Topalov passes 2800 again at April rating list, Ivanchuk out of top 10
March 31, 2009 by Peter Doggers · 28 Comments
After finally receiving his 13 points gained at the Pearl Spring tournament in December and earning 3 more from his match against Kamsky, Veselin Topalov tops the April 2009 FIDE rating list at 2812. Radjabov, Jakovenko and Morozevich all lost points and so without playing rated games Kramnik climbed to 4th behind Anand and Carlsen. Ivanchuk lost 33 rating points and dropped to 12th place.
Read more
A key battleground of modern chess
March 31, 2009 by New in Chess (ADVERTORIALS) · Leave a Comment
The Main-Line Slav is one of the key battlegrounds of modern chess.
World Champions Petrosian, Kasparov, Topalov and Anand, as well as modern powerhouses Aronian, Kamsky, Ivanchuk, Morozevich and Carlsen have all played it with both colours!
David Vigorito’s new book on the subject is a practical guide, high-lighting Black’s solid set-up, and the lack of symmetry in the position which gives scope for creative players.
The many strategic directions are clearly explained:
– blasting the centre open for dominating piece play
– fixing the centre early
– keeping the centre dynamic well into the middlegame.
Have a look a this concise and affordable (€16,95!) manual.
Wesley So on his way to victory at “Battle of GMs”
March 31, 2009 by Peter Doggers · 19 Comments
Wesley So is well on his way to tournament victory at the Phoenix Petroleum & Dapitan City “Battle of Grandmasters”, or in other words: the Philippine Championship. The 15-year-old is 1.5 point clear of GMs Antonio and Torre. But… his draw against Antonio was nullified and has to be replayed. Read more
Anand helps Baden-Baden to clinch 4th title in a row
March 30, 2009 by Peter Doggers · 16 Comments
Saturday OSC Baden-Baden clinched their 4th German title in a row by beating Aljechin Solingen 6-2. With a 4-point margin the club was sure of retaining its title and another 6-2 victory on Sunday against SV Wattenscheid was only for the statistics, but a nice celebration. World Champion Viswanathan Anand played his only two games of the season for Baden-Baden this last weekend, and won them both. Read more
Tseshkovsky wins Agzamov Memorial
March 29, 2009 by Peter Doggers · 8 Comments
In the same week when Korchnoi turned 78 and Smyslov 88, another famous veteran had a notable success: 64-year-old GM Vitaly Tseshkovsky from Russia won the strong Georgy Azgamov Memorial in Tashkent, ahead of GMs like Kasimdzhanov, Amonatov and Volkov. Read more
Weekly Endgame Study (113)
March 28, 2009 by Yochanan Afek · 5 Comments
Every Saturday we present you an endgame study selected by IM Yochanan Afek: player, trainer, endgame study composer and writer. A week later the solution is published. Good luck solving! Read more
Last Bundesliga weekend
March 27, 2009 by Peter Doggers · 10 Comments
The last two rounds of the Schachbundesliga take place 28th and 29th March 2009. OSG Baden-Baden is top of the table and faces Solingen and Wattenscheid at home. The team from the Southwest of Germany needs only two points to celebrate his fourth title in a row. Read more
918 annotated games, and more
March 27, 2009 by New in Chess (ADVERTORIALS) · Leave a Comment
If you are a serious chess player, you cannot afford to miss Chess Informant!
Chess Informant 103 is the latest issue of what is still, after all those years, one of the most important sources of high-level information in chess.
This volume brings you a refined selection of 918 annotated games (407 full games and 511 game fragments) from May – August 2008.
As usual, the contributors are the world’s best players.
Plus: the ten best games & the ten most important novelties, a theoretical survey, the most interesting recent combinations and endings, studies, standings and crosstables.
And last but bot least: the best output of Peter Svidler. If you don’t know Informant, you should at least try it once. Please have a look here.
Levon Aronian wins 18th Amber after dramatic last round
March 26, 2009 by Peter Doggers · 47 Comments
Levon Aronian won the 18th Amber tournament after a dramatic last round in Nice today. He had a narrow escape in his blindfold game against Topalov and drew his rapid game quickly to secure victory, since both Anand and Carlsen couldn’t catch him anymore. Just like last year the Armenian grandmaster was the strongest player in the combined tournament of blindfold and rapid chess held in Nice, France. Read more
4th FIDE Grand Prix (Nalchik) announced
March 26, 2009 by Peter Doggers · 16 Comments
In a press release the organizers of the 4th FIDE Grand Prix announce their tournament, to be held 14th-29th April 2009 in Nalchik, Russia. Akopian (Armenia), Alekseev (Russia), Aronian (Armenia), Bacrot (France), Eljanov (Ukraine), Gelfand (Israel), Grischuk (Russia), Ivanchuk (Ukraine), Kamsky (USA), Karjakin (Ukraine), Kasimdzhanov (Uzbekistan), Leko (Hungary), Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan) and Svidler (Russia) will play. Read more
