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"When a chess player looks at the board, he does not see a static
mosiac, a still life, but a magnetic field of forces charged with
energy - as Faraday saw the stresses surrounding magnets and currents
as curves in space; or as Van Gogh saw vortices in the skies of
Provence." The Mechanics' will be hosting its 3rd Annual Max Wilkerson Open this Saturday to honor its long-time (1980-96) Chess Director. A large field is expected and IM Vinay Bhat has pre-registered. This coming Tuesday marks the start of the Spring Tuesday Night Marathon. Go to www.chessclub.org for more information. 1) Leko and Kramnik tie for first in Linares 2) Shipman and Thornally tie for first in MI March Masters 3) Ludek Pachman 1924-2003 4) 2003 US Open in Los Angeles 5) MI Chess History CD: Volume 1 6) Upcoming events 1) Leko and Kramnik tie for first in LinaresPeter Leko and Vladimir Kramnik tied for first in Linares with Leko taking the title on tiebreak (more decisive results). Their victory marked the end of Garry Kasparov's record-breaking ten consecutive elite tournament victories stretching from Wijk aan Zee 1999 through to Linares 2002. As expected, Kasparov fought to the bitter end in his last round game against Vishy Anand but could only draw. A major incident occurred during the prize giving when the tournament's youngest participant, 15-year-old Teimour Radjabov, was controversially awarded (in a vote decided by journalists) the tournament's 'beauty prize' for his win against Kasparov . While the Baku teenager - with his proud mother videotaping the proceedings - was being handed the prize, an enraged Kasparov stormed up to the microphone and said, "I don't believe that this was the best game of the tournament. It has been selected only because it was the only game that I lost and I consider this to be a public insult and humiliation." While everyone looked on in shock, Kasparov went after a group of journalists and worked his rage up to shouting level. "This is the worst insult you have ever done to me in my life! It is an insult to me and to chess! You consider yourselves chess journalists? If you think this was the most beautiful game of Linares, you are doing a great deal of damage to chess with your reports and articles. Radjabov was completely lost in that game!" Readers with good memories might recall the strong words that were heard when Kaparov-Nikolic won over Rogers-Milos and Shabalov-Smirin as the best game of the 1992 Olympiad in Manila. Kasparov's victory might have been the best, but his refusing to remove himself from the jury that judged the prizes left many shaking their heads.
Final Standings:
V Kramnik - P Leko 2) Shipman and Thornally tie for first in MI March MastersIM Walter Shipman and FM Frank Thornally tied for first with undefeated scores of 3-1 in the MI March Masters held March 3-7. Rounds were held daily from Monday through Friday at 1pm with a time control of 30/90 followed by G/60. A similar event is planned for later this month. If you are rated over 2200 USCF and are interested in participating contact John Donaldson at imwjd@aol.com. 1-2. IM Shipman and FM Thornally 3; 3-4. NMs Thiel and Margulis 1.5; 5. NM Pinto 1. 3) Ludek Pachman 1924-2003PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) - Ludek Pachman, a chess grandmaster and author of dozens of chess textbooks, died Thursday. He was 78, the news agency CTK reported Monday. It said the Czech-born Pachman died in Passau, Germany. The report did not give the cause of his death. Pachman, an internationally known seven-time Czechoslovak chess master and a devoted communist until the 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion that crushed democratic reforms known as Prague Spring, emigrated to Germany in 1972. He returned to Prague after the demise of communism in late 1989, but in 1998 moved to Germany again. He was the author of a number of chess textbooks, such as "Modern Chess Strategy," or "Decisive Games in Chess History." Pachman also took part in many international chess tournaments. 