Thursday, November 17, 2005

Insurance for Chess Players

Chess Master Insurance is proud to announce insurance for the chess community.

They can provide Global Medical Insurance for American's travelling and living abroad as well as non- American citizens travelling to or living and working in the United States. Chess Master Insurance also provides dental , vision, medical insurance, prescription drug cards and guaranteed issue life insurance with no medical underwriting.

For more information about these plans, check out their website:

www.chessmasterinsurance.com

Friday, July 22, 2005

Chess Masterminds Television Show and Webcast

For Immediate Release
“Chess MasterMinds” show
Nashville, Tennessee
July 21, 2005

On Sunday, July 24th, 2005, the world will see a chess match that has not been done in 60 years. This is the first distance chess match to be held between the old Soviet Union, (Russia) and the USA since the end of WWII and the start of the cold war. It can be viewed on broadcast TV in 35 markets in the US(visit www.chessmasterminds.com for station listings) or viewed over the internet at www.martinbroadcasting.com .
July 10, 2005 games are the first of three distance chess matches that are scheduled between Russian and U.S. players. The games will be 20-minute matches between four Russian chess grandmasters vs. four U.S. chess grandmasters. The games will be played over the Internet using e-boards. The players for the first match are located in St. Petersburg, Russia and Nashville, Tennessee. The production of this event, provided by Nashville International Studios, (NIS), will be taped on July 10th, 2005, in Nashville, Tennessee, with feeds coming in from Russia. The show will be called Chess MasterMinds and will be aired Sunday, July 24th, 2005. Mention the word Chess and the first thing that comes to people’s minds is a pair of old men in dark stuffy rooms, huddled over a chessboard. The game has changed.
This is a "distance chess" match series of 10-, 20- or 30-minute games between chess grandmasters from different parts of the world. In addition, these matches will be produced for video and made available to the rest of the world through satellite up-links. Featured in this event of the century will be some of the world’s greatest chess grand masters, such as, Susan Polgar, who has ranked in the top three in the world for the last twenty years. Polgar is currently ranked #1 in the United States.

Not only is Polgar a dynamic player, she is rated as one of the best players in the world in both the men and women’s divisions. Her passion for teaching chess to children and young girls and women has truly earned Polgar the title of “Chess Ambassador”.

Also in the match for the U.S. team is Grand Master, Alex Onischuk is indeed “The Rock”. Rated #59 in the world, his defense and counter attacks have made for some of the most dramatic play over the board of battle. Using a style similar to boxing legend Muhammad Ali’s “rope a dope”; Alex will wait until an attacker has “punched himself out” and then deliver a lethal combination. Onischuk was the Olympiad Silver Medalist in 1996 and Bronze Medalist in 1998. He competed in the 2004 US Olympiad team and playing board number one, placed fourth in the overall games.

On the Russian Team, we will have Alexander Khalifman, he is rated #42 in the World, and has become one of the strongest contemporary chess players in the world. An International Grandmaster in 1990, he became The Champion of Russia in 1996. He has been the winner of World Chess Olympiads three times (1992, 2000 and 2002); Khalifman was a two-time Saint-Petersburg Champion, winning in 1996 and 1997. He was the FIDE World champion in 1999. In addition, Khalifman was the winner of the World Team Championship in 1997 and the Europe Team Championship 2003. In addition to being an excellent player, he is a respected chess journalist and the founder of grandmaster chess school and website.

This young player for the Russian team, Konstantin Sakaev, rated #30 in the world, was born on April 13, 1974, and is one of the leading Russian chess players. He became an International Grandmaster in 1992. He was the winner of the Youth Russian Championship in 1990, as well as the three-time winner of the World Youth Championship games in 1990, 1991 and 1992.

Sakaev participated in four of last FIDE World Championships (1999, 2000, 2001, and 2004). He was the Champion of Russia in 1999, the Champion of Saint Petersburg in 1990 as well as a two-time winner of World Chess Olympiads in 1998 and 2000. Sakaev is a four-time winner of Russia Club Championship (1992, 1995, 2000 and 2001).

Our commentators hosting the Chess MasterMinds show will be Paul Truong and Phil Innes. Paul Truong is the FIDE Master and Captain and Manager of the 2004 Women’s Olympiad Silver Medalist team and an 11 time Champion. Phil Innes created program for qualitative assessment of on-line arts education, which appeared before Senate Technology Committee, Washington D.C. Synchronously with business activities, worked with the inventor of chess broadcasting technologies in St. Petersburg, Russia, since 1996, to promote greater world-wide interactions and audiences for chess.

The match will also include two arbiters. The U.S. Arbiter is Harry Sabine and the Russian Arbiter is Igor Bolotinsky, who is now the #2 Arbiter in Russia.

