Alekhine's Parrot

TheParrot Says…Welcome to the archive of the weekly leader of chess events around the world.  Chessville welcomes your Feedback to TheParrot on this week’s news by writing to TheParrot@Chessville.com where selected letters will be featured.

  Chess News USA:

3rd Annual Susan Polgar National Invitation for Girls Chess Championship - Aug. 6-11 - Oak Brook, IL

The third annual GM Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls (under 19) will begin August 6 at the Double Tree Hotel in Oak Brook, IL. This is a culmination of a series of regional and state qualifying events over the past 12 months that involved over 3,000 vying to represent their respective states. More information and pictures next week.

Chess News WORLDWIDE:

  The Dortmunder Sparkassen Chess Meeting takes place 29th July - 6th August 2006. Participants: Levon Aronian ARM 2761, Vladimir Kramnik RUS 2743, Peter Svidler RUS 2742, Peter Leko HUN 2738, Michael Adams ENG 2732, Boris Gelfand ISR 2729, Arkadij Naiditsch GER 2664, Baadur Jobava GEO 2651.

Round4 standings:
1-3 Svidler, Leko, Adams - 2.5

4-5 Aronian, Kramnik - 2.0

6-8 Gelfand, Naiditsch, Jobava - 1.5

Captioned, (right) Cornishman Micky Adams. (left) Ms. Pahtz and New York’s Irina Krush.  Go to the official site and check out live-play options. For non-German readers the text button says “live-Partien.”  Official site: www.chessgate.de

Nice Place to Play Chess

The XIIIth Summer Int. Open of Nice (French Riviera) takes place from July 31th to August 6th.

It's this year a 9 rounds event (40 moves/2h + 1h KO).

Best GM and IM are Nenad Sulava (g, 2489, CRO), Krum Georgiev (g, 2485, BUL), Miroljub Lazic (g, 2477, SCG), Petar Velikov (g, 2465, BUL), Dimitar Marholev (m, 2434, BUL), Milan Mrdja (m, 2414, CRO), Milko Popchev (g, 2405, BUL), Bogomil Andonov (m, 2391, BUL), Benjamin Bujisho (m, 2387, FRA), Bjarte Leer-Salvesen (f, 2372, NOR), Stephen Jessel (2350, IRL)...

Daily results and pairings on http://www.echiquier-nicois.org.

Nenad Sulava already won the event in 2002 and 2005. A 3rd win and he 'ld go back with the silver plated trophy of Nice. M. Palac, M. Lupu, Z. Lanka, A. Kogan, O. Foisor, L. Gofshtein, A. Delchev (two times), D. Komljenovic and N. Gouliev were the past other winners from 1994 till 2005.

Expensive Place to Play Chess

ICC is increasing their adult membership price from $49.00 to $59.95.  On the one hand they are doing so because they can, but on the other, the price rise seems to indicate that people are willing to pay money for chess – as long as they can get what they want.  ICC now cost more than USCF membership, which continues to decline.

IV women's super-tournament North Urals Cup-2006 takes place July 22nd - 1st August in Krasnoturinsk (Sverdlovsk region). Participants: Antoaneta Stefanova g BUL 2520, Maia Chiburdanidze g GEO 2504, Tatiana Kosintseva m RUS 2479, Viktorija Cmilyte m LTU 2476, Chen Zhu g QAT 2476, Nadezhda Kosintseva m RUS 2472, Lilit Mkrtchian m ARM 2459, Svetlana Matveeva m RUS 2454, Kateryna Lahno m UKR 2449 and 12 y.o. Yifan Hou wf CHN 2488.

Captioned is the winner Kateryna Lahno who scored a colossal 2860 performance rating and 1.5 points ahead of the field.  Official site: www.northuralscup.ru.

Final standings:
1 Lahno - 7.0
2 Chen Zhu - 6.0
3 Kosintseva N. - 5.5
4-6 Mkrtchian, Stefanova, Chiburdanidze - 4.5
7 Cmilyte - 4.0
8 Yifan Hou - 3.0
9 Kosintseva T. - 2.5
10 Matveeva - 2.0

The 39th Biel International Festival took place 22nd July - 4th August 2006. There are two super-tournaments, one for men, one for women.

