Akobian scores 1st US win

Match 1 - Game 1

Friedel, Joshua E (USA) 0-1 Wang, Hao (CHN)
Tomashevsky, Evgeny (RUS) 1-0 Ivanov, Alexander (USA)
Jobava, Baadur (GEO) 1-0 Robson, Ray (USA)
Hess, Robert L (USA) ½-½ Motylev, Alexander (RUS)
Kamsky, Gata (USA) 1-0 Antonio, Rogelio Jr (PHI)
Onischuk, Alexander (USA) * Flores, Diego (ARG)
Smirin, Ilia (ISR) * Ehlvest, Jaan (USA)
Shabalov, Alexander (USA) * Baklan, Vladimir (UKR)
Savchenko, Boris (RUS) * Shulman, Yuri (USA)
Akobian, Varuzhan (USA) 1-0 Tregubov, Pavel V. (RUS)

http://cup2009.fide.com/round.php

Saturday Open Forum

Magnus Carlsen convincinly won the World Blitz Championship. He became the youngest player to achieve this feat.

The World Cup has just begun in Khanty-Mansiysk.

It's Saturday Open Forum. The forum is yours. What would you like to discuss?

The WC round 1 matchups

World Cup 2009 Round 1 Game 1 (21.11.09)
Table			White	Fed	Results			Black	Fed
1	1	GM	Gelfand, Boris	ISR	-	128	IM	Obodchuk, Andrei	RUS
2	127	IM	Sarwat, Walaa	EGY	-	2	GM	Gashimov, Vugar	AZE
3	3	GM	Svidler, Peter	RUS	-	126	IM	Hebert, Jean	CAN
4	125	IM	Abdel Razik, Khaled	EGY	-	4	GM	Morozevich, Alexander	RUS
5	5	GM	Radjabov, Teimour	AZE	-	124	IM	Ezat, Mohamed	EGY
6	123	GM	Bezgodov, Alexei	RUS	-	6	GM	Ivanchuk, Vassily	UKR
7	7	GM	Ponomariov, Ruslan	UKR	-	122	GM	El Gindy, Essam	EGY
8	121	IM	Sriram, Jha	IND	-	8	GM	Grischuk, Alexander	RUS
9	9	GM	Jakovenko, Dmitry	RUS	-	120	GM	Rizouk, Aimen	ALG
10	119	GM	Kabanov, Nikolai	RUS	-	10	GM	Wang, Yue	CHN
11	11	GM	Eljanov, Pavel	UKR	-	118	GM	Al Sayed, Mohamad N.	QAT
12	117	GM	Rodriguez Vila, Andres	URU	-	12	GM	Karjakin, Sergey	UKR
13	13	GM	Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	AZE	-	116	GM	Kosteniuk, Alexandra	RUS
14	115	GM	Kunte, Abhijit	IND	-	14	GM	Shirov, Alexei	ESP
15	15	GM	Dominguez Perez, Leinier	CUB	-	114	GM	Smerdon, David	AUS
16	113	GM	Yu, Yangyi	CHN	-	16	GM	Movsesian, Sergei	SVK
17	17	GM	Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime	FRA	-	112	GM	Yu, Shaoteng	CHN
18	111	IM	Pridorozhni, Aleksei	RUS	-	18	GM	Alekseev, Evgeny	RUS
19	19	GM	Tomashevsky, Evgeny	RUS	-	110	GM	Ivanov, Alexander	USA
20	109	GM	Friedel, Joshua E	USA	-	20	GM	Wang, Hao	CHN
21	21	GM	Navara, David	CZE	-	108	GM	Laylo, Darwin	PHI
22	107	GM	Amin, Bassem	EGY	-	22	GM	Malakhov, Vladimir	RUS
23	23	GM	Bacrot, Etienne	FRA	-	106	GM	Nijboer, Friso	NED
24	105	GM	Morovic Fernandez, Ivan	CHI	-	24	GM	Rublevsky, Sergei	RUS
25	25	GM	Jobava, Baadur	GEO	-	104	IM	Robson, Ray	USA
26	103	GM	Hess, Robert L	USA	-	26	GM	Motylev, Alexander	RUS
27	27	GM	Kamsky, Gata	USA	-	102	GM	Antonio, Rogelio Jr	PHI
28	101	GM	Gupta, Abhijeet	IND	-	28	GM	Vitiugov, Nikita	RUS
29	29	GM	Bologan, Viktor	MDA	-	100	GM	Adly, Ahmed	EGY
30	99	GM	Hou, Yifan	CHN	-	30	GM	Naiditsch, Arkadij	GER
31	31	GM	Bu, Xiangzhi	CHN	-	98	GM	Pelletier, Yannick	SUI