There could be no other choice for the music in this show, but to have Bering Strait, a band from Nashville that consists of brilliant young Russians to perform and be featured in Chess MasterMinds. The band earned a 2002 Grammy award nominee for best “Country” music instrumental and the group was featured in a documentary film directed by Nina Gilden Seavey, “The Ballad of Bering Strait”. The striking story of the band growing up outside of Moscow in Obninsk, where the members of Bering Strait attended music school, fell in love with and mastered the American form of bluegrass, journeyed to the United States, and ended up recording their by then multi-faceted music for a major Nashville recording company. The band just released it’s new album, “Pages” on June 28th,2005. This new album definitely has the flavor of their Russian descent flowing through the music, giving it a very distinctive sound that is hard to place in any one genre of music.

In addition, Chess Masterminds is in the planning stage for a match on October 29th, with former President Gorbachev. He has agreed to visit Lindsborg, Kansas, to promote a Chess for Peace program at the Karpov International School of Chess. We are looking forward to host former President Carter at the same time to make the first ever chess match with two former Presidents and Nobel Prize winners.

Please see the website for further information at www.chessmasterminds.com or contact Diana Macys-Staley for media inquiries at 615/596-6280 or email at dianamacys@yahoo.com.

Sunday, July 03, 2005

CHESS MASTERMINDS MATCH BROADCAST

For Immediate Release
“Chess MasterMinds” show
Nashville, Tennessee
June 29, 2005

On Sunday, July 24th, 2005, the world will see a chess match that has not been done in 60 years. This is the first distance chess match to be held between the old Soviet Union, (Russia) and the USA since the end of WWII and the start of the cold war.
July 10, 2005 will be date of the first of three distant chess matches that are scheduled between Russian and U.S. players. The games will be 20-minute matches between four Russian chess grandmasters vs. four U.S. chess grandmasters. The games will be played over the Internet using Shahcom’s e-boards. The players for the first match are located in St. Petersburg, Russia and Nashville, Tennessee. The production of this event, provided by Nashville International Studios, (NIS), will be taped on July 10th, 2005, in Nashville, Tennessee, with feeds coming in from Russia. The show will be called Chess MasterMinds and will be aired Sunday, July 24th, 2005. Mention the word Chess and the first thing that comes to people’s minds is a pair of old men in dark stuffy rooms, huddled over a chessboard. The game has changed.
This is a distant chess match series of 10-, 20- or 30-minute games between chess grandmasters from different parts of the world. In addition, these matches will be produced for video and made available to the rest of the world through satellite up-links. Featured in this event of the century will be some of the world’s greatest chess grand masters, such as, Susan Polgar, who has ranked in the top three in the world for the last twenty years. Polgar is theked #1 ranked female in the United States.


Not only is Polgar a dynamic player, she is rated as one of the best players in the world in both the men and women’s divisions. Her passion for teaching chess to children and young girls and women has truly earned Polgar the title of “Chess Ambassador”.

Also in the match for the U.S. team is Grand Master, Alex Onischuk is indeed “The Rock”. Rated #59 in the world, his defense and counter attacks have made for some of the most dramatic play over the board of battle. Using a style similar to boxing legend Muhammad Ali’s “rope a dope”; Alex will wait until an attacker has “punched himself out” and then deliver a lethal combination. Onischuk was the Olympiad Silver Medalist in 1996 and Bronze Medalist in 1998. He competed in the 2004 US Olympiad team and playing board number one, placed fourth in the overall games.

On the Russian Team, we will have Alexander Khalifman, he is rated #42 in the World, and has become one of the strongest contemporary chess players in the world. An International Grandmaster in 1990, he became The Champion of Russia in 1996. He has been the winner of World Chess Olympiads three times (1992, 2000 and 2002); Khalifman was a two-time Saint-Petersburg Champion, winning in 1996 and 1997. He was the FIDE World champion in 1999. In addition, Khalifman was the winner of the World Team Championship in 1997 and the Europe Team Championship 2003. In addition to being an excellent player, he is a respected chess journalist and the founder of grandmaster chess school and website.

Konstantin Sakaev, rated #30 in the world, was born on April 13, 1974, and is one of the leading Russian chess players. He became an International Grandmaster in 1992. He was the winner of the Youth Russian Championship in 1990, as well as the three-time winner of the World Youth Championship games in 1990, 1991 and 1992.

Sakaev participated in four of last FIDE World Championships (1999, 2000, 2001, and 2004). He was the Champion of Russia in 1999, the Champion of Saint Petersburg in 1990 as well as a two-time winner of World Chess Olympiads in 1998 and 2000. Sakaev is a four-time winner of Russia Club Championship (1992, 1995, 2000 and 2001).

