SPRAGGETT ON CHESS: 2011-05-01

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Saturday's humour

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

My wife and I were sitting around the breakfast table one lazy Sunday morning. She said, “If I were to die suddenly, I want you to immediately sell all my stuff.”

“Now why would you want me to do something like that?” I asked.

“I figure that you would eventually remarry and I don’t want some other bitch using my stuff.” she replied.

I looked at her and said, “What makes you think I’d marry another bitch?”

(Thx Roots!)

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TODAY'S BIN LADEN JOKES

Obama leading the raid that killed Bin Laden

"Osama bin Laden is in the ocean. How ironic. Once again surrounded by seals." –Jay Leno

"How about those Navy Seals. We're getting our money's worth there. They broke into Osama bin Laden's compound with 12-foot walls topped by barbed wire, and fired a warning shot into his head." –David Letterman

“By the way, 'buried at sea'? means 'dumped in the ocean.' That’s what they did with him. They dumped him in the ocean. Now I won't feel so guilty about peeing in the water anymore when I go to the beach."? –Jimmy Kimmel

Canadian Zonal underway

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

The 2011 Canadian Zonal started yesterday in Guelph, Ontario with 29 eager participants . The event is a 9 round swiss tournament that ends next Wednesday. Top seeded is GM Bator Sambuev (who is playing for the first time in a Canadian Championship). The winner of the Zonal goes on to represent Canada at the World Cup to be held later this summer in Khanty Mansiysk (Siberia).

Top seeded GM Bator Sambuev is originally from Russia. His current FIDE rating is 2513 He now plays for Canada, the details of his federation transfer are below

The time control of the Zonal is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game (plus 30-sec per move). Although the tournament does not have its own website, MonRoi is carrying the games live (http://www.monroi.com/) and seems to be doing an excellent job, despite a shaky start. Pairings, result and round by round classifications are also available at the site.

PLAYERS LIST

In recent years the CFC has designated the Canadian Championship a low-priority event and as a result the quality and strength of Canada's premier event has dropped. Unlike most Canadian Zonals before 2002, the CFC no longer budgets or contributes anything for the tournament (in the past, up to $6,000 was allocated for each Zonal, to help cover prizes, accomodation and organizers' expenses).

Today the CFC tries to attract organizers with the high entry fee that it charges the players and by making the players pay their own accomodation; as an extra incentive, the organizer can take a large share of the entry fee for himself. And if there is any sponsorship, the organizer usually now just pockets it (case in point was Hal Bond finding sponsorship of $25,000 for the Canadian Championship in 2007 --a non-zonal year--and the prizes were simply entry fees!)

The net result of this change of policy is that now the zonal organizers have become fat and lazy, rarely showing motivation or enthusiasm for their craft. Mediocrity reigns. This year there are no sponsors; no guaranteed prizes other than entry fees (which are based on a minimum of 30 paid-entries); no website or media-kit and neither has there been any promotion of the event to the general public. However, in the organizers' favour, a large contingent of eager players rated below 2200 FIDE (approximately half the tournament) have been enticed to play by an IM title that zonals offer to the best player scoring 66% or higher.

Another consequence of this change of priorities, few of Canada's elite players want to participate in the national championships anymore. As we can see from the list of Canada's best players (FIDE-active at some time during the past 5 years), only 2 of Canada's 10-highest FIDE-rated players have decided to play :

This writer has already expressed his disappointment at the CFC for neglecting Canada's premier tournament, and you can see my earlier blogs on this topic. I have nothing new to add here. I wish all the players a very good tournament and may the best man win!

For those interested in more information about the Zonal, please visit the ChessTalk message board. The last time I checked, the CFC executive was bragging about its achievement in organizing a national championship at zero cost! A lively exchange between former Canadian champion Jean Hebert (defending the interests of Canada's best players) and members of the present CFC executive might also be worth checking into.

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Chess me out

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Via ChessVibes this short video on chess was made some 3 years ago. I certainly had not seen it before. Probably the same can be said of many of my readers. 12 professional chess players talk about their job. From the childhood to the feelings on board during the game, we listen to their thoughts mixed in 12 different chapters.

Enjoy!

Chess Me Out - talk on board from nulli versi on Vimeo.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Dear 16 year old me

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Awesome! There is no other word...

last known photo of Bin Laden released!

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

BREAKING NEWS!!!

WHITE HOUSE OKs RELEASE

OF LAST PHOTO OF

BIN LADEN

(thx, Bill!)

Alzheimer's disease, chess and the CFC

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear after age 60. Worse still, scientists don't yet fully understand what causes Alzheimer's.

As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, memory loss continues and changes in other cognitive abilities appear. Problems can include getting lost or becoming easily confused, trouble handling money and paying bills, repeating questions, taking longer to complete normal daily tasks, poor judgment, and small mood and personality changes.

