World Senior Championship 2023 passes midpoint
It is the halftime at the World Senior Chess Championship 2023, here at Terrasini, and the participants are enjoying the day off. After visiting the beautiful city of Palermo the players are getting ready to continue battles for the titles in second half of the tournament, starting on November 1. In the meantime, let’s check out the results and standings of the WSCC 2023. After Round 6, in the Open 50+ category GMs Ivan Morovic Fernandez (CHI; pictured below), GM Suat Atalik (SRB), GM Michael Adams (ENG) and GM Artashes Minasian (ARM) are tied for the top position, each scoring 5/6. Six players, GM Maxim Novik (LTU), GM Darcy Lima (BRA), GM Klauss Bischoff (GER), GM Hannes Stefansson (ISL), the defending champion GM Zurab Sturua (GEO) and IM Uffe Vinter-Schou (DEN), are trailing the leaders by just a half-point. In the Open 65+ category, the defending champion GM John Nunn of England (pictured below) is leading the race with 5.5 points after 6 games (the highest score in the event so far). Following him, there are 5 players, sitting on 5 points: GM Nikolay Legky (FRA), FM Ole Christian Moen (NOR), GM Daniel Campora (ARG), IM Jan Rooze (BEL) and FM Terry Chapman (ENG). In the Women category, WGM Galina Strutinskaia (FIDE; pictured below) tops the standings after six rounds with 5 points, followed by two players with 4.5 points each: WIM Sopio Tereladze (GEO) and WGM Marina Makropoulou (GRE). Some facts and figures: A total of 271 players participate (including 133 titled players), representing 53 federations and 32 women players – 11% of the total number of participants 11% of all players represent the hosting federation (Italy) Standings after Round 6: Open 50+Open 65+Women Photos: Denis Burko Official website: worldseniorchess2023.com/
World Amateur Championship 2023 set to commence in Oman
World Amateur Chess Championship 2023 is about to kick off in the Sultanate of Oman. The World Amateur Chess Championship 2023 is set to commence on Thursday, November 2. Hosted by the Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Oman Chess Committee (OCC), the competition will be held in the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher from November 1 to 11. The championship attracted 427 players from 64 countries, including 356 male players and 71 female players. The first round of the championship will begin on November 2 under the auspices of Said bin Sultan al Busaidi, Undersecretary for Culture at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth. The OCC revealed its readiness from all organizational, technical, and administrative standpoints to host the World Amateur Chess Championship 2023. This announcement was made during a press conference held at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, attended by OCC Chairman Ahmed bin Darwish al Balushi and various media outlets. Ahmed al Balushi stressed the committee’s commitment to creating an unforgettable experience for participants and spectators alike. He emphasized that partners and CEOs of sponsoring companies will sponsor the initial rounds of the championship. The presidents of Arab, Asian, and International Chess federations will arrive in Muscat during the tournament, Al Balushi said. The OCC chief disclosed that an array of special activities and tours had been meticulously designed to help participants explore the attractions of the Sultanate. These initiatives include an international coaching course conducted throughout the championship. Furthermore, there will be daily activities tailored for schools and children in the morning to attract approximately 100 children daily and promote their interest in chess. The championship will receive comprehensive coverage, both from local media and through live broadcasts on several official channels, including the International Chess Federation channel. To enhance the coverage of the championship and audience involvement, a dedicated YouTube channel has been launched. This channel will feature commentating in Arabic and English, as well as technical experts and trainers from various teams to analyze the games daily and highlight the action on top boards. Elaborating on the championship’s format, Al Balushi said it would be a 9-round Swiss tournament with classical time control (90 minutes + 30-second increment). Alongside the main event, the OCC will host the School Chess Festival on November 2 in cooperation with the Oman School Sports Association. This festival targets more than 1,000 male and female students from first-grade classes representing nine educational directorates in various governorates, including Al Dakhiliyah, Al Dhahirah, Al Buraimi, Dhofar, South Al Sharqiyah, North Al Sharqiyah, Muscat, and North Al Batinah. The festival will be held at the directorate level, aiming to enhance national loyalty while encouraging chess practice for improving developmental and cognitive skills in students, stimulating creative and innovative thinking and promoting a different and distinctive way of thinking. The festival in the governorates will include various accompanying events, including face painting, children’s favourite performances, visual displays, plays, student shows and diverse competitions, all with the aim of introducing chess in a unique way. THREE CATEGORIES The competitions in the World Amateur Chess Championship will be held in three sections. In the ‘1700’ rating category, 270 players, including 210 male players, are participating. In the ‘2000’ rating category, 74 players, including 96 male players, are taking part. In the ‘2300’ rating category, 