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Six Power Girls of Chess in Khanty Mansiysk: Can you Name them All?

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Hello everyone,

Have you been following the almost-two month chess action in Khanty Mansiysk? Can you name all the six girls with a power-packed performance... and, which prize each of them earned?


Photo: Nikolay Bochkarev
From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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Vugar Gashimov Chess Memorial 2014 Round 8: Carlsen Keeps 1/2-Point Lead Over Caruana

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World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen not too happy to draw with Sergey Karjakin, but keeps the lead after 8 rounds at the Vugar Gashimov Chess Memorial 2014. (official website)


There has not been a dull moment at the Vugar Gashimov Chess Memorial 2014 in Shamkir. The eighth round witnessed sharp chess with very few games left now.

Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura won their respective games to keep Magnus Carlsen - the leader - within catching distance. Caruana is half a point behind Carlsen and three players are only one point away!

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov tried aggressive experimental chess and went down fighting to Hikaru Nakamura. Carlsen could not break Sergey Karjakin's solid defence leading to a dead draw with Bishops and pawns locked. Caruana continued to press and Caruana held his nerve, went for a pawn sac and broke Radjabov's game in time pressure.  


Standings after Round 8 have Carlsen at 5 points, Caruana at 4.5 points, Karjakin, Radjabov, Nakamura at 4 points each and Mamedyarov with 2 points.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
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Washington Chess Congress (Columbus Day Weekend) Oct 8-13 Entries Open

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Hello Chess Blog friends,




This is about an exciting chess event in the Washington area for which chess lovers plan much in advance!

WASHINGTON CHESS CONGRESS
October 8-13, 10-13, 11-13 or 12-13, 2014 - Columbus Day weekend

7 rounds- includes leisurely 6-day schedule option with only one 2-round day!
$40,000 projected prizes based on 280 paid entries
Chess Magnet School Junior Grand Prix
Oct 8-13, 10-13, 11-13 or 12-13, VIRGINIA
TROPHIES PLUS GRAND PRIX POINTS: 150 (enhanced)

Washington Chess Congress
7 round Swiss, 4-day option 40/110, SD/30, d10. 6-day option in U1700 & above, 40/110, SD/30, d10. 3-day option, rds 1-2 G/60, d10, then merges with 4-day. 2-day option in U2100 & below, rds 1-4 G/30, d10, then merges with others. Hyatt Regency Crystal City, 2799 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington VA 22202. Free shuttle to/from Reagan International Airport and Crystal City Metro station (contact hotel for schedule). Prizes $40,000 based on 280 paid entries (re-entries, U1300 Section unrateds count as half entries), 50% of each prize minimum guarantee. In 4 sections:

Premier: Open to 1900/over. $5000-2500-1200-800-500, clear or tiebreak first bonus $100, top Under 2300/Unr $2000-1000.
Under 2100: $4000-2000-1000-500-400, top Under 1900/Unr $2000-1000.
Under 1700: $3000-1500-800-500-400, top Under 1500 (no Unr) $1600-800.
Under 1300: $2000-1000-500-300-200, top Under 1100 (no Unr) $800-400.
Prize limits: Unrated (0-3 lifetime games rated) cannot win over $500 in U1300, $1000 in U1700, or $1500 in U2100.

Mixed doubles bonus prizes: best male/female 2-player "team"combined score among all sections: $1000-600-400-200. Team average must be under 2200; teammates may play in different sections; teams must register (no extra fee) by 2 pm 10/11; teammate pairings avoided but possible.

Entry fee: $185 online at chessaction.com by 10/7, $190 phoned to 406-896-2038 by 10/6, 6-day $191, 4-day $189, 3-day $188, 2-day $187 if check mailed by 9/29, all $200 at site until 1 hour before game, or online at chessaction.com until 2 hours before game. Unrated in U1300 Section: all $100 less.

Special 1 year USCF dues with paper magazine if paid with entry: Online at chessaction.com, Adult $30, Young Adult $20, Scholastic $15. Mailed, phoned or paid at site, Adult $40, Young Adult $30, Scholastic $20.