If you are like me coming from a large, extended family, then you might know from your own person experience of some aged loved ones who suffered from some degree of this ilness. It is not pretty.

Just the other day Nigel Davies blog had a short article on Alzheimer's disease and chess (amongst other things):

''There’s a growing body of evidence that chess is a highly effective way of staving off Alzheimer’s disease. Specific research by Professor Joe Verghese has shown that it can help reduce the risk of developing this disease by up to 74%. Solving crossword puzzles appears to be much less effective, only producing a 38% reduction in risk.

As this research has been around for a few years it amazes me is that chess federations around the World are not singing this from the rooftops. The costs of care for those with Alzheimer’s is staggering, an estimated 1% of global GDP which comes in at US 604 billion. So the mind boggles at how much could be saved if more people were to take up chess.

The case for chess becomes even more urgent when one considers how an increase in life expectancy is likely to bring an increase in Alzheimer’s and helpless dependent people. With a global economy already stretched, how much more of a strain is this likely to add?

An interesting precedent for deliberately promoting chess is the popularization of Tai Chi in China which was done to provide an inexpensive way to improve peoples’ health. Could we get to see some early morning chess in a few parks?''

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Can Chess Check-mate Alzheimer's? por NTDTV

As Alzheimer's is irreversible and progressive once you have it, the key word for those in my age group is 'prevention'. That is, to do your best to try not to get Alzheimer's and if that fails, to atleast try to delay the entire process once you have it.

Studies , as Nigel points out, have shown that keeping the mind fit and active is the best way to do this. How does one keep the mind fit and active? By constantly challenging your cognitive abilities: doing cross word puzzles, playing games like scrabble and chess that require multi-tasking and mental skill, having hobbies, reading and the like.

An entire industry is growing out of this need and as the average human's life span continues to increase it can be expected that this industry will one day become as big as anything you can imagine!

As Nigel points out, it is somewhat suprising that national chess federations are not taking this opportunity to spin their product as a natural (and enjoyable) manner to avoid Alzheimer's disease. For example, the CFC is constantly reminding us of its own aches and pains (principally caused by lack of members) and how this makes it increasingly difficult for them to operate as an independent and responsible organization...

But what has the CFC done to try to tap into the growing market of those individuals over the age of 50 who are looking for ways to prevent Alzheimer's disease? You guess it right! NOTHING. And this is unfortunate as the longer chess waits before getting into this growing market, the smaller the share it will be able to tap into. Perhaps it is time for Toronto's Bob Armstrong to get himself appointed as the CFC's Alzheimer's liason officer...!?

On the slightly humourous side, it seems that the CFC might already suffer from Alzheimer sysmptoms: decreasing ability to carry out the simplest tasks, poor judgement and thinking skills; often get confused; trouble in handling money and in paying bills, etc. Now that I think of it...this disease might explain most of the increasing dysfunctionality of the present day CFC!

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COFFEE HELPS PREVENT ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE!

Some recent research points to the use of coffee as an anti-alzheimer's substance. That daily cup of coffee you enjoy could spare you from getting Alzheimer’s disease, according to medical researchers. Even better, if you already have Alzheimer’s, coffee could help keep it under control. But there’s a catch. Researchers say 500 mg of caffeine, or about five cups a day, is required for optimum protection.

Well, that is no problem for me: I drink several litres of coffee each day!

The key is to remain mentally active and fit. Which hobby is your choice!

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Round 1. FIDE Matches

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

First round of the FIDE Matches took place on Thursday. All four games ended in draws, each in a different way. With the exception of the Aronian vs Grischuk game, all the games were drawn in just a few hours. The second round takes place Friday.

I forgot to mention in my last blog-report on this chess event that the time control is reasonably slow: 2-hours for the first 40 moves, followed by 1-hour for the next 20 moves and then 15 minutes til the end of the game (with , ofcourse, the 30-second increment for each move starting at move 1).

There are no adjournments. This factor might have played an important role in the Aronian vs Grischuk game, where Aronian--with a strong passed pawn-- let several wins slip thru his fingers in the final minutes of the marathon 6-hour plus game. Perhaps, also, Aronian is not used to such long games.

POSITION AFTER WHITE'S 20th MOVE (20.Qc1):

GRISCHUK

ARONIAN

The opening of this game was a Grunfeld Defence (X-change variation) where Aronian surprised the spectators accepting a positional pawn-sacrifice that Black usually offers in this opening that White generally refuses! In the position above Black has absolutely no problems at all and I am certain that most Grunfeld players would be quite pleased with Black's compensation for the slight material deficit. Especially, White's a, c and e-pawns are all isolated and easy enough to attack.