Players: Alexander Morozevich RUS 2731, Teimour Radjabov AZE 2728, Magnus Carlsen NOR 2675, Lazaro Bruzon CUB 2667, Andrey Volokitin UKR 2662, Yannick Pelletier SUI 2583.
 

A ladies tournament is also taking place [see caption] from the left: Almira Skripchenko, Yelena Dembo, Monika Socko, Anna Muzychuk, Ekaterina Atalik, Pia Cramling.

In Memoriam

The BBC reports: A teenage chess champion has fallen to her death while competing in an
international tournament. Jessie Gilbert, 19, from Croydon, south London, fell from the eighth floor of the Hotel Labe in Pardubice, in the Czech Republic, on Wednesday morning.  She had been working towards becoming a Women's International Master and had a place to study medicine at Oxford.

Chess News USA:

O ALABAM! A regional newspaper tells an edifying story which we chess players all know is true, but always seems to surprise the general public. Jean Cole, Staff reporter of the News Courier, Athens, Alabama, writes in her article what is in effect a salute to America’s chess teachers:

Learning chess strategies helps kids develop mental acumen.

A salute from The Parrot to America’s chess teachers:

He can scarcely contain himself as he watches about a dozen students ranging in age from 5 to 33 face-off over chessboards at the downtown bookstore and deli. They sit – sometimes half off their chairs and sometimes dangling their feet – as they take turns moving game pieces and slapping the time clock when finished. They all look like regular kids, not geeks, aliens, robots or whatever you are expecting.

“In this age of computers and video games, chess teaches them patience and problem solving,” Steele said. “It is both and art and a science. It takes an hour to learn and a lifetime to master.”

Read the full story, (and thanks Jean!) here.

Chess News WORLDWIDE:

Kasparov Sighting – First on the Charlie Rose TV show talking about Russian politics and the failure of democracy there, and now on August 22^nd in Zurich, against Judit Polgar, Victor Korchnoi and Anatoly Karpov. It's going to be a blitz engagement, see below.

Kramnik Sighting: Vladimir Kramnik played a dozen blitz games on ICC this week, winning each, and also chatting by finger-notes with the participants afterwards, declined an offer of marriage.

Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, Viktor Korchnoi and Judit Polgar will play rapid games against each other in six "Anniversary Matches", which is organizing by Credit Suisse in Zurich on August 22 2006 devoted to its 150 anniversary.

Russian boys beat Europe in the European team championship U18, which took place in Balatonlelle (Hungary) July 11th-20th 2006.

Final leading standings:
1 Russia - 11
2 Hungary - 10
3 Germany - 10 Here is the winning team, average rating 2331 over top 4 boards.

Official site: web.axelero.hu/passant/sakkversenyek/u18etc/res.html

IV women's super-tournament North Urals Cup-2006 takes place July 22nd - 1st August in Krasnoturinsk (Sverdlovsk region). Participants: Antoaneta Stefanova g BUL 2520, Maia Chiburdanidze g GEO 2504, Tatiana Kosintseva m RUS 2479, Viktorija Cmilyte m LTU 2476, Chen Zhu g QAT 2476, Nadezhda Kosintseva m RUS 2472, Lilit Mkrtchian m ARM 2459, Svetlana Matveeva m RUS 2454, Kateryna Lahno m UKR 2449 and 12 y.o. Yifan Hou wf CHN 2488.

Round 5 standings:
1 Lahno - 4.5
2 Chen Zhu - 4.0
3-6 Mkrtchian, Kosintseva N., Stefanova, Chiburdanidze - 2.5
7-8 Yifan Hou, Cmilyte - 2.0
9 Matveeva - 1.5
10 Kosintseva T. - 1.0

Recommended game is a round 6 Modern Benoni encounter between Zhu Chen and Katerina Lahno [who incidentally has a current performance rating of 2865 !!].  The first significant decision was for White to park the queen on b3 at move 9, after playing the usual check at 8 to dis-coordinate Black’s pieces.  Black offers a pawn at 11 which is declined.  Move 29 sees a significant central exchange and the live chess at time of going to press is now dynamically paused between the tournament leaders at move 34.

