Bayview battle hots up

 

Russian supertournament in progress

The fourth Novgorod international chess supertournament is now underway in Russia. The double round-robin tournament, featuring six of the world's top players, started on June 11 and will continue until Tuesday.

In a departure from the norm, the organisers are experimenting with a new scoring system which rewards three points for a win and one for a draw. However, this scoring system is only a supporting system which does not supersede the already established existing scoring system.

After the first two rounds, there were three joint leaders - Gary Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik and Evgeny Bareev. There were three white wins in the first round, but the second round was much quieter. Nigel Short was the only winner with a comfortable game against Boris Gelfand.

In the third round Gelfand got his first points by beating Veselin Topalov. Bareev and Kasparov had a fascinating dual with the latter pressing and eventually winning after almost seven hours of play. Kasparov took the lead in the fourth round after beating Short while his closest rival, Kramnik, only managed a draw with Gelfand. Readers with Internet access can visit the Novgorod web site for more fascinating aspects of the tournament, including the games and photographs of the players.

CHESS LEAGUE, ROUND 2

In the second round of the seventh Bayview Chess League last Sunday, Penang Free School "A" maintained their slim lead in the Premier Division when they scored a 2.5-1.5 victory over Universiti Sains Malaysia "A".

Their nearest rivals, Chung Ling High School "A" narrowly beat Disted College by 2.5-1.5. Two other games also ended with the same scoreline: Chung Ling High School "B" against the Old Frees Association, and Pessca against Penang Free School "B". The Chung Ling Old Boys Association won 3-1 against the MSSPP Juniors.

The Division One results saw Methodist Boys School taking a clear lead after having beaten Penang Free School "D" by 3.5-0.5. Penang Development Corporation beat Universiti Sains Malaysia "B" by 3-1, while Hewlett-Packard and Penang Free School "C" battled to a 2-2 draw.

The other two matches in this division - Chung Ling High School "C" against International College, and Chung Ling High School "D" against Union High School - all ended with similar 2.5-1.5 results.

In Division Two, Intel beat Dynacraft 3-1, while Saint Xaviers Institution Juniors won with the same score over MSSPP Girls. The PCA Novice team drew 2-2 with Chung Hwa Confucian School, and Penang Chinese Girls High School drew 2-2 with Penang Free School "E". Chung Ling High School "E" had a bye.

Standings: Premier Division - PFS "A" 6.5 pts; CLHS "A" 6 pts; Pessca 5.5 pts; Disted College, CLOBA 4.5 pts; OFA 4 pts; CLHS "B" 3 pts; USM "A" 2.5 pts; MSSPP Jrs 2 pts; and PFS "B" 1.5 pts.

Division One - MBS 6 pts; USM "B", PDC, CLHS "D" and CLHS "C" 4.5 pts; PFS "C", HP 4 pts; International College 3.5 pts; PFS "D" 2.5 pts; and Union 2 pts.

Division Two - Intel 6 pts; PFS "E" 5 pts; Dynacraft 4 pts; MSSPP Girls, PCA Novices 3.5 pts; Chung Hwa, PCGHS, SXI Juniors 3 pts; and CLHS "E" 1 pt.

The third round will be played this Sunday morning beginning 10am at the hotel's revolving restaurant. The City Bayview Hotel is the sponsor for the annual event.

GAMES OF THE WEEK

Last week, I had promised you games from the second Singapore Pools grandmaster and international master tournaments which were organised by our southern neighbour. Here are a few selections.

Mohd Saprin Sabri (Malaysia) - Hsu Li Yang (Singapore)

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Be7 4. d4 exd4 5. Qxd4 Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Bf4 a6 8. a4 Nc6 9. Qd2 Bg4 10. Nd4 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 b5 12. Bd5 c5 13. Qd3 b4 14. Bxa8 bxc3 15. Bd5 cxb2 16. Rb1 Nxd5 17. exd5 Bf6 18. O-O Qd7 19. Qc4 Rfe8 20. Rfe1 Rxe1 21. Rxe1 h5 22. h3 Bf5 23. Rb1 Qe7 24. a5 Qe4 25. Qxe4 Bxe4 26. Bc1 bxc1=Q 27. Rxc1 c4 28. f3 Bb2 0-1

Ian Rogers (Australia) - Tu Hoang Thong (Vietnam)

