S. Asian Amateur Chess in Kathmandu

KATHMANDU: Nepal is hosting the first South Asian Amateur Chess Championship next month with around 100 players from the region taking part in the inaugural edition to be held from February 1-6.

“We are hosting such big event of chess for the first time in South Asia and we need cooperation from all the quarters of society,” said Rajesh Hari Joshi, President of Nepal Chess Association, at a press meet today.

Around 100 players including 30 women from all the South Asian nations except for Afghanistan have confirmed their participation in the February 1-6 tournament — for below 2,000-rated players — to be held at the Russian Culture Centre. “The number of participants might go up as we have also invited top two players each from Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bhutan,” added Joshi.

As of now 60 Nepali players including 10 women have confirmed their names for the championship that offers a cash purse of Rs 222,000, informed Press Coordinator Herakaji Maharjan, who is also the Secretary of NCA. The top three players will receive Rs 50,000, Rs 35,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively. Others in the top 15 will also get their share of cash prizes. Likewise, the winners in other categories — unrated, women, veteran, U-15, rated below 1,600, 1,699 and 1,799 — will also get cash.

“The World Chess Federation has provided us financial help for this tournament but we are planning to make it big in future. We have decided to propose the world chess governing body to make it an official event during the FIDE congress in August in Norway,” Joshi added.

National Sports Council, Nepal Tourism Board and Hotel Mountain are the partners of the tournament to managed by Kathmandu District Chess Association. After the tournament, Geoffrey D Borg, Chief Executive Officer at the FIDE will conduct the Trainer’s Seminar from February 7-9. -- Agencies

* South Asian Amateur Chess in Kathmandu 

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Gibraltar Chess 2014: The 1st Move

The first move of the 2014 Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival at The Gibraltar Masters tournament took place this afternoon at the Caleta Hotel. 

Tradewise Chairman James Humphreys makes the first move against England No.1 Michael Adams. Standing is Adams' Round 1 opponent Spanish player FM Emilio Miguel Sanchez Jerez from Murcia. Photos: Sophie Triay

At precisely 3pm (Gibraltar time/India time 7.40) James Humpreys, Chairman of Tradewise Gibraltar Insurance Ltd, the main sponsor of this event made the first move on the top board against top seeded player Grandmaster Michael Adams, England’s No.1 and ranked 13th in the world. In his first round game GM Adams is playing against one of the many Spanish players in this festival FM Emilio Miguel Sanchez Jerez from Murcia.

James Humpreys, whose company has been sponsoring the game for nine years, four of them as the main sponsor, welcomed the players and wished them well.

“Have a great time!” he told them all.

As play began he spoke of the importance of the development of chess on the Rock and of the Festival itself.

“Tradewiseis becoming synonymous with chess as much as it is to insurance and this is important for Gibraltar. In chess we have Tata Steel, and I am hoping that over the years Tradewise will be exactly the same as that company in its association with the festival,” he said.

Moments later the 252 chess players in The Masters from some 60 countries made their opening moves in the tournament which is being held over the next 10 days over 10 rounds.

The top woman player this year is Anna Muzychuk (Slovenia).

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Gibraltar Chess Begins - Watch Live 7.40 pm 70 GMs from 60 Countries!

The pairings for the start of the 2014 Masters Chess tournament which kicks off today at 3 pm local time (India time 7.40 pm) were drawn last night by Gibraltar’s Sport,Culture and Heritage Minister Steven Linares at the Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Gibraltar Tradewise Chess Festival. Minister StevenLinares welcomed all the players to Gibraltar “those who have annually been coming to this tournament and to those who are here for the first time.”

Mr Linares once again pledged the Gibraltar Government’s commitment to the tournament which has grown annually over the past 12 years.

“It is a great pleasure to be part of the biggest tournament and event annually in Gibraltar,” he said.

“As it continues to grow the Government will continue to support it as it does others. But this tournament takes the biscuit. It is the biggest tournament the Government has ever been involved with,” he added.

 

Minister for Sports Culture, Heritage and Youth, The Hon. Steven Linares draws the black pieces, in round 1, for top seed GM Mickey Adams (left). Photos: Sophie Triay (and below) Cheer for India: Pentala Harikrishna, Tania Sachdev, Surya Sekhar Ganguly.

 

In a relaxed and friendly atmosphere Minister Linares told England’s No.1 and ranked 13th in the world GM Mickey Adams, “It’s black!”

Adams plays on the top board today against FM Emilio Miguel Sanchez Jerez from Spain. GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave from France is paired with Peter Lombaers from the Netherlands. GM Vassily Ivanchuk from Ukraine is paired with IM Leon Lederman. GM Nikita Vitiugovfrom Russia is paired with IM Petter Haugli from Norway.

Hosting the night Director of the tournament, Stuart Conquest, spoke of the tournament’s many accomplishments over the years.

“This is a story of continued success,” he said which this year welcomes close to 70 Grandmasters from 60 nations.

The Live Commentary from the studio with Simon Williams and Irina Krush (Reigning women's USA Chess Champion). There are 252 chessplayers in the Gibraltar Masters this year with around 370 playing in all three tournaments. Sixty countries are being represented this year.

