Kasparov Defeats So in Ultimate Blitz, St. Louis

He still has great ability, but Gary isn't in 1st Place after the first day. Here's the pgn.

[Event "Ultimate Blitz Challenge"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2016.04.28"]
[Round "1.2"]
[White "Kasparov, Garry"]
[Black "So, Wesley"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C45"]
[PlyCount "75"]
[EventDate "2016.04.28"]
[EventType "blitz"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8.
c4 Ba6 9. b3 g6 10. Ba3 c5 11. g3 Bg7 12. f4 Nb4 13. Bg2 Rd8 14. Nc3 O-O 15.
Bb2 d5 16. a3 d4 17. axb4 dxc3 18. Bxc3 cxb4 19. Bb2 Bc8 20. O-O f6 21. Bd5+
Rxd5 22. cxd5 Qc5+ 23. Rf2 fxe5 24. Bxe5 Bxe5 25. Qxe5 Rd8 26. Rd1 Bg4 27. Qd4
Qa5 28. Rdd2 Re8 29. Kg2 Qb5 30. h3 Bf5 31. g4 Be4+ 32. Kh2 c5 33. Qf6 c4 34.
d6 Bc6 35. f5 Rf8 36. Qe6+ Kg7 37. d7 Qc5 38. Qd6 1-0

http://en.chessbase.com/post/garry-kasparov-still-has-the-magic

Shades of Brazil--The 1985 Dystopian Film?

Saw this photo today from the major tournament now under way in Norway. For some odd reason it reminded me of the film Brazil with Jonathan Pryce and Robert De Niro from 1985.

Lyndonville Quick Tournament Details--October 2nd, US Chess Quick Rated

Complete details can be found here:
http://www.uschess.org/tlas/6646.tla

Caruana and Paikidze New US Chess Champions

http://en.chessbase.com/post/caruana-and-paikidze-are-the-new-us-champions

Announcing The Lyndonville Quick Tournament (US Chess Rated)

(US Chess Rated) Sunday, October 2nd.

At The Grindstone Cafe.
Swiss 6rd G-25d3
Promoted by Relyea Chess with the help of the LCC. More details to follow.

Kids and Chess In NYC--"The First Thing You Got Was Nachos"

Wonderful NYTimes article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/24/nyregion/the-littlest-chess-champions.html?_r=0

Video of Tal Playing Kasparov Shortly Before Tal's Death

I've been going through Tal's book of his match with Botvinnik in which he won the World Championship. That was 1960. Here is a photo of him in 1962. The video shows him playing chess with Gary Kasparov shortly before Tal's death at age 55. Very sad...........

https://youtu.be/Q6nUvp5WRl4

And here is that blitz game taken form Volume II of Kasparov's Great Predecessors series. Kasparov says that he survived the attack, but lost to Tal on time. A respectful tribute by Kasparov to Tal, IMO.
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1992.05.28"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Tal Mikhail N (LAT)"]
[Black "Kasparov Garry (RUS)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "?"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[ECO "B51"]
[Remark "?"]
[Source "?"]
[WhiteElo "0"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. d4 Ngf6 5. O-O a6 6. Bxd7+ Nxd7 7. Nc3 e6 8.
Bg5 Qc7 9. Re1 cxd4 10. Nxd4 Ne5 11. f4 h6 12. Bh4 g5 13. fxe5 gxh4 14. exd6
Bxd6 15. Nd5 exd5 16. exd5+ Kf8 17. Qf3 1-0

Gender Based Chess Trophies Awarded Based On Wearing Pink or Blue Clothing??

Yes, indeed. Posted on the USCF Issues Forum by Robert Jones, a promoter in Texas and a director of the Texas Chess Association.

" Last Saturday, we awarded 4 trophies to the boys wearing the most blue, and to the 4 girls wearing the most pink. And, overall, we had a record attendance. For if they do not enter through the door, theyare not going to play. Bottom line is, not why they come, but that they do come."

I wonder what a transgender chess playing youth would wear? Should organized chess be reinforcing gender stereotypes based on traditional perceptions of blue and pink for male and female babies? The only people who appear to see nothing problematic about this are the denizens of the USCF Issues Forum. Attempts to present factual information regarding gender stereotyping and its harmful effects on girls and women are removed and censored by the USCF forum moderators. 

Frankly, I'm appalled, though not surprised, that this was done. What is more upsetting is that it is not only condoned, but applauded by at least one member of the US Chess Executive Board, Randy Bauer. 

FIDE Bozos At It Again in the Back of the Bus (Moscow)

FIDE has suspended the Ukraine Chess Association and un-rated it's players impacting player's abilities to earn a living.

I suspect that by effectively punishing chess players by possibly denying them the right to earn a living, FIDE is violating human rights laws of the European Union and engaging in tortious and actionable interference with the economic and emotional well-being of these chess players. FIDE has also left itself open to claims before CAS. We all know how that went for FIDE When Susan Polgar took FIDE to arbitration. 

http://en.chessbase.com/post/fide-suspends-ukrainian-ratings

Ian Dudley Breaks the 1800 Barrier!

After the two tournaments in Middlebury last weekend, Ian's regular rating is now 1809! Not much different from the year I was born. ;-)wink emoticon Congratulations, Ian. Now.......on to 1900!