Our commentators hosting the Chess MasterMinds show will be Paul Truong and Phil Innes. Paul Truong is the FIDE Master and Captain and Manager of the 2004 Women’s Olympiad Silver Medalist team and an 11 time Champion. Phil Innes created program for qualitative assessment of on-line arts education, which appeared before Senate Technology Committee, Washington D.C. Synchronously with business activities, worked with the inventor of chess broadcasting technologies in St. Petersburg, Russia, since 1996, to promote greater world-wide interactions and audiences for chess.

The match will also include two arbiters. The U.S. Arbiter is Harry Sabine and the Russian Arbiter is Igor Bolotinsky, who is now the #2 Arbiter in Russia.

There could be no other choice for the music in this show, but to have Bering Strait, a band from Nashville that consists of brilliant young Russians to perform and be featured in Chess MasterMinds. The band earned a 2002 Grammy award nominee for best “Country” music instrumental and the group was featured in a documentary film directed by Nina Gilden Seavey, “The Ballad of Bering Strait”. The striking story of the band growing up outside of Moscow in Obninsk, where the members of Bering Strait attended music school, fell in love with and mastered the American form of bluegrass, journeyed to the United States, and ended up recording their by then multi-faceted music for a major Nashville recording company. The band just released it’s new album, “Pages” on June 28th,2005. This new album definitely has the flavor of their Russian descent flowing through the music, giving it a very distinctive sound that is hard to place in any one genre of music.
In addition, NIS is in the planning stage for a match on October 29th, with former President Gorbachev. He has agreed to visit Lindsborg, Kansas, to promote a Chess for Peace program at the Karpov International School of Chess. We are looking forward to host former President Carter at the same time to make the first ever chess match with two former Presidents and Nobel Prize winners.

Please see the website for further information at www.chessmasterminds.com or contact Diana Macys-Staley for media inquiries at 615/596-6280 or email at dianamacys@yahoo.com.

Thursday, May 26, 2005

Sam Sloan Albian Gambit Video

Chessmaster Sam Sloan has produced a free instructional chess lesson. Sources indicate it covers the Albin Counter Gambit. Here is the link :
http://www.ishipress.com/samchess2.asf

Son of FIDE President Kirsan Ilumzhinov Badly Beaten

MosNewsPolice have badly beaten the son of Kirsan Ilumzhinov, president ofthe Republic of Kalmykia and the head of the FIDE chess organization,Regnum reported Thursday.16-year-old David Ilumzhinov was out street racing with two friends ata deserted airport near Elista, the republic's capital. The cityadministration permits street racing at the airfield.Four policemen, among them the head of Elista's criminal investigationdepartment, Vitaly Elkuev, were off duty and drinking alcohol near theairport, Regnum reports, when they decided to check the teenagers'documents and look in the trunk of their car.The president's son told the policemen his name and asked forpermission to leave, but he and his friends were then beaten up.Afterwards the boys left in their car with the policemen chasing them,the agency reports. As a result of the high-speed chase the boy's carcrashed.In spite of the injuries that the youngsters sustained in theaccident, they were once more beaten up by the drunk policemen. Allthree of them are currently in the hospital.Three of the four policemen have been detained, the republic'sprosecutor, Sergei Khlopushin, told journalists. They are accused ofexceeding their authority, but the severity of the charges now dependson the condition of the victims, which remains unstable, Regnum adds.Kirsan Ilumzhinov became Kalmykia's president in 1993 at the age of30. He was reelected in 1995 with 85 percent of the vote. He has alsobeen the president of FIDE chess federation since 1995.

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Welcome Susan Polgar To Blogging!

This is wonderful news for the chess community. Susan Polgar, the legendary four times womens world chess champion, has created her own blog! This is another wonderful outreach program by GM Polgar. Visit her site often and interact with the greatest woman's champion of all time! http://www.susanpolgar.blogspot.com/

