Carlsen Tsk Tsk

Looks like the #1 on live rating list still has a few things to learn when it comes to understanding blitz chess rules and common board courtesy. This is what happened in last night's game v Gashimov in the World Blitz Championships currently held in Moscow.



Moving your Queen twice?

And in the following game v Kosteniuk (bottom right screen) for the following video:

http://video.russiachess.org/browse/16/#session73

No handshake after losing to Kostenuik? Tsk tsk.

World Youth Chess Championship Rd 1

Round 1 results:

U-8 Open:
Smirnov Anton (1853) (AUS) 1 - 0 Kesgin Halit Kaan (0) (TUR)

U-10 Open:
Gray Callum James (0) (AUS) 0 - 1 Shurunov Andrei (1887) (RUS)

U-12 Open:
Akhmetov Ayan (KAZ) 1 - 0 Koh Cedric (0) (AUS)
Terzi Alexei (BLR) 0 - 1 Cheng Bobby (2202) (AUS)

U-14 Open:
Yuan Yi (2097) (AUS) 1 - 0 Karlsson Mikael Johann (1703) (ISL)

U-16 Open:
Tan Justin (2011) (AUS) 0 - 1 Kurayan Ruslan (2306) (UKR)

U-18 Open:
Schon Eugene (2171) (AUS) ½ - ½ IM Krejci Jan (2458) (CZE)

U-12 Girls:
Papathanasiou Elisavet (GRE) 1 - 0 Koh Clarise (0) (AUS)
Drogovoz Maria (RUS) (0) 1 - 0 Pretorius Jana (0) (AUS)

U-14 Girls:
Ataoglu Buse (0) (TUR) 0 - 1 Guo Emma (1910) (AUS)
Baekelant Eva (1966) (BEL) 1 - 0 Simmonds Leteisha (1624) (AUS)

U-16 Girls:
Webb-Liddle Miranda (0) (AUS) + - - Flores Nancy (1927) (ARG) (forfeit?)

U-18 Girls:
Richard Emma (2135) (FRA) 1 - 0 Chibnall Alana (0) (AUS)
Oliver Tamzin (1777) (AUS) 0 - 1 WFM Brunello Marina (2158) (ITA)


Round 2 is scheduled to begin today and these are the pairings:

U-8 Open:
Ibik Halit Yavuz (0) (TUR) v Smirnov Anton (1853) (AUS)

U-10 Open:
Temur Igonin (0) (UZB) v Gray Callum James (0) (AUS)

U-12 Open:
Koh Cedric (0) (AUS) v Keleptrishvili Irakli (1751) (GEO)
Cheng Bobby (2202) (AUS) v Kessler Luca (1992) (AUT)

U-14 Open:
Studer Noel (1974) (SUI) v Yuan Yi (2097) (AUS)

U-16 Open:
Sevciuc Vladlen (0) (MDA) v Tan Justin (2011) (AUS)

U-18 Open:
Arslanov Shamil (2379) (RUS) v Schon Eugene (2171) (AUS)

U-12 Girls:
Koh Clarise (0) (AUS) v Al Dhaheri Shaikha (0) (UAE)
Pretorius Jana (0) (AUS) v Camilia Bt Johari (0) (MAS)

U-14 Girls:
Guo Emma (1910) (AUS) v Kuehnel Lena (1761) (GER)
Simmonds Leteisha (1624) (AUS) v Tuzi Bruna (0) (ALB)

U-16 Girls:
Webb-Liddle Miranda (0) (AUS) v WFM Hakimifard Ghazal (2124) (IRI)

U-18 Girls:
Chibnall Alana (0) (AUS) v Ibragimova Iroda (1917) (UZB)
Haug Marianne Wold (2005) (NOR) v Oliver Tamzin (1777) (AUS)

The Fascination With Tal

Why are chess players so fascinated with the 8th World Champion, Mikhail Nekhemievich Tal?

He was, after all, only World Champion for a year before being defeated by Mikhail Botvinnik in the rematch and has never since then managed to reached the same heights ever again.

What is it about him that makes him so affable and well-liked?

Before Tal's appearance on the world stage, chess was considered by many to be methodical. Little did the world know that the young Latvian from Riga would soon set the world alight with his daring imaginative sacrifices and unbelievable attacking combinational skills.

In modern times, if he had been in good health, he would have been the equivalent of golf's Tiger Woods. Tal didn't just make chess interesting and fun again, he strapped a rocket to chess and launched it to the skies and the whole world sat up and took notice.

Never has the world seen such daring play before where material was sometimes abandoned in order to launch a crushing attack on his enemy's king. His pieces moved like magic and his play defied common chess logic.

