Chess Room Newsletter #546

Mechanics' Institute Chess Club Newsletter #546


In chess it's never a matter of dealing with simple people. After all, simple people couldn't achieve such heights in world chess.

Vladimir Tukmakov (captain of the 2004 and 2010 gold medal winning Ukrainian teams)

http://www.whychess.org/en/node/804 

1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News
2) A Chess Poem by Dennis Fritzinger                                                          3) Strong results by Americans in Europe                                                   4) Western States Open
5) 2012 US And Canadian Opens to be held in the Pacific NW
6) FIDE World Championships                                                                   7) Upcoming Events 

 1) Mechanics' Institute Chess Club News

IM Ricardo DeGuzman did the heavy lifting in the 11^th Vladimir Paffnatieff Memorial held August 6^th. The former Filipino Olympiad team member defeated strong masters Michael Pearson and Marcel Beulin in tying for first with NM Sevan Buscara with 4 � from 5 in the 36 player Swiss. This was the last American event for some time for the 19 year old Buscara who spent the past semester studying in the Bay Area.

FMs Andy Lee and Frank Thornally , NM Hayk Manvelyan, Experts Todd Rumph and Uyanga Byambaa, and Class A player Steven Krasnov have perfect scores after two rounds of the Dan Litowsky Tuesday Night Marathon. 94-year-old TNM regular Dan Litowsky has 1 out of 2.

Bobby Fischer versus the World was shown on August 1^st at the Roda theatre in Berkeley. This showing was different from many in that a player who had played Bobby in a tournament game, Walter Browne, was present in the audience. The two drew in a 98 move marathon at Rovinj/Zagreb 1970 where Bobby had a miracle escape at the end. Walter addressed the audience after the movie and had several interesting things to say about Fischer who he knew from their days in New York and also in the early 1980s when Bobby visited the Bay Area for several months.

Browne, who co-authored a book on the top young players of the new millennium (published by Quality Chess) a few years ago with GM Lubomir Ftacnik and IM Danny Kopec, is almost finished with a book of his best games that will be published by New in Chess.  

2) A Chess Poem by Dennis Fritzinger

pizza and blitz

boxes of pizza
opened, and their contents
in the process of being devoured
between moves.  blitz madness
is in session,
it's between rounds,
hours before the next round,
and this is the way we kill boredom
and tighten social bonds.
cheese, pepperoni, ham and pineapple,
jalapenos, hot sausage and lemon,
or vegetarian--
the smell of pizza is everywhere,
the sound of clicks is everywhere
as chess clocks are punched, pieces moved.
groans and repartee,
flying pieces and pawns, brilliancies
conceived in a moment, played,
and as quickly forgotten,
game after game after game
till the last piece
of pizza is devoured.

3) Strong results by Americans in Europe

15-year-old Foster City IM Daniel Naroditsky made his first GM norm in the 31^st Benasque Open help in Spain in the Pyrenees Mountains. Naroditsky scored 7 � from 10 against a strong field including all GMs his last six games.

Fellow Mechanics' members GM Sam Shankland and IM David Pruess shined in the Biel Open. Shankland defeated wunderkinder Ilya Nyzhnyk on the way to a 7 � from 11 score to improve his 2539 FIDE rating. Pruess, who performed well over 2600, from rounds 2 through 10, almost made his third GM norm with his score of 6 � points against a strong field.

Yasser Seirawan showed that his performance in the recent World Team Championship was no fluke scoring 7 � from 9 to tie for second in the Vlissingen Open in the Netherlands. Seirawan's undefeated score was good for a 2643 FIDE performance.

Yasser's fellow World Team Championship team mate Robert Hess had a strong performance in the Politiken Cup in Denmark tying for second place with 8 from 10. The 10^th seeded Hess defeated Norwegian 2600 player Jon Ludwig Hammer in the final round.

4) Western States Open

The annual Western States Open will honor the late Larry Evans this year. Traditionally this is the best attended big prize fund tournament of the year for Bay Area players who are attracted by good prizes and extremely reasonable tournament costs.

Oct. 21-23, 2011  GPP: 200 (Enhanced)  NEVADA 

[American Classic & Heritage Event!!] 29th Annual SANDS REGENCY RENO-WESTERN STATES OPEN.

6SS.40/2,20/1,G �. Sands Regency Hotel/Casino, 345 N.

Arlington Ave., Reno, NV 89501. 1-800-648-3553 or (775) 348-2200.

$$33,200 b/350, Gtd. $$21,750-$3000-2000-1500-1000-800-600-500-400-300-200

in Open Section plus � of all other prizes. 6 Sections: OPEN: EF:GMs & IMs

free (enter by 10/1 or pay late fee), Masters $147, (2199/below)-$175. $$

Prizes 1-10 listed above, (2399-below) $1000, (2299-below) $1000. If a tie for

1^st overall then 2 (G/10) playoff for $100 from prize fund. (Note:

GM/IM w/free entry not eligible for class prizes 2399 and below; may elect to

pay entry fee and become eligible). EXPERT: (2000-2199) EF: $146. $$2000-1000-500-400-300."A"

Sec.(1800-1999) EF: $145, $$2000-1000-500-400-300."B" Sec.(1600-1799) EF: $144,

$$1,800-900-500-400-300. "C" Sec.(1400-1599) EF: $143, $$1,600-800-500-400-300."D"/under

Sec. (1399/below) EF:$142, $$1,400-700-400-300-200, (under 1200) - $600.

