Final Round of November Non-Rated Tournament is Tomorrow Evening at The Grindstone

Lost a good game to Bill Storz this morning. See you all tomorrow evening.

FIDE President, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, Designated and Has Assets Frozen For Dealings With Syria

https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0287.aspx


From the US Treasury Dept. press release,.

OFAC designated Mudalal Khuri today for materially assisting and acting for or on behalf of previously designated entities and individuals including the Government of Syria, Central Bank of Syria, Central Bank of Syria Governor Adib Mayaleh, and Central Bank of Syria official Batoul Rida.  OFAC designated Adib Mayaleh in July 2012 and Batoul Rida in March 2015.

 

Khuri has had a long association with the Assad regime and represents regime business and financial interests in Russia.  Khuri is linked to financial transactions in which the Government of Syria had an interest as early as 1994.  He also served as an intermediary between Batoul Rida and a Russian firm on an attempted procurement of ammonium nitrate in late 2013.  Khuri also owns or controls five of the entities designated today.

 

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov was designated today for materially assisting and acting for or on behalf of the Government of Syria, Central Bank of Syria, Adib Mayaleh, and Batoul Rida.  Ilyumzhinov is a wealthy Russian businessman, former president of the Russian Republic of Kalmykia, and long-time World Chess Federation president.  He is linked to financial transactions involving Khuri-associated companies as early as 1997 and owns or controls the Russian Financial Alliance Bank, along with Khuri.  An advisor to Ilyumzhinov, then-President of Kalmykia, was convicted in Russia in 1999 for the murder of an opposition journalist who reportedly was investigating an offshore business registration mechanism in Kalmykia tied to Ilyumzhinov.  Russian authorities subsequently closed the offshore business registration mechanism after concluding that it was being used for illegal purposes.

 

OFAC designated Russian Financial Alliance Bank (RFA Bank) today for being owned or controlled by Khuri and Ilyumzhinov.  Khuri is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of RFA Bank, and Ilyumzhinov is a major shareholder of RFA Bank and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of RFA Bank.  At the time of his Chairmanship, Ilyumzhinov reportedly brought in his own representatives to the bank.

 

Three of NYC's Finest

The standing officer is not only keeping the venue safe, he's part of a new pilot USChess anti-cheating program.

Round 2 Standings and Round 3 Pairings LCC November Non-Rated Tournament

LCC Tournament Round Two and Adjourned Game Continue Tonight

Round two begins at 6:30. After my Round 2 game with Mike Chadburn, Mike will unseal Brian Kelly's adjourned move from last week and they will finish out their game. I'm looking for a Botvinnik vs. Petrosian game with similar qualities.............stay tuned.

LCC Tournament Rount 1 Cross-Table and Round Two Pairings

Thank you to all who are participating! See you all Tuesday evening.

Lyndonville Chess Club Tournament Update

The final game of Round 1 will be played today at the Grindstone at High Noon between Brett Hofman (White) and Bill Storz (Black). I'll be at the Grindstone with an extra board if anyone is looking for a game.

Round 1 results will be posted here later today along with the pairings for Round 2.

Lyndonville November Non-Rated Swiss Tournament Has Begun

We had three new folks show up last night, two of whom, Wayne and Davin, entered the tournament, their first. Seven people are in the tournament. After the tournament games, we had fun playing blitz with lots of good kibitzing and laughter.

The third newcomer, Brian Kelly, is a strong player who had a interesting game as White with Mike Chadburn. The game had to be adjourned at 9pm closing with Brian dealing his move. The game will be resumed next week. Do drop by to see the end and play some informal games. Photos from last night and a pic of the position at adjournment of the Kelly-Chadburn game with white having sealed his move.

Brian Kelly and Peter Chadburn

Wayne, Melissa and Davin

White has sealed his move. 

Lyndonville Chess Club Non-Rated Tournament Begins Tomorrow Evening

We presently have five people signed up to do our non-rated, G-60 tournament. We need six or more people to do a four round Swiss tournament. If we don't make that number, we'll switch to a single Round Robin format that will take five weeks to complete as everyone plays each other once.
Either way, I propose that on the evening of 12/8 we celebrate the holiday season. I'll bring some Malbec and Christmas cookies. Anything folks want to bring for a holiday celebration is most welcome.
If there is a final tournament game on 12/8, you may of course play with or without wine or spirits, a la Alekhine (his milk or alcohol years--your choice)

Happy Birthday to Mikhal Tal

Sadly, he died young at age 55. If he hadn't smoked like a chimney, we might still have him with us.

[Event "Candidates Tournament"]
[Site "Bled/Zagreb/Belgrade"]
[Date "1959.10.03"]
[Round "15"]
[White "Smyslov, Vassily"]
[Black "Tal, Mihail"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B42"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "1959.09.07"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "28"]
[EventCountry "CRO"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1999.07.01"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. O-O d5 8. Nd2 Nf6 9. Qe2 Be7 10. Re1 O-O 11. b3 a5 12. Bb2 a4 13. a3 axb3 14. cxb3 Qb6 15. exd5 cxd5 16. b4 Nd7 17. Nb3 e5 18. Bf5 e4 19. Rec1 Qd6 20. Nd4 Bf6 21. Rc6 Qe7 22. Rac1 h6 23. Rc7 Be5 24. Nc6 Qg5 25. h4 Qxh4 26. Nxe5 Nxe5 27. Rxc8 Nf3+ 28. gxf3 Qg5+ 29. Kf1 Qxf5 30. Rxf8+ Rxf8 31. fxe4 dxe4 32. Qe3 Rd8 33. Qg3 g5 34. Rc5 Rd1+ 35. Kg2 Qe6 36. b5 Kh7 37. Rc6 Qd5 38. Qe5 $2 {[#]} (38. Qh2 { wins outright.}) 38... Rg1+ $1 39. Kh2 (39. Kxg1 Qd1+ 40. Kh2 Qh5+ $11) 39... Rh1+ $1 40. Kg2 (40. Kxh1 Qd1+ 41. Kh2 Qh5+ 42. Kg2 Qf3+ $11) 40... Rg1+ 1/2-1/2

LCC Non-Rated Tournament Begins Tonight

Join us for a fun, four week non-rated G-60 tournament at The Grindstone. Round One will start at 6:30 P.M.

A Calculation Challenge

A chess challenge of sorts. Here are the opening moves of a game between two grandmasters taken from a book on chess calculation. Black is to move. Try to find the move black made.......it leads to an amazing game. Suggest your move to me here and if it's correct, I'll email the rest of the game before posting it here next week.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. f4 g6 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8.

e5 Ng8 9. Qf3 d5 10. Be3 h5 11. h3 Bf5 12. O-O-O e6 13. Ba6