January 30, 2014, 9:30 am
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Leaked Agreement Between Ilyumzhinov & Paulson Suggests Conflict of Interest
Chess.com has obtained a document that suggests that Agon, Andrew Paulson's company that holds the rights to organize chess events in the World Championship cycle, is secretly run by Kirsan Ilyumzhinov himself. According to the contract, which is signed by both the FIDE President and Mr Paulson, it is Mr Ilyumzhinov who owns 51% of the shares. Both Mr Ilyumzhinov and Mr Paulson deny that the contract is in effect, but according to Malcolm Pein, Mr Paulson “has said on at least two occasions that Kirsan is the majority shareholder.”
Note: Chess.com can neither confirm nor deny that the “logistics” and “operating procedures” listed in the contract below have been in practice for the last couple years. However, it has been confirmed by Andrew Paulson, among other sources, that the documents are valid (meaning they exist). Whereas one source (Mr Pein) told Chess.com that Mr Paulson stated the opposite in at least two conversations, it should be noted that the contract is currently being claimed (by Mr. Paulson among other FIDE representatives) as an “early draft” of the possible agreement between FIDE and Agon - and not something that has been in place.
Agon
About two years ago Andrew Paulson (55), a successful American entrepreneur working in Russia, entered the chess scene. His company Agon obtained the rights to organize, for the next 11 years, all events in the World Championship cycle: Grand Prixs, World Cups, Candidates Tournaments and World Championship matches. It seemed that, even though he had zero experience in chess, he was willing to invest a lot of money in the royal game.
In March 2012 ambitious plans were revealed. A 4-year schedule for two World Championship cycles was announced, with Grand Prix events planned for 2013 to be held in Lisbon, Madrid, Berlin and Paris. “In the future we will be progressing continent by continent, bringing great competitions to the world’s capitals in a regular and predictable schedule,” said Mr Paulson back then.
The first tournament organized by Agon was the first Grand Prix in the 2012-2013 cycle, held in London in September 2012. Mr Paulson was not involved in the next two Grand Prixs, but he did organize the London Candidates’ Tournament in March 2013. After that, the chess world didn't hear much from Agon. The company had no presence at subsequent Grand Prixs, the Tromsø World Cup nor the Chennai World Championship match.
All this seemed to be a money issue. Mr Paulson has stated that he used personal money for the London Grand Prix, while the London Candidates’ were paid by The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR). Around that time it became clear that Agon had not paid FIDE the agreed deposit fee of $500,000 which was due for April 2012. Agon still hasn't paid this fee as of today.
Leaked contract
Chess.com obtained scans of a contract, stipulated in Russian, concerning Agon. The undated contract, which mentions a “model for cooperation” between Kirsan Ilyumzhinov and Andrew Paulson and which was written on paper with Agon's letterhead, was created in January 2012. And, it has the signatures of both Mr Ilyumzhinov and Mr Paulson.
Full article here.
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January 30, 2014, 10:30 am
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January 30, 2014, 11:30 am
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Meier's Chess Club Victory Adds To Growing Local Reputation
By MIKE WILMERING
Webster University’s Georg Meier etched his name in the St. Louis record books over the weekend by winning the 6th annual Club Championship, held at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis (CCSCSL).
Meier, 26, is a world-class grandmaster who ranks No. 2 in Germany and No. 141 in the world.
His fourth-round victory over Webster U teammate, GM Denes Boros of Hungary, proved pivotal. Meier was able to draw Lindenwood University’s Priyadharshan Kannappan, an international master from India, in the final round to secure the title and the first-place prize of $1,000.
This wasn’t a particularly impressive win: Meier entered the event as the clear favorite. He held a more than 100-point rating edge over Mexican GM Manuel Leon Hoyos, another Webster U teammate and the next highest-rated player in the field.
What is impressive, however, is seeing the name of a world-class grandmaster like Meier’s engraved on the club championship trophy of what, just five-and-a-half years ago, was simply a local chess club starting up in the middle of the country.