(Unrated Players) EF: Free + must join USCF or increase membership for 1

additional year thru this tournament ($49 adults,$25 juniors) Prizes: Top

unrated wins 1 yr. USCF membership plus trophy. Note: Unrated will be put in

"D" Sect. unless requests to play up. Seniors (65+) additional prizes $$200; (Seniors

not eligible: provisionally rated, unrated, masters); Club Championship $$800-400

decided by total score of 10 (and only 10) players from one club or area (not

eligible - GMs, IMs, or unrated). Trophies to Top 3 (A-D Sections).  ALL:EF $11 more if postmarked after 10/1 and $22 more if postmarked after 10/14 or at site. Do not mail after 10/14 or phone

or email after 10/18.  $20 off  EF to Srs (65+).  Players may play up. Unrated players not

eligible for cash prizes except Open 1-10. Provisionally rated players may win

up to 50% of 1^st place money except open Section 1-10. CCA ratings may be used. Note pairings not changed for color alternation unless 3 in a row or a plus 3 and if the unlikely

situation occurs 3 colors in a row may be assigned.  Reg: (10/20) 5-8 pm, (10/21) 9:00-10 am. Rds

12-7, 10-6, 9:30-4:30. Byes available any round, if requested before 1^st

round (Open Section - 2 byes max.). SIDE EVENTS:

Wed.(10/19) 7pm Clock Simul [40/2, G/1] (Including an analysis of YOUR game.GM

Sergey Kudrin $30 (A great value!). Thurs (10/20) 5-7:30 pm "A Celebration of

Life, GM Larry Evans" and lecture by IM John Donaldson -Free, 7:30 Simul GM TBA

(only $15!), 7:30 Blitz (5 min)Tourney ($20-80% to prize fund). Sat 10/22

(3-4:30pm)IM John Donaldson Clinic(Game/Position Analysis) - Free. Sun. (10/23)

Quick Tourney (G/25) 5 Rd. Swiss ($20) [12 (Noon)-5pm] 80% to prize fund. ENT:

Make checks payable and send to: SANDS REGENCY (address above) HR: $29!

(Sun-Thurs) & $59! (Fri-Sat) + 13.5% tax. (mention CHESSOCT & reserve

by 10/5/10 to guarantee room rates.) INFO: Jerry Weikel [email protected] , (775) 747 1405, or website: www.renochess.org/wso 

(also go here to verify entry). FIDE .W.   

5) 2012 US And Canadian Opens to be held in the Pacific NW

The 2012 US Open will be held in Vancouver, Washington, just across the river from Portland, Oregon, site of the successful 1987 US Open. The 9 round event is scheduled for August 4-12.

The 2012 Canadian Open will be held a few hundred miles north in Victoria, British Columbia, from July 8^th to 13^th. Details are as follows:

Venue: The Hotel Grand Pacific, a four star hotel located in the heart of Victoria's Inner Harbour, next to the waterfront, BC Legislature, and across the street from US ferry connections. 

Tournament Dates: Sunday July 8 to Friday July 13 with 9 rounds

Format: 9 round Swiss in 3 sections: Premier, U2000, U1600
Time Control: Game/120 with 30 sec. increment.
Round Times: Sunday July 8 at 11:00am and 6:00pm, Monday July 9 at 11:00am and 6:00pm, Tuesday July 10 at 11:00am and 6:00pm, Wednesday July 11 at 6:00pm, Thursday July 12 at 6:00pm, Friday July 13 at 10:00am
Rated By: CFC all sections, FIDE Premier Section
Equipment Provided: All chess equipment provided (boards, sets, clocks). Broadcast games a combination of DGT and MonRoi.
Prize Fund: $15,000 Guaranteed
Entry Fees: Early $175 , Regular $195, At the door $215; Play up a Section: $20 per section.
Head Arbiter: Mark S. Dutton, I.A.
Accommodation: Hotel Grand Pacific $139/night single/double Children under 18 stay free in same room with parent / guardian.
Side Events: Closing Banquet (Friday), Blitz tournament, Bughouse tournament + TBD
AGM: Wed: July 11 and Thursday July 12; 9:00am-5:00pm

Other: Round 1 games with the marquee players will be sold for fundraising. Prices TBD.

  6) FIDE World Championships

The Federation Internationale des Echecs is pleased to announce that following the evaluation of the bids for the World Chess Championship Match 2012 and the recommendations by the World Championship and Olympiad Commission, it has awarded the organization of the match to the Russian Chess Federation.

The match will be held in May 2012 in Skolkovo, Moscow, Russia and offers the World Champion Vishwanthanan Anand from India, and the Challenger Boris Gelfand from Israel, a prize fund of 2,550,000 US dollars.

FIDE thanked the Russian Chess Federation for its winning bid and will work together with the RCF to ensure that the match is organized under the best conditions for both players.

FIDE President showed his appreciation for the significant commitment that the Russian leadership was also making to introduce a national chess in schools program at regional and Federal levels, with substantial investment to be made in this key development area. 

The FIDE President, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov expressed his gratitude also to the All India Chess Federation who worked very hard to put in a very competitive bid with the support of the Government of Tamil Nadu. 

In view of the commitment shown by the AICF and the appreciation of FIDE towards the development of chess in India, the AICF would be given a first option of three months following the match in Moscow, to make a proposal for the organization of the World Chess Championship Match 2013.

FIDE is further pleased to announce that the Women's World Chess Championship Match between Women World Champion Hou Yifan from China and the Challenger Humpy Koneru from India, will be held in Tirana, Albania in November 2011 for a prize fund of 200,000 euros.