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"In the middlegame one should not hesitate to advance a central passed pawn." David Bronstein This Saturday the MI is holding the 4th annual J.J. Dolan Memorial. This 5 round, G/45, event is a perfect warmup for the Western States Open. 1) DeGuzman wins Dolan Memorial 2) GM Nick deFirmian at MI today 3) Ralston Memorial 4) Governor Schwarzenegger is a Chessplayer 5) Here and There 6) Upcoming Events Three-time US Champion Nick deFirmian will be at the MI tonight at 5 to give a talk. Among those expected to attend are IMs Elliott Winslow and Walter Morris plus SM Boris Men. Don't forget the Western States Open starts this Friday in Reno. Details are given below under upcoming events. Consider playing for the MI. Signout up sheets will be posted at the tournament. 1) DeGuzman wins McClain MemorialIM Ricardo DeGuzman continued his domination of MI monthly G/45 events, going 5-0 in the 4th annual J.J. Dolan Memorial held October 11. DeGuzman numbered among his victims NM Victor Baja and rising star Nicolas Yap. Dmitry Vayntrub was second at 4-1 in the 28-player field. 2) GM Nick deFirmian at MI todayThree-time US Champion Nick deFirmian will give a talk and show some of his best recent games at the MI on Wednesday, October 15. deFirmian, who currently lives in Denmark, is a graduate of UC Berkeley and has long ties to the Bay Area. A many-time US Olympiad member, Nick has ranked among the top US players for over 20 years. He is the author of MCO 13 and 14. The two hour program, free to all, starts at 5pm. Those who arrive in Reno on Thursday for the Western States Open will have a chance to play Nick in a simul that evening. 3) Ralston MemorialThe MI will be hosting a round robin tournament offering IM norm possibilities starting in late October. The field for the Category 3 (2320) event is GM Yermolinsky, IM DeGuzman, IM Ilic, FMs Evans, Keatinge-Clay, Zilberstein, Mezentsev and Lobo plus NMs Poehlmann, Ishkhanov and Shivaji. Vladimir Mezentsev will be gunning for his third and final IM norm. Among other contestants Lobo and Keatinge-Clay each have one norm. Play starts October 25. This will be one of only a handful of tournaments held in the USA this year offering norm possibilities and continues an annual MI tradition dating back to 1995. Vinay Bhat, Cyrus Lakdawala, Jesse Kraai and Mark Paragua are among those who earned their title at the Mechanics'. Running these events is expensive when you factor in the cost of travel to bring in foreign players, a prize fund and honoraria for titled participants. If you would like to help to support these events consider sending a tex-deductible donation to the MI (57 Post St., Room 408, San Francisco, CA 94104) which enjoys 501 (c) (3) status as an officially recognized nonprofit educational organization. 4) Governor Schwarzenegger is a ChessplayerArnold Schwarzenegger is not only the governor who bench presses the most weight he is also the chessplaying governor. Check out the ChessBase site http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=1235 to learn more about the Schwarzenegger clan's chess playing activities and photos of Arnold with Garry Kasparov. For an example of a "strong" chessplayer ChessBase ran a photo of GM-elect and weightlifting enthusiast Boris Kreiman. They might have also included GM Anatoly "the Bull" Lein, who even at 72 still looks like he could lift manhole covers for fun. According to MI GM-in-Residence Alex Yermolinsky, Lein has practiced Olympic lifts for most of his life. 5) Here and ThereThe Mechanics' Institute Chess Room staff wishes MI member Bryan Bilby well in his move to the East Coast. Bryan was not only a fixture in the Tuesday Night Marathons but also owned the well-regarded Chelsea book store in the Inner Sunset. Good luck Bryan! Lindsborg, Kansas, looks to be the hotspot for US chess this December. Among those already signed up for the 2nd Annual Lindsborg Open are GMs Onischuk, Andersson, Yudasin, Atalik, Baburin, Shulman, Yermolinsky, Blatny and Sharavdorj. This event, which produced one GM norm and one IM norm last year looks like a prime chance to meet first rate opposition and earn international title norms. Full details are given below. WGM Anna Zatonskih of Bowling Green, Ohio, made her third and final IM norm in the 12th Monarch Assurance Open held on the Isle of the Man with a 2575 performance. This was her second near GM norm miss, her first was at Lindsborg in December 2002. Her third IM norm was at this summer's World Open. She becomes the second women to earn the International Master title while representing the United States (Irina Krush was the first). Zatonskih is not the only member of the US Women's Olympiad Training Team to be making the news of late. WGM Rusa Goletiani won the Womens Championship of the Americas in Venezuela this past September to qualify for the FIDE Knockout World Championship. 