There are 9 rounds in total and the site is English/Russian.  Official site: www.northuralscup.ru

The 39th Biel International Festival takes place 22nd July - 4th August 2006. There are two super-tournaments, one for men, one for women.  Players: Alexander Morozevich RUS 2731, Teimour Radjabov AZE 2728, Magnus Carlsen NOR 2675, Lazaro Bruzon CUB 2667, Andrey Volokitin UKR 2662, Yannick Pelletier SUI 2583.

Standings after Round 5

There is also a ladies tournament taking place Standings after Round 5

Official site: www.bielchessfestival.ch

Chess News USA:

USCF Election results are being counted, and preliminary totals read…

Sloan    Perks   Goodall    Hough      Schlich

1193    942      1113        1401        811

Based on these results, says the USCF site, Randall Hough has been elected to a three year term and Sam Sloan has been elected to a one year term, both terms to begin once the election has been certified by the Board of Delegates in August.

The Parrot will attempt to interview both new board members for their take on things, past present and future, and what they hope to achieve during their terms.

And soon… 2006 Junior Chess Championships

Where: PGA Commons West, PGA Boulevard at Central Boulevard in the Off the Vine Courtyard.

When: Saturdays, Aug. 5 and Sept. 30, 9 a.m. to noon.

Details: Tournaments for beginners and experienced players, ages 8 and younger; ages 9 and older. Events begin with one-hour basic chess instruction by National Chess Master Robert Sinn.

Cost: Free.  Thanks to: Joel Channing, Organiser

http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/lifestyle/article/0,,TCP_24451_4860927,00.html

Chess News WORLDWIDE:

IV women's super-tournament North Urals Cup-2006 takes place July 22nd - 1st August in Krasnoturinsk (Sverdlovsk region). Participants: Antoaneta Stefanova g BUL 2520, Maia Chiburdanidze g GEO 2504, Tatiana Kosintseva m RUS 2479, Viktorija Cmilyte m LTU 2476, Chen Zhu g QAT 2476, Nadezhda Kosintseva m RUS 2472, Lilit Mkrtchian m ARM 2459, Svetlana Matveeva m RUS 2454, Kateryna Lahno m UKR 2449 and 12 y.o. Yifan Hou wf CHN 2488.
Official site: www.northuralscup.ru  in Russian and English langauges.

For the fourth year running a small town in the north of the Urals becomes a world’s capital of the women’s chess. To participate in the “North Urals Cup – 2006” 10 world’s strongest chess-players are coming on July 22 to go through 9 rounds of win-or-die rivalry to name a winner.

It should be noted that the participants of the tournament catch keen attention not only due to their brilliant play, and also due to their exceptional appearance. Snapshots of these chess-players have been on front pages of many glossy magazines in many countries.

To view the games will be possible for all fans from any place of the world – all games will be on-line at the official tournament’s site www.northuralscup.ru.

The tournament will take place at the stage of Bogoslovsky aluminium smelter’s Arts Palace within the period of July 22 –August 1. The prize fund makes up USD10.000. The team of arbiters will be led by the international arbiter and celebrated journalist Yakov Damsky (Russia). The tournament is patronized by the Sverdlovsk region’s Governor Edward Rossel. Chief organizer and general sponsor of the “North Urals Cup – 2006” is - as by the tradition - Bogoslovsky aluminium smelter (Director General – Sibagatulla Aminov). The tournament was initiated by FIDE Vise-president and honorable President of the Russian Chess Federation Andrey Selivanov and by the President of the Sverdlovsk Chess Federation Anatoly Sysoev.  Contacts in respect of accreditation and additional information should be made to the press-attache of the Supertournament Ms.Nataly Khamidova.

