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"Not only Tal has changed but chess has changed. Chess is played at a much higher level than 30 years ago. When we played we were grandmasters, but it was grandamateurs. Now it is professional. I think the first real professional in the best sense of the word was Bobby Fischer. I have no real regrets. My chess life and career has, I think, been successful enough."
Mikhail Tal
1) Wong leads Spring TNM 2) DeGuzman wins 4th Imre Konig Memorial 3) Bukh first in Wednesday night blitz 4) World Championship in Libya 5) Goletiani wins 2004 Samford Scholarship 6) Dr. Mikhail Korenman: Candidate for USCF Executive Board 7) Here and There 8) Jude Acers in Santa Rosa 9) Tournaments in Vallejo and San Jose 10) Chess Camps 11) Upcoming Events 1) Wong leads Spring TNMNM Russell Wong defeated Victor Todortsev to take the lead in the Spring Tuesday Night Marathon with two rounds to go. Wong, who lost in the first round, has reeled off six straight wins. Tied for second, a half point back at 5.5 are FM Frank Thornally and Experts Alex Setzepfandt, Larry Snyder and Igor Traub. 2) DeGuzman wins 4th Imre Konig MemorialIt was business as usual for top seed IM Ricardo DeGuzman who scored 5-0 to win the 4th Imre Konig Memorial held April 24 at the Mechanics' Institute. Anthony Rozenvasser, David Ray, Dmitry Vayntrub and Batsaikan Tserendorj tied for second at 4-1 in the 45-player event directed by Anthony Coralles. 3) Bukh first in Wednesday night blitzYefim Bukh won the first of what will be a regular series of blitz tournament at the Mechanics'. Bukh, fresh from taking the top A prize in Reno which earned him a long overdue Expert's rating, scored 11-3 in the 8-player double round. Right behind him was Felix Rudyak at 10.5 followed by David Ray at 8. Among those participating were veteran MI members Neil Falconer and Vitaly Radaikan. The second in the series of blitz events will be held tonight at 7pm immediately following GM Alex Yermolinsky's free lecture. Entry fee is $5 with a 100 percent returned in prizes. 4) World Championship in LibyaThe following report by Alex Baburin comes from his outstanding online daily Chess Today (http://www.chesstoday.net). No Malta, Libya only! FIDE has published the following news item on its website: "The Libyan Olympic Committee (LOC), the local organizing body of the event, guarantees entry visas to all the 128 qualified participants of the Championship and the invitation to the players is signed by the President of LOC, Eng. Mohammad T Moammar Al Gathafi. Consequently, all the games of the championship will be played in Tripoli, Libya and no parallel event will be organized in Malta." Comments from Alex Baburin: This is something I predicted a while ago. Logistically it would not be easy to host the championship in two different countries - you need to have 16, 32 or better 64 players in Malta then. But now players from Israel will probably not go to the tournament. And players from USA might think twice before going to Tripoli - only recently there was tension between Libya and USA. With more players not taking part in the event, it's hard to treat this tournament as a true world championship. It is rather a chance for Gaddafi to show good will to the world and an opportunity for chess professionals to earn some money. Not that there is anything wrong with that... 5) Goletiani wins 2004 Samford ScholarshipThe winner of the eighteenth annual FRANK P. SAMFORD, JR. CHESS FELLOWSHIP is Rusudan Goletiani, a twenty-three year old chess teacher and Women's Grandmaster (WGM) of Hartsdale, New York. The Samford Fellowship identifies and assists brilliant young American chessmasters by providing the resources and funding needed to enhance their skills and reach their full potential. The total value of the Fellowship is approximately $32,000 per year. The prize is awarded for one year, renewable for a second year. The winner was chosen by the Samford Fellowship Committee, consisting of Frank P. Samford III (son of Samford Fellowship founder Frank P. Samford Jr, former U.S. Chess Champion Grandmaster Arthur Bisguier and International Master John Donaldson. The winner's potential was determined based on her chess talent, work ethic, dedication and accomplishments. Ms. Goletiani, the first woman to win the Samford, was born in Sukhumi, Soviet Georgia, in 1980. At age ten she won the USSR Chess Championship for Girls under age 12. While