If you do not have the book, The Life And Games Of Mikhail Tal (Cadogan Books), I strongly encourage you to go and get it. In the book, Tal describes his life experiences (up till 1975) in a manner that makes you feel as if you're having a conversation with a long-lost friend over a glass of wine after a nice dinner. It is one of the best chess literature ever written.

Tal doesn't give you long variations and sub-variations in his game notes like some authors do. He adds simple notes to explain his ideas, his plans. More importantly, he talks to you like a friend recounting his incredible journey.

Tal's play combined not only unrestrained imagination and incredible energy on the chess board but they typically entailed an enormous amount of risk. Tal would often stand precariously on the precipice of disaster and many a time, it would be his opponent who would capitulate first.

For example, in the Candidates tournament of Yugoslavia in 1959. Tal was playing Fischer. In that game, Fischer wrote down 22. Rae1 (the strongest move) before playing his move and pushed his scoresheet towards Tal to observe his reaction. Tal thought the better of it and knew Fischer was testing him. So Tal got up, walked around the board and proceeded to share a joke with someone. When he returned to the board with a smile, Fischer (who by then was obviously monitoring the whole scene) crossed out the move and played another move instead. In the end, Fischer lost. When Tal asked why he changed the move, Fischer replied,"Well, you laughed when I wrote it down!"

Tal was unfortunately afflicted with ill health. He had a diseased kidney and underwent 12 operations. But while such an ordeal would have crushed a lesser man, Tal continued to play chess at the highest levels irrespective of his health. His passion and love for the game was truly inextinguishable.

(Tal with his daughter)

This led to Leonid Stein to once comment,"You, Mishik, are stronger in spirit than all of us."

Tal Memorial

(Fischer v Tal)

The Mikhail Tal Memorial this year is the one to look out for and is probably the most anticipated event. This Category XXI rated tournament has a star studded "cast" comprising 10 of the 13 highest rated players among them, Anand, Carlsen, Kramnik.

Live broadcasts with GM commentaries are available at Chessdom.

And to add the icing on the cake, the World Blitz Chess Championship 2009 will immediately start at the same venue after the conclusion of the Tal Memorial. Anatoly Karpov, current world blitz champion Leinier Dominguez Perez and a whole host of other players will join the rest of the players to bring the number of participants to 20.

Since its birth in 2006, the Tal Memorial has steadily rose to become one of the elite competitions to look forward to in the calendar. The number of top ranked players taking part this year has certainly added a great deal of prestige to the tournament. I for one, am happy that there is more chess at the elite level to watch.

On a personal note, I plan to head down to Chess Discount Sales (operated by Peter Parr) in town sometime either later this week or next week to pick up a Chessbase DVD (still haven't decided between getting Daniel King's PowerPlay 11 or a Chessbase Opening DVD instead). I really need to get my skills back up to speed. Currently, my OT blitz games are woeful to say the least. I keep getting myself into bad positions (picking the worst move) or making ridiculous moves (that I always regret 5 seconds after I played it). :)

World Youth Chess Championship 2009 Update:
Had a little chat with Vladimir Smirnov last night (Thanks for giving me a chance to play a few quick blitz games against you, Vlad. It was very much appreciated). Both him and Anton will be flying off this weekend. I wish them and the entire Australian contingent the best of luck.

Ryde-Eastwood Club Championship
I forgot to add that the Ryde-Eastwood Club Championship was still progressing last night. The last game to conclude was between Brenton Yam and Bill Gletsos. It was an interesting game. I thought that Brenton had the upper hand near the endgame but sadly he was unable to hold.

Australians In World Youth Chess Championship 2009

This year's World Youth Chess Championship 2009 will be held in Kemer-Antalya, Turkey between Nov 11th and Nov 23th.

Here's to the best of wishes for the team. The Australian contingent comprises:

Category
U-8 Open
Smirnov Anton

U-10 Open
Gray Callum

U-12 Open
Koh Cedric
Cheng Bobby 2103

U-14 Open
Yuan Yi 2010

U-16 Open
Tan Justin 1885

U-18 Open
Schon Eugene 2186

U-12 Girls
Koh Clarise
Pretorius Jana

U-14 Girls
Guo Emma 1845
Simmonds Leteisha

U-16 Girls
Webb Liddle Miranda

U-18 Girls
Chibnall Alana
Oliver Tamzin 1782

Coach
GM Arutinian David

Personal acc (parents/journalists/delegation)
Eunice Koh
Tracy Gray
Frank Cheng
Qi-Fang Shen
Wendy Tan
Kerry Lyall
Jan Pretorius
Tania Simmonds
Jenni Oliver
Tony Oliver
Vladimir Smirnov
Gary Lane
GM Ketevan Arakhamia

They will be staying at the Limra Hotel (2nd pic)