Strong Tourney in Tomsk:

The rapid chess tournament takes place in Tomsk (Russia) 11th-16th July. Players: Morozevich Alexander g RUS 2731, Ponomariov Ruslan g UKR 2721, Karjakin Sergey g UKR 2679, Kasimdzhanov Rustam g UZB 2672, Rublevsky Sergei g RUS 2667, Bologan Viktor g MDA 2645. They play double round robin competition. During the festival will be held also an open tournament Izmailov Memorial, which is a stage of Cup of Russia 2006.

To his great credit, Karjakin scored 3 wins with the black pieces, and 2 with white, and obviously clearly outscored the field by playing active for-the-win chess.

Final standings:
1 Karjakin - 7.0
2 Rublevsky - 5.5
3 Kasimdzhanov - 5.0
4 Morozevich - 4.5
5 Ponomariov - 4.0
6 Bologan - 4.0

Official site: www.tomsk-chess.ru

The Norwegian Championship takes place July 8th-15th 2006 in Moss. Players: Carlsen Magnus g NOR 2673, Agdestein Simen g NOR 2575, Johannessen Leif Erlend g NOR 2555, Lie Kjetil A g NOR 2536, Ostenstad Berge g NOR 2480, Djurhuus Rune g NOR 2462 etc.
Final leading standings:
1-2 Carlsen, Agdestein - 7.0
3 Ostenstad - 6.0
4-6 Johannessen, Sahl, Lie - 5.5
7-9 Bae, Djurhuus, Tallaksen - 5.0

Official site: www.nm2006.sjakknet.no

In Memoriam

Thom Klem has died in Nevada, aged 58, the frequent commentator on the US chess scene, chess organizer and fine musician, and sometimes personal correspondent. The traditional phrase in the Parrot’s culture is to say that he was better than those now living – and to example it by an aspect of his life. Thom had a spiritual dimension to him which, as most men, he may have been apt to ignore at times, but unlike most men, on its reminder, soared over all.

On Friday July 14th, the chess world lost Grandmaster Aleks Wojtkiewicz at age 43. “Wojo” won or tied for 1st in the last 5 tournaments that he played:

2006 Columbus Open
2006 World Open
2006 National Open
2006 Kentucky Open
2006 DC Action Championship

He will be missed by his friends and colleagues.

Chess News USA:

Did you see…?  May’s National Geographic magazine featured five pages on chess – titled Checkmate on the Prairie, and written by Chris Carroll, the article shows Lindsborg Kansas and Mikhail “Misha” Korenman’s work there for the Karpov School.

Chess News WORLDWIDE:

Strong Tourney in Tomsk:

The rapid chess tournament takes place in Tomsk (Russia) 11th-16th July. Players: Morozevich Alexander g RUS 2731, Ponomariov Ruslan g UKR 2721, Karjakin Sergey g UKR 2679, Kasimdzhanov Rustam g UZB 2672, Rublevsky Sergei g RUS 2667, Bologan Viktor g MDA 2645. They play double round robin competition. During the festival will be held also an open tournament Izmailov Memorial, which is a stage of Cup of Russia 2006.

Round 8 standings:
1 Karjakin - 5.5
2 Kasimdzhanov - 4.5
3-4 Morozevich, Rublevsky - 4.0
5 Ponomariov - 3.5
6 Bologan - 2.5

Official site: www.tomsk-chess.ru

The Norwegian Championship takes place July 8th-15th 2006 in Moss. Players: Carlsen Magnus g NOR 2673, Agdestein Simen g NOR 2575, Johannessen Leif Erlend g NOR 2555, Lie Kjetil A g NOR 2536, Ostenstad Berge g NOR 2480, Djurhuus Rune g NOR 2462 etc.
Round 8 leading standings:
1 Carlsen 7.0
2 Agdestein 6.0
3-5 Djurhuus, Sahl, Ostenstad 5.0

Official site: www.nm2006.sjakknet.no

Vlasta Macek 2239 (Croatia), Gundula Heinatz 2225 (Switzerland), Caterina Leite 2210 (Portugal), Suzana Chang 2085 (Brazil), Amani Matoussi (Tunisia) took part in the event.