When the CCSCSL opened its doors in July 2008, delusions of grandeur surely swirled through the minds of the club’s employees. But none would have been able to come close to accurately predicting just how big the St. Louis chess scene would get. And how quickly it would get there.
Sure, the Chess Club offered a world-class playing facility the likes of which no chess player, certainly no local, had ever seen. Sure, the club started hosting the top chess events in the country featuring the best players in the U.S.
But that doesn’t necessarily translate to world-class players regularly competing in local events for pride and, compared to the top tourneys in the world, relatively meager prize funds.
Full article here.
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January 30, 2014, 12:30 pm
The 1st International Open Tarvisio 2014 is set to take place on 17-21st April at the Palasport in Tarvisio, Italy.
The tournament is organized by the Comune di Tarvisio, Provincia di Udine and Accademia Internazionale di Scacchi.
The event will be held over 7 rounds of Swiss system with the time control 90 min + 30 sec per move. The total prize fund is 4500 EUR.
Tarvisio (German and Friulian: Tarvis, Slovene: Trbiž) is a comune (town) in the Province of Udine, the northeastern part of the autonomous Friuli-Venezia Giulia region in Italy. Located at the border with both Austria and Slovenia, Tarvisio and its neighbouring municipalities of Arnoldstein and Kranjska Gora form the tripoint of Romance, Germanic and Slavic Europe.
Registration at www.fideacademy.com, internazionalescacchi@gmail.com, cell. 392 2159003
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January 30, 2014, 12:39 pm
Zurich - Round 1
Magnus Carlsen 1-0 Boris Gelfand
Levon Aronian 1-0 Viswanathan Anand
Hikaru Nakamura 1/2 Fabiano Caruana
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January 30, 2014, 4:44 pm
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Sochi Games promote 'dictatorship'
Date: January 31, 2014 - 5:34AM
Russian former chess great and fierce Kremlin critic Garry Kasparov says the Sochi Winter Olympics promoted "dictatorship" in the country and called on athletes to protest.
Kasparov, in Ghana to push his bid to be head of the world chess federation, has previously slammed the staging of the Games in the Black Sea resort, claiming infrastructure would not be ready.
The Games open on February 7 but have faced concerns about security and boycott threats after international condemnation at Russia's passing of a controversial law banning gay "propaganda".
"Participating in this event, especially the opening ceremony, gives a boost to the dictator because that's all he needs, just to be sort of in the centre of public attention," Kasparov told AFP in Accra on Thursday, referring to President Vladimir Putin.
Kasparov, 50, has been a relentless critic of Putin and last year organised protests against the government for its passing of the gay law, which has led to claims of a rise in hate crime.
The Grandmaster, a former world number one widely considered the greatest chess player of all time, singled out the International Olympic Committee for not taking a stand.
"They (the IOC) did statements all the time, 1968 in Mexico, for instance," he said, referring to the "Black Power" salute of US athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos during their medal ceremony.
"We are witnessing the Olympics that are blatantly used for the promotion of the dictatorship," he added.
Smith and Carlos, gold and bronze medallists in the 200m, raised a gloved fist each during the playing of the US national anthem in support of the civil rights struggle in their homeland.
Kasparov's call echoes groups such as Amnesty International, which said the IOC's silence in the face of Russia's crackdown on free speech and fundamental rights made a mockery of its charter.Source: http://news.smh.com.au
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January 30, 2014, 6:33 pm
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Chess tournament held to honor grandmaster Vugar Gashimov
30 JANUARY 2014, 12:20 (GMT+04:00)
By Nazrin Gadimova
A 5-day chess tournament, dedicated to the memory of international grandmaster Vugar Gashimov, was held in Baku.
The event, organized by sports and fitness club of Azerbaijan's Emergency Situations Ministry, brought together about 100 employees of the ministry. Among the honor guests were father of the Azerbaijani grandmaster Gasim Gashimov, Vice President of the Chess Federation Faik Hasanov, head of the General of BakuYouth and Sports Directorate Ragif Abbasov and four-time world champion in kickboxing Parviz Abdullayev.
