Vermont Chess News: June 2016

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

70 Years Ago Today, Viktor the Terrible Began His Competitive Chess Career

At age 21. There is a nice article on Korchnoi to be found today on Chessbase:
http://en.chessbase.com/post/when-the-warlord-was-young

Monday, June 27, 2016

US Chess Executive Board Elections Are Upon Us

For those who are US Chess members registered to vote, it's time to get your ballots for the Executive Board in the mail. There are two slots open and only to official candidates. However, write in candidates are permitted. Therefore, in my near infinite political chess wisdom, I have written in the names of two people who I have great confidence in and urge you to to the same. Write in Michael Chadburn and Bill Storz for Executive Board of US Chess. And remember, no good deed ever goes unpunished.

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Sam Shankland Takes the Lead in Edmonton With a Nice Win Over the Leader, Ganguly

[Event "11th Edmonton GM 2016"]
[Site "Edmonton CAN"]
[Date "2016.06.25"]
[Round "8.2"]
[White "Shankland, Samuel L"]
[Black "Ganguly, Surya Shekhar"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D35"]
[WhiteElo "2646"]
[BlackElo "2654"]
[PlyCount "87"]
[EventDate "2016.06.18"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 c5 7. Rb1 Be7 8.
Bc4 O-O 9. Ne2 Nc6 10. O-O b6 11. Be3 Bb7 12. Nf4 cxd4 13. cxd4 Rc8 14. Nxe6
fxe6 15. Bxe6+ Kh8 16. Bxc8 Qxc8 17. Qa4 b5 18. Rxb5 Ba6 19. Rfb1 Bxb5 20. Qxb5
h6 21. h3 a6 22. Qb7 Qxb7 23. Rxb7 Bg5 24. Rc7 Nb4 25. a3 Nd3 26. e5 Rb8 27.
Kh2 Kh7 28. Kg3 Rf8 29. Rc6 Bf4+ 30. Kf3 Ne1+ 31. Ke4 Nxg2 32. d5 Nxe3 33. fxe3
Bg3 34. d6 Re8 35. d7 Rd8 36. e6 Bh4 37. Kd5 Kg8 38. Rxa6 Kf8 39. Ra4 Bf6 40.
Rc4 Ke7 41. Rc8 Bg5 42. a4 Bxe3 43. a5 h5 44. Kc6 1-0

Four Months to the World Chess Championship in New York City-----Maybe

We are a little more than four months out from the purported start of the World Chess Championship match slated for NYC in November. There is still no announcement from Agon, Chess Lane or FIDE of the venue and sponsor(s). I'm still betting the match takes place not in NYC, but Sochi..........

Monday, June 20, 2016

Ivory Chessmen From The Master Carvers of Dieppe, France

Interesting article.
http://worldchess.com/2016/06/01/vive-la-france-the-antique-sets-of-dieppe/

Friday, June 10, 2016

Anna Ushenina Is The New European Women's Champion

Sabrina Vega finishes second and old hand Antoaneta Stefanova is third. Interestingly, Ushenina has the lowest elo of the three at a mere 2450. Brava!!!

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Bill Hall, Former USCF Executive Director, Passes Away

Bill served for eight years as USCF Executive Director. He was the ED during the frivolous litigation brought by Susan Polgar against the federation and fifteen others who dared to question her motives and activities as a board member of US Chess.

As one of the defendants in that litigation, I got to know Bill very well and came to consider him not just an ally, but a friend. He was an MIT graduate in mathematics and taught math in high school for many years before accepting the ED position with US Chess. Honest, forthright and wise in the manipulations ever present in the political world of chess, his wisdom and honest character will be missed.

Bill died yesterday of complications from diabetes. He was only 47 years old and leaves behind a wife and two children. One child was born in 2009, the other was a boy adopted a couple of years earlier. That boy had autism and had been difficult to place for adoption until Bill and his wife opened their hearts. Having heard Bill interact with his son during many a litigation phone conversation, I can attest to Bill's endless kindness and patience. He will be missed by many.