Friday, May 13, 2005

MTEL Masters Super Tournament

SIX TOP CHESS PLAYERS AT THE "M-TEL MASTERS" SUPER TOURNAMENT
The competition is part of the "Ten Years of Mobiltel" Anniversary
Mobiltel and Kaissa Chess Management, Agency of Silvio Danailov, Manager of the best Bulgarian chess player Veselin Topalov, are going to organize an international Super chess tournament May 11th - 22nd, 2005 in Sofia.
The event constitutes a part of the festivities on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the biggest Bulgarian mobile operator (www.mobiltel.bg).
The competition will be attended by 6 of the best chess players on the planet: Viswanathan Anand (India), Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria), Vladimir Kramnik (Russia), Ruslan Ponomariov (Ukraine), Michael Adams (England) and Judit Polgar (Hungary).
The tournament belongs to the 20th Category of FIDE. According to average ELO this will be toughest tournament in the world for the current year. The Tournament's Regulation provides for the holding of 2 rounds with seven-hours' time control, classical chess. This way every participant will be able to play two games against the others. If there is a draw at the top, a tie-break will be provided for which has to determine the winner in the Tournament of Sofia.
The venue is the five-star luxury Grand Hotel Sofia (www.grandhotelsofia.bg) where the opening and the closing ceremony of the Tournament will be organized.
During the rest day Grand Master Veselin Topalov will give a simul to chess fans at the garden in front of the National Theater. Mobiltel will provide and set up 10 marble chess play tables in the garden.
For a second year in a row Mobiltel has been sponsoring the best Bulgarian chess player. In February last year the mobile operator organized a demonstration TV match between the rapid chess World Champion Viswanathan Anand and Topalov.

Sunday, April 17, 2005

2005 EUROPEAN CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP DATES SET

The portal is now open fro application to the 2005 Individual European Championship. Consult the URL:-
http://www.eurochamp.pl/
The Championship will be held from June 17th (day of arrival) until July 3rd (day of departure), 2005 in Warsaw - Zegrze Poludniowe (about 35 km from the Warsaw Airport and 30km from the Warsaw Central Railway Station). The Technical Meeting will take place on June 17th at 8 p.m. at the tournament hall at the Hotel 500, Zegrze Poludniowe, Warszawska 31A
The championship will be 13 rounds, played in the Swiss system in accordance with the ECU Tournament Rules and FIDE Laws of Chess. The playing time will be 90 minutes for 40 moves plus 15 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per a move, starting from move 1.
The European Championship is open to all players representing the Chess Federations which comprise the European Chess Union (FIDE zones 1.1 to 1.9) regardless of their title or rating. There is also no limit of participants per federation, however applications have to be sent by the national federations, only.
The European Individual Championship 2005 is a qualification event for the next World Chess Championship. According to the decision passed by the ECU Board, 34 players will qualify for the WCC.
The Guaranteed Total Prize Fund (after the deduction of required payments of around 25.000 Euros to the ECU and to FIDE) is 120.000 Euros. Moreover, the top 10 players with highest ratings will receive all inclusive accommodation in a single room, at the expense of the organizers.
Information courtesy of Bartlomiej Macieja.
//Phil Innes

Saturday, April 16, 2005

Kasparov Injured in Political Assault!

News From Chessbase:

Kasparov assaulted in Moscow16.04.2005 Garry Kasparov was attacked after a meeting with youth activists in Moscow. He was approached by an autograph seeking participant. The young man circled Kasparov and delivered a sharp blow to the head with the chessboard. A Russian news agency places the blame on the pro-Putin organisation Nashi. We spoke to Kasparov
The Russian news agency Interfax news agency quotes Kasparov's advisor Marina Litvinovich, who described the events as follows: Garry Kasparov, co-chair of the Fair Elections 2008 party, was subjected to an attack on Friday night. After a meeting with youth activists in Moscow he was approached by one of the participants with a chessboard. The young man asked the 13th chess world champion for an autograph, but then suddenly went behind Kasparov and delivered a strong blow to Kasparov's head, yelling obscenities as he did os. The attacker was taken out by the people present according to Litvinovich. Kasparov suffered an acute haematoma (Russian gematoma, hemorrhage), but declined to seek immediate medical treatment.
Litvinovich added that Kasparov was meeting with the activists of youth movement in order to discuss tactics and strategy of creating a united democratic front.
Friday, April 15, 22:32h (Moscow time): NEWSru.com is reporting the incident, the first media outlet to do so in Russia. In essence they confirm what we have reported, and place the blame for the incident on a pro-Putin youth movement called "Walking Together" (Nashi), founded by Vasilii Yakemenko. The goal of this new "anti-fascist" movement is to put an end to the "anti-Fatherland union of oligarchs, anti-Semites, Nazis, and liberals." [See: Walking with Putin]. Such incidents are becoming more common in Russia today. Yakemenko has declared war on the "unnatural union of liberals and fascists, occidentophiles and ultras-nationalist, international funds and terrorists that exist today. They are united by only one thing – hatred for Putin. In this situation we will work for the support of Putin and consider those our enemies who do not share his political views". [Full NEWSru report in Russian].
Saturday, April 16, 11:00h (Moscow time): Kasparov's family have confirmed to us that the injury was not serious and that Garry in fact was at the moment attending a meeting. But of course everyone is terrified. Kasparov now has a security detail allocated to him.
Kommersant.com has reported on Kasparov's recent visit to St. Petersburg to lauch the local chapter of his party there. He and State Duma’s deputy Vladimir Ryzhkov officially announced that they would create their own party after all attempts to set up a united democratic party based on the Committee-2008 had come to a standstill. Kasparov said his objective is to get 40 percent in the next State Duma, and to attract all political forces in order to do so:“From the radically right to the radically left, there is a political morass. Our chance to win is to take in everyone." The new party needs a 50,000-member minimum to be registered. [Full Kommersant report]
Chris Major of Mountain View, USA sent us a link to what he calls "by far the best Kasparov interview I've read. It entitled 'Kasparov's secret: great enemies' and appeared in the Australian Financial Review/Harvard Business Review – whod'a thunk? The interviewer was female, maybe that made Garry let loose?"
Another reader named Dave sent us a link to a page describing the symptoms and effects of hematoma. We just hope and assume that in Garry's case it is not subdural.
Saturday, April 16, 14:30h (Moscow time): We spoke to a somewhat grave and subdued Kasparov on the phone, and he confirmed that our reports so far were essentially accurate. We asked him exactly what transpired – was it thugs from the Yakemenko group?
Kasparov: There was no one group that instigated this. There were a number of groups of youth activists who were gathered at the meeting.
Why were you there?
Kasparov: They were gathered to meet me. There was a dialogue between us, I was telling them about my plans, we discussed the current political situation – a normal political meeting. Maybe I was agitating them a little.
Then what happened?
Kasparov: It was quite surprising and shocking. It happened so fast that nobody could intervene. I signed the chessboard for a "fan" and then turned away to talk to another person. He was telling me about his town, and I was looking at a local paper he showed me. Anyway, I had turned my head and this guy simply attacked me.
Didn't you have security?
Kasparov: Yes, there was security, but you know what it is like when you are signing autographs. Everybody crowds around, the security people step back.
The attacker was yelling obscenities, we hear...
Kasparov: Actually his behavior was a clear indication that this was planned. It was a provocation. He was shouting: "Call the police, beat me up, I don't care..." He was obviously counting on two reactions: either we call the police and have him arrested, or we attack him. But in fact we did nothing.
So what happened to him?
Kasparov: Nothing. We got his name, since he was registered for the meeting, but we decided to do nothing. We let him go, at least for the time being.
Now you have arranged special security?
Kasparov: Yes, in the future it will have to be different. But it is difficult to run a political campaign and at the same time avoid physical contact. It is young people, they want to talk to me, tell me things, get my autograph.
And the wound, it is not so serious?
Kasparov: It's very unpleasant, it hurts, but I'm not going to stop.
What are your immediate plans? Do you have more meetings lined up?
Kasparov: There are a few meetings here in Moscow, and then in a week I am heading for the countryside...
A holiday...?
Kasparov: No, to the countryside – rural Russia, for public events.
I understand, like to the Mid-West...
Kasparov: Yeah, exactly, but here it is the "Mid-East", it is all east of Moscow.
Well just be careful, will you.
Kasparov: Yes, obviously. Okay, I will have security, but [hums thoughfully] it is not going to be so easy.
Frederic Friedel

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

FISCHER FREE

On Thursday, March 24, 2005, Bobby Fischer will be released from the East Japan Immigration Detention Center in Ushiku, north of Tokyo, and he will drive to Narita Airport, to the east of Tokyo, for onward travel to his new home in Iceland. He will be joined by his fiancée, the women's chess champion of Japan, Ms. Miyoko Watai, who will fly to Iceland with him.
They should be leaving the detention center at 9:00 AM Japan time and arrive at Narita Airport sometime after 10:00 AM. At the airport, we will be trying to give Bobby Fischer a chance to speak to the media sometime between 10:00 AM and 12:00 noon. We hope he will be able to describe his Japanese ordeal and the two decades of harassment by the U.S. government for holding unapproved political views.
When he won the World Chess Championship in 1972 and took the title away from the Soviet Union, this true U.S. national hero showed the world how one freethinking man can defeat any system, no matter how powerful. By going forward, despite U.S. sanctions, with his rematch chess championship against Boris Spassky in Yugoslavia in 1992, he demonstrated that no government can stop a man from freely practicing his art anywhere on this planet. And now, over the past nine months, Bobby Fischer has proven that the individual can withstand the combined forces of the world's mightiest governments, whenever he has justice on his side.
We have witnessed a historic battle.
Bobby Fischer will be flying out of Tokyo's Narita Airport on the Scandinavian Airways flight to Copenhagen that leaves at 12:40 PM on Thursday.

Thursday, March 10, 2005

KASPAROV QUITS!!!!!!!!

Breaking news: Kasparov retires from professional chess 10.03.2005 The winner of Linares and the world's strongest chessplayer, Garry Kasparov, has just announced his retirement from professional chess. His games in Linares are the last in his professional career, that has spanned thirty years, with twenty on the top of the ratings list. Full details to follow.