Black should now consider 20...Be6 (or 20...Bb7) followed by placing his Rooks in the centre. Black could even refuse a draw offer from White in this kind of position! Instead, Grischuk played the simplifying 20...Bg4?! and even allowed the exchange of Queens a few moves later! Soon Aronian found himself in an ending a pawn up and with some remote chances...

POSITION AFTER WHITE'S 24th MOVE (24.Rb1):

Now Grischuk has some work before he can make a draw. Being a pawn down, he still has to prove that he has enough compensation. Even so, after 24...Rb8 25.Rb3 Nd3!, it is difficult to believe that any grandmaster would lose this position with Black!

But match psychology is a tricky business: Grischuk lost an ending like a child against Aronian earlier this year at the Wijk Ann Zee tournament and no doubt had still not got over it. In the ensuing play Grischuk failed to get any concrete counterplay and Aronian slowly but methodically built up a winning position!

Analysts say that Aronian's 69th move (69.Nc5) was a blunder that thru away his win.

ChessInTranslation wrote: '' What can you say… Chess is a cruel sport. It’s not enough to have an absolutely won position. You also have to win it! Aronian conducted the game brilliantly, was very close to succeeding, but couldn’t maintain his concentration to the end. He began to rush, to make inaccuracies, to slowly let his ingenious opponent slip. Grischuk showed himself to be a real escape artist. Every inch a Harry Houdini! And it’s unlikely the best program in the world could have defended better in the Russian’s place. In any case, our man demonstrated real nerves of steel...''

Grischuk (left), Aronian and Gelfand at the opening ceremony the day before. No doubt Grischuk was still thinking about his loss in Wijk Ann Zee!

I am one of the few who actually believes in Grischuk's chances in this match (and in winning the overall event!). It is a bit of a bad luck that he is paired against Aronian--who many feel is the best player in the world at present. But what to do?

Grischuk or Houdini (or both!) ??

Recently Grischuk's results have been below parr and no doubt he is going thru some sort of personal crisis. However, these crises often are necessary for a grandmaster to jump to the next level. It is enough for us to remember how Boris Spassky emerged from a series of personal crises in the mid-1960's and soon went on to become the strongest player in the world--playing not less than 3 matches for the world championship!

Be that is it may, I also confess that my own record is not very good in picking underdogs in high-level chess matches!

However, today's game between Grischuk and Aronian could mark a turning point in the personal chess-rivalry between these 2 great players. There can be no doubt that Grischuk must be very confident after having saved a lost ending against a player who is considered such an extraordinary endgame player. We will just have to wait and see!

Topalov had no problems in his opening match game against the American Champion Gata Kamsky

American Champion Gata Kamsky played the White pieces against he Bulgarian superstar Topalov and played a sort of 'TN' (theoretical novelty) against him on the 7th move :

TOPALOV

KAMSKY

I don't think this move was prepared at home but was instead some sort of 'Lasker' over the board invention that was psychologically designed to take his opponent way out of his opening preparation and into obscure positions. Ofcourse, Black can take the pawn but White would have enough practical compensation for one game ( for example: 7...Nxa5. 8.Nd5!? Nc6 9.Nxf6-ch gf6 10.Nxc6 bc6 11.Bc4!?)

But Topalov simply ignored the offer and developed his pieces, achieving a normal enough position without any problems. At move 23 he 'killed' any hopes that Kamsky might have had when he sacrificed an exchange for a pawn (position below):

23...Rxd2! 24.RxR Bxb4

It soon became clear that the game was going to be a draw. That was agreed at move 41.

There is not much to say about the other two games. Radjabov vs Kramnik was a very boring game that lasted all of 25 moves. Kramnik employed the 'Lasker's defence' against the QueensGambit and must have surprised his opponent who showed that he had nothing special prepared for it!

KRAMNIK

RADJABOV

The move 7...Ne4!? leads to simplification and therefore often results in colourless draws. Lasker , however, only played it during a short period of his career, and therefore it is surprising that his name would be attached to it!

And finally, Mamedyarov vs Gelfand started off as a real game but ended in a fizzle. Gelfand played the Najdorf instead of his usual Petroff defence ( psychology!) but ended up in a clearly inferior position in the early middlegame. Soon Gelfand chucked a pawn and an ending arose where White had some practical chances of winning the game.

POSITION AFTER 31 MOVES:

GELFAND

MAMEDYAROV

It is not easy for White to make progress, as he has many weak pawns. However, it is clear that White runs no risk and can play this position for a hundred moves trying to convert his pawn. One plan is to play his Knight into c4 (freeing his Rook from the defence of his b-pawn) and then activate his Rook along the a-line.

However, Mamedyarov has a reputation for not liking to play endings (see my blog-report on the Frankfurt tournament from last year!) and he did not even try to press Gelfand ! The game ended in a draw less than 10 moves later...

