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"Chess problems demand from the composer the same virtues that
characterize all worthwhile art: originality, invention, conciseness,
harmony, complexity, and splendid insincerity." 1) Hikaru Nakamura GM at 15 2) Kasparov vs. Deep Junior 3-3 3) America's Foundation for Chess 4) Shipman, Margulis and Hernandez lead Spring Tuesday Night Marathon 5) Chess in the News 6) Time Controls 7) Arthur Stamer Memorial Winners 8) MI Chess History CD: Volume 1 1) Hikaru Nakamura GM at 15Brazilian GM Giovanni Vescovi won the A section in Bermuda in impressive style, but it was 15-year-old Hikaru Nakamura of White Plains, New York, who was the big story making his third and final GM norm. In doing so Hikaru broke Bobby Fischer's 44-year-old record as the youngest American Grandmaster. Hikaru, who was only half a point from GM norms in Bolivia and San Francisco last year, is well on his way to bigger and better things. We look for him to be crossing the 2600 FIDE barrier shortly. Congratulations also go to chief sponsor Nigel Faulks and chief organizer Nigel Freeman for again putting on a first rate chess festival. GMA Final Standings: 1. Vescovi, Giovanni g BRA 2592 8.0; 2. Svidler, Peter g RUS 2693 7.5; 3. Markowski, Tomasz g POL 2574 7.0; 4. Motylev, Alexander g RUS 2640 6.0; 5. Miton, Kamil g POL 2544 5.5; 6. Macieja, Bartlomiej g POL 2629 5.0; 7. Movsesian, Sergei g SVK 2663 5.0; 8. Volokitin, Andrei g UKR 2565 5.0; 9. Gershon, Alik g ISR 2571 4.5; 10. Shabalov, Alexander g USA 2613 4.5; 11. Christiansen, Larry M g USA 2562 4.0; 12. Al-Modiahki, Mohamad g QAT 2571 4.0; GMB Final Standings: 1. Fridman, Daniel g LAT 2572 8.0; 2. Nakamura, Hikaru m USA 2520 7.5; 3. Perelshteyn, Eugene m USA 2442 7.0; 4. Schmaltz, Roland g GER 2529 6.5; 5. Moreno Carnero, Javier m ESP 2508 5.5; 6. Berg, Emanuel m SWE 2527 5.5; 7. Seul, Georg m GER 2437 5.0; 8. Kallio, Heikki g FIN 2474 5.0; 9. Paschall, William M m USA 2444 5.0; 10. Dinstuhl, Volkmar m GER 2416 4.5; 11. Blatny, Pavel g CZE 2475 3.5; 12. Mulyar, Michael A m USA 2446 3.0;
M Mulyar - H Nakamura
A Volokitin - G Vescovi Go to http://www.Bermuda.bm/chess for more information. 2) Kasparov vs. Deep Junior 3-3John Henderson writes in The Scotsman: MANKIND lives to fight another day in the battle of wits with the machines, as world number one Garry Kasparov and three-time world computer chess champion Deep Junior ended their $1m six-game Man v Machine FIDE World Championship match held at the New York Athletic Club with a draw, to tie the series at 3-3. For the first time in the match Kasparov bravely decided to opt for his trademark Sicilian Najdorf, and equalized with ease as Deep Junior somewhat surprisingly eschewed all the wild complications of the main line that would normally favor the unlimited analytical capabilities of a computer. After nearly four hours of intense play, Kasparov made a breakthrough with a thematic exchange sacrifice, only to surprisingly follow this up with a draw offer. Deep Junior turned it down but five moves later returned the offer, and Kasparov readily accepted -- to boos from the capacity crowd who thought he had the better of the position. Still smarting from his defeat six years ago to IBM's Deep Blue, also in New York, Kasparov opted for safety rather than valor. "I had one item on my agenda today: not to lose," Kasparov said after Friday's finale. "And a draw was a good result." He said the strain of the series' five other games and "dangerous reminiscences" of his fatal encounter with Deep Blue, seen by some as a watershed moment in technological advancement, weighed heavily on his mind. This was the second Man v Machine contest in the last four months, Kasparov's nemesis Vladimir Kramnik battled the program Deep Fritz to a 4-4 draw in Bahrain last October and also found the pressures of playing a silicon opponent that plays some elements of the game perfectly and some