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Beauty is the most important aspect of chess... We are passing our knowledge and our understanding of beauty to the next generations, and thus life goes on forever David Bronstein |
1) Mechanics' Institute Chess News 2) David Bronstein 1924-2006 3) Robert Tanner resigns from USCF Executive Board 4) USCF Election News 5) 2nd Igor Ivanov Memorial 6) Here and There 7) Upcoming Events |
1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club NewsRicardo DeGuzman won the 6th Annual Guthrie McClain Memorial held December 3rd at the M. I.with a score of 4.5 from 5. Dmitry Vayntrub was second with 4 while Batsaikhan Tserendorj and Edward Perepelitsky shared third with 3.5 in the 24-player event. WIM Batchimeg Tuvshintugs leads the Fall Tuesday Night Marathon with 6.5 from 7 with one round left to play. NM Sam Shankland is in second with 6 followed by Expert James Jones with 5.5. This weekend the Mechanics' will host the 6th Annual Jim Hurt Memorial restricted to players under 1800. The two day event starts Saturday at 10am. 2) David Bronstein 1924-2006David Bronstein, who came within one draw of becoming world champion, died at age 82 on December 5 in Minsk, Belarus. The Russian Chess Federation reported the cause as a stroke. From the end of World War II to the late 1950s, Bronstein was one of the top three players in the Soviet Union and among the five best in the world. He was at or near his peak when he drew a world championship match with Botvinnik in 1951. In spite of this remarkable accomplishment Bronstein was perhaps best known for his authorship of a book on the 1953 Neuhausen-Zurich Candidates event which was widely acclaimed and is on the shortlist of the greatest tournament books of all time. Bronstein visits to the United States in the later years of his life confined his reputation as a true lover of the game who would talk about chess to players of all levels day and night. It's doubtful that there has ever been a more egalitarian top level player. 3) Robert Tanner resigns from USCF Executive BoardThe following letter was sent to USCF President Bill Goichberg. While we in no way condone Mr. Tanner's actions of the early 1990s we also take this occasion to point out the many wonderful things he has done for U.S. chess the past few decades. A short list would include organizing numerous US Championships, directing many national events and teaching thousands of kids how to play the royal game. American chess would have been much poorer without his efforts and we hope that he will continue to be involved with the game. 4 December 2006 Dear Bill: In light of the recent findings of the USCF Ethics Committee regarding games I played in the early 1990s I feel that it is in the best interest of both USCF and the chess community that I resign my position as a member of the USCF Executive Board as well as FIDE Zonal President and all FIDE Committees and Commissions. It is my hope that this action will allow 1) The USCF Executive Board to continue its important work without being distracted unduly by this affair, and 2) For me to focus on reactivating myself as a serious chess player. This I consider an important factor in speeding the healing within the chess community and for my own personal reputation and rehabilitation. I continue to wish the USCF always the best of good fortune as it has been an important part of my life for over 35 years now. I also encourage all members of the USCF to pull together for the best of chess, recognizing that what we have in common is far more important than the political and personal differences that may exist. This resignation is effective immediately. Robert B. Tanner 4) USCF Election NewsShortly after Mr. Tanner's letter was made public the following announcement was sent out by USCF Executive Director Bill Hall. Dear USCF Delegate, Alternate or USCF Affiliate: Due to the recent resignation of Robert Tanner from the Executive Board, there is a fourth vacancy to fill in the 2007 election. The Executive Board has decided to fill this vacancy by having the 4th place finisher complete the remaining two years of Tanner's term, effective with the certification of election results by the Delegate in August. The other terms of the Call for Nominations, as it appeared in the November Chess Life, remain unchanged. Nomination petitions and the $250 filing fee are due at the USCF office by January 10, 2007. Please help us spread the word to anyone who may be considering running for the Executive Board in 2007. Not long after this Susan Polgar announced her decision to run. I have made my decision. I WILL run for the 2007 USCF Executive Board. I love chess and I cannot stand what some chess politicians have done to US Chess and the USCF. We HAVE to do better! Joining me will be Dr. Mikhail Korenman, NM Randy Bauer and FM Paul Truong. Expect to see many more Candidates throw in their hats in the next few weeks. Current Executive Board members Don Schultz and Sam Sloan have already done so. The latter's situation as to whether he will run as an incumbent is unclear as a recall campaign has been launched against him by Massachusetts Delegate Donna Alarie. 5) 2nd Igor Ivanov MemorialIMs Enrico Sevillano and John Donaldson tied for first with 4.5 from 5 in the 2nd Annual Igor Ivanov Memorial held December 9 in St. George, Utah. IM-elect Emory Tate was third in the 35 player field. Alan Crooks organized and Kim Patraw directed the annual event held to commemorate Igor's death on November 17, 2005.
Donaldson,J (2460) - Bryant,J (2207) A39 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 0-0 8.0-0 a6?! 9.c5! Nxd4 10.Qxd4 d6 11.cxd6 Ne8 12.Qb4 Qxd6 13.Qxd6 Nxd6 14.Nd5 e6 15.Nb6 Rb8 16.Bg5 Re8 17.Rad1 Nf5 18.Rd8! Rxd8 19.Bxd8 Bd7 20.Bc7 Re8 21.Nxd7 Re7 22.Rd1 22.Nf6+ Bxf6 23.Bd8 was also possible. 22...Nd4 23.Bb6 Rxd7 24.Kf1 Rd6 25.Bc5 Rd8 26.Bxb7 Nc6 27.Rxd8+ Nxd8 28.Bxa6 Bxb2 29.e3 Nc6 30.Ke2 Bc3 31.a3 1-0 6) Here and ThereIn a recent issue of Chess Today ( www.chesstoday.net) the following piece by GM Alex Baburin appeared announcing the retirement of French GM Joel Lautier from top level chess. This will be a tremendous blow for France as Lautier, along with Etienne Bacrot, gave their country one of the best one-two punches in Olympiads. French GM Joel Lautier has retired from chess, according to Russian sources. He has moved to Moscow where he will head the French department of the first Russian consulting company in strategic management, called Strategika. Lautier was the World Junior Champion (in 1988) and for many years he was the leading player in France. For quite a while he also enjoyed a plus score against Kasparov. Lautier was one of the founders of ACP and its first president. An expanded (402 pages) second edition of Nikolay Minev and John Donaldson's Uncrowned King (The Life and Games of Akiva Rubinstein) has just been published by Russell Enterprises Inc. Look for the revised second volume appearing at the end of 2007. A belated happy birthday to FM Michael Shahade who celebrated his number 60 last week. GM Robert Byrne's farewell NY Times column appeared on Nov. 12 after 34 years of faithful service. We second IM Anthony Saidy's suggestion that a book of Byrne's memoirs and best games would be warmly welcomed. NY Times staffer and USCF NM Dylan Loeb McClain is now writing the column. Mechanics' Institute Chess Director John Donaldson was appointed by the USCF Executive Board to the post as US Zonal President to FIDE. Donaldson is the second MI Chess Director to serve in this position, Jim Eade having done so previously. Former Seattle Chess Club President Phil McCready has been collecting games, photos, crosstables and other items related to the career of IM Nikolay Minev for many years. You can see some of the fruits of his labors at www.thechesslibrary.com . McCready will be continually adding to this site and asks MI readers for their help with the following. Here is the list of Minev tournaments that I have confirmed exist and that I would love to get my hands on (either originals or copies OK) - Phil McCready.
Subotica 1965 If you have any of these please contact John Donaldson at imwjd@aol.com and he will forward them on to Phil.
7) Upcoming Events
Jim Hurt Amateur - December 16 and 17 |