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

The mountain

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

It's nature as you've never seen it before. Norwegian photographer Terje Sorgjerd has spent a week snapping away on top of El Teide, Spain’s highest mountain.

The end result is a stunning timelapse video showing nature at its best. The mountain is an ideal place for stargazing, according to Mr Sorgjerd, who filmed the Milky Way glittering in the night sky and even managed to catch a sandstorm passing through it.

“It is one of the best places in the world to photograph the stars and is also the location of Teide

Observatories, considered to be one of the world’s best observatories,” Mr Sorgjerd said.

Mr Sorgjerd took a series of photographs over approximately 170 hours to create the stunning video - surviving on very little sleep. The footage has already been viewed nearly two million times on YouTube and Vimeo.

The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

Bedbugs and Islam

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Well, it has been a bad week for Islamic extremists. (And it is not over yet...) Bin Laden's name is on everyone's tongue and for all the right reasons! On the other hand, who will the US now kick around (in the name of fighting international terrorism) and use as an excuse for invading whole sovereign countries?

Something amiss....

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Miranda was on her way to visit her son John and daughter-in-law Ann when she ran into her son --with a suitcase-- hurriedly leaving their appartment and in great distress. ''Mother I am leaving my wife! Our marriage is over!'' he said emphatically.

Miranda's mouth dropped in total shock. ''But what happened, my son? Tell me!''

''Well, as you know I was away alone on business for 2 weeks in Europe. Just 2 days ago I sent Ann a telegram letting her know that I was returning today. When I arrived at the apartment today I found my wife in bed--naked--with a stranger!''

The mother wisely decided to take control of the situation: ''You wait here while I go and speak with Ann. There must be a logical explanation ....Ann is not the type of woman you come home to and find in bed with another man! Something is missing here...'' And then the mother went into the appartment...

Ten minutes later she emerged , smiling and cheerful. ''It is all right,my son! As I expected, there is a very logical explanation: Ann never received your telegram!''

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Wednesday

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

The Candidates Matches begin tomorrow (officially) and it appears that all of the chess-related web is talking of it! Some even have polls for the readers to vote and throw in their moral support for their favourite stars. Personally, I don't consider this series of matches to have the legitimacy of a formal cycle to determine the world championship...but then again few of us really think that FIDE has been interested in that since the 1990's!

When Kasparov and Short left FIDE in 1993 to go their own way, the integrity and the prestige of the world title was called into doubt. While the boxing world might entertain the idea of mutiple-simultaneous world championship titles, the world was not ready to accept the idea of having more than one world chess champion. The result is that while Kasparov and Short may have made some money for a few years with their little adventure, neither of them (nor FIDE ) can boast of actually moving the cause of chess forward from that fateful day.

Fast forward to the present, chess' prestige is at a all time low: there are fewer sponsors, few chess columns, fewer great tournaments (gone are the Tilburgs, Linares, and Monacos) etc. We all know what 'etc' means...even down to our local chess club we players are all feeling that chess has long since seen its 'better days'. Even organizing 'world championships' has come down to us being willing to pretend that any sponsor with the courage to come forward with some dough to organize a top level tournament (match) should have the moral right to call their tournament (match) a 'world championship'.

This is what I think is happening with the Candidates Matches-cycle that begins tomorrow. While all of the participants there are well know names and great players in their own right, I think it is safe to argue that you probably agree with me that atleast half of the players should not be there in the first place. I think it is also safe to say that atleast 3 or 4 players are missing from the lineup!

In short, tomorrow begins the best that FIDE can organize given present economic conditions...we can fool ourselves into thinking that there is more legitimacy there than in reality, and then just enjoy the chess games that will be played. However, the chess world still has a long way to go before we will truly and willingly believe that a fair and objective system to decide the world championship is in place. We are willing to accept 2nd best, atleast for today. We have become used to it!

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JUST MARRIED

Pogonina writes that the reigning world junior champ GM Dmitry Andeikin has just go married to WFM Svetlana Malchikova. They tied the knot on April 30th. Congrats!!

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Chess-related pics

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Coffee break

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

FLY ME TO THE MOON!

I love scientific experiments! Somehow, though, I don't think this one is going to work....I hope she is insured.

Aren't girls wonderful?

Orson Welles during the filming of “Chimes at Midnight”, Spain, 1964 -by Nicolas Tikhomiroff

[“Chimes at Midnight” also known as “Falstaff” or “Campanadas a medianoche” (Orson Welles, 1965)]

“One should make movies innocently — the way Adam and Eve named the animals, their first day in the garden…Learn from your own interior vision of things, as if there had never been a D.W.Griffith, or a [Sergei] Eisenstein, or a [John] Ford, or a [Jean] Renoir, or anybody.” Orson Welles

CHERRIES