32	97	GM	Pavasovic, Dusko (Withdrawn due to injury)	SLO	-	32	GM	Polgar, Judit	HUN
33	33	GM	Nisipeanu, Liviu-Dieter	ROU	-	96	GM	Lupulescu, Constantin	ROU
34	95	GM	Li, Chao b	CHN	-	34	GM	Sargissian, Gabriel	ARM
35	35	GM	Onischuk, Alexander	USA	-	94	GM	Flores, Diego	ARG
36	93	GM	Kryvoruchko, Yuriy	UKR	-	36	GM	Cheparinov, Ivan	BUL
37	37	GM	Efimenko, Zahar	UKR	-	92	GM	Milos, Gilberto	BRA
38	91	GM	Zhou, Weiqi	CHN	-	38	GM	Sutovsky, Emil	ISR
39	39	GM	Najer, Evgeniy	RUS	-	90	GM	Ghaem Maghami, Ehsan	IRI
40	89	GM	Iturrizaga, Eduardo	VEN	-	40	GM	Tiviakov, Sergei	NED
41	41	GM	Areshchenko, Alexander	UKR	-	88	GM	Corrales Jimenez, Fidel	CUB
42	87	GM	L'Ami, Erwin	NED	-	42	GM	Sasikiran, Krishnan	IND
43	43	GM	Smirin, Ilia	ISR	-	86	GM	Ehlvest, Jaan	USA
44	85	GM	Shabalov, Alexander	USA	-	44	GM	Baklan, Vladimir	UKR
45	45	GM	Ganguly, Surya Shekhar	IND	-	84	GM	Filippov, Anton	UZB
46	83	GM	Khalifman, Alexander	RUS	-	46	GM	Fier, Alexandr	BRA
47	47	GM	Fressinet, Laurent	FRA	-	82	GM	Sjugirov, Sanan	RUS
48	81	GM	Petrosian, Tigran L.	ARM	-	48	GM	Meier, Georg	GER
49	49	GM	Grachev, Boris	RUS	-	80	GM	Bartel, Mateusz	POL
50	79	GM	Bruzon Batista, Lazaro	CUB	-	50	GM	Caruana, Fabiano	ITA
51	51	GM	Sokolov, Ivan	NED	-	78	GM	Fedorchuk, Sergey A.	UKR
52	77	GM	Negi, Parimarjan	IND	-	52	GM	Milov, Vadim	SUI
53	53	GM	Timofeev, Artyom	RUS	-	76	GM	Leitao, Rafael	BRA
54	75	GM	Gustafsson, Jan	GER	-	54	GM	Inarkiev, Ernesto	RUS
55	55	GM	Savchenko, Boris	RUS	-	74	GM	Shulman, Yuri	USA
56	73	GM	Sandipan, Chanda	IND	-	56	GM	Kobalia, Mikhail	RUS
57	57	GM	Tkachiev, Vladislav	FRA	-	72	GM	Le, Quang Liem	VIE
58	71	GM	Akobian, Varuzhan	USA	-	58	GM	Tregubov, Pavel V.	RUS
59	59	GM	So, Wesley	PHI	-	70	GM	Guseinov, Gadir	AZE
60	69	GM	Sakaev, Konstantin	RUS	-	60	GM	Granda Zuniga, Julio	PER
61	61	GM	Laznicka, Viktor	CZE	-	68	GM	Papaioannou, Ioannis	GRE
62	67	GM	Nyback, Tomi	FIN	-	62	GM	Andreikin, Dmitry	RUS
63	63	GM	Mamedov, Rauf	AZE	-	66	GM	Zhou, Jianchao	CHN
64	65	GM	Volkov, Sergey	RUS	-	64	GM	Amonatov, Farrukh	TJK

Which matchups have the best chance for a first round upset?

Source: http://www.ugra-chess.ru/eng/main_e.htm

RP team opens bid in World Chess Cup

RP team opens bid in World Chess Cup
abs-cbnNEWS.com 11/21/2009 8:03 PM

MANILA -- The World Chess Cup has officially begun, with three Filipino grandmasters (GM) Wesley So, Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr., and Darwin Laylo facing tough opponents in the first round of the competition’s knock out stage in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia.

The 16-year-old So will have GM Gadir Guseinov of Azerbaijan as his first opponent.

According to an on-line commentary of chess Website Red and White, Guseinov is one of the strong GMs from Azerbaijan. The commentary however said Guseinov is the “"unlucky" guy to face the So”.

