Publisher:
New In Chess, 2006
Edition:
Magazine
Pages: 96 Language: English
Elista: Dream Match Turns into Nightmare
Interview: Kirsan Ilyumzhinov
Rising Stars Too Experienced
The Mainz Attraction
Inarkiev Leads Russian Revolution
Grischuk Blitz World Champ
The fourth Staunton Memorial
Garry Kasparov: Post-Modern Chess
Content
NIC'S CAFÉ
YOUR MOVE
DREAM MATCH TURNS INTO NIGHTMARE It all looked so good, it all felt so fine. Finally the split that had done so much damage to chess was going to be healed. As Veselin Topalov and Vladimir Kramnik played their first moves on the stage of the Elista Conference Hall, the world looked on in fascination and anticipation. But not for long. The match plunged into a deep crisis when the Topalov camp filed a protest about Kramnik's frequent visits to the toilet in his rest room and the Russian lost Game 5 when he refused to return to the board as long as his toilet was not reopened. After feverish talks and negotiations play was resumed, but the forfeit was not annulled and the future of the reunification match remained uncertain.
INTERVIEW: KIRSAN ILYUMZHINOV When everything still looked bright in Elista, Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam had a long talk with FIDE president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. A talk about his dreams and ambitions, and the company he is going to found (together with Bessel Kok!) that will push chess into a new era. And, of course, about his encounter with extraterrestrials. 'Maybe the level of the development of our civilization is not high enough for all of us to meet them.'
RISING STARS TOO EXPERIENCED A clash between five 'Rising Stars' and five 'Experienced' grandmasters ended in a 28-22 triumph for youth at the NH Chess Tournament in Amsterdam. Magnus Carlsen won the special prize for the best individual result on the junior team - an invitation to next year's Amber tournament in Monaco. Ruslan Ponomariov reports.
THE MAINZ ATTRACTION John Henderson visited the traditional Mainz Chess Classic and was duly impressed by the vision and innovations of überorganizer Hans-Walter Schmitt.
INARKIEV LEADS RUSSIAN REVOLUTION The Russian Championship First League saw a revolution of the young, led by the tournament's winner Ernesto Inarkiev. From the seven players who qualified for the Super Final the oldest was 22.
EUROPEAN UNION CHAMPION! An avid collector of special titles, Nigel Short was delighted to win the European Union Championship in Liverpool.
GRISCHUK BLITZ WORLD CHAMP The first FIDE World Blitz Championship in Rishon-le-Zion was won by one of the most dedicated promoters of blitz among today's elite players.
NOSE MADNESS Sneezing on his sick-bed Hans Ree came to share the Russian obsession with the nose.
ROWSON'S REVIEWS Jonathan Rowson reveals how he once again became British Champion. For starters he carried 37 chess books to Swansea.
CHAMPAGNE INSTEAD OF WATER The fourth Staunton Memorial in London ended in a deserved victory for Ivan Sokolov. Jan Timman was our man on the spot.
POST-MODERN CHESS Garry Kasparov continues to keep a close watch on the main events on the chess scene. This time he even played in one himself!
JUST CHECKING Guess who is Magnus Carlsen's favourite player of all time?
Did they play your opening?
In this issue games with the following openings were annotated by world class players:
Sicilian: Carlsen-Nunn, by Carlsen Svidler-Carlsen, by Svidler Nepomniachtchi-Kobalia, by Nepomniachtchi Grischuk-Svidler, by Grischuk
French: Karjakin-Jussupow, by Karjakin Stellwagen-Jussupow, by Jussupow Nunn-Wang Hao, by Wang Hao
Caro-Kann: Wells-Speelman, by Timman
Ruy Lopez: Nunn-Smeets, by Nunn Grischuk-Anand, by Grischuk Svidler-Grischuk, by Svidler Carlsen-Beliavsky, by Beliavsky
King's Pawn: Short-Hebden, by Short
Slav: Topalov-Kramnik, by Jan Timman Jussupow-Smeets, by Smeets
Catalan: Kramnik-Topalov, by Joel Lautier
Nimzo-Indian: Parker-Rowson, by Rowson Inarkiev-Khismatullin, by Inarkiev
Grünfeld Indian: Sokolov-Howell, by Timman
King's Indian: Beliavsky-Stellwagen, by Stellwagen
English Opening: Tomashevsky-Khismatullin, by Tomashevsky