1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. exd6 exd6 6. Nc3 Be7 7. h3 O-O 8. Nf3 Bf5 9. Be2 c6 10. O-O Re8 11. Be3 Nd7 12. b3 Bf8 13. a4 a5 14. d5 Nc5 15. Nd4 Bd7 16. Bf3 Qc7 17. Qc2 Nc8 18. Ne4 Ne7 19. Bf4 Nxe4 20. Bxe4 cxd5 21. Bxh7 Kh8 22. Nb5 Bxb5 23. cxb5 Qxc2 24. Bxc2 Ng8 25. Rd1 Nf6 26. Rd3 Re2 27. Bd1 Rb2 28. Bf3 Rc8 29. Be3 Be7 30. Bd4 Rc2 31. Bxf6 Bxf6 32. Bxd5 Rc7 33. Bc4 Rd7 34. Rd1 Be5 35. Rd5 Bc3 36. Rxd6 Rxd6 37. Rxd6 Rc1 38. Bf1 Rb1 39. Rd7 Rxb3 40. Rxf7 Rb4 41. Bd3 g5 42. Rc7 Bd4 43. Rc4 Rxc4 44. Bxc4 Kg7 45. Kf1 Kf6 46. Ke2 b6 47. Kf3 Bc5 48. Bd3 Bb4 49. Kg4 Bd2 50. h4 gxh4 51. Kxh4 Be1 52. Kg3 Ke5 53. Kf3 Kf6 54. g3 Kg5 55. Kg2 Bd2 56. f4 Kg4 57. Be2 Kf5 58. Kf3 Bc1 59. g4 Ke6 1-0

Ardiansyah (Indonesia) - Mas Hafizulhelmi (Malaysia)

1. d4 d6 2. g3 e5 3. Bg2 c6 4. c4 g6 5. Nf3 e4 6. Nd2 f5 7. Nc3 Bg7 8. e3 Ne7 9. f3 d5 10. Qb3 Bh6 11. f4 b6 12. h4 Be6 13. Bf1 Nd7 14. cxd5 Nxd5 15. Nxd5 Bxd5 16. Q-c2 O-O 17. b3 Rc8 18. Bb2 Nf6 19. Be2 Bg7 20. Nc4 Nd7 21. h5 g5 22. h6 Bf6 23. Nd6 Rc7 24. Nxf5 c5 25. Rc1 Nb8 26. Qd2 Nc6 27. fxg5 Bxg5 28. g4 cxd4 29. Nxd4 Ne5 30. Rxc7 Qxc7 31. Nf5 Nd3 32. Bxd3 exd3 33. Rg1 Qc2 34. Qxc2 dxc2 35. Kd2 Be4 36. Bd4 Rd8 37. Kc3 Kf7 38. Ng3 Rc8 39. Kd2 Bf3 40. Bb2 Kg6 41. Nf5 Be4 42. Rf1 Rd8 43. Bd4 Rd7 44. a4 Rc7 45. Ng7 Bd5 46. b4 c1=Q 47. Rxc1 Rxc1 48. Kxc1 Bxh6 49. Nh5 Bf3 50. a5 bxa5 51. bxa5 a6 52. Nf6 Bg5 53. Nd7 Bxg4 54. Ne5 Kf5 55. Kd2 h5 56. Kd3 Bd1 57. e4 Ke6 58. Ng6 Ba4 59. Be3 f6 60. Nf4 h4 61. Kd4 Bb3 62. Nh5 Kg6 63. Nf4 Kf7 64. Nh3 Bd8 65. Bg5 Bxg5 66. Nxg5 Kf6 67. Nh3 Be6 68. Nf2 Bc8 69. Kd5 Kg5 70. Ke5 Bg4 1/2-1/2

Rogelio Antonio (Philippines) - Wong Meng Kong (Singapore)

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O Qd6 6. Na3 Qe6 7. b3 Bxa3 8. Bxa3 Bd7 9. d4 exd4 10. Qxd4 Nh6 11. Rd1 f6 12. Re1 b6 13. e5 Nf5 14. Qd3 O-O-O 15. Qxa6 Kb8 16. Bd6 1-0

Edhi Handoko (Indonesia) - Wu Shaobin (China)

1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Be2 e6 7. Be3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Nc6 9. Nc3 Qd6 10. O-O Be7 11. h3 Bh5 12. Nb5 Qb8 13. Ne5 Bxe2 14. Qxe2 Nd5 15. Nxc6 bxc6 16. Nc3 O-O 17. Rc1 Nxe3 18. fxe3 c5 19. Rd1 cxd4 20. exd4 Qb6 21. Kh1 Rb8 22. b3 Bb4 23. Ne4 Rd8 24. Ng5 Be7 25. Nf3 Bf6 26. Qc4 Rd5 27. Rd3 h6 28. Rd1 Qd6 29. Ne5 Bxe5 30. dxe5 Rxd3 31. exd6 Rxd1 32. Kh2 Rxd6 33. Qc7 Ra6 34. a4 Rb6 35. a5 Rxb3 36. Qxa7 Rb8 37. a6 e5 38. Qc7 e4 39. a7 Rc8 40. Qb6 Re8 0-1