If So succeeds in his first-round match, he will face either GM Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine or GM Alexei Bezgodov of Russia in the second round.

Antonio, meanwhile, will be the underdog against defending champion GM Gata Kamsky of the US who topped the 2007 edition at the expense of Spanish GM Alexei Shirov.

Antonio first met Kamsky in the 2005 HB Global Challenge in Minneapolis, USA. The game, where Antonio employed his pet line caro-kann defense, ended in a draw.

Should Antonio pull an upset this time against Kamsky, he will face the winner between GM Emil Sutovsky of Israel and GM Zhou Weiqi of China in the second round.

Laylo, the third Filipino participant in the World chess Cup, will test the mettle of GM David Navara of Czech Republic.

The World Chess Cup, which has a total prize fund of $1.6 million, will run from November 20 to December 15.

By Marlon Bernardino
as of 11/21/2009 8:03 PM
Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com

Match generated fan participation

ON CHESS
Match generated fan participation
Saturday, November 21, 2009 3:10 AM
By SHELBY LYMAN

The move-by-move coverage by PBS of the 1972 Bobby Fischer-Boris Spassky world-title series evoked an extraordinary response despite the apparent chess illiteracy of the American public.

Viewers quickly learned the moves and basic rules.

Those who didn't could at least follow the ebb and flow of each game with the help of the viewer-friendly presentation.

And people became involved to an unanticipated extent.

Spouses copied down the moves for their better halves -- who were at work during the 1-to-6 p.m. broadcast in the Eastern time zone -- to review on the way home.

During the first game, Fischer's position became hopeless. When it was suggested -- tongue in cheek -- that perhaps someone watching could find a move for him, hundreds of calls were received by the overworked switchboards.

At New York bars, some customers bet $1,000 or more on the next move.

Something out of the ordinary was happening. The Fischer-Spassky audience seemed to have a quality comparable with those of the most engaging sports events.

Alas, during the ensuing years, the initial success of chess on television hasn't been replicated.

Source: http://www.dispatch.com

The Knight Raiders at NASA

The Texas Tech Knight Raiders chess team visiting NASA.

Azerbaijani grandmasters at the World Cup

Azerbaijani grandmasters compete for $120,000 prize
Sat 21 November 2009 05:58 GMT

Azerbaijan's five strongest grandmasters are competing in the World Chess Championship which starts today in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.

Teymur Rajabov, Shahriyar Mammadyarov and Rauf Mammadov play their opening matches with white, while Vugar Hashimov and Gadir Huseynov will play their first matches with black.

Shahriyar Mammadyarov will play Alexandra Kostenyuk. Vugar Hashimov will play Egyptian Walaa Sarwat whose compatriot Mohamed Ezat will face Teymur Rajabov. Rauf Mammadov will play China's Jianchao Zhou and Gadir Huseynov Filipino Wesley So.

The tournament is a knock-out event. Players will have to win six matches to get to the final. The World Cup winner will get the right to compete for the world champion title and a prize of $120,000.

Elmir Aliyev
Source: News.Az

A difficult save

White to move and draw. This is a pretty difficult endgame. Can you find the saving line for White?

Source: ChessToday.net

2009 World Cup begins

The 3rd World Chess Cup is opened

The Opening Ceremony of the III World Cup 2009 took place in the House of Culture “Oktyabr” on 20 November in Khanty Mansiysk.

The governor of Khanty Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra Alexander Filipenko and the Vice Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Zhukov warmly welcomed the participants of the World Cup 2009. Alexander Zhukov called Khanty Mansiysk one of the chess capitals in Russia.

• New beautiful chess palaces will be constructed by the start of the Chess Olympiad in 2010, - said the Vice Prime Minister. – In particular, the construction of one of the best chess palace of Russia, to my mind, will be finished.

In his speech, Alexander Zhukov also expressed his hope that chess fans would learn new chess names during this tournament.

• In any case, I am sure that this year World Cup and the coming World Chess Olympiad in 2010 will do a lot to develop chess in Yugra. This also will positively influence the chess development in Russia and all over the world in general.

Both speakers wished to all the participants of the World Cup good luck, fair and uncompromised games. Alexander Filipenko declared the Wolrd Cup opened.

The Chief Arbiter of the Cup Ashot Vardapetian held the drawing of colors. The top seeded GM Boris Gelfand was requested to choose one of the two boxes. Grandmaster chose the box with white king which means that all the participants with odd number will start the first round with white.