No checks at site, credit cards OK.
Re-entry: $80, no re-entry from Open Section to Open Section.

6-day schedule: Reg. ends Wed 6 pm, rds. Wed 7 pm, Thu 7 pm, Fri 7 pm, Sat 6 pm, Sun 6 pm, Mon 10 & 3:30.
4-day schedule: Reg. ends Fri 6 pm, rds Fri 7 pm. Sat 12 & 6, Sun 12 & 6, Mon 10 & 3:30.
3-day schedule: Reg. ends Sat 11 am, rds Sat 12, 3 & 6, Sun 12 & 6, Mon 10 & 3:30.
2-day schedule: Reg. ends Sun 9 am, rds Sun 10, 12, 2, 4 & 6, Mon 10 & 3:30.
Half point byes: OK all; limit 3 (limit 2 in last 4 rds), must commit before rd 3.

Bring sets, boards, clocks if possible- none supplied.

Hotel rates: $97-97-107-117, 703-418-1234, reserve by 9/24 or rate may increase.
Special chess rate valet parking $6/day, with or without guest room.
Car rentals: Avis, 800-331-1600, use AWD #D657633 or reserve car online at chesstour.com.

SIDE EVENTS: Game/10 Saturday, Blitz Sunday. Details to be announced.

Entry: Continental Chess, Box 8482, Pelham NY 10803. Questions: DirectorAtChess.US, 347-201-2269, www.chesstour.com. $15 service charge for refunds. Advance entries posted at chessaction.com (online entries posted instantly).



From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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What's a Chess Painting Gonna do in a Middle East Desert?

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Hello Chess Blog friends,

For the chess part of this news feature, here goes:

Francis Cotes' painting named "Portrait of William Welby and his wife Penelope Playing Chess" (1769) and Antonio Canova's sculpture named "The Pugilists Creugas and Damoxenos" (1797-1803) are displayed as part of the exhibition "Louvre Abu Dhabi. Birth of a Museum", at the Louvre museum, in Paris, Monday, April 28, 2014. The Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Persian Gulf’s first ever world museum, will open its doors in December 2015 in the arid Arab federation. Several thousand kilometers away on Tuesday the Louvre in Paris previewed the art that the Abu Dhabi project has acquired since 2009 for the first time to a European audience. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) 


For the art bit of the news feature, read here.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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May 2014 Chess Ratings: Carlsen, Polgar No. 1; Grischuk, Kosteniuk Top-Rated Russians at No. 3 and 8!

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The May FIDE chess ratings list is out and World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway maintains his No. 1 slot. Also maintaining his second spot is Levon Aronian of Armenia. Alexander Grischuk is now the highest rated Russian at No. 3 followed by former World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand of India. Grischuk added a whopping 15 points to his rating to get to the No. 3 slot while Vladimir Kramnik fell following the Candidates.

In the women's list, Judit Polgar of Hungary, Hou Yifan of China and Koneru Humpy of India keep the top three slots. Alexandra Kosteniuk remains the top Russian woman chess player and actually improves on her previous month's no. 9 slot by moving up to no. 8 by earning five rating points. Hou Yifan has earned 11 rating points. Viktorija Cmiylte has done well to earn 14 points and jump up to 10th position in the women's list. 


Russia is still the strongest chess country in the world according to ratings in the elite of the chess world. Three Grandmasters from Russia - Alexander Grischuk, Vladimir Kramnik and Sergey Karjakin are in the top-10 of the men's list. There is one Russian Grandmaster in the top-10 of the women's list as well - Alexandra Kosteniuk.  China could be next as they have three Grandmasters in the top-10 of the world, but these are in the women's list only - Yifan, Zhao and Wenjun.