abjectly, a considerable strain. Both the programmers Amir Ban and Shay Bushinsky took home half the price fund of $250,000, with Kasparov received the same amount plus his 'sweetener' of $500,000 for his appearance fee. The Israeli's claimed their program, which runs on a simple PC are better than Deep Blue which was backed up by hundreds of parallel processors and needed its own room. We will never know because after Deep Blue's historic victory, its creators mothballed it and it will likely never play again. Recently IBM donated one of the 1.4 ton towers that were specially designed to take on Kasparov to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. The match also created enormous media interest in New York and was held under the patronage of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, hosted by X3D a new technology company who create three dimensional media and games products, and produced on behalf of FIDE by the redoubtable Serge Grimaux. The match also made a major breakthrough for the game in the USA, as the worldwide interest generated by Kasparov's high-profile tussle with Deep Junior led to one of the main US television sports networks, ESPN2, to carry the sixth and final game live -- no doubt adding further pressure to Kasparov, as they hoped for a repeat of the Deep Blue debacle. The last time such in-depth live coverage of chess was seen in the US was the infamous Fischer-Spassky cold war of the mind encounter of 1972 that gripped the nation. Lasting three and half-hours, the program was broadcast direct from the match venue - hosted by a leading ESPN anchor, and ably assisted by the upbeat commentary team of Yasser Seirawan and Maurice Ashley - and was aired between the more mainstream sports of PGA golf and NBA basketball.
DEEP JUNIOR - G Kasparov In the days when Deep Junior was still Junior I manage to beat it fairly easily in the Man vs. Machine competition in The Hague. Since then it has improved a little more than I. Nonetheless I am willing to give Junior a rematch and for considerably less than the $625,000 Garry picked up in New York. Donaldson - Junior D02 Aegon Den Haag (2), 1995 1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d4 Bg4 6.Ne5 cxd4 7.Nxg4 Nxg4 8.e3 h5 9.exd4 e6 10.c3 Bd6 11.Nd2 Bc7 12.Re1 Nf6 13.Nf3 0-0 14.Bg5 Nb8 15.Ne5 Nbd7 16.Nxd7 Qxd7 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Qxh5 Bd8 19.c4 dxc4 20.d5 Re8 21.dxe6 fxe6 22.Rad1 Qf7 23.Qg4+ Kf8 24.Qxc4 Bb6 25.Rd6 Rad8 26.Rdxe6 Rxe6 27.Qxe6 Qxe6 28.Rxe6 Rd1+ 29.Bf1 Ra1 30.Rxf6+ Ke7 31.Rf3 Rxa2 32.b3 Bd4 33.Kg2 a6 34.h4 b5 35.g4 Bg7 36.g5 Bd4 37.h5 Rc2 38.Bd3 Rc5 39.Bf5 a5 40.h6 a4 41.bxa4 bxa4 42.g6 Kf8 43.g7+ Bxg7 44.Be6+ Bf6 45.Rxf6+ Ke7 46.Rg6 Rh5 47.Kg3 Kd8 48.f4 Ke7 49.f5 a3 50.Kf4 Rh2 51.Rg7+ Kd6 52.Rd7+ Kc6 53.Ra7 Kb6 54.Rxa3 Rxh6 55.Ke5 Rh5 56.Kd6 Rh6 57.Rb3+ Ka6 58.Rf3 1-0 3) America's Foundation for ChessThe brightest development in American chess in the past few years has been the emergence of America's Foundation for Chess (http://www.af4c.org). The Seattle based organization has sponsored three US Championships and is a leader in scholastic chess. If you like what this 501(c) (3) organization is doing consider making a donation or just e-mail them at info@af4c.org and let them know how much you appreciate their efforts. 4) Shipman, Margulis and Hernandez lead Spring Tuesday Night MarathonIM Walter Shipman and NMs Igor Margulis and Rudy Hernandez lead the Spring Tuesday Night Marathon at 5 from 6 with two rounds to go. Veteran Victor Todortsev sends in his round five win over longtime MI member David Blohm. It's not easy to pinpoint where White made his final error. NM David Blohm - Victor Todortsev Sicilian B59 Mechanics' Institute Spring Marathon 2003 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.Be2 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Kh1?! 10.f4 is more active. 10...d5 Black has equalized 11.exd5 Nxd5 12.Nxd5 Bxd5 13.Qd2 f5 14.Rfd1 Bxb3?! Here 14...Be6 was more exact. 