Opening the final evening, head of the club, Colonel Fizuli Musayev, spoke about the successes of prematurely deceased Vugar Gashimov, who has played an invaluable role in the development and recognition of Azerbaijani chess in the international arena.
International category judges Bakhtiar Rustamov and Vitaliy Sopranov, republican category judge Azer Abdullayev and the judge of the first category Anar Alekperov participate at the tournament.
MES Academy's representative Ramiz Isgenderov became the winner, Elchin Asadov representing State Agency for Construction Safety Control ranked the second, and the third became Dayanat Mammadov from MES North-Western Regional Centre. The winners were awarded diplomas, medals and gifts.
State Fire Service, in turn, won in the team competition, the second was State Agency for Construction Safety Control, and the third - MES Academy. In conclusion, Gasim Gashimov and club head Fuzuli Musayev spoke to the attendees.
The tragic news about the death of the international grandmaster has shocked the majority of Azerbaijanis and almost the entire sports community.
Vugar Gashimov, born in Baku in 1986, was taught to play chess by his father when he was six years old. Gashimov became Azerbaijan's champion for three times: in 1995, 1996, and 1998. He was also the silver medalist of the European youth championship for four times (1996-2000).
Azerbaijani grandmaster played for Azerbaijan's national team in Chess Olympiads in 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2008 and was a member of the Azerbaijani team that played against the world team in Baku in the Cup of the Azerbaijani President of Azerbaijan, held on May 7-9, 2009.
Gashimov won a bronze medal in the European Team Championship in 2007, and became the European Champion with the national team in 2009 (it was Vugar who provided his team with a decisive point in the final round). He also became the European vice-champion in the national team in 2011, and the winner of the Reggio Emilia tournament in 2010-2011.
Gashimov was known as a strong player in blitz. Together with Teymur Rajabov and Shahriyar Mammadyarov, he was considered one of the elite chess players of Azerbaijan. His achievements were praised by national leader Heydar Aliyev, who received him twice in January and December, 1998. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also received the young Gashimov who was part of the Azerbaijani national team, which had won the European Championship in Serbia in 2009. But a severe illness forced him to quit the competitions.
After his early successes, Gashimov had to put his activities on hold for a while and have surgery. The disease surfaced again in 2011, when he suddenly lost consciousness during a match against the French national team in the European Championship. Then a long-term treatment in Switzerland and Germany began, but he failed to beat the disease.
Source: http://www.azernews.az
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January 30, 2014, 10:01 pm
Karpov vs. Topalov a Battle Between Top GMsKarpov vs. Topalov a Battle Between Top GMsPosted on January 27,2014 By GM Damian Lemos in Strategy & Game Review, All Articles w/ Videos, General Chess Articles. KarpovIn this video GM Damian Lemos analyzes an interesting battle between top GMs Karpov and Topalov. Karpov plays a d4 game whereas Topalov tries playing the Benoni defense (risky and aggressive defense against 1.d4!). However, Karpov chooses a quiet line getting small positional advantages in the center. This happens to be a good strategy against Topalov who's an initiative player. A game worth studying for the Anti-Benoni players![...]
Chess Endgame Principles - FM Alisa MelekhinaPosted on January 20,2014 By OnlineChessLessons.NET Contributor in All Articles w/ Videos, General Chess Articles. Too many games end in either premature draw offers or resignations. Fighting in the endgame is a skill that can help players rack up those extra points. Alisa Melekhina analyzes two of her own games, one in which she drew a pawn down, and another in which she pulled off a win in an equal rook ending. The viewers are led through four major principles that can be applied in their own endgames: mentally adapt to a change in the position; resist by p[...]
Tata Steel Chess 2014 - Round 4 - Karjakin vs. Rapport (French Defense)Posted on January 18,2014 By GM Damian Lemos in Tournament Updates, All Articles w/ Videos, General Chess Articles. In this game GM Damian Lemos analyzes R4 between GMs Karjakin and Rapport. We'll see a French defense, Winaver variation (it's been a long time since we last saw this on top level tournaments!) where Black deviates from the main lines with 7..f6. We'll see Karjkin proves that playing with the King in the center is safe if you proceed with caution![...]