Top 20 women chess players in the world
Rank Name Title Country Rating Games B-Year
1 Polgar, Judit g HUN 2685 0 1976
2 Hou, Yifan g CHN 2629 11 1994
3 Koneru, Humpy g IND 2613 0 1987
4 Muzychuk, Anna g SLO 2561 13 1990
5 Dzagnidze, Nana g GEO 2541 11 1987
6 Lagno, Kateryna g UKR 2540 11 1989
7 Zhao, Xue g CHN 2538 11 1985
8 Kosteniuk, Alexandra g RUS 2532 11 1984
9 Ju, Wenjun wg CHN 2526 3 1991
10 Cmilyte, Viktorija g LTU 2525 8 1983
11 Muzychuk, Mariya m UKR 2521 4 1992
12 Khotenashvili, Bela g GEO 2518 3 1988
13 Kosintseva, Nadezhda g RUS 2513 0 1985
14 Hoang, Thanh Trang g HUN 2509 1 1980
15 Gunina, Valentina g RUS 2507 9 1989
16 Cramling, Pia g SWE 2507 0 1963
17 Harika, Dronavalli g IND 2503 9 1991
18 Ruan, Lufei wg CHN 2503 0 1987
19 Pogonina, Natalija wg RUS 2501 6 1985
20 Ushenina, Anna g UKR 2495 11 1985

Top 20 men chess players in the world

Rank Name Title Country Rating Games B-Year
1 Carlsen, Magnus g NOR 2882 1 1990
2 Aronian, Levon g ARM 2815 3 1982
3 Grischuk, Alexander g RUS 2792 7 1983
4 Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2785 0 1969
5 Caruana, Fabiano g ITA 2783 0 1992
6 Kramnik, Vladimir g RUS 2783 0 1975
7 Nakamura, Hikaru g USA 2772 0 1987
8 Topalov, Veselin g BUL 2772 0 1975
9 Karjakin, Sergey g RUS 2770 7 1990
10 Dominguez Perez, Leinier g CUB 2768 6 1983
11 Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar g AZE 2760 0 1985
12 Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime g FRA 2758 0 1990
13 Svidler, Peter g RUS 2753 6 1976
14 Gelfand, Boris g ISR 2753 0 1968
15 Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2753 0 1969
16 Adams, Michael g ENG 2750 3 1971
17 Giri, Anish g NED 2746 4 1994
18 Vitiugov, Nikita g RUS 2742 6 1987
19 Leko, Peter g HUN 2737 7 1979
20 Nepomniachtchi, Ian g RUS 2735 6 1990


The FIDE chess ratings website can be accessed at the official website.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
YouTube Channel



7th New York International Chess Open 2014 June 18-22

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The 7th Seventh New York International Chess Tournament will take place from June 18-22, 2014, according to a FIDE news update.

Since its premiere in 2008, the event has grown every year in size and strength and is an excellent opportunity for both established Grandmasters (the $12,500 prize fund in the Championship section is unconditionally guaranteed) and younger players who seek to obtain IM and GM norms. Last year, players from 19 different federations, including 27 Grandmasters and International Masters, took part, ensuring norm possibilities independent of pairings with foreign players. Two GM norm and three IM norms were awarded!

FIDE titled players from all over the world are expected to compete, ensuring that the 7th NY International will be again a “Super Swiss”, one of only a handful held in the U.S. each year.

The New York International is organized by the historic Marshall Chess Club and will take place at a luxurious private club in Midtown Manhattan under impeccable playing conditions.

For complete details please visit the official tournament website at: http://www.marshallchessclub.org/tournaments/international2014. Contacts: admin@marshallchessclub.org / +1-212-477-3716



From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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Magnus Carlsen wins Vugar Gashimov Chess Memorial with Last Round Win over Fabiano Caruana

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World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen has won the Vugar Gashimov Chess Memorial 2014 with a rating performance of 2868 which is actually less than his current rating of 2882. Carlsen topped the event with 5 wins, 2 losses and 3 draws! 

World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen receiving the Vugar Gashimov Chess Memorial winner's trophy...

... Pavel Eljanov receiving the trophy for the winner for the B Group.

Fabiano Caruana, who took on Carlsen, in the last round with an equal score was playing for the title as well. However, he had to settle for the second place with 5.5 points. Hikaru Nakamura, Teimour Radjabov and Sergey Karjakin all scored 5 points. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov scored 3.

