Long Time Boston Globe Chess Columnist Passes Away

Harold Dondis, Boston Globe chess columnist for 50 years, passed away at the age of 93 while playing chess at the Boyleston Chess Club in the Boston area. R.I.P.
http://www.uschesstrust.org/harold-dondis-chairman-emeritus-and-trustee/

Kasparov On The FIDE-Kirsan Scandal

......Of course, no one who cares at all for the game of chess could support Ilyumzhinov even without this long-coming comeuppance. It says everything that his punishment came from outside of the chess world, not inside FIDE or from the federations, who have sold their souls and sold out the game of chess for a chance to sit closer to Kirsan’s knee and beg for scraps. Will the dogs now turn on their master and demand his ouster or will they defend him still? Where is the media demanding accountability from the federations who supported Kirsan? Where is the voice of the allegedly reform-minded European federations, or are they waiting for EU sanctions to follow? Waiting to see if some of the money Kirsan’s bank handled for ISIS made its way into accounts in Paris?......"
http://chess-news.ru/en/node/20595

Chess and Holiday Party Cheer Tonight at The Grindstone

Join us for chess, some wine and snacks to celebrate the holiday season. byob and something like cookies to share.

Santa blitz anyone??

FIDE President Is Out Until US Treasury Sanctions Against Him Are Lifted

Smart move by FIDE. Without it they risk entangling FIDE's financial affairs in the UST sanction process. Still, a lawyer chess friend and I were chatting by phone yesterday (he's also a former USCF member with some familiarity of FIDE issues). He raised an interesting question. Does Kirsan have a financial interest in Agon, ,the company with the exclusive promotional contract with FIDE? If so, there could be further problems with the FIDE WCC being held in the US. 

And of course, those here in the USA who have been close to Kirsan in the past, should be very careful having any contact with him and should certainly consult counsel before engaging in any business dealings with him, chess related or not.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/12035992/Chess-world-plunged-into-crisis-as-FIDE-president-withdraws-to-fight-Syria-allegations.html

http://tass.ru/en/sport/841894

LCC Non-Rated November Tournament Results--Bill Storz Wins

Bill playing White defeated Mike this afternoon at The Grindstone. Thank you to all who participated.

Here is the pgn of their game:

[Event "LCC"]
[Site "<Unknown>"]
[Date "2015.12.06"]
[Round "<Unknown>"]
[White "Storz,,  Bill"]
[Black "Chadburn,,  Mike"]
[Result "1-0"]

1.e4 c5  2.Bc4 Nc6  3.Nf3 e6  4.Nc3 Nf6  5.d3 a6  6.a4 d5  7.exd5 exd5  8.Bb3 Qa5  9.Bd2 Qd8  10.0-0 h6  11.h3 Be7  12.Bf4 0-0  13.Qd2 b6  14.Ne2 Re8  15.Ng3 g5  16.Bxg5 hxg5  17.Qxg5 Kf8  18.Qh6 Kg8  19.Ng5 Ne5  20.Nh5

Important Lyndonville Chess Club Tournament Game Sunday

Perhaps the most important game of our tournament will be played tomorrow, Sunday, at The Grindstone between Mike Chadburn and Bill Storz at Noon. From the cross-table below, if Mike can win, he'll have the same overall score as Bill, but with a win by Mike, that should put Mike in 1st Place. Join us tomorrow if you can. I'll be there as well with a few sets if anyone is looking for a game.

Soviet Chess Book/Publication Information Sought

Unpacking a post-divorce box of books last night I came across this one given to me by IM Josef Vatnikov in 2006. Vatnikov, I'm told, ran the Moscow University CC for years, was a lawyer and apparently helped to rewrite the Soviet constitution after Stalin's death. I met him when he did a simul in Longmeadow, MA. I don't read Russian. Can one of you good folks tell me what I've got? Thanks!
This is the link to Vatnikov's FIDE Card
https://ratings.fide.com/card.phtml?event=4101499