Tuesday, March 08, 2005

Linares Tournament Rife with Draws!

By Lev Khariton
Look at the two positions that happened today, on March 6, 2005. These are the final positions from the games between Leko and Topalov () and Valljeho - Adams(You can find them at any chess site) Incredible! Are these positions drawish? Most unikely. But the top-notch grandmasters probably know better... What should be said is that in certain sports, say, boxing, wrestling and some others in such cases participants are disqualified for one year, two years, sometimes for life for the non-combat behavior. I allow myself to quote what I wrote here exactly one year ago commenting on Linares-2004: "The tournament in Linares this year was one of the most mystic events in recent chess history. It may be, in my view, compared only to the candidates' tournament in Curacao in 1962 when the three Soviet grandmasters (Keres, Petrosian and Geller) actually made a "draw deal" that allowed Petrosian to score the chess Olympus a year later"
Some years ago when Mr.Rentero was organizing the tournaments in Linares, he was very strict about these "grandmaster" draws. I remember that he ruled that in case of such draws grandmasters would have to pay a fine. Where is Senor Rentero now? And who would sponsor such participants next year?
To note: so far Leko has made nine draws.He has passed almost the whole tournament unscathed both by losses and ... wins!

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

LINARES CHESS TOURNAMENT

Linares Chess Tournament
(February 23 - March 10 / Linares, SPAIN)
Current standings:
1.- Kasparov +2
2-3 . Anand, Topalov +1
4-5 .Leko, Kasimdzhanov 0
6. Adams -1
7. Vallejo -3

Saturday, February 26, 2005

Strongest Players of All Time?

"From: "Hans Jørgen Lassen"
Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2005 05:36:56 +0100
Local: Fri, Feb 25 2005 8:36 pm
Subject: Question about Rating and Morphy.

In Warriors of the Mind (1989) by Keene and Divinsky an attempt was made to compare the playing strength of masters from different times. But such a project must not be taken too seriously. You have to make a lot of assumptions to establish a basis for you calculations, and in some cases, like Morphy's, the material is rather sparse.
Their final list:
1. Kasparov
2. Karpov
3. Fischer
4. Botvinnik
5. Capablanca
6. Lasker
7. Korchnoi
8. Spasski
9. Smyslov
10. Petrosian
11. Morphy

Thursday, February 24, 2005

USCF Moves to Tennessee

This is from the Nashville City PaperU.S. Chess Federation move seen as economic boon to Midstate
By William Williams, wwilliams@nashvillecitypaper.comFebruary 24, 2005
Chess is now big business in Tennessee.In April, the U.S. Chess Federation-sponsored Scholastic Super Nationals III will take place at Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, bringing 5,000-6,000 student competitors here and potentially pumping millions into the local economy.Last week the federation relocated its offices from New Windsor, N.Y., to temporary space in Crossville. That Tennessee presence, officials say, will bolster the Midstate economy with employee relocations, future events, ancillary businesses, etc.“Our people will be buying houses, renting apartments, shopping — the impact will be in the millions,” said Grant Perks, USCF chief financial officer.Perks said the federation eventually expects to have about 22-25 employees in Crossville. In addition, the group plans to build a permanent home for an estimated $525,000.The facility is to be built on land near Interstate 40 that the Crossville Housing Authority Center is deeding to the federation. The three-acre parcel of commercial land is valued at $264,000. “From a local standpoint, [the move of the headquarters and the April super nationals event] will be a great thing for us,” said Alvin Harris, Nashville-based vice president of The Foundation for Tennessee Chess. Gov. Phil Bredesen has trumpeted the USCF’s headquarters move, according to press secretary Lydia Lenker.“It adds diversity to the job base,” Lenker said of the move.Officials estimate the federation can generate a minimum of $1.5 million annually for the Midstate economy.Harry Sabine, a Crossville attorney and state scholastic coordinator of the Tennessee Chess Association, said landing the USCF headquarters is a matter of “prestige.” “It’s a huge plus to Nashville,” Sabine said, noting that future super national events could be in the offing for Music City.Rob Mitchell, a local insurance agent and member of the U.S. Chess Federation, said the state ranks fourth nationally in the number of scholastic chess players. Many participate in tournaments that can generate revenue for municipalities.“High schools are putting money into chess,” Mitchell said.