Yesterday, in the 9th round, Caruana came up with a solid performance to beat Mamedyarov and draw level at 5.5 with Carlsen who could only draw with Radjabov. Karjakin and Nakamura also drew their games. 

It all came down to the last round today in Shamkir. Magnus Carlsen was back with precise chess and steadily ground out Caruana to earn the win and the title. The others, Nakamura - Radjabov, Mamedyarov - Karjakin, drew their Round 10 games.

Meanwhile, Pavel Eljanov convincingly won the B Group at the tournament. 

Group A

Group B

Vugar Gashimov


Born on July 24th, 1986 in Baku, Vugar Gashimov achieved his peak ranking-world#6 in November, 2009. He has been the winner of Baku Grand Prix. Representing Azerbaijani team, he became the European champion in 2009. He played a crucial role in the historical victory of the national team at the European Championship held in Serbia. In 2011 he became the winner of Reggio Emilia chess tournament held in Italy since 1958. Playing on behalf of several chess clubs, he became the champion of Croatia, Turkey, Romania, Iran, Spain and Moldova. A silver-medalist, Gashimov was known as a particularly strong blitz chess player. Owner of more than 72 titles, Vugar Gashimov is the winner of Kasparov Cup. For his individual indicators, he became silver medalist of the Chess Olympiad held in 2008. He is also a silver and bronze-medalist of the World Intellectual Games.

Vugar Gashimov passed away on January 10th, 2014 in Heidelberg, Germany at the age of 27 due to illness. 

Official website

Other Chess Blog reports on Vugar Gashimov


From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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Mahmood Lodhi is Pakistan National Chess Champion 2014

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Hello Chess Blog friends,


Here's more chess news from South East Asia... Lahore, from Pakistan to be specific. The country's national chess champion successfully defended his title this week. Mahmood Lodhi won the the 29th National Chess Championship 2014 that concluded on Wednesday.

Lodhi required just a draw in the last round to take the title and he did so by drawing Anwar Qureshi. The top players from the event will play the upcoming Chess Olympiad for Pakistan in Norway.

Pakistan spotted new chess stars in young Syed Ahmad Ali and M Bin Nasir. Two women players also took part in the event.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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World Chess Championship 2014 for Blind, Visually Impaired Chess Players in Greece - May 4-15

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Hello everyone,

13th IBCA World Individual Chess Championship for Blind and Visually Impaired Chess Players 2014
Location: Katerini, Olympus Riviera Pieria - Greece 
Dates: arrival 4 May - departure 15 May 2014 



Date and venue 
The Championship will be held in Katerini, Olympus Riviera - Greece from May 4th
 2014 (arrivals) 
until May 15th 2014 (departures). The tournament hall is the conference center of the 5-star hotel 
“Mediterranean Village” in Katerini. 

Organizers 
I.B.C.A. and Hellenic Sport Federation for Persons with Disability. 

Information and registrations 
Information, questions, registrations to the email ibcaworld2014@gmail.com and tel. number (+30) 
6938326161, Mr Nikos Kalesis. 

Payments Board and lodging, IBCA fee 
The participants will stay in the 5-star hotel “Mediterranean Village” in Katerini, Olympus Riviera. 
Prices per person, per night, full board included: 
in triple room: 59 Euros 
in double room: 67 Euros 
in single room: 84 Euros 

All participants, including coaches and accompanying persons of the delegations, must stay in the 
official hotel “Mediterranean Village” for organisational and security reasons. The Organising 
Committee will not accept any person to be a participant if she/he doesn’t stay in the official hotel “Mediterranean Village”.  

Transportation from and to airport, excursion 
Organizers are obliged to provide transportation from and to Thessaloniki Airport and an excursion on 10 May without any cost for all participants. 
All delegations must send the flight details (date, time and flight number for arrival/departure) to the organizing committee before 2 April 2014. 

Travel expenses and arrivals 
According to FIDE regulations the participating federations must cover the travel expenses of all players, coaches and accompanying persons. 