Edhi Handoko (Indonesia) - Tu Hoang Thong (Vietnam)

1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 g6 6. dxc5 Qxc5 7. Be3 Qa5 8. Bc4 Bg7 9. O-O Nc6 10. h3 O-O 11. b4 Qh5 12. Nd2 Nd5 13. Bg5 Nxc3 14. Qb3 Bxh3 15. gxh3 Nd4 16. Qxc3 Ne2 17. Bxe2 Bxc3 18. Kg2 h6 19. Be3 Bxa1 20. Rxa1 Rc8 21. Nb3 Rc2 22. Bd1 Rc3 23. Nc5 Rxe3 24. fxe3 b6 25. Nd3 Rd8 26. Ne5 f6 27. Nc6 Rd7 28. Bb3 Kh7 29. Nd4 e5 30. Ne6 Re7 31. Rc1 Qf5 32. Rc8 h5 33. Nf8 Kg7 34. Rd8 g5 35. Nd2 g4 36. e4 gxh3 0-1

IOC sanctions world championship

 

Worthy winners and family affairs

 

Kasparov wants a second chance

 

No holiday for chess enthusiasts

 

Kasparov feeling the blues

 

Standing-room-only crowd

 

Head-to-chip with Deep Blue

 

Local ace invited for Singapore meet

 

Golden harvest for Mas

 

Karpov at a crossroads

 

Busy month ahead

 

World's youngest grandmaster

 

Gufeld wins race!

 

A deeper shade of blue

 

Perak AGM this Sunday

 

So close to a norm

 

High tension in Linares

 

New rules for a smoother game

 

Chess calendar for this year

 

An extreme case of chess

 

Evolution of computer chess

 

Nunn tops in Hastings Premier

 

Focus on games in two events

 

Mark of Malaysians

 

Kasparov is still the best

 

Showdown in Las Palmas

 

New national champions

 

Record entries in Kepong Junior

 

Champions from Asia

 

New ruling for entry

 

National champs to the fore

 

Disappointment in Spain

 

Spanish action

 

Russia all the way

 

Iljumzhinov wins election

 

Good show from our chaps

 

Chess Olympiad ends

 

Close fight between Russia and China

 

Assault on Russian defence

ASSAULT ON RUSSIAN DEFENCE

The 32nd Chess Olympiad opened in Erevan, Armenia, last Sunday and this three-week competition promises to be one of the most interesting in recent years.

The defending champion is Russia but there is a strong possibility that we can get a surprise winner. The Russian team looks formidable enough, but it may not be unbeatable this time.

The strongest members of the Russian team are of course Gary Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik; but, while Evgeny Bareev, Sergei Rublevsky, Alexey Dreev and Sergei Tiviakov are not pushovers, they are not exactly the best players in Russia either.

The Olympiad has attracted almost all the best players in the world with only the world champion Anatoly Karpov, Gata Kamsky and Viswanathan Anand missing.

The Bulgarian team is powered by Veselin Topalov on first board. Topalov is one of the most successful players this year and he defeated Kasparov in Moscow 1994 to establish his name on the world chess scene.

Spain has Alexei Shirov, Valery Salov and Miguel Illescas in their line-up, England is depending on Nigel Short, Michael Adams and Jon Speelman, while the Hungarian team has Judit Polgar playing on top board. Hungary has included their teenaged sensation Peter Leko in their team too.

With Ukraine led by Vassily Ivanchuk, Germany by Artur Yusupov and Robert Hubner, and the United States sending some of their best players - Joel Benjamin, Boris Gulko, Larry Christiansen, Boris Kaidanov, Nick DeFirmian and Alexander Yermolinsky - the list of contenders for the gold medal is quite extensive.

The key to success in such events is to be able to score points on all boards in every match. Each match is played over four boards, and a good performance on the fourth board counts as much as winning on the other boards.

The trick is also to hold the strongest rivals to a draw or a narrow loss, and then score heavily at every other opportunity. Teams can make up for bad starts by dropping down in the standings and then play against weaker teams which they can beat heavily. Very often, the medals are decided by good performances on the last day of competition.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian contingent departed from Kuala Lumpur last Friday. Before they left for the airport, the contingent paid a courtesy call to Culture, Arts and Tourism Minister Datuk Sabbaruddin Chik, who is also the president of the Malaysian Chess Federation.