For all information, as well as live commentaries, Masterclasses, and interviews, the dedicated festival website, powered by Gibtelecom, is www.gibraltarchesscongress.com. The festival venue is the Caleta Hotel. The festival closes on Thursday, February 6th, with a banquet and prize-giving ceremony.

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Gary Kasparov Press Conference in Wijk aan Zee Video (Updated)

Former world #chess champion Gary Kasparov and Fide election 2014 candidate addresses a press conference in Wijk aan Zee on the sidelines of the 76th Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2014. New in Chess editor, Dutch sports journalist, Dirk Jan Ten Geuzendam conducts the press conference for the organisers.  

I believe I will be opening the (world chess championship 2014) match in November 2014 (as FIDE president) between Magnus Carlsen and the Khanty-Mansiysk Candidates winner: Gary Kasparov.

I am grateful for Magnus Carlsen being an inspiration for so many players: Kasparov on the 'end of draws'  

* NY Times article

* FIDE announcement in reference to the article

* FIDE letter to Ignatius Leong seeking resignation

* Kasparov election website 

* Chessdom interview with Morten Sand

* Fide responds to payment questions raised by Kasparov

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Tata Steel Chess: Aronian Leads; Harikrishna beats Nakamura

Second-highest rated Indian, Grandmaster Pentala Harikrishna has clocked two straight wins in Rounds 8 and 9 beating Hikaru Nakamura and Arkadij Naiditsch. Meanwhile, Armenia's Levon Aronian - the world no. 2 - retains lead a full 1.5 points ahead of the rest of the field.

 

Gary Kasparov will open Round 10 in Wijk aan Zee on Saturday and also be in the commentary room. -- Official website

Earlier, in Round 4, the Indian Grandmaster drew with Loek van Wely. In Round 5 Harikrishna lost to Anish Giri and allowed Fabiano Caruana to escape with a draw in Round 6. Harikrishna lost to Richard Rapport in Round 7, but returned to pick up two straight wins in Round 8 and 9. 

World No. 2 Levon Aronian continues to lead the group and is set to win the title with only two rounds to go. 

 

 

 

 

The 76th edition of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament is taking place January 10-26, 2014 in two groups (instead of the traditional three), with twelve players in each, instead of fourteen. Two rounds will be played in Amsterdam and Eindhoven. 

Standings after Round 9

1. Levon Aronian 7

2. Anish Giri

3. Fabiano Caruana

4. Leinier Dominguez

5. Sergey Karjaki all at 5.5

6. Pentala Harikrishna 

7. Wesley So both at 5.0

8. Loek van Wely 4.5

9. Richard Rapport

10. Hikaru Nakamura both at 3.5

11. Boris Gelfand 2.4

12. Arkadij Naiditsch 1.5

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Tata Steel Chess R3: Harikrishna in Joint Lead with win over Dominguez

India's second highest rated chess Grandmaster, Pentala Harikrishna is cruising along in joint lead at the 76th Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee with two points from three rounds. Tuesday was a rest day. The fourth round resumes on Wednesday and you can watch it Live at the official website.

Harikrishna has scored two very commendable draws versus World No. 2 Levon Aronian and World No. 11 Sergey Karjakin. In the first round, Levon Aronian said, "it was a strange game" and he did not feel that he could push his position too much. Both players agreed to a repetition of moves. 

In the second round, Sergey Karjakin and Pentala Harikrishna quickly reached a position in the Queen’s Gambit declined that looked highly drawish. Karjakin had the slightly better bishop but Harikrishna defended adequately for a draw.

For the third round, Pentala Harikrishna and Leinier Dominguez played out a Sicilian Najdorf. Neither player managed to obtain a clear advantage out of the opening. An endgame with both sides having rooks and opposite-coloured bishops was reached. Harikrishna later said: “His moves 27. …b6 and 32. …a5 were too committal and after that only I could play for a win.” Dominguez was left with a difficult defensive task and when Harikrishna pushed his passed d-pawn things got dangerous for Dominguez. When Harikrishna obtained a passed c-pawn as well it was only a matter of time before the Indian Grandmaster got his first win of the tournament.

Round 4 - Wednesday the 15thGiri, A. - So, W.
Gelfand, B. - Naiditsch, A.
Aronian, L. - Nakamura, H.
Karjakin, S. - Rapport, R.
Dominguez, L. - Caruana, F.
Van Wely, L. - Harikrishna, P

Schedule

The Tata Steel Chess Tournament has two main tournaments. They are played according to the 'round robin' system, whereby each competitor plays in turn against every other during the tournament. The Tata Steel Masters has 12 players and the Tata Steel Challengers has 14 players. Both groups start on January 11th 2014. All rounds in Wijk aan Zee begin at 13.30 hours, except for the last round on January 26th, which begins at 12.00 hours. The two rounds in Amsterdam and Eindhoven start at 14:00 hours.
Time control

The time control is: 100 minutes for 40 moves, followed by 50 minutes for 20 moves, then 15 minutes for the remaining moves with 30 seconds cumulative increment for each move starting from the first move. (With inputs via official website)

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