Schedule 
May 4 Arrivals 
May 5 at 10:00 Technical Meeting 
May 5 at 15:00 Round 1 
May 6 at 15:00 Round 2 
May 7 at 15:00 Round 3 
May 8 at 15:00 Round 4 
May 9 at 15:00 Round 5 
May 10 free day Excursion 
May 11 at 15:00 Round 6 
May 12 at 15:00 Round 7 
May 13 at 15:00 Round 8 
May 14 at 09:00 Round 9 
May 14 at 16:00 Closing ceremony 
May 15 Departures 
  
For more details check the official website.


From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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Photos - Chess Players' Tribute to Vugar Gashimov in Shamkir

Tromso Chess Olympiad 2014 Venue Preview!

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Hello Chess Blog friends,


Here is a nice preview of the venue for the upcoming Chess Olympiad 2014 in Norway. According to the official website, "This August the 2014 Chess Olympiad in Tromsø will bring together 1500 players from all around the world. Hosting such a huge event is a challenge, but the organisers have found the perfect venue – the 7,000 square foot Mackhallen in central Tromsø. We bring you 30 images of how the venue will look for the Olympiad."


The spectacular venue used to belong to Mack, the world’s most northerly brewery, which was established in 1877. After the brewery moved to more modern facilities the old premises became available in an ideal location, close to all the official Olympiad hotels in the city centre.

The gallery of 30 images gives an impression of how the venue will look when the Olympiad begins in a little over 100 days’ time!


From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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Estonia National Chess Championships 2014 Begin

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The latest FIDE chess tournament update is about the Estonian Chess Championships 2014 which have begun in Tallinn on April 28 and run until May 4.

The men's Championship is a 10-player round robin with the average elo of 2190. The women's Championship is 7-player round robin with the average elo of 2003. (Photo: Talented youngster Ottomar Ladva)

Participants (men):
GM Külaots Kaido EST 2569
IM Seeman Tarvo EST 2394
FM Ladva Ottomar EST 2353
FM Vovk Ilja EST 2319
FM Krupenski Juri EST 2280
Dubrovin Robert EST 2255
Valner Uku EST 2227
Jezov Roman EST 2218
Siroš Ilja EST 2086
Nahkur Madis EST 0

Participants (women):

WIM Tsõganova Monika EST 2081
WCM Narva Triin EST 2080
WIM Pärnpuu Leili EST 2076
WFM Narva Regina EST 2047
WFM Brokko Margit EST 2045
WCM Narva Mai EST 2002
Viikmaa Karmen EST 1688


From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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You-Dare-Not-Challenge Chess Girls Trivia: Name them, Event!

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Here is a historic chess photo with two of the strongest women chess players to walk the planet. Can you identify both, the event and the location this photo was taken at?



From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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Magnus Carlsen's Secret-Just Plain Good Chess, says Alexander Grischuk

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Grischuk-Carlsen in Round 11 of the 2013 London Candidates tournament, an event where time trouble thwarted the Russian's ambitions | photo: Anastasiya Karlovich

World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen's secret is plain good ol' chess! Thus says Russian Grandmaster and World No. 3 Alexander Grischuk!

If you've been following the monthly chess ratings, you would recall that Grischuk gained a huge 15 rating points this past month to jump to World No. 3 behind Carlsen and Levon Aronian.


The comments about Carlsen were made in a detailed interview in Russian for the website R Sport. A very nice translation in English appears on Chess24.com. You will enjoy reading posts at both the links!

On Magnus Carlsen

What qualities have allowed Carlsen to dominate chess and become World Champion?

The guy simply plays chess well. It seems to me that in such cases people are inclined to look for some supernatural explanation, although the simplest explanation is also the most appropriate: the guy simply plays chess well.

How big is the group of players who are capable of competing with him in the coming years?