15.Qxd8?! This asks for trouble as it gives Black the d-file. To be preferrred was 15.axb3 when White is doing fine. 15...Raxd8 16.axb3 f4 17.Bd2 Bc5 18.Kg1 e4 19.Bc4+ Kh8 20.Be1 Nd4 21.b4 Here 21.Ba5 with the idea 21...b6 (Better is 21...Nxc2 22.Bxd8 Nxa1 23.Bh4 Nc2 with the advantage) 22.Bc3 Nxc2 23.Rxd8 Rxd8 24.Rxa7 was worth considering. 21...Bb6 22.Rac1 There is no way out now. as 22.c3 loses to 22...Nc2 23.Rxd8 Rxd8 24.Rc1 Nxe1 25.Rxe1 e3. 22...f3 23.c3 If 23.Kf1 then 23...e3! 23...Ne2+ 24.Bxe2 fxe2 25.Rxd8 Rxd8 26.Rc2 e3 27.f4 As 27.Rxe2 loses to 27...exf2+ 28.Bxf2 Rd1+ 27...Rd2 0-1 5) Chess in the NewsChess has been in the news lately. The Philadelphia Inquirer ran an incredibly detailed story about Bobby Fischer's father, Paul Nemenyi. (http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/special_packages/inquirer_magazine/5/5112116.htm) Garry Kasparov has wrote an article which appeared Monday in the Wall Street Journal under the title Man vs. Machine: Saving chess from IBM. Amy Harmon wrote an article for the New York Times about chess players and computers called More Chess Players Use Computers for Edge (http://www.nytimes.com/ads/digitalpremium5xREV.htm) which quotes GMs Bareev and Ashley among others. It makes for depressing reading. 6) Time ControlsThe King of Kalmykia, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, has been accelerating time controls ever since he took over FIDE. At present he likes G/90 with a 30 second increment each move. The last FIDE World Championship was played with this time control as was the recent Olympiad. A recent poll done by Yasser Seirawan which was published at the ChessBase website (http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=642) suggests that many top GMs strongly disagree with King Kirsan. 21 out of the top 80 players (down to 2613 FIDE) responded to Yasser's survey including Kasparov and Kramnik. 15 of the respondents chose choice C and Michael Adams interestingly the traditional choice D. One sometimes wonders if the only reason for choice B was the fact that when it was implemented clocks could not be programmed to only have an increment in the final control. There are reports that Kirsan hopes to have the next Olympiad again played at G/25 significantly shortening the length of the event from a little over two weeks to five days. Could GM Tkachev's idea of holding the World Championship at a time control of one minute per player be coming soon? Here are the choices the players were presented:
The following time-controls for Digital Clocks for Professional seven-hour
games were given the most consideration: Choice A, (All/150+30) gives each player two and a half hours to begin the game, and players can use the allotted time however they wish. The additional 30 seconds means that a player would have to make 120 moves before obtaining an additional one hour of thinking time, keeping the game well within the desired seven-hour period. Choice B, (40/100+30 & 60 + 30/All) keeps a more constant rate of play. Unlike the first time-control (All/150+30), it is unlikely that the two players will consume a great deal of time on a given move and on the reply to it. Choice B is slightly slower than Choice A. Choice C, (40/2, 20/1, 15+30/All) is the most conventional. The first two time-controls of Choice C are exactly the same as those used for the Mechanical Clock. The third time-control of 15 minutes plus the 30-second bonus increment avoids the undesirable guillotine finish. However, this time-control is the slowest. It would mean that games that last beyond move 90 would probably go beyond the seven-hour playing session.
The fourth suggested time control Choice D is the same for the Mechanical
Clock.
7) Arthur Stamer Memorial WinnersArthur Stamer was a member of the Mechanics' for over 50 years and served as its first chess director. Here is an honor roll of winners.