A boost for Chess in Belgium:

Fifth Knokke Open International Chess Tournament  - 12, 13, 14 and 15 August 2006

The Belgium Chess Club 'Cnoc Is Ier' located at the coast city Knokke Belgium, organises for the fifth time a Open International Chess Tournament on the 12, 13, 14 and 15 of Augusts 2006. The tournament accredited by the Flemish Chess Federation exists of 7 rounds 'Swiss system 2 hours K.O'.

Prize money provided for a total amount of 2275 Euro:  1st prize: 750 euro -  2e prize: 375 euro - 3e prize: 200 euro 4e prize: 125 euro -  6e until 13e prize: 25 euro.  The best youth player (born after 15 Aug. 1990): 50 euro - Best senior (born before 12 Aug. 1946): 50 euro. The participants who win no money prize will rewarded with a gift prize.  Tournament participation: Before 31 July 2006 one pays 20 euro, afterwards 25 euro. Participation is for nobody free. Maximum 120 players are allowed.  Registrations happen in order of recieved payment. Participants must present themselves on the 12 of Augusts between 10 and 12 O'clock.

Register by e-mail sk_knokke@hotmail.com or our Internet site.

Politics not like chess for GK? Garry Kasparov in his election bid in Russia once called Premier Putin “an exemplary Stalinist” – More recently, Garry has been even more specific about restoring democracy to Russia.

What follows are his comments from 2004 and the task he set himself before discovering there was no level playing board.

“He speaks the old Soviet language in virtually all areas. He presses the freedom of press, hinders free commerce, he has knocked Russia off its democratic path,” Kasparov said speaking in Hamburg on Monday, at the Baltic Development Forum.  His statement was published by the News.Ru web agency.

The chess player added that modern Russia is too tied with its Soviet past. He expressed regret that Russia had not admitted the guilt of its Soviet predecessors. “There is no place in the Russian press for the Committee 2008 and for a real opposition,” Kasparov said.

“But there is a place for nationalists and Stalinists who grieve over that ’great country’. They negate basic democratic values. They say it was better under Stalin because at that time, at least, everyone was afraid of us! These conversations on the ’return to the bygone fame’ become more and more frequent. Nazi propaganda is forbidden in Germany, but not in Russia,” the opposition committee chairman said.

Kasparov also criticized Putin’s latest proposals on changes in the political system. “Now, when we need more democracy, Putin takes steps to destroy it,” he said.

Putin proposed on Monday to cancel the election of governors by popular vote, and to introduce a fully proportional system of elections to the lower house of the parliament, the State Duma.

Gary has recently taken to quoting westerners, including this, from the NY times:

WHEN observing the West's conciliatory dealings with Russia, I'm reminded of a quotation often attributed to Winston Churchill: "However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results."

Happy Birthday Phil !!!!

Chess News USA:

The World Open took place June 30^th to July 4th:

Players finishing with 7 points:

GM Kamsky, Gata; GM Ehlvest, Jaan; GM Milov, Vadim; GM Yudasin, Leonid G; GM Ivanov, Alexander; GM Kacheishvili, Giorgi; GM Wojtkiewicz, Aleks; GM Benjamin, Joel. Kamsky won the title in a blitz playoff against Milov. Strangely, Kamsky’s share of the prize money was only $6,000.