Ian Dudley Wins Middlebury G-45

Congrats to Ian on winning the open section of the G-45 event held Sunday in Middlebury.  Ian won his game with Parker Montgomery. pgn and final standings follow:

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Ian Dudley"]
[Black "Parker Montgomery"]
[Result "1-0"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[ECO "B80"]
[TimeControl "?"]
[WhiteElo "0"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Bg5 Be7 7. Ndb5 a6 8.
Bxf6 gxf6 9. Nd4 Nc6 10. Bc4 Qc7 11. Bb3 Bd7 12. Qd2 h5 13. O-O-O Ne5 14. f4
Nc4 15. Qe2 Rc8 16. Rd3 b5 17. Kb1 Qc5 18. Rhd1 a5 19. Bxc4 Qxc4 20. Re3 Qxe2
21. Ncxe2 Rc5 22. Nb3 b4 23. Nxc5 dxc5 24. f5 Bb5 25. fxe6 fxe6 26. Nf4 Kf7
27. e5 f5 28. Rg3 h4 29. Rg6 Rh7 30. Rxe6 Bg5 31. Rb6 Bxf4 32. Rb7+ 1-0

Pair | Player Name |Total|Round|Round|Round|Round|
Num | USCF ID / Rtg (Pre->Post) | Pts | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
1 | IAN DUDLEY |3.5 |W 2|W 5|D 3|W 6|
VT | 15256685 / R: 1737 ->1809 | | | | | |
| Q: 1660 ->1755 | | | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
2 | PARKER G MONTGOMERY |2.5 |L 1|B |W 5|D 3|
VT | 10025231 / R: 1956 ->1935 | | | | | |
| Q: 2074 ->2048 | | | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
3 | JOSEPH MICHAEL BAKER |2.0 |L 5|W 4|D 1|D 2|
WV | 12448721 / R: 1758 ->1755 | | | | | |
| Q: 1744 ->1741 | | | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
4 | PETER NATHANAEL SCHMEECKLE |1.5 |H |L 3|L 6|W 5|
VT | 12450661 / R: 1472 ->1482 | | | | | |
| Q: 1417 ->1424 | | | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
5 | MICHAEL FREED-THALL |1.0 |W 3|L 1|L 2|L 4|
VT | 12469031 / R: 1722 ->1694 | | | | | |
| Q: 1716P23->1687 | | | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
6 | TREVOR MURPHY |1.0 |U |U |W 4|L 1|
MA | 12771202 / R: 1558 ->1566 | | | | | |
| Q: 1383 ->1404 | | | | | |
----------

A Pircian Blast From The Past--A Mere 43 Years Ago In White River Junction

I'm happy to report that both Monty and Brian are still playing and going strong. This is a very interesting battle. Enjoy!!

[Event "?"]
[Site "White River Junction"]
[Date "1973.04.10"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Parker Montgomery"]
[Black "Brian Kelly"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[ECO "B07"]
[TimeControl "?"]
[WhiteElo "0"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Bg5 Bg7 5. f4 O-O 6. e5 dxe5 7. fxe5 Nd5 8.
Nxd5 Qxd5 9. Nf3 c5 10. Bxe7 Re8 11. Bxc5 Nc6 12. c4 Qe4+ 13. Be2 Bg4 14. O-O
Qe3+ 15. Kh1 Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Bxe2 17. Re1 Bxd1 18. Rxe3 b6 19. Bd6 Rad8 20. c5
Ba4 21. Ra3 bxc5 22. dxc5 Bxe5 23. Rxa4 Bxd6 24. cxd6 Rxd6 25. Rxa7 Rd2 26. b4
Ree2 27. Rg1 Rxa2 28. Rxa2 Rxa2 29. Rb1 Ra7 30. b5 Rb7 31. b6 Kf8 32. Kg1 Ke7
33. Kf2 Kd6 34. Ke3 Kc5 35. Ke4 f6 36. Rc1+ Kxb6 37. Rb1+ Kc6 38. Rxb7 Kxb7
39. Kd5 Kc7 40. Ke6 f5 41. Kf6 Kd7 42. h4 f4 43. Kg5 Ke6 44. Kxf4 h6 45. g4
Kf6 1/2-1/2

Karjakin Withdraws From Norway Chess Tournament

He claims that he needs to prepare for his match with Carlsen in November. Not everyone agrees with his decision.
What do you think? Take the survey and let us know.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XHJGQMW

The story can be found here:
http://en.chessbase.com/post/karjakin-withdraws-from-norway-chess

Bobby Fischer Listed In Panama Papers

In an interview in the latest New In Chess with Pal Benko, Benko states that he was Bobby's financial adviser. When the full list comes out in early May, look for many more chess names of players and administrators past and present to float to the surface like putrid floatsam.

http://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/apr/06/panama-papers-reveal-offshore-dealings-stars

Up For A Tournament In Paris Next Winter?

Not exactly the local Marriott meeting room......

http://en.chessbase.com/post/chess-festival-le-marais

Women Chess Players of the World--UNITE!!!

Actually, last month I officially made a proposal to FIDE to change the format of the Women’s World Championship. I suggested three reasonable alternatives but the answer I received seems to indicate that my proposal was not accepted. The main reason why they want to stick to the current system is the fact that it is easier to find sponsors if you call the knock-out tournament “World Championship”. If you called it "World Cup" it would be extremely difficult to find sponsors.--Women's World Champion Hou Yifan

Knockout tournaments should not, in this writer's opinion, be used for determining world chess championships. Match play is the long standing tradition in chess for determining who is worthy of the title World Champion. Knockouts were tried by FIDE for the men's championship some years ago---anyone remember those "champions?"
http://en.chessbase.com/post/interview-with-hou-yifan