still in Georgia Ms. Goletiani won a number of other important chess contests, including the World under-14, under-16 and under-18 Championships for Girls. In 1999 she finished third in the World Championship zonal tournament which qualified her for the Women's World Championship. In 2000 Ms. Goletiani emigrated to the United States. She won the Pan American Women's Championship in Venezuela in 2003, which also qualified her to compete for the Women's World Championship. Her other chess activities in America include teaching chess to schoolchildren from age five through middle school. Here is a typical Goletiani game: WGM Rusudan Goletiani- WIM Elena Lopatskaya Moscow, 1998 1. Nf3 c5 2. e4 Nf6 3. d3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. Nbd2 e5 6. Bg2 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. Rel f6 10. c3 Kh8 11. Nh4 Be6 12. f4 Qd7 13. f5 Bf7 14. Be4 b5 15. Qf3 Rfd8 16. a4 a6 17. axb5 axb5 18. Rxa8 Rxa8 19. c4 bxc4 20. dxc4 Ndb4 21. Ng6+ hxg6 22. fxg6 Be6 23. Bf5! Kg8 24. Qh5 Qd6 25. Ne4 Qd4+ 26. Be3 Qxc4 27. Bxe6+ Qxe6 28. Ng5 Black Resigns Speaking of the opportunities offered by the Samford Fellowship, Ms. Goletiani said, "I have been dreaming about this since I was six years old." The Samford Chess Fellowship was created by the late Frank P. Samford, Jr. of Birmingham, Alabama. Mr. Samford was a distinguished attorney and CEO of Liberty National Life Insurance Company (now Torchmark). He was active in civic, business, political, educational and cultural affairs and was an enthusiastic competitor in chess tournaments. The Samford Fellowship provides top-level coaching, strong competition and access to study materials. The Fellowship also provides a monthly stipend for living expenses so that the winners may devote themselves entirely to chess. Over the last sixteen years the Samford Fellowship has proven very successful. Several of the Fellows have become grandmasters and a few have won the U.S. Chess Championship. Ms. Goletiani's term as Samford Fellow will begin on July 1, 2004. The Fellowship is administered by the U.S. Chess Trust (Ms. Barbara Vandermark, at 845-562-8350, Ext.138). Generous contributions from Mrs. Virginia Samford and Torchmark Corporation support the Fellowship. The Samford Fellowship is a fitting memorial to an extraordinary man. The dedication, creativity and achievement that marked Mr. Frank P. Samford, Jr.'s life are examples for all chessplayers to admire and emulate. Contact: Allen Kaufman (718) 544-5036 AllenKauf@aol.com 6) Dr. Mikhail Korenman: Candidate for USCF Executive BoardThis summer the USCF will be holding a special election to select two people for one year terms to the Executive Board. Among those running is an individual who needs no introduction to Bay Area chessplayers. Elizabeth Shaughnessy founded the highly successful Berkeley Chess School over two decades ago and numbers among her supporters many members of the Mechanics' Institute including longtime Trustee Neil Falconer. Another strong Candidate is Dr. Mikhail Korenman of Lindsborg, Kansas. Best known for setting up the first Karpov Chess School in the United States and organizing numerous important events, Korenman is strongly endorsed by the highest rated player in the United States Alex Onischuk and US Women's Olympiad team member Anna Zatonskih. A brief biography of Dr. Korenman along with a list of accomplishments and qualifications follows: Mikhail Korenman was born in Russia. He taught secondary school for 13 years. In 1994, he moved with his wife and two daughters to Kansas. He has Ph.D. in Education from K-State University. He is currently an Assistant Professor and Director of International Programs at Bethany College. Dr. Korenman has experience working with nonprofit organizations (www.intecsus.org). He is a successful grant writer, receiving $261,000 to operate the first Karpov School of Chess in the US. He has organized professional and scholastic tournaments, including the Lindsborg Rotary Open (2001-2003); Lindsborg Open (2002-03); 2003 Lindsborg Invitational (FIDE category XIII). In 2004, he will organize the US Junior Open and Invitational, as well as the Pan-American. The 2004 Final Four Intercollegiate was saved with his initiative and fundraising and held in Lindsborg. As an EB team member, Mikhail wants to work with the Scholastic Committee in developing training classes for chess coaches; continue to conduct chess research; plan more international competitions; promote intercollegiate chess activities; and work with the USCF EB members to stabilize the organization's budget. Dr. Mikhail Korenman's Accomplishments in Chess: 1. 2003 - Established the first Anatoly Karpov School of Chess in the US.; 2. 2003 - received a $261,000 grant from Kansas Department of Commerce to operate chess program in Lindsborg; 3. 2003/04 - In cooperation with Bethany College, develop two undergraduate college level chess classes; 4. 2001-2004 - first chess camps in Kansas;