It’s hard to say because his results recently are undoubtedly impressive, but history shows that it’s very rare for any domination by one person to last for a very long period of time. The group of Magnus’ competitors isn’t so small – eight to ten guys.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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U.S. Chess Championships 2014 May 7-20: $250,000 at Stake in St Louis

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For the sixth consecutive year, the best chess players in the U.S. will gather in Saint Louis to fight for the title of U.S. Champion and U.S. Women’s Champion.
GM Gata Kamsky will defend his title at the 2014 U.S. Championship while recently anointed Grandmaster Irina Krush will look for her sixth title at the 2014 U.S. Women’s Championship. The events will be held simultaneously May 7 through May 20 at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL). 



Ashritha Eswaran, 13, received the final wildcard invitation to the U.S. Women’s Championship to round out the fields.

This marks the sixth consecutive year that each of these prestigious events will be held in Saint Louis. The opening ceremony takes place on May 7, and the first round for both events will kick off at 1 p.m. Central on May 8.

The 2014 U.S. Championship will feature a 12-player round robin and a guaranteed prize fund of $172,000. In addition, the CCSCSL again will sponsor the “$64K Fischer Prize,” to be awarded to anyone that scores a perfect 11-0 in the U.S. Championship, in honor of Bobby Fischer’s result at the 1963-64 U.S. Championship.

GM Hikaru Nakamura declined his invitation to play in this year’s event, citing his desire to prepare for and compete against the world’s elite as he prepares for a run at the next Candidate’s cycle.

Tony Rich, executive director of the CCSCSL, said the competition will be fierce.

“Any one of these players has a shot at the title this year,” Rich said.

The complete list of players, and their current USCF ratings, for the 2014 U.S. Championship is as follows:

GM Gata Kamsky (2778)
GM Timur Gareev (2751)
GM Alex Onischuk (2751)
GM Varuzhan Akobian (2732)
GM Sergey Erenburg (2717)
GM Ray Robson (2714)
GM Sam Shankland (2698)
GM Alex Lenderman (2693)
GM Alejandro Ramirez (2679)
GM Mac Molner (2634)
GM Daniel Naroditsky (2632)
GM Josh Friedel (2599)

The 2014 U.S. Women’s Championship will feature 10 players and a guaranteed prize fund of $72,000. IM Irina Krush looks to defend her U.S. Women’s Championship crown. The field for the 2014 U.S. Women’s Championship is as follows:

GM Irina Krush (2548)
IM Anna Zatonskih (2526)
WGM Tatev Abrahamyan (2475)
WGM Camilla Baginskaite (2358)
WIM Iryna Zenyuk (2352)
WGM Sabina Foisor (2303)
WIM Viktorija Ni (2302)
WGM Katerina Nemcova (2297)
FM Alisa Melekhina (2251)
NM Ashritha Eswaran (2231)

“The U.S. Women’s Championship features seasoned veterans along with some exciting new faces as well,” Rich said. “I’m excited the Chess Club gets to showcase so many inspiring role models for Saint Louis area students.”

The well-established commentary team of GM Maurice Ashley, GM Yasser Seirawan and WGM Jennifer Shahade will once again offer Internet viewers live play-by-play and analysis for each round of the event. GM Robert Hess will join GM Ben Finegold to provide commentary for the live audience in Saint Louis.

Carol Jarecki will serve as the chief arbiter for both events.

Check www.uschesschamps.com for the latest updates, full player bios, info about past U.S. Championships and news about the top players in the U.S.


From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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Fischer Chess Trivia: What is Chess History Occasion of this Photo?

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Hello Chess Blog friends,


Bobby Fischer the chess legend - There was no Internet when this photo was taken. However, this photo did eventually go 'viral'. Can you recall the occasion this Associated Press photo captures?


From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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GM Sarunas Sulskis is Lithuania Chess Champion 2014

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GM Sarunas Sulskis has won the Lithuania National Chess Championship 2014. The Individual Chess Championship of Lithuania took place from 24th April to 1st May, 2014 in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. It was a 10 player round robin with an average ELO rating of 2388.

GM Sarunas Sulskis earned with 7,5/9 points, leaving the runner-up 1,5 point behind. GM Aloyzas Kveinys took clear second with 6/9 points, while IM Tomas Laurusas remained third with 5,5/9 points, according to a FIDE update.

