.

he first game, played before 2,500 spectators, was ended after a blunder from Fischer on the 29th move. "I played like a fool," he said afterwards.

The American then forfeited the second game by refusing to appear after a dispute over the TV cameras and lighting in the venue.

Schmid's decisive moment then came before the third game - played in a smaller room - when he prevented an increasingly annoyed Spassky from walking off after Fischer went round inspecting all the TV cameras.

"Both players were taller than me," he recalls. "I grabbed them by the shoulders, pushed them down, and demanded: 'Play now!' " Spassky moved his pawn and the game began.

Fischer won a brilliant game, and dominated the rest of the championship, finally winning 12.5 to 8.5 after 21 games. On September 1, he was crowned the first official US world champion since Wilhelm Steinitz in the 19th century.

"Fischer was not really evil," he concludes. "He was out of the ordinary, strange, different, and a real chess genius."


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Vladimir Akopian Wins Albena Open Chess 2012

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

Hi everyone,

 

Vladimir Akopian

The International Open Chess Tournament Albena 2012 was held from 26th May to 3rd June at the Albena Sports Hall, in Albena, Bulgaria. The 9-round Swiss open is organized by the Bulgarian Chess Federation, Chess Club “Dobrich – Albena” and Albena JSCo.

The Armenian players enjoy a notable success as three of them, GM Vladimir Akopian, GM Tigran Petrosian and IM Karen Grigoryan, are among the joint winners, together with GM Ivan Cheparinov and GM Tamir Nabaty. They collected 7 points each, according to the latest chess news by Chessdom.

Vladimir Akopian took the winner’s trophy on best tiebreak score. Full standings bellow.

Nabaty continues with strong performances on the Bulgarian soil, having earlier achieved three GM norms there (Albena, Plovdiv, Bansko Open). Nabaty also spoiled the Armenian celebration a bit as he defeated the European blitz champion Hrant Melkumyan in the final round.

Albena is one of the most popular resorts on the Bulgarian Black Sea. It is located 11 km south of Balchik and 30 km north of Varna – the sea capital of Bulgaria. Albena holds a “Blue Flag” certificate for its ecologically clean sea, beach and area. The soft sandy beach of Albena is more than 3.5 km long and up to 150 m wide. Official Chess Tournament website.

Top final standings:
1. GM Akopian Vladimir ARM 2697 – 7
2. GM Cheparinov Ivan BUL 2673 – 7
3. GM Petrosian Tigran L ARM 2657 – 7
4. GM Nabaty Tamir ISR 2553 – 7
5. IM Grigoryan Karen H ARM 2517 – 7
6. GM Tikkanen Hans SWE 2566 – 6.5
7. IM Gabuzyan Hovhannes ARM 2457 – 6.5
8. GM Nikolov Momchil BUL 2553 – 6.5
9. IM Das Arghyadip IND 2482 – 6.5
10. IM Thejkumar M S IND 2450 – 6.5

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Tigran Petrosian, Maria Kursova are Armenia National Chess Champion

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

Hello everyone,

Armenia has just got their new national chess champions - Maria Kursova earned 9 points out of possible 11 to win the crown and was followed by Anna Hayrapetyan (8,5 points) and Yevgenia Dolukhanova (6,5 points). Winners of 1st-3rd places gained an entry to 2013 Armenian Championship; winners of 1st-5th and 6th-8th places will qualify for European Individual Championship and Aeroflot Open respectively, according to PanArmenian.

Tigran L. Petrosian has won the Armenian Men’s Chess Championship to be included in the country’s national team. Robert Hovhannisyan finished second, followed by Samvel Ter-Sahakyan. Winners of 1st-3rd places gained an entry to 2013 Armenian Championship; winners of 1st-5th and 6th-8th places qualified for European Individual Championship and Aeroflot Open respectively.

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