4) 2003 US Open in Los AngelesThe US Open will return to the West Coast from August 3-15 at the LAX Radisson. The 12-round tournament features the second highest guaranteed prize fund ($55,000) in the history of the event. This will be only the seventh US Open hosted in California (Long Beach 1955, San Francisco 1961, Palo Alto 1981, Pasadena 1983, Los Angeles 1991 and Concord 1995) and promises to be the strongest ever. Full details are available in Chess Life and at http://www.uschess.org/tournaments/2003/usopen 5) MI Chess History CD: Volume 1The staff of the Mechanics' Institute recently completed the first of a two volume series on the history of the Mechanics' Institute Chess Room. The fruits of their research are available on a CD which includes almost 90 pages of text, approximately 10 photos from the MI archives and over 150 games in ChessBase format. Visits of World Champions Lasker (twice), Capablanca, Alekhine (twice), and Euwe, are among the highlights. The price of the CD is $10 + $1 for shipping. To order, send a check payable to the Mechanics' Institute for $11 to: Mechanics' Institute, Room 408, 57 Post Street, San Francisco, CA, 94104. 6) Upcoming eventsUpcoming Tournaments at the MI Full details at www.chessclub.org
Max Wilkerson Open: March 15, 2003
Scholastic Quads: March 22, April 19, May 31 Other Northern California Events
Mar. 29-30. 2003 Central California Adult & Scholastic Chess Congress Open, Scholastic & Beginner Scholastic. Edison High School, Grant Taggart Gym, 1425 S. Center St., Stockton. Open: (G/2, 5 sec. delay) $$2,000 Gtd: $400-200, X, A, B, C, D, E, & Unr. $200 ea. Trophies to ea. 1st. EF: $35 by 3/28, at site $45. Late Reg. 8-9:30. Byes requested bef. Rd. 1 only. Rds: 10-2:15, 10-2:15. EF includes G/5 Bughouse, G/5 Blitz, G/10 Quick (Rated), Simultaneous & Blindfold challenge (limited 8 highest rated challengers). Trophy/Title prizes for all side events. Scholastic Championship: 5SS, G/1. 4 Sections: K-3, 4-6, 7-8, 9-12 (Trophies 10, 15, 15, 10 Resp.). EF: $20 by 3/28, at site $30. Late Reg. at site 8-9:30. Byes requested before Rd. 1 only. Rds: 10-1:15, 10-1:15,3:30. EF includes G/5 Bughouse, G/5 Blitz, G/10 Quick (Rated), Simultaneous. Trophy/Title Prize for all side events. Beginner Scholastic Championship: (3/29, Non Rated) 6SS, G/30. K-8. Certificates to all grade winners + participants. Free USCF membership to all scoring 4 or more pts. EF $10, $20 at site. Late Reg. at site 8-9:30. No byes. Only eligible Simultaneous. Rds: 10-11-12-1-2-3. Prizes all side events. Info: STKNCHES.go.cc or JacobGreen@msn.com. John Charles Barnard, 209-785-7895. 50 cents of ea entry donated to CalChess. Ent: Edison High School Chess Club, 1425 S. Center, Stockton CA 95206 W. Southern California
April 11-13. Western Pacific Open 5SS, 3-day 40/2, SD/1, 2-day Rds. 1-2 G/75 then merges. LAX Radisson Hotel, 6225 W. Century Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045. $$10,000 b/200, 50% of each prize guaranteed. In 3 sections: Open: $1500-1000-800-400-200 plus $200 (G) bonus for clear 1st, U2400 $400-200, U2300 $200, U2200 $750-500-300. EF: $79 advance, $95 door, $30 more if rated U1800. Premier: (U2000) $750-500-300-100, U1800 $500-300-200. EF: $79 advance, $95 door, $30 more to U1400, no unrated. Amateur: (U1600) $400+trophy-250-100, U1400 $100+trophy-50, U1200 $100+trophy, Unr. $100+trophy, unrated may win unrated prize only. EF: $64 advance, $75 door. Reg: 5:30-6:30pm 4/11, 8:30-10am 4/12. Rds: 3-day 7 p.m., 11-5:30, 10-4:30. 2-day: 10:30-1:30 (G/75), then merges. All: $50 Best Game prize, all sections eligible. One 1/2-pt. bye Rds. 1-3 if requested with ent. SCCF membership req. of rated S. Cal. res., $12 reg, $7.50 Jr. No credit card entries. No checks at door. HR: $84, 310-670-9000, mention chess. Parking: $5/day. Info: Mike Carr, 949-768-3538, mrcarr@pacbell.net; John Hillery admin@westernchess.com. Web site: www.westernchess.com. Ent: SCCF, c/o John Hillery, 835 N. Wilton Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90038. State Championship Qualifier. FIDE. |