For more information, visit the official website.


From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
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Russian Chess Trivia: Name the Chess Stars, Occasion!

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Hello Chess Blog friends, here's some Russian chess trivia - Can you name these two Russian chess Grandmasters and what is the occasion? We are sure you can recognise both the talented chess players, and you would be able to identify the occasion if you have been reading Chess Blog regularly!!! Meanwhile, have a chess-fulfilling Sunday.



From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
YouTube Channel


a

How Chess Inspires Art, Culture, Music: Chess Hall of Fame Two New Exhibitions May 8

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Hello Chess Blog friends, Here is more chess news about the Chess Hall of Fame in Saint Louis. Two new chess exhibitions will open at the Hall on May 8 which are meant "to bring life to the role of chess in art, music and culture." 


The new exhibitions at the World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF) will explore how chess inspires art, culture and music. Opening May 8, Strategy by Design: Games by Michael Graves and Cage and Kaino: Pieces and Performances offer WCHOF visitors a rare glimpse into the important yet often unknown influence the 1500-year old game of chess has on modern society. Exhibition highlights include:

Strategy by Design: Games by Michael Graves (May 8 – Sept. 28, 2014)

Design, function and fun come together in this interesting installment featuring work by renowned American architect and designer Michael Graves. Graves is known for combining modern style with a playful functionality in his buildings and the products he creates through collaborations with retailers like JCPenney and Target. His product lines, at once sophisticated and affordable, prove high-end doesn't necessarily mean high-priced. This philosophy now comes to life in Strategy by Design, which features the chess set Graves has called one of his favorite and most challenging projects. The exhibition also showcases the rare materials on loan from the Michael Graves Design Group that were used to design and create this chess set.

The show will also present a range of other games created by the Michael Graves Design Group–from classic standards such as card games, cribbage, and backgammon to more recent family favorites like Scrabble, Yahtzee, Monopoly, and Stratego. Video elements and an educational center will provide additional context for Graves' work and career.

"Just as Graves, through his work with Target and now JCPenney, has brought the Democratization of Design, the World Chess Hall of Fame has sought to expand the general public's awareness of chess and its many cultural interactions across the globe," said Bradley Bailey, guest curator for Strategy by Design: Games by Michael Graves. Bailey is associate professor of art history at Saint Louis University and co-author of the book, Marcel Duchamp: The Art of Chess.

Cage & Kaino: Pieces and Performances is an exhibition accompanied by rare live performances of the work of 20th-century composer John Cage and contemporary multimedia artist Glenn Kaino.

Cage and Kaino: Pieces and Performances (May 8 – Sept. 21, 2014)

Intelligence will ignite when the masterworks of two creative geniuses are presented together for the first time in this unique exhibition. Pieces and Performances showcases the work of John Cage and Glenn Kaino, two artists and inventors who used chess as inspiration for their globally-acclaimed work.

"Even though Cage and Kaino were born 60 years apart and never met, they produced incredible art that shares many commonalities. Together, they highlight how a game that is often a metaphor for war and battle can also be used to build relationships and community," said Larry List, guest curator for the exhibition.

The exhibition will include the electronic chess/musical composing board used by John Cage, Marcel Duchamp, and Alexina "Teeny" Duchamp to perform Cage's famous 1968 Reunion concert; Glenn Kaino's 80" x 80" piece called Learn to Win or You Will Take Losing for Granted, a life-sized chess set that includes pieces made of the artist's hands cast in bronze; and Kaino's One Hour Paintings depicting chess grandmasters.

"One of the highlights of this exhibition will be the performance art associated with it. Cage's Reunion will be performed at the beginning of the show on May 15 and Kaino's Burning Boards piece will provide a memorable event later in the exhibition's run," List said.

Reunion is a musical performance created by Cage that debuted in 1968 in Toronto, Canada. The single "instrument" in the concert is a chess board wired to play different selections of music according to individual squares. Music is spontaneously composed according to the moves that the players choose: the performance begins quietly as only a few pieces are in play, crescendos in the center of the game, and then slowly fades as more and more pieces are captured. One final note signifies checkmate.

