Indian city sets world record in most chess games at a time

Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010

The ground for the Swarnim Chess Mahotsav

world record in Ahmedabad, India.

Hi Everyone,

The Indian city of Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat was host to a new world record in with World Champion Viswanathan Anand as guest of honourt. Tarika Vara, representative of Guinness book of records presented Guinness record certificate to Gujarat government’s Bhagyesh Jha and others for achievement of new world record of highest number of players (20,000) playing a game of chess simultaneously at one place.

El Zocalo, Mexico City’s central square, had set the earlier record when 13,446 players had assembled to play chess on October 21, 2006. Former world champion Anatoly Karpov was the guest of honour in Mexico.

Speaking at the event, World No.1 Chess grand master Viswanathan Anand said, "I Can't tell you how incredibly proud at this point of time. This is amazing event."

Guinness Book representative Tarika Vara said, "I am truly amazed with the talent and turnout here. It's great pleasure to announce that 22480 played Chess at this place simultaneously, and have created a new world record."

Guinness Book of Records representatives said in the previous record-breaking event in Mexico, there was no blind player involved. But there were 140 visually challenged players in Ahmedabad.

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

IM Dean Ippolito to attempt World Record for chess simul

Capablanca: World Record for highest win

percentage in a simul. That's an 88-year-old record.

Hello Everyone,

Playing one game of chess requires strength and energy apart from tremendous focus. You can imagine then how a simul takes one to the limits of one's physical and mental abilities.

How far can one go? A 100 games at a time? Maybe, more. Well! the world record for the most games during a simul is held by Iranian Grandmaster Morteza Majoob who is 29 years old. He set the record on August 13, 2009 in Tehran in an event titled 'Rokh-dar-rokh 500 (rook vs. rook 500)'. It included 200 professional chess players, 280 chess enthusiasts and 20 cinema actors and sportsmen. Majoob finished with 397 wins, 90 draws and 13 draws for a score of 442/500. That's an 88.4 win percentage.

Iranian grandmaster Morteza Majoob during

his simul world record in 2009.

IM Dean Ippolito is going to attempt to break that record on November 27, 2010. If Ippolito has to break that record then he will have to walk at least 26.2 miles. That's a marathon. He will also have to play for least 18 straight hours and notch up at least a 75 win percentage.

IM Ippolito also wants to break the 88-year-old winning percentage record in a simultaneous, which was set by former World Champion Jose Raul Capablanca, who played 102 games and won 101 and drew 1 for a 99.5 percent win percentage.

IM Ippolito has not lost a game in a simultaneous since the early 90s, which includes simultaneous wins against Masters, National Champions, and other top chess players. IM Ippolito routinely plays 50-player exhibitions and has played several exhibitions with over a 100 players, one of the first such when he was just 10 years old.

If you want to be part of the world record attempt you can sign up here.

IM Ippolito grew up in Boonton, NJ and currently resides in Whitehouse Station, NJ with his wife and two kids.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com