World Chess Fed: Karpov Says Major Leadership Changes Required

Former World Chess Champion Anatoly Karpov has beaten GM Yasser Seirawan in an exhibition chess match in Saint Louis. The match concluded with Karpov winning 8-6 (1-1 classical, 1-1 rapid, 6-4 blitz-Karpov). 

A live press conference broadcast around the world was held after the chess match. During the press conference, Macauley Petersen relayed a question posted by Daaim Shabazz of The Chess Drum - the most definite chess website/blog on Black chess community (12:50 in video). Karpov was asked whether he had any additional political ambitions in FIDE after having lost the 2010 elections. Karpov said FIDE was “wrongly led” and suggested that the current leadership be removed. 

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Bazna Kings Chess Postponed in Romania Due to Financial Crunch, Political Instability

A statement on the official website of the Bazna Kings Chess Tournament reads: Kings Tournament 6th Edition - Medias, Romania elo average 2767 "We are very sorry to announce that the 6th edition of the Kings Tournament is postponed. The global financial crisis and the instable political situation in Romania made it impossible to start the tournament on the initially announced dates."

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Garry Kasparov Nigel Short Blitz Chess Match 2011 Trailer Video

Chess blitz match between Garry Kasparov and Nigel Short took place in October 2011 in Leuven, Belgium. The blitz chess match celebrated the 5th jubilee edition of YourNextMove, a Belgian initiative to promote chess and support children between 6 and 12 years old. First Garry dominated, then Nigel fired back, and the decision came in the final game when Garry Kasparov beat Nigel Short 4.5-3.5. 

Kasparov and Short faced each other 18 years after their controversial battle for the world championship in London. In the early 90s they founded the Professional Chess Association (PCA), a rival organisation to FIDE which existed between 1993 and 1996. Nigel Short won the Candidates tournament and became Kasparov's challenger for the PCA World Championship. The match took place in the Savoy Theatre in London, under the sponsorship of The Times. Kasparov won 12.5-7.5 and became PCA World Chess Champion.

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Tal Chess Round 4: Viktorija Cmilyte Explains Win Over Hou Yifan

Here is the chess game in which Lithuania's Viktorija Cmilyte beat reigning women's world chess champion Hou Yifan in Kazan at the ongoing women's chess grand prix during round 4. Thursday was a rest day at the tournament. Elina Danielian of Armenia is leading the event after four rounds. 

Hou Yifan - Viktorija Cmilyte

Live transmission - both of the games and the playing hall - is available daily from India time 4.30 pm at the official website. Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, is hosting the FIDE Women's Grand Prix, part of a series of elite events organised by FIDE and Global Chess from June 9-23. There will be six tournaments over two years in various countries around the world. The winner of each tournament takes home 6,500 Euros, the total prize fund is 40,000 Euros. The overall winner will get a further 15,000 Euros at the end of the series. India's Koneru Humpy is also playing well at the tournament and is placed second with 2.5 points after four rounds.

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Breaking Chess News: Kasparov Committed to Ousting Fide Chief Ilyumzhinov

The legendary
Garry Kasparov

Garry Kasparov has confirmed to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (news not online yet) that he is firmly committed to push FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov out of office. (The interview was given to Stefan Löffler in Moscow.) The legendary world chess champion said he is likely running himself for Presidency at the next FIDE elections held in Tromsö, Norway, in August 2014, or otherwise, that he will support another candidate. He cites as his main motive the damage done to chess by Ilyumzhinov´s visits to dictators Saddam Hussein, Muammar al Gaddafi and, most recently in late April, to Bashar al Assad.

Having supported Bessel Kok in 2006 and, more strongly, Anatoly Karpov in 2010, Kasparov claims to have learned and is already working hard on a long-term campaign. He considers his worldwide efforts to bring chess into schools as a major part of his strategy and as a lead for FIDE to not just focus on chess as a sport but also to establish chess in the education system.
The story is in today´s (June 14) print edition, but not online (yet).

Link to the chess news break would be updated soon. (Earlier press conference comments in Moscow by Garry Kasparov on the sidelines of the World Chess Championship 2012.)

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Kazan Chess Round 4: Danielian in Sole Lead; Hou Loses to Cmilyte

The Kazan Chess Grand Prix Round 4 saw an upset for Women's World Chess Champion Hou Yifan as she lost to Viktorija Cmilyte. 

Viktorija Cmilyte - Hou Yifan

This is the second loss for the Chinese chess prodigy in the tournament. Meanwhile, Elina Danielian sacrificed an exchange with White and beat Tatiana Kosintseva. Humpy Koneru and Betul Yildiz were both struggling against time when Yildiz lost track and Koneru capitalised to win the point. Alisa Galliamova lost to Nadezhda Kosintseva. Two exciting games with fortunes swinging were played out for a draw by Anna Muzychuk - Katerina Lahno and Alexandra Kosteniuk – Antoaneta Stefanova. 

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