2002 US Womens Champion Jennifer Shahade, who has two IM norms, is featured on the October issue of the English magazine Chess. Longtime Bay Area chess supporter Val Zemitis of Davis is featured on IM Jeremy Silman's website www.jeremysilman.com. Zemitis win over postal master Dan Marshall of Washington State in a theoretical Evans Gambit gets a serious examination by several well-known GMs including John Nunn and Lubomir Ftacnik as well as the MI's Chess Director. You can find this article at http://www.jeremysilman.com/opening_analysis/latest_opening_analysis.html . Look for original work by GM Larry Christiansen on the Evans on Silman's site shortly. Samford Scholar Dmitry Schneider is off to a good start in the October First Saturday Tournament in Budapest with a score of 4.5 from 6 in the Category 8 (2429 - GM norm = 8/11) according to The Week in Chess (The First Saturday website seems to be temporarily out of commission) . Los Angeles based IM Tim Taylor has 1.5 in the event which is scheduled to finish today. Leonid Yudasin and Julio Becerra won the 76th New York Masters on 7th October 2003 with 3/4. Go to http://www.newyorkmasters.com for more information. Just in case you thought you could take a "live" cellphone into the tournament hall Mark Crowther reports what recently happened to FIDE World Champ Ponomariov. Incidentally the USCF rule has you getting clipped 10 minutes (or half your remaining time) for the first infraction. "Plovdiv in Bulgaria hosts the European team championship October 10th-21st 2003. 37 men's and 31 women's teams are competing. Russia are very clear favorites with Bareev, Svidler, Grischuk, Morozevich and Khalifman. Shirov plays for Spain, Gelfand for Israel, Topalov for Bulgaria, Van Wely for the Netherlands and Ponomariov for the Ukraine. Round 1 saw Ruslan Ponomariov's 20th birthday and a mortifying incident for him. His mobile phone went off in the middle of a game and under new rules It is not allowed to bring any mobile phone into the playing hall. Violations of this rule will be punished according to art.13.4 of the Laws of Chess by loss of their game." This rule didn't appear on the official site of the event and many teams didn't receive the rules until after the game. Rather fortunately for Ponomariov he didn't lose too much through this as his position was quite terrible at the point he was disqualified. My thanks to David Llada for some of the details of this incident.Official site: http://www.etcc.chessbg.com/ Here are two recent e-mails from readers of the Newsletter. I am collecting the games and tournament information of International Master Nikolai Minev for use in a planned book on his chess career. A number of his games played in the United States have not been published, and are most likely lost unless his opponents retained scores of the moves. If you have played against Dr. Minev in any US event, and still have a score of the game, I would be most grateful if you would send me a photocopy of the game, any relevant details of the pairing (tournament, date, round, etc), and your contact info (name, address, phone, email, etc.).
Games and other information should be directed to: Please contact me early, as I will be out of the country starting November 26th. Information about our four tournaments for 2003/04 is at: http://www.coastsidechess.us/coastsideevents.htm Please let your kids know and encourage them to join us! In 2004, we may add a rated section if there is sufficient interest.
Eric Schiller 6) Upcoming Events
Upcoming Tournaments at the MI
33rd Carroll Capps Memorial - Nov. 8-9 21st ANNUAL SANDS REGENCY RENO-WESTERN STATES OPEN GPP: 150 Nevada 6SS, 40/2, 20/1. Sands Regency Hotel/Casino, 345N.Arlington Ave., Reno, NV 89501. 1-800-648-3553 or 775-348-2200. $$50,000 b/500 $$30,250 Gtd. FREE LECTURE/ANALYSIS by GM LARRY EVANS! G: $3,000-1,500-1,100-1,000-900-800-700-600-500-400 in Open Section plus 1/2 of all other prizes. 7 Sections: OPEN: EF: GMs and IMs free, Masters $135, (2000-2199) $156, (1999-below) $206. $$3,000+trophy- 1,500-1,100-1,000-900-800-700-600-500-400, (2400-2499) $1,000, (2300-2399) $1,000-600-400, (2299-below) $1,000-600-400. If a tie for 1st overall, then (G/15 min.) playoff for $100 from prize fund. (Note: GM/IM w/free entry not eligible for class prizes (2499/below) ,may elect to pay EF and become eligible). EXPERT: (2000-2199) EF: $134. $$2,000+trophy-1,000-700-500-300-200-200-200-200-100-100-100-100-100- (U2100 $700). "A" SECT. (1800-1999): EF: $133. $$1,900+trophy- 1,000+trophy-700+trophy-500-300-200-200-200-200-200-100-100-100-100-100. "B"SECT. (1600-1799): EF: $132. $$1,800+trophy- 1,000+trophy-600+trophy-500-300-200-200-200-200-200-100-100- 100-100-100. "C" SECT. (1400-1599): EF: $131 $$1,700+trophy- 1,000+trophy-600+trophy-500-300-200-200-200-200-200-100-100- 100-100-100. "D" SECT. (1200-1399 including adult unrated) EF: $130 (Unr.free entry but must join USCF for 1 full yr. thru this tournament. If already a member must join for 1 additional yr.