In the men's team are, from far left, Lim Yee Weng, Tan Wei Sin, Ooi Chern Ee, Fide master Mas Hafizulhelmi, Mok Tze Meng and international master Jimmy Liew. Mok is a last-minute replacement for Azahari Md Nor.

The women's team consists of Khairunissa Wahiduddin, Nurulhuda Wahiduddin, Eliza Hanim Ibrahim and Roslina Marmono.

Heading the contingent to Erevan is Ibrahim Abu Bakar, while the other members of the contingent are team manager Chan Kwai Keong, Ibrahim Yaacob who will be an arbiter in the Olympiad and Abdul Hamid Majid who sits in the pairing committee.

Meantime, check out these links to various sites offering news on the Chess Olympiad:

Mark Crowther's Chess Page
Armenian News Agency
Olympiad site
Inside Chess on the Olympiad
Icelandic Chess Page
Planet Chess

BEIJING TOUGH ON FOREIGNERS

The third annual S.T. Lee Cup, played late last month in Beijing, China, was won by Suat Atalik, a grandmaster from the central Asian country of Turkmenistan.

This open Swiss system tournament was a major event in the Chinese chess calendar and almost all the Chinese top players took part in it. Many foreign players also participated, and this gave the Chinese an opportunity to test their play against the foreigners.

As an indication of the depth of the Chinese players' preparation and capability, the top-seeded Estonian grandmaster Jaan Ehlvest could only finish in a lowly 19th position. Ehlvest completely ruined his result by losing to Tong Yuanming, Lin Weiguo and Wang Zili.

Probably the best result in the Chinese eyes was that achieved by their woman grandmaster Zhu Chen. She finished fifth and along the way, drew with Ehlvest, Atalik and Mikhail Ulibin, a Russian grandmaster. Among those who lost to her were Latvian grandmaster Igors Rausis, Israeli grandmaster Ilya Smirin and China's own grandmaster, Xu Jun. Her only loss in the entire event was to Tong Yuanming.

All in all, the foreign players faced quite a hard time in Beijing.

Top standings: Suat Atalik (Turkmenistan), Mikhail Ulibin (Russia), Konstantin Landa (Russia) and Lin Weiguo (China) 7.5 points; Zhu Chen (China), Evgeny Pigusov (Russia) and Igor Stohl (Slovak Republic) 7 points; Lubomir Ftacnik (Slovak Republic), Liang Chong (China), Tong Yuanming (China), Xu Yang (China), Wang Zili (China) and Xu Jun (China) 6.5 points; Wang Yaoyao (China), Wang Pin (China) Ilia Smirin (Israel), Zhang Zhong (China) and Ye Jiangchuan 6 points; Jaan Ehlvest (Estonia), Alon Greenfeld (Israel), Igors Rausis (Latvia), Peng Xiaomin (China), Peter Szekely (Hungary) and Qin Kanying (China) 5.5 points.

Here is a game from the tournament.

Tong Yuanming - Jaan Ehlvest

1. e4 c5, 2. Nf3 e6, 3. c3 d5, 4. exd5 Qxd5, 5. d4 Nf6, 6. Bd3 Nc6, 7. O-O Qd8, 8. dxc5 Bxc5, 9. Qc2 Qc7, 10. Bg5 h6, 11. Bxf6 gxf6, 12. Nd2 Bd7, 13. a4 Be7, 14. Nc4 h5, 15. Re1 h4, 16. a5 Rad8, 17. Qe2 Kf8, 18. b4 a6, 19. Rd1 Be8, 20. Qe3 Kg7, 21. Be2 f5, 22. Rxd8 Bxd8, 23. Rd1 Be7, 24. Qb6 Qb8, 25. Qe3 Qc7, 26. Qd2 Bf6, 27. Nd6 Ne7, 28. c4 Ba4, 29. Qf4 Bxd1, 30. Nxf5 Nxf5, 31. Qxc7 Bxe2, 32. Ne5 Bh5, 33. g4 hxg3, 34. hxg3 Nh6, 35. f3 Rd8, 36. g4 Bg6, 37. Nxg6 Kxg6, 38. Qxb7 Rd4, 39. b5 Kg5, 40. Qc7 Rd2, 41. bxa6 Bd4, 42. Kf1 Rf2, 43. Ke1 Rxf3, 44. a7 Bxa7, 45. Qxa7 Nxg4, 46. a6 1-0

All set for Chess Olympiad

 

Penang score a double

 

Deep Blue rematch

 

The Merdeka challenge

 

All eyes on Fide hot seat

 

Merdeka event due next