Taking part in the tournament was Habu Yoshiharu the Shogi World Champion who made an IM Norm. Habu has been described as ‘the best known person in Japan.’  Here is his best result, a draw against GM Ben Finegold: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.O-O-O h6 9.Be3 Bd7 10.f4 Qc7 11.Bd3 Rc8 12.Kb1 Be7 13.h3 Na5 14.Qe1 b5 15.g4 Nc4 16.Bc1 Qb6 17.Nce2 g6 18.Rf1 e5 19.Nf3 Qc5 1/2-1/2

On the dark side of the event was an instance of sandbagging in the under-2000 section, which still had a handsome $25,000 prize.  A certain player was eliminated from the event for wearing ‘a hearing-aid device’ which turned out was capable of receiving audio transmission, especially from the world champion computer program Shredder.  L

Another incident in the top category produced this result, of which there are many questions about Varshavsky and his special blue hat:

[White "Smirin, Ilya"]
[Black "Varshavsky, Eugene"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2800"]
[BlackElo "2169"]

Here are overall top scores:

See: http://www.worldopen.com/

USCF Election Fiasco – a (1) (2) (3) and (4) what are we voting for?

Chess News POLGARS:

The Polgar family has just added a Chess Princess Friday, in Bupadest.  Baby Hanna weighed in at 3.5 kilos.  Both baby Hanna and Mommy Judit are doing well.

In the mean time, Susan is in Dresden, Germany trying to bring home for the US the Women's Chess (Soccer) Cup.  Each country that qualifies for the World Cup is entitled to send 1 player.  The format is identical to the World Cup and the event will end this Saturday.

Chess News KEENE:

Perhaps the most published author of chess books in the world, GM Ray Keene, OBE is coming to Chessville.  A new monthly column will report on the goings on around the world from this leading English GM's perspective.

Chess News WORLDWIDE:

Eight players remain in the Women's World Chess Cup in Dresden, Germany.  This will also be the site for the 2007 European Championship (Open and Women) as well as the 2008 Chess Olympiad.

Here are Saturday’s match ups:

IM Pahtz (Germany) vs. IM Kachiani (Germany)
WIM Chang (Brasil) vs. IM Sebag (France)
IM Socko (Poland) vs. WGM Lujan (Argentina)
GM Polgar (USA) vs. WGM Ushenina (Ukraine)

In case of ties after 2 games, the players will have soccer penalty kicks. The winner of the penalty kick can choose black with 4' + 2" inc and draw odd vs. white with 5' + 2" inc.

That’s new!  Perhaps some photos next week if the Parrot’s informant can manage it.

The 56 Women Russia Championship takes place 28 June - 7 July in Orel. Among participants: wg Ekaterina Korbut (2442) Saint-Petersburg, wg Natalia Pogonina (2440) Saratov, wg Elena Zajatz (2417) Kazan and others. There are 36 players, among them 13 grandmasters, 11 masters and 9 masters of FIDE. Players finishing in the top 5 slots, will acquire the right to enter the superfinal of the Championship of Russia.

8th round Standings:
1-3 Gunina Valentina, Komiagina Maria, Bodnaruk Anastasia - 6.0
4 Ovod Evgenija - 5.5
5-9 Korbut Ekaterina, Zaiatz Elena, Sudakova Irina, Shadrina Tatiana, Tairova Elena - 5.0
10-15 Chistiakova Tamara, Shumiakina Tatiana, Kursova Maria, Malysheva Polina, Solovjova Valentina, Meshcheriakova Evgenia - 4.5
Official site: http://www.russiachess.ru/

Nigel’s Back: And now writing for the Guardian newspaper after being fired from his tenure at the Sunday Telegraph after 10 years.  A Bessel Kok supporter in the recently concluded Fide sort-of election, GM Short likes to say it like it is, with commentary as colourful as he finds things – so if its black, its black!  Nigel Short has also been elected President to the Commonwealth Chess Association, in his own words:

“One small consolation: I was elected president of the Commonwealth Chess Association despite a concerted attempt to oust me by the FIDE apparatchiks. It was a close-run thing though: I defeated general secretary Ignatius Leong from Singapore by 16 votes to 15 with one abstention. Nice try, guys! Come back again in four years..”

Check out Nigel Short’s often provocative column in the Guradian Newspaper. [That spelling is a traditional joke folks!]

Chess News USA:

USCF Election Fiasco – a (1) (2) (3) and (4) what are we voting for?