1964 William Addison 8) MI Chess History CD: Volume 1The staff of the Mechanics' Institute recently completed the first of a two volume series on the history of the Mechanics' Institute Chess Room. The fruits of their research are available on a CD which includes almost 90 pages of text, approximately 10 photos from the MI archives and over 150 games in ChessBase format. Visits of World Champions Lasker (twice), Capablanca, Alekhine (twice), and Euwe, are among the highlights. The price of the CD is $10 + $1 for shipping. To order, send a check payable to the Mechanics' Institute for $11 to: Mechanics' Institute, Room 408, 57 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94104. Upcoming Tournaments at the MI Full details at www.chessclub.org
A.J. Fink Amateur: February 28, March 1-2, 2003 Scholastic Quad: February 22. Other Bay Area Events
Feb. 15-17. 30th Annual People's Chess Tournament. MLK Jr. Student Union, UC-Berkeley Campus.$$3,200 Gtd. in 5 sections. 6SS, 45/2, SD/1, Rds: 11-5:30, 10-4:30, 10-4:30 in Open, Expert, A & B 5SS, 45/90, SD/30, Rds: 11-3-7, 10-3 in Reserve. Open: $500-350-200, 1st U2300 $100. EF: $40. Expert: $300-150-75. EF: $39. Class A: $290-150-75. EF: $38. Class B: $280-140-70. EF: $37. Reserve: $200-125-50, U1400 $100-50. EF: $27. Reg: 9-10am on 2/15 or by mail by 2/8. $3 discount to CalChess Members, $5 discount to UC students. All ents. $5 more after 2/8. All players may play up one section for $5. Ent: ASUC/SPERB, 5 Eshleman Hall, #4500, Berkeley, CA 94720. TDs: Don Shennum and Brad Williams. Info: Don 510-524-5735, dshennum@yahoo.com. W. Feb. 23. San Leandro 2003 Chess Tournament.
Marina Community Center, 15301 Wicks Blvd.,San Leandro. $$1,250, based on
75 entries, in 3 sections. 4SS, G75/G70-5, Rds: 10 am, 1:30 pm, 4:15 pm,
7:00 pm Open: $500, Reserve U2000: $400, Booster U1600 $350 Within each
section the prizes will be allocated according to the number of entries
and their rating scope, and will be posted after the start of the
tournament. EF: $27 if received by 2/21/2003. Late Reg: 9-9:30 am on
2/23 $32.$2 discount to CalChess Members. Ent: Hans Poschmann, 4621
Seneca Park Ave., Fremont CA 94538
Mar. 29-30. 2003 Central California Adult & Scholastic Chess Congress Open, Scholastic & Beginner Scholastic. Edison High School, Grant Taggart Gym, 1425 S. Center St., Stockton. Open: (G/2, 5 sec. delay) $$2,000 Gtd: $400-200, X, A, B, C, D, E, & Unr. $200 ea. Trophies to ea. 1st. EF: $35 by 3/28, at site $45. Late Reg. 8-9:30. Byes requested bef. Rd. 1 only. Rds: 10-2:15, 10-2:15. EF includes G/5 Bughouse, G/5 Blitz, G/10 Quick (Rated), Simultaneous & Blindfold challenge (limited 8 highest rated challengers). Trophy/Title prizes for all side events. Scholastic Championship: 5SS, G/1. 4 Sections: K-3, 4-6, 7-8, 9-12 (Trophies 10, 15, 15, 10 Resp.). EF: $20 by 3/28, at site $30. Late Reg. at site 8-9:30. Byes requested before Rd. 1 only. Rds: 10-1:15, 10-1:15,3:30. EF includes G/5 Bughouse, G/5 Blitz, G/10 Quick (Rated), Simultaneous. Trophy/Title Prize for all side events. Beginner Scholastic Championship: (3/29, Non Rated) 6SS, G/30. K-8. Certificates to all grade winners + participants. Free USCF membership to all scoring 4 or more pts. EF $10, $20 at site. Late Reg. at site 8-9:30. No byes. Only eligible Simultaneous. Rds: 10-11-12-1-2-3. Prizes all side events. Info: STKNCHES.go.cc or JacobGreen@msn.com. John Charles Barnard, 209-785-7895. 