74 players, including 69 male players, will compete. The extensive participation highlights Oman’s reputation in hosting tournaments, and it reflects the vast interest and importance of the championship. As for the participating countries, according to Al Balushi, 64 are taking part, including Algeria, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Bahrain, Belgium, China, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Egypt, England, Spain, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, India, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Japan, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Libya, Lebanon, Lithuania, Morocco, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Palestine, Mongolia, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Slovakia, Sweden, Syria, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uganda, Ukraine, the United States, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, and the Sultanate of Oman. Through hosting this championship, the OCC aims to enhance the chess community in the country by attracting more players and arbiters and encouraging new clubs to join. They also aim to raise the international ranking of some of their players, contributing to the development and growth of chess in Oman. The Oman Chess Committee is making every effort to provide a unique experience for participants and the audience and to strengthen its position as a leading global sports destination in the world of chess. Hosting the championship in Oman is a culmination of the efforts made by OCC. It reflects the confidence of the International Chess Federation in the capabilities of the OCC to organize and succeed in this global championship. The competition is officiated by 19 international arbiters, headed by the Malaysian Abdul Hamid bin Abdul Majeed. The Omani international, Muslim al Wadhahi, was also appointed as the deputy chairman of the Arbiters Committee. The committee includes the Iranian Mehrdad as the coordination officer, in addition to members Babrzhan from Kazakhstan, Ahmed Ajmi from Egypt, Asaad Tawfiq from Iraq, Abdullah Murad from the United Arab Emirates, Khalf al Azmi from Kuwait, as well as Khaled al Hadidi, Hamdan al Hinai, Roqaya al Balushi, Sultan al Harasi, Ahmed al Kharousi, Khadija al Qasimi, Yasser al Raisi, Younes al Rashidi, Fatima al Gharibi, and Aliaa al Siyabi from Oman.
FIDE approves new regulations for Affiliated Members
FIDE has introduced new regulations for Affiliated Members, paving the way for territories and regions to join the International Chess Federation The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has updated the regulations for Affiliated Members following approval from the FIDE Council. They will come into effect on November 1. The new regulations enable organizations that encompass Member Federations, associations representing regions or transnational territories, and groups dedicated to specific chess activities to become Affiliated Members. To be granted this status, organizations will need to secure consent from the FIDE Member Federation in their respective state, offer a rationale based on geographical or historical foundations outlining their specificities, and demonstrate operational autonomy while adhering to the standards of the chess community. Affiliated Organizations (or Affiliated Members) will have the right to take part in FIDE Congress and the General Assembly but will not have voting rights. They can organize and engage in FIDE competitions based on the specific rules and regulations of these events. This includes sending representatives to international team and individual tournaments, such as the Chess Olympiad and World Championships. They are also eligible to take part in development programs and other FIDE projects in accordance with the specific regulations for these initiatives. This development received a warm reception from the Isle of Man, currently hosting the Grand Swiss tournament, which applied to be a member federation of FIDE over 20 years ago, but the application was declined. “After the election of Mr Dvorkovich as FIDE president, we again made enquiries about the possibility of us becoming a FIDE federation, but it was not possible due to the Isle of Man not being a member of the United Nations or the International Olympic Committee. Instead, we were invited to apply to become an affiliated organization of FIDE, and this status was granted to us in late 2020”, explains Alan Ormsby, the well-known chess organizer from the Isle of Man and the director of the Grand Swiss. “Affiliated status led to the Isle of Man being recognized as a country in the FIDE ratings database, compared to the previous situation whereby our members had to be shown under the flag of England. Furthermore, the Isle of Man now has an International Ratings Officer, allowing us to register FIDE-rated tournaments. The biggest benefit of affiliated status, however, is that the Isle of Man can now enter a team in the FIDE Olympiad, which we’ll be doing for the first time at the 2024 Olympiad in Budapest. Isle of Man Chess Association is grateful to Mr Dvorkovich and his team for making this happen,” Ormsby said. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich welcomed the decision by the Council. “This change will help expand FIDE’s global outreach, fostering increased opportunities for chess development and the engagement of players from different regions and backgrounds. It’s a significant step toward democratizing chess and broadening access for diverse groups of people.” The new regulations can be found here.