Visitors can explore Strategy by Design and Pieces and Performances at the World Chess Hall of Fame located at 4652 Maryland Avenue (Saint. Louis, 63108). For more information, including exhibition hours, call (314) 367-WCHF or visit www.worldchesshof.org.

About the World Chess Hall of Fame
4652 Maryland Avenue, Saint Louis, MO, 63108 (314) 367-WCHF www.worldchesshof.org 


The World Chess Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization committed to building awareness for the cultural and artistic significance of chess. It opened on Sept. 9, 2011, in the Central West End after moving from previous locations in New York and Miami.

The WCHOF is housed in an historic 15,900 square-foot residence-turned-business and features the U.S. and World Chess Halls of Fame, displays of artifacts from the permanent collection, and temporary exhibitions highlighting the great players, historic games, and rich cultural history of chess.

The WCHOF partners with the Chess Club and Scholastic Center to provide innovative programming and outreach to local, national, and international audiences.


From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
YouTube Channel



World Senior Team Chess Championships 2014 in Lithuania July 12-22

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Hello everyone, FIDE has announced the details of the World Senior Team Chess Championships 2014 to be held in Lithuania. The city of Vilnius will host this premier chess event.

World Senior Team Chess Championship 2014 
www.vilnius2014.com 

Date: 12th-22nd July 2014 

Playing Venue: Vilnius Town Hall, Didžioji g. 31, 
LT-01128 Vilnius, Lithuania 



Organizer: Kaunas Chess Federation 
 Webpage: www.vilnius2014.com 
 E-mail: registration@kaunaschess.org 
 Tel. +370 620 68487 

Schedule: 
Saturday (2014-07-12) Arrival Day 
Sunday (2014-07-13) 10:00 Captain’s Meeting 
Sunday (2014-07-13) 14:00 Opening Ceremony & Round 1 
Monday (2014-07-14) 10:00 Round 2 
Tuesday (2014-07-15) 10:00 Round 3 
Wednesday (2014-07-16) 10:00 Round 4 
Thursday (2014-07-17) 10:00 Round 5 
Friday (2014-07-18) 10:00 Round 6 
Saturday (2014-07-19) 10:00 Round 7 
Sunday (2014-07-20) 10:00 Round 8 
Monday (2014-07-21) 10:00 Round 9 
Monday (2014-07-21) 18:00 Closing Ceremony & Banquet 
Tuesday (2014-07-22) Departure Day 

The first World Senior Team Chess Championship was organised in the Isle of Man by IO Stewart Reuben in 2004 for players aged 60 and over. In 2013 FIDE Congress in Tallinn decided to accept proposals from the cities of Vilnius and Dresden to re-launch an event – The World Senior Team Chess Championship. The event will be in a test period of 3 years. The World Senior Team Chess Championship 2014 will be organized in Vilnius (Lithuania) while the other two championships – in Dresden, Germany (2015, 2016).

Regulations: 
• Team composition: 5 players (4 boards + 1 optional reserve) 
• Playing system: 9 round Swiss system. 
• Time control: 90 min/40 moves + 30 minutes for the rest of the game + 30 seconds 
for each move from the first move. 
• The default time at the beginning of all rounds is 30 minutes. 
• Format: 
o Section 1: Open tournament for teams with players 50+ (no restriction); 
o Section 2: Open tournament for teams with players 65+; 
(if less than 10 teams are registered for this section, they will be merged into 
Section 1 with separate ranking and prizes); 
Women players may play in the open tournaments; 
o Section 3: Tournament for women’s teams with players 50+; 
(if less than 8 women’s teams are registered for Section 3, they will be 
merged into Section 2 (or Section 1) with separate ranking and prizes). 
• Eligibility: Players are eligible provided they are aged 50 (65) by 31 December. 
• Federation: All members of the team have to be from the same national federation. 
The tournament will be open for any number of teams from the same national federation. 

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
YouTube Channel




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