5. 2001-2004 - Tournament Organizer: Remember to vote when you ballot comes in an upcoming issue of Chess Life. The last election saw less than 10 percent of those eligible to vote exercise their right to do so. 7) Here and ThereThe U.S. Chess Federation has hired Kenneth Thomas of Hackettstown, New Jersey to be its new Chief Financial Officer. Long an active chess organizer, tournament director, and tournament player, and formerly Editor of Atlantic Chess News, Mr. Thomas was previously Controller for Visiting Health Service of Morris County, NJ, Controller for Family Intervention Services of South Orange, NJ, and Accounting Manager and faculty member at Centenary College of Hackettstown, NJ. He graduated from the University of Houston in 1972 (Bachelor, Business Administration) and from that school's Five-year Professional Program (now MBA) in 1974. SC Baden and SG Porz tied for first in the 2003-2994 Bundesliga competition and will have a special playoff on May 7-9. Here is an interesting game from the last round between one of the top players in the world and Germany's rising young star Jan Gustafsson. Shirov,A - Gustafsson,J [B12] Bundesliga 2004 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Be3 e6 5.Nd2 Nd7 6.f4 c5 7.Ngf3 Qb6 8.Rb1 Nh6 9.Nb3 c4 10.Nbd2 Bg6 11.h3 Nf5 12.Bf2 h5 13.g3 Qa5 14.a3 Be7 15.Be2 Nb6 16.0-0 Na4 17.Re1 0-0-0 18.Bf1 Kb8 19.b4 Qc7 20.Qc1 Nc3 21.Ra1 Ka8 22.Ng5 Bxg5 23.fxg5 h4 24.g4 Ng3 25.Bxg3 hxg3 26.Re3 Qb6 27.Nf3 Ne4 28.Kg2 Rh7 29.h4 Rdh8 30.h5 Qd8 31.Re2 Bxh5 32.gxh5 Rxh5 33.Qf4 Nxg5 34.Nxg5 Rxg5 35.Kg1 Rf5 36.Qg4 Rg5 37.Qf4 Rf5 38.Qg4 Rg5 ½-½ The Indianapolis Star has a interesting picture of Bobby Fischer giving a simul in Indianapolis in 1964. Go to http://www.IndyStar.com/flashback and you will see a thumbnail that you can enlarge to show a good shot of him. FRENCH-AMERICAN WOMEN'S CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE HELD IN NEW YORK CITY ChinaCommunications Corp., "ChinaCom," presents the French-American Women's Chess Championship, to be held September 16-17th 2004 at the Russian Samovar in New York City. A press conference will be held May 14, 2004, 5:30 pm, at the samel ocation. Attending the Press Conference will be the City of NewYork Sports Commissioner Kenneth Podziba, American Champion Irina Krush, and French Champion Almira Skripchenko. This world-class chess event, sanctioned by the New York City SportsCommission, the US Chess Federation and the Association of Chess Professionals, will be the first to be broadcast in China via the Internet, with real-time move-by-move commentary, in Chinese, French and English. "It is my pleasure to welcome the French-American Women's ChessChampionship to New York City, said New York City Sports Commissioner Kenneth Podziba. People from around the world will be watching closely as these Champions square off to defend their countries in abattle of great minds." The Championship will feature Almira Skripchenko, who was crowned European Women's Champion in 2001 and top-rated French woman in 2004, versus Irina Krush, who in 1998 was the youngest woman to win the American Championship and is currently the top-rated womanplayer in the USA. "This International event aims to enhance French-American culturalrelations," said ChinaCom CEO Robb Allen. For contestants' pictures, please visit www.ChinaCom.com Chess Today reports that Grandmaster Shakriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan, former World Junior champion, beat erstwhile sole leader Pavel Eljanov of Ukraine to win the 6th Dubai Open Championship and the top prize of $5,000. Mamedyarov finished with 7 points out of 9. Twelve players shared second place with 6½ points each including Magnus Carlsen of Norway who achieved his third norm to become the world's youngest grandmaster. Final standings: 1. Mamedyarov 7.0 2-13.Nisipeanu, Sasikiran, Iordachesvu, Vladimirov, Harikrishna, Miroshnichenko, Eljanov, Minasian, Al-Modiahki, Goloshchapov, Carlsen, Mamedov 