-($49 adults,$25jrs.) $$1,500+trophy-1,000+trophy-500+trophy-400-300-200-200-200-200-200-100-100-100-100-100, 1st unrated-1yr. USCF membership+trophy. "E" SECT. (1199/below,including unrated Jrs.). EF: $65 (Unrated free but must join USCF for 1 full yr. thru this tournament, if already a member must join for 1 additional yr.-$25/Jrs.). (NOTE: Each entry in this section counts as 1/2 of entry for total prize fund). $$500+trophy- 400+trophy-300+trophy-200+trophy-100-100-100-100-100-100-100- 100-100-100-100, 1st Unr.-1 yr. USCF membership+trophy. SENIORS: (65yrs./older) $$500-300-200-100 (Srs. not eligible-provisional rated, unrated, "E" Sect., and Masters). CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP: $$1,000-500-300-200 decided by total score of best 10 scores from one club or area in main tournament (Not eligible- Masters, unrateds, or SECT."E"). ALL: $11 more if postmarked after 9/30, and $22 if postmarked after 10/12 or at site. $20 off EF to Sr. (65yrs. and +) and Jrs. (19/under) (Does not apply to SECT. "E"). Players may play up. Provisionally rated players may only win "up to" 50% of 1st place money except in Open Sec. 1-10. CCA ratings may be used. NOTE: pairings not changed for color alternation unless three in a row or a plus 3 and if the unlikely situation occurs 3 colors in a row may be assigned. REG: 5-9pm (10/16), 9-10am (10/17). RDS: 12-7, 10-6, 9:30-4:30. Byes available any round if requested before 1st round. ENT: Make checks payable and send to: SANDS REGENCY (address above).HR: $39! (Sun-Thurs) and $54! (Fri-Sat) + 13.5% tax. Info: Jerry Weikel (775) 747-1405 (Email: wackyykl@aol.com) FIDE.W. Oct. 24-26 8th Annual Governor's Cup GPP: 80 South Dakota 5SS, 40/2, All/1. Holiday Inn City Centre, 100 West 8th St., Sioux Falls, SD. 605-339-2000. Ask for chess rate $79.00. EF: $55 if by 10/20; $75 at site; GMs, Ims, and over 2400 free. (18 & under preregistering in Reserve section pay $35). Reg: 10/24, 4-5pm. Rds: 6; 10-4:30; 9-9:30. Byes: One + point bye allowed in Rds 1-3 if requested in advance. Total prize fund: $10,000, Unconditionally guaranteed. Open section: $1200-1000-800-600; Master: $500-300-100; Expert: $400-250-100; Under 2000: $200-100. FIDE Premier section (Under 2000): PZ: $700-500-300; Top B: $300-200-100; Under 1600: $175-100. Reserve section (Under 1600): PZ: $600-450-300; Top D: $250-150-75; Under 1200: 150-100. Info/Ent: Sioux Empire Chess Federation, 2100 Slaten Court, Sioux Falls, SD 57103. 605-338-9431. knudson1@sio.midco.net or www.sdchess.org/govcup Dec. 19-23. GPP: 60 Kansas 2nd Annual Lindsborg Open. 9SS, 30/90, SD/1. First two rounds accelerated pairing. 3,500 guaranteed prize fund! GM & IM norms are available! FIDE rating 1st - $1,200, 2nd - $800, 3rd - $600, 4th 400, 5th 200. U2400: $100 75; U2200: $100 75 EF: GMs & IMs free. Membership at KCA is required for Kansas residents. Before 11/15/03: FIDE >2300, $80. FIDE, USCF >2200, $90. FIDE <2200, $100. non-FIDE rated, USCF <2200 *, $130. Before 12/1/03: $90, $100, $110, $140, respectively. At site: $100, $110, $120, $150, respectively. * number of players in this section will be limited. Schedule: Opening Ceremony December 19, 2003 at 11:00am. Rds: 12/19 - 12:00noon & 6:00 pm; 12/20, 21, 22 - 10:00am & 5:00pm; 12/23 9:00am 1/2-pt byes OK at ALL. Limit 3. FIDE, USCF. NS, NC. Ent: INTECS, Inc. (232 N. Main St, Lindsborg, KS 67456) 785-906-0402. http://www.intecsus.org. Info: intecsus@yahoo.com HR: www.lindsborg.org 1-888-227-2227.
Dec. 19-21. GPP: Kansas Dec. 13. Karpov Chess School Scholastic Tournament. Presents tournament guests: 12th World Champion Anatoly Karpov; 2003 World Championship Qualified Grandmasters Alexander Onischuk, Yury Shulman, and Ivan Morovic (Chile). 5SS, G/30. Sections: K-3, K-5, K-8, K-12. Trophies for each category: 1-3 (teams and individuals); medals 4-20. Schedule: Reg: Ends at 9:30am. Opening Ceremony: 9:45am. Rds: 10:00am; 12:45pm, 2:00pm, 3:15pm, 4:30pm. Closing ceremony: 5:45pm EF: $25, including tournament registration, tournament brochure, autographed photo with Grandmasters, and free tickets to the Invitational tournament (details on www.lindsborg.org). Ent: INTECS, Inc. (232 N. Main St, Lindsborg, KS 67456) 785-906-0402, http://www.intecsus.org. Info: intecsus@yahoo.com HR: www.lindsborg. org, 1-888-227-2227. |