Archive for August 10th, 2009

The fifth FIDE Grand Prix Series Tournament is being held from August 9 to
23, 2009, in the Armenian health resort of Jermuk and is dedicated to World
Champion Tigran Petrosian, who would have turned eighty this year. You can watch
the games on the excellent official web site or on Playchess.com.
In the first round of the event Peter Leko and Ivan Cheparinov scored wins.
Round one report.

This was the greatest performance of her career: Polish GM Monika Socko shared first place with 14-year-old IM Ray Robson of the US, Bulgarian IM Marijan Petrov and Sweden’s top GM Emanuel Berg. But she took the title on tiebreak points and with a performance of 2639. We bring you a final report by IM Torstein Bae with a beautiful Robson game and pictures and videos from Tromsø.

The Swedish GM Ulf Andersson played 310 opponents in 1996, then Andrew Martin took on 321 in 2004. His record was broken in 2005 by Susan Polgar (350 opponents). Currently the record stands at 360, set earlier this year by Kiril Georgiev. Now the 29-year-old Iranian GM Morteza Mahjoob intends to get his name in the Guinness Book next Thursday by taking on 500 opponents.

There are at least three great reasons to attend this event, says GM Dejan Bojkov, who reports for us from Greece. Luxembourger Alberto David won the A tournament on tiebreak points. It took place during the hottest part of the year in a beautiful location, with wonderful conditions for the player and great hospitality of the locals. Kavala is in a historically interesting. Big pictorial report.

Swedish GM Ulf Anderson played 310 opponents in 1996, then Andrew Martin took on 321 in 2004. His record was broken in 2005 by Susan Polgar (350 opponents). Currently the record stands at 360, set earlier this year by Kiril Georgiev. Now 29-year-old Iranian GM Morteza Mahjoob intends to get his name in the Guinness Book next Thursday by taking on 500 opponents.

… as well as a
treat to annotate was the following highlight of last year’s European Individual
Championship, containing a great deal of combinatorial motifs – deflection, mate
patterns, passed pawns, sub-promotion… In this
position Black could have uncorked 31…Qc2, and after 32.Nf8+ Kg8 your
judgement is required:
A) White can throw in the towel.
B) Black is not the only one to unpack study-like moves – the game ends in a draw
by force.
C) keeping his nerves, White also keeps the full point.
In the game Black continued
1…exf1+ 32.Qxf1 Kxg6 and lost – why? The
solution is here but first ponder
it with a larger version of the diagram.