Deaths of Chess Players

I found this information on a web site by Bill Wall. http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/lab/7378/death.htm

Deaths of Chess Players
by Bill Wall

Georgy Agzamov (1954-1986) - Russian GM fell between some rocks at a beach and died
Alexander Alekhine (1892-1946) - choked to death on a piece of meat in 1946
Johann Allgaier (1763-1823) - dropsy
Adolf Anderssen (1818-1879) - heart attack
Vladimir Bagirov (1936-2000) - heart attack while playing chess in Finland
Rosendo Balinas (1941-1998) - liver cancer
Curt von Bardeleben (1861-1924) - threw himself out the window of his boarding home at age 63
Thomas Barnes (1825-1874) - too much weight loss at one time
Joseph Blackburne (1841-1924) - heart attack
Claude Bloodgood (1924-2001) - lung cancer while in prison for life
Samuel Boden (1826-1882) - died of typhoid fever
Efim Bogoljubov (1889-1952) - suffered a heart attack after a simultaneous display
Paolo Boi (1528-1598) - poisoned (murdered) in Naples
Mikhail Botvinnik (1911-1995) - cancer
Louis Bourdonnais (1795-1840) - stroke
Gyula Breyer (1893-1921) - heart disease
Henry Buckle (1821-1862) - typhoid fever
Ricardo Calvo (1943-2002) - esophagus cancer
Jose Capablanca (1888-1942) - died after watching a skittles game at the Manhattan Chess Club in 1942.
Rudolf Charousek (1873-1900) - tuberculosis
Mikhail Chigorin (1850-1908) - diabetes
Edgar Colle (1897-1932) - died after an operation for a gastric ulcer
Arthur Dake (1910-2000) - died in his sleep at age 90
Cecil de Vere (1845-1875) - tuberculosis
A. Deschapelles (1780-1847) - hydropsy
Ed Edmundson (1920-1982) - died of a heart attack while playing chess on a beach in Hawaii
Max Euwe (1901-1981) - heart attack
Janos Flesch (1933-1983) - died in a car wreck in England
Guillermo Garcia (1953-1990) - car wreck
Efim Geller (1925-1998) - cancer
Aivars Gipslis (1937-2000) - stroke while playing chess in Berlin
Karen Grigorian (1947-1989) - suicide by jumping
Nikolai Grigoriev (1895-1938) - appendicitis
Eduard Gufeld (1936-2002) - stroke
Alexander Ilyin-Genevsky (1894-1941) - died in the siege of Leningrad while on a barge
Dawid Janowsky (1868-1927) - tuberculosis
Klaus Junge - German army officer killed in action in 1945.
Paul Keres (1916-1975) - died of a heart attack returning home from a tournament in 1975.
George Koltanowski (1903-2000) - heart failure at the age of 93
Boris Kostic (1887-1963) - blood poisoning from a scratch
Nikolai Krylenko - executed in Stalin's purges in 1938.
Leonid Kubbel (1891-1942) - executed by firing squad in Leningrad
Salo Landau (1903-1944) - gassed by Nazis at a German concentration camp
Emanuel Lasker (1868-1941) - heart attack
Paul Leonhardt (1877-1934) - died of a heart attack while playing chess at a chess club in 1934.
George Mackenzie (1837-1891) - suicide: took an overdose of morphine
Frank Marshall (1877-1944) - died of a heart attack after leaving a chess tournament
Alexander McDonnell (1798-1835) - died of Bright's disease
Edmar Mednis (1937-2002) - pneumonia and cardiac arrest
Vera Menchik (1906-1944) - died in the German bombing of London
Tony Miles (1955-2001) - died in his sleep at age 46; he was diabetic
Johannes Minckwitz (1843-1901) - suicide: threw himself under a train
Paul Morphy (1837-1884) - died of a stroke while taking a cold bath
Miguel Najdorf (1910-1997) - heart attack
Aron Nimzovich (1886-1935) - died of pneumonia
Lembit Oll - suicide by jumping out of the window of his 4th story apartment
Louis Paulsen (1833-1891) - died of diabetes
Julius Perlis (1880-1913) - died in a mountain climb in the Alps in 1913.
Tigran Petrosian (1929-1984) - cancer
Vladimir Petrov (1908-1943) - died in a prison camp in Russia
Harry Pillsbury (1872-1906) - died of syphillis
David Przepiorka (1880-1940) - died in a mass execution outside Warsaw in 1940.
Cecil Purdy (1906-1979) - died of a heart attack while playing chess
Abram Rabinovich (1878-1943) - starvation
Samuel Reshevsky (1911-1992) - heart attack
Richard Reti (1889-1929) - died of scarlet fever
Karl Robatsch (1928-2000) - stomach and throat cancer
Nicholas Rossolimo (1910-1975) - fell from flight of stairs; died of head injuries
Pierre Saint-Amant (1800-1872) - died after a fall from his carriage
Carl Schlechter (1874-1918) - died from pneumonia and starvation
Vladimir Simagin (1919-1968) - died of a heart attack while playing in a tournament
Gideon Stahlberg (1908-1967) - heart attack during the 1967 Leningrad International tournament.
Howard Staunton (1810-1874) - died of a heart attack will writing a chess book
Leonid Stein (1934-1973) - heart attack
Herman Steiner (1905-1955) - heart attack after a California State Championship game
Alexei Suetin (1926-2001) - heart attack after a chess tournament
Mikhail Tal (1936-1992) - kidney failure
Mikhail Tchigorin (1850-1908) - died of diabetes
Karel Treybal - died a victim of the Nazis in 1941.
Alexi Troitzky (1866-1942) - died of starvation during the siege of Leningrad
Abe Turner (1924-1962) - stabbed 9 times in the back by a fellow employee at the Chess Review office
Alvis Vitolins (1938-1997) - suicide by jumping
Daniel Yanovsky (1925-2000) - cancer
Frederick Yates (1884-1932) - died in his sleep from a leak in a faulty gas pipe connection
Alexander Zaitsev - died of thrombosis as a consequence of a leg operation in 1971.
Johann Zukertort (1842-1888) - died of a stroke while playing chess at a London coffee-house
Stefan Zweig (1881-1942) - committed suicide.