GM Damian Lemos: Crushing the Queen's Indian DefensePosted on January 13,2014 By GM Damian Lemos in All Articles w/ Videos, General Chess Articles. The Queen's Indian Defense is an extremely popular chess opening for black against 1. d4 because it retains a very solid foundation on key positional concepts. In the below chess video, Grandmaster Damian Lemos demonstrates several dangerous attacking ideas for white against the Queen's Indian Defense by analyzing an impressive victory of Veselin Topalov over Ruslan Ponomariov. Topalov responded to Ponomariov's play on the queenside by pushing fo[...]
OnlineChessLessons.net is a producer of thousands of free chess articles and free chess videos by FIDE chess masters. They recently released the renowned Empire Chess series that has been taking the chess world by storm. Please consider checking out their chess blog and chess shopwith tons of free updated previews.
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January 30, 2014, 10:04 pm
Chess boost
THURSDAY, 30 JANUARY 2014 13:59The Solomon Islands Chess Federation (SICF) received a boost of morale entering the New Year with the current visit of International Chess Federations Chief Executive Officer and of Global Chess, Geoffrey Borg.
His visit is no ordinary, seeing the level of experience and skills from the top being relayed to the local federation and key players in the country.
A chess master himself Borg is accompanied by Casto Abundo, the Asian Chess Federation Deputy President.
In an interview with Star Sports, FIDE’s CEO Geoffrey Borg said he is so grateful to be in Solomon Islands one of the tiny island nations in the pacific, more so to help boost chess in the country.
He said he is grateful to the keen interest of individuals who have played chess so far although it is still an amateur state.
“The interest and the number of individuals wanting to play chess here is encouraging, and FIDE is very grateful to such outcome in putting support behind.
“It is still at prone state that needed nurturing but required partnership from all relevant stakeholders to make it eventuate.”
Borg said it is equally important that the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI) including the Government through the sporting ministry to take responsible and take the leading role in making this happen.
“FIDE likewise is committed and would like to see close partnership, making sure the game of chess reaches out to all provinces in the country.”
He said the hardship economically and geographically might be a setback from the past but let’s not be stagnant but move and improve the game further.
He added that chess is a sport to develop personal well being of individuals and develop good citizens to think critically.
“It’s not only about sports but developing citizens’ mindset to a mature state that can be critical and make decisions for themselves at hand.
“It is a fantastic game to enjoy; study and be your own expert by getting the best out of you through learning in a structured way,” he said.
Borg said FIDE would like to see chess is accessible to all in the country in schools, competitions of clubs and the presence of it in all the provinces in the country.
More over making more of its information available to all by all means, he said.
FIDE’s CEO visit into the country will include meeting with the Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo, the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands, other relevant authorities including visit to schools.
Star Sports understands two chess representatives from Fiji are also in the country to be part of a training conducted by the two top chess officials.
By Bradford Theonomi
Source: http://www.solomonstarnews.com
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January 30, 2014, 10:13 pm
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January 30, 2014, 10:30 pm
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January 31, 2014, 12:00 am
White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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January 31, 2014, 6:00 am
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January 31, 2014, 6:00 am
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January 31, 2014, 6:00 am
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January 31, 2014, 6:30 am
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Nearly all top chess stars over the past 27 years have played the Magistral Ciudad de Leon. And that collection will be enriched in 2014 (5-9 June) with two of the biggest all times prodigies.
Both are Chinese: Yifan Hou, current Women’s World Champion, and Yi Wei (14 years old), who’s future looks very bright.
The tournament moves back to the four player format, with the two top Spanish stars: Paco Vallejo (the winner in 2012) and Ivan Salgado, current Spanish champion.
Marcelino Sion, the tournament director, breathes easy now, after three very tense years: “It is going to be a very special edition. Although the tournament has been in danger for the last three years due to the financial crisis, we have managed to return to the four player format with very charismatic players, specially the two Chinese. I am convinced that, in the future, historians will add Yifan Hou and Yi Wei as two amazing examples to the list of wonder kids which chess has produced over the years, as well as in music and mathematics”.