6½ 8) Jude Acers in Santa RosaJude Acers, who made quite an impact on the Bay Area when he lived here in the late 1960s and early 1970s, will be in Santa Rosa this June. Keith Halonen reports that Jude will give a 15-board Simul against Santa Rosa school kids, most of them winners from the city's Spring Youth Chess, on Saturday, June 26 at 1:00 PM. Immediately afterward there will be a book signing for Jude's recently published The Italian Gambit. The event will take place in front of Waldenbooks in the Coddingtown Mall, 733 Coddingtown Mall, Santa Rosa, CA 95401, just off Steele Lane at Interstate 101. For more information contact Keith Halonen at 16701 Spruce Grove Road, Middletown CA 95406-8426 - 707 987-0166. A new chess club, The Santa Rosa King Pawns, meets Tuesdays -at 6:30 pm at the Woodcrest Clubhouse on 1123 Woodcrest Drive (off College). Call Bill (707) 528-7989 or Keith (707) 546-0423 for more information. 9) Tournaments in Vallejo and San JoseBay Area chess players will have two increasingly rare opportunities to play in tournaments in this area that are not being held at the Mechanics'. For a while it looked like last February's Peoples open in Berkeley would be the only open event outside the MI this year. Fortunately things are looking up a bit. May 8-9 the Vallejo Chess Club will host an amateur event open to those under 2200. Call (650) 255-8587 for more information. San Jose has been a dead area for non-scholastic chess events for many years. To put it in perspective, IM Vinay Bhat, who grew up in San Jose never played a regular tournament there. That's pretty amazing! Academic Chess will be holding a Memorial Day event on May 29-30 to try to jump-start things in the South Bay area. For more information contact the organizers at: albertjrich@yahoo.com . 10) MI Chess Camps5th Mechanics' Institute Chess Camp for Beginners and Novice Players (below 1200 USCF) This is a camp for players that want to learn how to play or who know the bare rudiments and would like to increase their understanding of the game. Instructor Anthony Corrales has a wealth of experience teaching youngsters. During this camp students will build up a solid core of knowledge. This will include learning all the basic checkmates, mastering the fundamentals of opening play, implementing middlegame plans and understanding simple endgames. Pupils will also learn how to take chess notation and to play using a chess clock.
Who: Open to youngsters 5-15 Advanced Players (1200-2200) This is not a camp for players that want to jump two rating classes in five days. You won't learn how to win against the Sicilian every time using the Grand Prix Attack. So why our camp and not others? At the MI camp you will get a look inside a GM's laboratory and get a feel for how they work on their game from the ground up. You will learn not only the importance of analyzing your own games, but also how to do it properly. You will learn to identify the critical points of the game and to understand when and why things went wrong. You will learn how to use ChessBase and Fritz efficiently as part of a daily training program as well as utilizing resources on the Internet such as TWIC and the Internet Chess Club. Today chess books are cranked out at an incredible rate. Some of them are very good, many are quite bad. We will help students learn to select that which is truly useful. On the fun side our instructors have unique experience in international competition. Expect to hear stories and anecdotes about what it's like to play against Kasparov and defend first board in a Chess Olympiad. Instructors: Grandmaster Alex Yermolinsky, International Master John Donaldson, and MI Scholastic Director Anthony Corrales.
Who: Open to all ages from 8 and up. 11) Upcoming EventsUpcoming Tournaments at the MI
Charles Powell Memorial - May 15 Mechanics' Institute Scholastic Quads 2004 Tournaments: April 17, May 8, June 19 and July 24 Open to players age 18 and under (Limited to first 80 players) Game/45 Rounds : 10:30am, 12:15pm, 2:00pm Late Registration: 9:30am - 10:15am Open: to the first eighty players Note: Quads based on rating. USCF Rated. Unrated players face each other. You must be a USCF member to play in the quads. Time Control: Game in 45 minutes Entry Fee: $20 / $30 day of tournament/ $15 for MI members Checks payable to Mechanics' Chess Club Prizes: Trophies for the winners of each quad |