After the official part the art groups of Yugra region showed some performance: young club “Druzhba” with its chess fashion show “Yugra chess”, young and talented designers from Nyagany Elena Goncharova and Elena Chernysh, Ob-yugorsk theatre “Solnze”, etc.

Official website: http://www.ugra-chess.ru/eng/main_e.htm

Zhukov and Filipenko press conference

Zhukov and Filipenko press conference before World cup start

The Vice Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Zhukov took the floor first. He informed the audience on the World Chess Olympiad 2010 Organizing Committee meeting which was held to discuss the organizational points. He also mentioned that all the objects to be involved into the Olympiad including the Chess Academy were inspected.

Apart the Olympiad issue, Mr. Filipenko informed the journalists that 128 participants from 42 countries are participating in the 3 rd World Chess Cup 2009. The tournament consists of 6 rounds. 128 players will take part in the 1 st round, 64 players will stay for the 2 nd one, 32 for the 3 rd and so on till the final match. The World Cup winner will be qualified for the Candidates tournament. Therefore this year World Cup has its special importance for all the players. Mr. Filipenko said with confidence that this novelty (speaking about chance to qualify to the Candidates) will undoubtedly raise the interest and add the fighting mood to all the players. In his opinion the two previous World Cups which took place in Khanty were held on a proper level. It is confirmed by the fact that the Yugra chess players started showing better results in the tournaments of higher level and by the fast development of chess in Yugra Okrug. Today, chess in Yugra – is a harmonious system where people of all ages, from children to old generation, are involved. He also added that the perfect organization of the World Chess Olympiad 2010 will bring a considerable contribution to the chess development in Okrug, Russia and all over the world.

Thereafter the journalists started their questions:

• Alexander Vasilievich, do you expect any financial support from the Federal Centre for organizing the World Chess Olympiad? – “Yugra” magazine.

• Today I can say that all possible financial support in all optimal volume has been received, - says the Governor. – The most important is undoubtedly moral support. But despite this, we have agreed on some cooperation which means not only financial but also organizational assistance. We don't need more. Thank you.

• All the possible support and assistance from the side of Ministries and departments will be also provided, - adds the Vice Prime Minister of RF. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Sport will assist in all necessary fields. It concerns visas, customs, etc. Of course, we will also provide the Olympiad organizers with media support. The coverage of the Olympiad should fit the level of this event.

• Alexander Dmitrievich, it came to our knowledge that two days ago you resigned from the position of the Russian Chess Federation President. Just some words about it and will you remain the organizing committee chairman? – asked Ludmila Malzeva, “Rossiiskya gazeta”

• I am the Organizing Committee Chairman not due to my position of the RFC President but due to my position of the Vice Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. To say more, we have a tradition, which I think is right. It is obligatory that an Organizing committee is set up to hold any international big sport events in Russia. It also concerns the World Championships in any sport for there are a lot of issues and problems where our support is needed. As for the Chess Federation, yes, you are right, I have resigned recently and everyone is aware why I had to do so. At the beginning of the next year we will have the special session of the RFC. Till that time the Vice President of RFC Alexander Bach will fulfill the duties of the President. He is at the same time an Executive Director of our federation. During the next session of RFC we are planning to make some changes in the format structure. Me and Arkady Dvorkovich, the assistant to the President of the Russian Federation would continue contribute to the Russian chess and assist chess development in frameworks of new so-called council of trustees or observers' committee. Later we will define the structure.

• Question to Alexander Dmitrievich. Today you have inspected many sport objects, not only connected to chess. This is a theoretical question to the Winter Olympic Games Organizing Committee Chairman: in case of force majeure, could Khanty Mansiysk be a worthy replacement? – asked a correspondent of TV company Yugra. The audience burst out with laughter.

• Almost yes. You only miss a higher ski mountain. You have very good ski mountain, but the downhill is not possible. We should do something: either to make deeper hole or to build a mound of snow somehow. But anyway you have perfect sport infrastructure. This is not my first visit anyway and I have seen a lot of them. But I must confess that for instance now I saw for the first time your new ice soccer palace. My personal opinion is that not only high league matches could be held here but also NHL games as well. Of course one should mention a perfect tennis centre, which is now one of the best tennis centers of Russia. Very good soccer stadium and all the facilities there. One should not forget the biathlon stadium. Now it is under reconstructions, I believe, it will become better after it. It is really difficult to mention all now. The new chess palace is under constructions. We were talking about your developments and all that given to sport with Alexandr Bach and he already envies you. We don't have all this in Moscow.