That prediction has a very solid base. No woman, not even the Hungarian Judit Polgar (the only woman that has been among the world’s top ten) has achieved so many successes as Yifan Hou as such a young age.
She is the youngest ever to win the world title (at the age of 16), as well as the youngest female player ever to qualify for the title of Grandmaster (14), to participate in the FIDE Women’s World Championship (Yekaterinburg 2006) and the Chess Olympiad (Torino 2006), both at the age of 12.
In June 2007, she became China’s youngest National Women’s Champion ever, at 13 years of age. She lost the world crown in 2012, but managed to regain it in 2013. She is now 20, and her life is not only chess, as she studies International Relationships at the University of Beijing, and speaks fluent English.
Potentially, her limits are still far away. She even looks capable of climbing as high as Judit Polgar. Actually she beat the Hungarian in Gibraltar 2012, where Hou achieved the best women result ever. But we still do not know if chess will be her priority in years to come.
However, Hou’s great achievements could become small compared to what is expected from Yi Wei, providing he overcomes his adolescence with no serious problem. His results so far remind us of those of Magnus Carlsen at the same age.
The list of his prominent victims in 2013 includes Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Alexei Shirov and Ian Nepomniachtchi. Some strong grandmasters even think Yi Wei will be the main opponent for Carlsen in the long run.
But there will be more than just the Chinese stars to pull in the crowds. Vallejo and Salgado are also interesting players, for different reasons.
Vallejo, 31, former U18 world champion, is in a kind of a sabbatical period, playing a very few tournaments per year. But his results are not bad. For instance, he was 7th at the last European Championship.
Salgado, 22, silver medal at the U18 World Championship in 2009, shows solid progression and strong discipline. He has moved to Sofia (Bulgaria) in order to work with his colleague and friend Ivan Cheparinov. Vallejo’s big talent and Salgado’s hard work make them capable to eclipse the two Chinese stars in Leon.
The semi-finals will be played on Friday and Saturday (June, 6-7), and the final on Sunday, at the magnificent Auditorium. As in the former 26 editions, Joaquin Espejo will be the main arbiter.
All matches will be played to the best of four games (20 minutes per player + 10 seconds per move) with a series of 5 minute games in a case of tiebreak.
The tournament keeps all the traditional sponsors, and this year is linked to an historical event: Leon had one of the oldest European Parliaments which opened in 1188. Among the parallel activities, there is a very original competition called Chess and Business, organized by El Inversor Inquieto, which has been successful so far: http://bit.ly/1hgLnzW
More information: www.advancedchessleon.com
Leontxo Garcia (Press Officer)
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January 31, 2014, 10:30 am
Uzbekistan Chess Federation has the honor to invite all chess players to take part in the international chess event 8th Tashkent OPEN, Memorial of Georgy Agzamov, the first grandmaster of Uzbekistan, organized in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from May 14th (arrival) till May 24th (departure), 2014.
The total prize fund is 20 000 US dollars.
The Tournament is a 9-round Swiss. Time control: 90 minutes and a 30-second increment per move starting from move one.
Participants that need visa to enter Uzbekistan must register before 1 April 2014 and send necessary documents.
The UCF will consider all the applications and selectively, upon a compulsory preliminary agreement, accepts 10 grandmasters.
Further information can be found on official website: http://uzchess.uz/
Regulations
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January 31, 2014, 1:30 pm
Above is the official response from FIDE Deputy President Mr. Makropoulos to Peter Doggers of Chess.com and Chessvibes.com.
Once again, as a policy of this site, I will not take sides, and I will be fair to all parties by publishing news and statements from both sides. I will let you decide the matters.
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January 31, 2014, 1:30 pm
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January 31, 2014, 2:00 pm
Zurich - Round 2
Magnus Carlsen 1/2 Levon Aronian
Boris Gelfand 1/2 Fabiano Caruana
Viswanathan Anand 0-1 Hikaru NakamuraStandings after 2 rounds1-3 Carlsen, Aronian, Nakamura 1.5
4 Caruana 1.0
5 Gelfand 0.5
6 Anand 0
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