But there is chess in New York, New York

 2006 NYC Mayor's Cup, the strongest double RR event in US history.  The event is sponsored and organized by the Susan Polgar Foundation in collaboration with the NYC Sports Commission, the office of the NYC Mayor and the NYAC.

1. GM Gata Kamsky (2736) 6.5 / 10 (#1 in the US)
2. GM Susan Polgar (2557) 6.0 / 10 (#1 woman in the US)
3. GM Alexander Onischuk (2704) 5.5 / 10 (reigning US Champion)
4. GM Boris Gulko (2659) 5.0 / 10 (Former USSR and US Champion)
5. GM Ildar Ibragimov (2704) 4.0 / 10 (Olympic Bronze Medalist)
6. GM Alexander Stripunsky (2659) 3.0 / 10 (Former US Open Co-Champion)

The event was held at the prestigious NY Athletic Club. It is sponsored and organized by the Susan Polgar Foundation in collaboration with the NY City Sports Commission and the Office of Mayor Bloomberg.  Chief Arbiter: Frank Berry.  Assistant Arbiter: Jim Berry.  Average USCF Rating: 2665+.  Average FIDE Rating: 2622.5.  Information courtesy: Mr. Paul Truong.

Chess News WORLDWIDE:

The International chess tournament "Aerosvit-2006" took place 17-28 June in Crimean Foros.  The tournament took place in the sanatorium complex "Foros" located in relic park.  Leading grandmasters of the world took part in this competition - the strongest for all history of the Ukranian chess: Ponomariov Ruslan 2738 UKR, Ivanchuk Vassily 2723 UKR, Rublevsky Sergei 2665 RUS, Grischuk Alexander 2719 RUS, Karjakin Sergey 2661 UKR, Volokitin Andrei 2660 UKR, Nisipeanu Liviu-Dieter 2695 ROM, Areshchenko Alexander 2660 UKR, Shirov Alexei 2699 ESP, Mamedyarov Shakhriyar 2699 AZE, Harikrishna Pentala 2680 IND, Bologan Viktor 2666 MDA.

Wow!

The Shahcom Company together with the Ukrainian Company RelayExport provided live coverage of the games on the site www.relayexport.com/en/chess/chess.html.
The chief arbiter: international arbiter Leonid Bodankin (Ukraine).

The Dutch Championship takes place 17th June - 2nd July 2006 in Hilversum. Players: Ivan Sokolov g 2676, Sergei Tiviakov g 2669, Loek van Wely g 2655, Jan Timman g 2616, Friso Nijboer g 2584, Erwin l'Ami g 2565, Daniel Stellwagen g 2543, Jan Smeets g 2535, Jan Werle g 2529, John van der Wiel g 2511, Yge Visser m 2480, Jeroen Bosch m 2465.

Final Standings:
1 Tiviakov - 9.0
2 Sokolov - 7.5
3-4 Nijboer, Van Wely - 7.0
5 Stellwagen - 6.5
6-7 Van der Wiel, Werle - 5.5
8 L'Ami - 5.0
9 Smeets - 4.5
10-11 Timman, Bosch - 3.0
12 Visser - 2.5

Official site: http://www.schaakbond.nl/nieuws/nk2006/
Live games: http://www.schaakbond.nl/nieuws/nk2006/livenk.htm

Special Message to the Parrot on the Fide Election:  from USCF Board Member Mr. Don Shultz:

During the campaign few campaigned harder for Bessel Kok than I did.  The USCF EB fully supported my efforts.  As a result we have a first hand insight into many campaign goings-on.  And contrary to the Chess Cafe report I believe the election was lost before the Turin meeting.

IMO, there were several reasons why Bessel did not win.  He had fantastic credentials and contacts; his articulation of concrete programs was awesome.  Compare that to the lack of substance in the Ilyumzhinov campaign.  Give lots of credit to Bessel and his team for a lot of hard work and presenting their message.  They lost because of unexpected defections, the myth that Kirsan could not lose so best to be with the winner, and a scratch my back, I'll scratch yours philosophy adopted by Ilyumzhinov and rejected by Bessel.