• And he is ready to move to Khanty Mansiysk, - added Alexander Vasilievich joking.

• Who can become a winner of World Cup? Your prognosis?

I think no one could dare to make such a prognosis – answered Alexander Zhukov. But we will keep our fingers crossed for our chess players. This is clear. I am sure our guys have all chances to win.

Source: http://www.ugra-chess.ru/eng/news_3.htm

Khanty Mansiysk

In opinion of Alexander Zhukov, World Chess Olympiad in Khanty should become the best in chess history.

The Organizing Committee of the 39 th World Chess Olympiad 2010 and 82th FIDE Congress which will take place in Khanty Mansiysk in 2010 was held in the Khanty Mansi Autonomous Okrug Government meeting hall on 20 November. The meeting was head by the Organizing Committee Chairman, Vice Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Zhukov and the Khanty Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra Governor Alexander Filipenko.

Alexander Zhukov underlined that the readiness level of the Khanty Mansiysk city to host the Olympiad is already high enough though there is a lot to do ahead. Despite the fact that this year was not very successful from the financial point of view, there has been done a lot. He also said that the coming Olympiad should be a great success as well as the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi 2014.

Also, Alexander Zhukov drew his attention to the fact that all should be done to attract the attention of all sport and other media to the Chess Olympiad in Khanty.

The Khanty Mansi Okrug Governor Alexander Filipenko informed in details on all the constructions and buildings that will be involved for organizing the Chess Olympiad. It was also mentioned that about 2000 volunteers will be assisting in the organization. About 900 militia staff will provide the security of the participants and guests of the Olympiad. The charter flights will be organized not only from Moscow, but also from Dubai, Milan, Munich and Prague.

Alexander Zhukov thanked the Khanty Mansi Okrug Governor for the fact that the biggest part of expenses which are spent for the organization of the Chess Olympiad was covered by the Okrug budget.

It was announced that the Olympiad budget is about 340 million rubles. Alexander Filipenko mentioned that all the new facilities and constructions built for the Olympiad will remain in Khanty Mansiysk and will serve Khanty Mansiysk people. All Khanty Mansiysk citizens are aware of this event and are ready to show their hospitality.

The special attention will be given to the meetings of the delegations in the airport. In opinion of the Governor it is very important that all guests, officials and participants of the Olympiad would have the bright and positive impressions from the first minutes of their visit.

Right after the meeting, Alexander Zhukov and Alexander Filipenko made an inspection of the objects of the coming Olympiad.

Source: http://www.ugra-chess.ru/eng/main_e.htm

Topalov interview about Fischer

Bobby Fischer Documentary (Part 1-5)

TGIF Chess Tactic

White to move. How should White proceed?

Source: ChessToday.net

Topalov interview about Kasparov's last game

13th Annual Texas Collegiate Championships

13th Annual Texas Collegiate Championships

5SS, G/90, 30 sec inc. Hilton Americas, 1600 Lamar, Houston TX 77010.

HR: $103-$103-$103-$103, mention Texas Grade and Collegiate Championships to get rate. Reserve By 10/29 or rate may increase.

College section open to any college player. Only Texas Colleges can be Texas Collegiate Champs. Plaques to top 10 ind. & top 5 teams (top three players added for team scores, no more than 2 teams per school.)

EF: $42 if postmarked by 11/13. $62 at site. Do not mail after 11/13 as your entry may not be received. Entries to Dallas Chess Club, c/o Barbara Swafford, 2709 Longhorn Trail, Crowley TX 76036. Entry must include Name, USCF ID (or new/pending), grade & school and school location. Incomplete entries will be charged at site entry fee. No refunds after 11/18. Email: info@dallaschess.com 214-632-9000. Do not call after 11/18 as we are traveling. Reg. Fri 11/20 from 7:00 pm-9:00 pm. Reg. Sat.11/21 at 7:30 am-8:30 am. Sat. registration may require a ½ pt. 1st rd. bye. Sat. rds 9,1:30-6:00. Sun. rds 9-1:30. One ½ pt bye available, any round, if requested before end of rd. 2 and if player has not received a full point bye.

FIDE rated but uses USCF rules. Online registration (active.com charges a fee.) : http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1796645 Limited number of Team rooms available, www.swchess.com

Side events: 4 rd G/30 open tournament on 11/20 at 7:30 pm. This G/30 tournament has three sections: Open, U1400 and U750. EF: $15, $$$60% of entry fees. Bughouse Open Tournament Sat. 8:35 pm. EF: $20/team. Trophy prizes. Registration for side event online or onsite only.

NS, NC, W. FIDE