50 cents of ea entry donated to CalChess. Ent: Edison High School Chess Club, 1425 S. Center, Stockton CA 95206 W. Southern California 20th Annual U.S. Amateur Team West February 15-17, 2003 Radisson LAX 6225 Century Blvd (corner of Sepulveda), Los Angeles 90045 6-SS, 40/2, SD/1 Open to teams of four players plus optional alternate. Average rating of four highest rated players must be under 2200. Rating difference between 1st and 4th players may not exceed 1000 points. Prizes: Trophy and four BHB clocks to: Top 3 teams; Top teams rated Under 2100, Under 2000, Under 1800, Under 1600, Under 1400/unrated. Trophies (1 large, 4 small) to top College, Industrial, and Junior (under age 18) teams. Clocks to top scorers on each board (1-4 and Alternate), plus any perfect score. Gift certificates for Best Team Name (1st and 2nd). Entry Fee: $100 per team in advance, $120 at door. Junior (under age 18): $68 per team in advance, $80 at door. USCF membership required. Registration: 8-10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15. Rounds: 11-6, 11-6, 10-4:30. Help in forming teams: Mike Carr (mrcarr@pacbell.net), (949) 768-3538, Randy Hough (randallhough@yahoo.com), (626) 282-7412 Hotel rates: $83. Call (310) 670-9000. Be sure to mention chess! Parking $5/day. Entry Form Team Name___________________________________________ Average Rating_________ Name_______________________________ Rating ______ USCF ID ______________ Name_______________________________ Rating ______ USCF ID ______________ Name_______________________________ Rating ______ USCF ID ______________ Name_______________________________ Rating ______ USCF ID ______________ Alternate (optional) Name____________________ Rating ______ USCF ID ______________ Entry Fee $100 ____ Junior $68 ____ USCF memberships enclosed (indicate players) $ ____ Total enclosed $ ___ Make checks payable to SCCF. Please print this form and mail to:
SCCF
April 11-13. Western Pacific Open 5SS, 3-day 40/2, SD/1, 2-day Rds. 1-2 G/75 then merges. LAX Radisson Hotel, 6225 W. Century Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045. $$10,000 b/200, 50% of each prize guaranteed. In 3 sections: Open: $1500-1000-800-400-200 plus $200 (G) bonus for clear 1st, U2400 $400-200, U2300 $200, U2200 $750-500-300. EF: $79 advance, $95 door, $30 more if rated U1800. Premier: (U2000) $750-500-300-100, U1800 $500-300-200. EF: $79 advance, $95 door, $30 more to U1400, no unrated. Amateur: (U1600) $400+trophy-250-100, U1400 $100+trophy-50, U1200 $100+trophy, Unr. $100+trophy, unrated may win unrated prize only. EF: $64 advance, $75 door. Reg: 5:30-6:30pm 4/11, 8:30-10am 4/12. Rds: 3-day 7 p.m., 11-5:30, 10-4:30. 2-day: 10:30-1:30 (G/75), then merges. All: $50 Best Game prize, all sections eligible. One 1/2-pt. bye Rds. 1-3 if requested with ent. SCCF membership req. of rated S. Cal. res., $12 reg, $7.50 Jr. No credit card entries. No checks at door. HR: $84, 310-670-9000, mention chess. Parking: $5/day. Info: Mike Carr, 949-768-3538, mrcarr@pacbell.net; John Hillery admin@westernchess.com. Web site: www.westernchess.com. Ent: SCCF, c/o John Hillery, 835 N. Wilton Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90038. State Championship Qualifier. FIDE. International Events BERMUDA The 1st Pan American Amateur Championship will be held at the elegant Fairmont Southampton from 27th January to 5th February 2003. It will be nine rounds plus a rest day and will be held alongside two GM Invitational Tournaments (Cat XV and X). The rate of play will be 150 plus 30 seconds per move. It is open to players under 2000 FIDE or no FIDE rating at all. Each Federation in the Americas is allowed to nominate two players who do not have to pay an entry fee, otherwise entry fee is $150 per player. It will be followed by the 20th Bermuda Open from 6th to 9th February. Rooms are $125 per night plus taxes etc. for one or two people, a third person in a room would be an extra $30 plus taxes. etc To book rooms contact the Fairmont Southampton on 1-800-441-1414 or 1-441-238-8000, mentioning "PanAmerican Amateur Chess." Details/Info: www.Bermuda.bm/chess or Nigel Freeman 441-234-2322, cadilly@ibl.bm or Carol Jarecki 917-690-8566, cjareck@attglobal.net. |