Storms on and off the board in Round 6 of FIDE Grand Swiss
Strong winds and big waves battered Douglas all day. Before the rest day, the atmosphere was tense – nobody wanted to lose. It resulted in several draws, but some players could not stand the tension. Evgeny Najer blundered in an equal position to lose to Fabiano Caruana, while Javokhir Sindarov destroyed Samuel Sevian’s queenside, where the opponent’s king was hiding. A dramatic win by Anna Muzychuk in a drawn queen endgame against Bibisara Assaubayeva allowed her to take over the sole lead, as her main rivals could only manage draws. There was a big surprise in the opening on board one. Andrey Esipenko had a won position against Hikaru Nakamura at the FIDE Grand Prix in Berlin in 2022 when Nakamura played his usual Giuoco Piano, though that game ended in a draw. Nakamura has met Esipenko’s 1.e4 with 1…e5 in all the games they’ve played so far, but in the sixth round of the FIDE Grand Swiss, he surprised his opponent with 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6. Nakamura tested the Accelerated Dragon in Qatar Masters to draw with Javokhir Sindarov, but he played it via the 2…Nc6 3.Nc3 g6 move-order. By playing 2…g6 he wanted to avoid the Rossolimo with 3.Bb5, but it allows the Maroczy Bind after c4. These considerations set Esipenko thinking as early as move three! He went for 3.c3 d5, and then instead of a transposition to the Alapin by taking on d5, he closed the centre with 4.e5. Nakamura developed the knight to c6, and after …Bg7 undermined White’s centre with …f6. This plan has been played by Assaubayeva, Vakhidov, Abdusattorov, Sindarov and Svane, so Nakamura had ample material to work with. Both players developed, and at the beginning of the middlegame White sacrificed a pawn to open the central files. The pawn on g5 is taboo as taking it allows …e7-e5 with tremendous initiative for Black. White played 14.Ne5! Nxe5 15.dxe5 Bxe5 16.Nc3 attacking the pawn on d5 and forcing 16…e6. Esipenko’s compensation consisted of his harmonious development (Black still needs to develop the light-squared bishop), pressure along the central files (especially on the e-file against the backward pawn on e6) and a safer king. The game ended in a perpetual check at the moment of highest tension. White is on the verge of clamping down the centre with Bxg6 and Be5, but Black is just in time with 20…e5. Everything is forced now as White must take on g6 and after 21.Bxg6 exd4 22.Qh5 hxg6 23.Qxg6 White delivers a perpetual check. On board two, Yu Yangyi faced the uncomfortable psychological task of coping with his own favourite opening, the Petroff Defence. Arjun Erigaisi seemed to catch his opponent unprepared. In spite of following a theoretical line, White was spending a lot of time on the known moves. As usual in such cases, Black demonstrated his perfect opening preparation and effortlessly made a draw by exchanging almost all the pieces by move 22. After the queens, the queenside pawns were also exchanged, and the draw was agreed on move 30. On board three, Fabiano Caruana used the same line in the Giuoco Piano Alireza Firouzja played against him at the Paris GCT in 2021 with 5.Bg5. It would be nice to know whether he was inspired by yesterday’s report and Morphy’s game. His opponent Evgeny Najer seemed surprised, especially as Caruana refined the opening idea by pushing his a-pawn to a5 and then opening the a-file with axb6 when Black played …b6. The beginning of the middlegame promised a complex game ahead for both players. The position remained equal, and pieces started to come off. But then, Najer blundered. Here 25…Qd8 or 25…Re7 would have kept the balance. Najer went for 25…Qa5? allowing 26.Qf3! Re7 27.Nxg6! with a winning position. In spite of spending eight minutes, Caruana missed this tactic and played 26.Re4, allowing Black to escape out of trouble by 26…f5 or 26…Be6. Najer blundered for a second time with 26…Nf6? And this time, Caruana was ruthless with 27.Nxd7! Nxe4 28.dxe4 Rxe4 29.Qf3, winning two pieces for a rook. White attacks the pawn on f7, so Black was further forced to go into a lost endgame with 29…Qf5 30.Qxf5 gxf5 31.Nb8 with the knight coming to c6. Caruana converted the advantage and won in 37 moves without allowing any more chances. On board four, Vladislav Artemiev chose an innocuous line against Alireza Firouzja’s Arkhangelsk Variation. In addition to that, he also spent masses of time on theoretical moves. His choice quickly led to an endgame where Black had little to complain about. Artemiev managed to keep the pair of bishops. Given his excellent endgame technique, it must have given him some hope. The main problem for both players was the time management – by move 15, they had spent more than an hour, leaving them with a bit more than 30 minutes to reach the time control on move 40. Black’s free-piece play and space advantage do not allow the white bishops to show their might. The critical moment arose on move 16. Black could have played the natural 16…Bf5, but he went for the pawn sacrifice with 16…Bg4 instead. After 17.Bxe5 Bxe2 18.Bxc7 Bd3 he hoped that the opposite-coloured bishops, his strong bishop on d3 and the possibility to advance his kingside pawns would provide enough compensation, but Artemiev played extremely well to neutralize these factors and obtain a winning position. However, in severe mutual time trouble, Artemiev made a decision that is hard to explain. Instead of the natural 36.Re7, Artemiev abandoned the jewel of his position, the passed c6-pawn on c6 35.Nc4? to go for the pawn on g5 after 36…Rxc6 37.Re5 Kf6 38.Be7 Kf7 39.Bxg5, but it was an unequal exchange. Black activated his rook with 39…Re6-e2 and obtained enough play for a draw. White tried to make something of his extra pawn, but the best chance for that was long gone. Javokhir Sindarov won a fierce attacking game with the black pieces against Samuel Sevian. In a King’s Indian structure, White castled queenside but was hit with a series of blows, similar to the strong waves that crashed against the shore in Douglas. The first one came early. Black executed the typical central strike with 9…d5, obtaining free piece play.