Bessel could/would have won except for things like the following:

• Karpov's dissatisfaction with one those on Bessel's ticket caused coolness on his part towards Bessel and his ticket.  Everyone had expected full endorsement and active campaigning by the former world champion.

• Failure to get Susan Polar’s active support: I am not privy to the reasons for this but I do know that like Karpov, early on Susan strongly supported Bessel.

• Failure to convince Nigel Freeman to support and help: Nigel is thought of very highly and his defection to Ilyumzhinov added credibility to that ticket.  The famous Bermuda party run by Nigel and fellow Bermudans is so well liked by so many that it magnifies the impact of the Freeman defection.

• The open letter from Beatriz Marinello to the countries of the Americas:  Beatriz sought to change her USCF Executive Board vote to support Bessel to one of neutrality.  She called her fellow Board members fanatical supporters of Bessel.  Beatriz is well liked in the Americas and there is no doubt that she cost a great deal of votes for the Bessel ticket.  With her supporting the USCF endorsed Bessel, a significant shift of votes among the nations of the Americas would have taken place.  Interestingly, early on she considered the possibility of running for Treasurer on the Bessel ticket but declined, IMO, because she felt Bessel could not win and that she could be the friendly conduit between the USCF and the Ilyumzhinov regime.  A split like this among USCF leadership drastically reduces our influence.

• Bessel too quickly rejected the compromise ticket proposed by Ignatius Leong.  Ignatius proposed it and said if either Bessel or Kirsan rejected the offer and the other accepted it, he would cast his support to the one that accepted.  Bessel rejected the offer too quickly though for honorable reasons not the least of which, it was illegal.  Kirsan than accepted the compromise knowing it was already rejected and all his acceptance meant was a guarantee of Leong's support which would have meant about 10 or 12 votes, or a swing of 24.  Bessel should have waited and if he did, so would have Ilyumzhinov.  If neither Bessel nor Kirsan responded, I believe Ignatius would have bolted the Kirsan ticket and thrown his support to Bessel.

• The defection of Israel to openly support Ilyumzhinov: Bill Goichberg and I wrote a personal private letter to the Israeli chess federation urging them to reconsider.  Our letter was never answered.  The Israeli endorsement like the defection of Nigel Freeman added credibility to the image of Ilyumzhinov.

• Another factor was Ilyumzhinov's personal campaigning.  He should not be underestimated.  He was everywhere, smiling, shaking hands, having his picture taken with whoever asked.  He also had Makropoulos running his campaign.  Makro would do well in USCF elections, he knows how to count votes and when to bring in the cavalry which he did by bringing in Ilyumzhinov when he realized things were not liked they appeared and Bessel might win.

Was there bribery?  Well during my campaigning, two African countries wrote to me and said they would go to Turin, campaign for Bessel and vote for him BUT they needed $2,500 and $3,500 respectively to do that.  Bessel declined.  Both those countries showed up in Turin supporting Ilyumzhinov.

I am proud that the USCF supported Bessel.  His integrity on each and every issue is something well worth emulating.  I sincerely hope that Jan Timman is wrong and world chess will not lose him.

Some want to start a counter organization - I am against that -too much tradition and infra-structure to cast aside.  I support development within FIDE several semi-autonomous organized projects such as a major league of Internet chess - a sort of having your cake and eating it to approach.

One last word - during the debate on proxies, Makro went too far in fighting for a decision on Peru's representation and temporarily lost the support of the meeting.  Clearly, the meeting was, at that time, overwhelmingly supporting the view of Bessel's lawyer Eric Kelzey.  At that point Kirsan took the microphone from Makro and diplomatically gave in on the point.  In the end Peru was denied their vote as the two Peru delegates competed for credentials were both denied.

Don Schultz

2004

• July-September

• October-December
  
   

2005

• January-March

• April-June

• July-September

• October-December

2006

• January-March

• April-June