Play chess and speak to Zed, the Chess Bot

Thought you might get a kick out of this. Zed has a mind of his own and eventually learns from conversations. Information you tell him one day will be updated. He then learns that information. Give him a try and tell your friends!
http://demo.vhost.pandorabots.com/pandora/talk?botid=97cfdd9a1e35339a&skin=zed2

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Iceland Issues Bobby Fischer a Passport

Iceland OKs passport for Fischer in JapanThe Associated Press
REYKJAVIK, Iceland — Icelandic immigration authorities agreed Tuesday to grant the former American chess champion Bobby Fischer a special passport for foreigners that would allow him to travel to Western Europe.
Lawmakers in Iceland last week rejected Fischer's citizenship application, prompting his supporters to apply on his behalf for a foreigner's passport.
The document would allow him to travel freely between the 15 Western European countries of the Schengen zone, a region covering much of Western Europe where passports are not required, but not to the United States, said Gudrun Ogmundsdottir, a member of Iceland's Parliament General Committee.
The United States has been seeking Fischer, 61, for more than a decade on charges of violating international sanctions against the former Yugoslavia by playing chess there in 1992.
The former chess champion has been detained in Tokyo since he was arrested six months ago for trying to board a plane to the Philippines with an invalid U.S. passport. Japan has ordered him deported to the United States.
A group of Fischer supporters — some of whom he befriended while in Iceland for his 1972 chess match against Soviet chess champion Boris Spassky — had petitioned the Icelandic government to grant Fischer citizenship.
“Fischer's dispute with the Japanese authorities is first and foremost due to him having been in Japan without a valid passport. This should solve that problem,” said Einar Einarsson, chairman of an Icelandic Bobby Fischer supporters group.
He said Fischer's passport would be ready today.
Ogmundsdottir said she hoped this would allow Japanese authorities to release Fischer.
“If they do not, then it is a question of whether we proceed with citizenship. Citizenship by parliamentary decree is granted twice a year,” Ogmundsdottir said.
The Schengen countries are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

Chess Game Posting

I recently completed my first online chess game at www.chessworld.net . Unlike most live java scripted games, the pace of this game is much slower. I actually had time to contemplate my moves without the pressure of time. I will post the game below and invite you to play over it yourself and add comments and annotations as you see fit.

[Event www.ChessWorld.net server game]
[Site
1. e2-e4 e7-e5 2. Bf1-c4 c7-c6 3. Ng1-f3 Ng8-f6 4. Nf3-g5 d7-d5 5. exd5 h7-h6 6. dxc6 hxg5 7. cxb7 Bc8xb7 8. O-O Qd8-c7 9. d2-d3 e5-e4 10. g2-g3 Nb8-d7 11. Nb1-d2 Nd7-e5 12. b2-b3 g5-g4 13. Bc1-b2 O-O-O 14. Qd1-e2 Ne5-f3 15. Nd2xf3 gxf3 16. Qe2-e3 Nf6-g4 17. Qe3xa7 Bf8-c5 18. Qa7-a4 Rh8xh2 19. Bb2xg7 Rh2xf2 20. Rf1xf2 Bc5xf2 21. Kg1-f1 Qc7xg3 22. Bc4-e6 Kc8-b8 23. Bg7-e5 Ng4xe5 24. Resigns
robmtchl wins as black
0-1

Welcome To World Of Chess

This site is intended to become a haven for the lovers of the game of chess and the drinkers of fine coffee. Yes , chess and coffee are linked forever and never shall the twain be seperated. If you know of an upcoming event, please let us know. I am new to blogging so you can help me make this site fun and informative!
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The Game is Afoot!