Lyudmila Rudenko Memorial

A report with photos on the Tournament and final standings at Chessdom. 

Final

Rank	Name	Score	Fed.	M/F	Rating	TPR	W-We	BH	BH-HiLo	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1	WFM Goryachkina, Aleksandra	7.5	RUS	F	2153	2441	+3.24	48.5	39.5	1	1	½	1	1	1	½	1	½
2	WGM Doluhanova, Evgeniya	6.5	UKR	F	2227	2329	+1.26	49.0	38.0	1	1	1	1	0	0	1	1	½
3	WGM Molchanova, Tatjana	6.5	RUS	F	2346	2339	-0.01	48.5	37.0	1	1	½	0	½	½	1	1	1
4	WGM Stjazhkina, Olga	6.5	RUS	F	2247	2315	+0.87	46.5	35.5	1	0	1	½	1	½	1	1	½
5	WGM Eidelson, Rakhil	6.5	BLR	F	2242	2297	+0.84	44.5	35.0	0	1	1	1	0	1	1	1	½
6	WGM Shaydullina, Sandugach	6.0	RUS	F	2158	2296	+1.71	48.5	38.0	1	1	0	1	1	1	1	0	0
7	IM Galojan, Lilit	6.0	ARM	F	2389	2327	-0.59	42.0	34.0	0	1	1	1	½	½	0	1	1
8	WIM Baraeva, Marina	6.0	RUS	F	2197	2173	-0.10	39.5	31.5	1	0	0	1	½	1	1	1	½
9	Trapeznikova, Darya	5.5	RUS	F	1979	2292	+3.60	53.0	41.5	1	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	½
10	IM Romanko, Marina	5.5	RUS	F	2402	2265	-1.38	53.0	41.0	1	1	1	0	1	½	½	0	½
11	WFM Bivol, Alina	5.5	RUS	F	2171	2167	+0.08	46.0	34.5	1	½	1	1	0	0	0	1	1
12	WFM Baraeva, Irina	5.5	RUS	F	2204	2158	-0.31	42.0	33.0	0	1	1	0	1	1	1	0	½
13	WFM Kostrikina, Anna	5.0	RUS	F	2079	2262	+2.13	48.5	38.0	1	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	1
14	WIM Tomilova, Elena	5.0	RUS	F	2317	2185	-1.39	45.5	35.5	0	1	1	0	1	1	0	1	0
15	WFM Korchagina, Viktoria	5.0	RUS	F	2109	2074	-0.25	43.0	34.0	1	0	0	½	1	1	0	1	½
16	WIM Butuc, Maria	5.0	RUS	F	2172	2073	-0.92	41.0	33.0	1	0	1	0	1	½	1	0	½
17	Markelova, Lubov	5.0	RUS	F	2074	1973	-1.04	34.5	25.5	0	0	0	1	1	½	1	1	½
18	WIM Severiukhina, Zoja	4.5	RUS	F	2270	2193	-0.88	47.5	37.0	1	0	1	1	½	½	0	0	½
19	Azimova, Karina	4.5	RUS	F	2087	2021	-0.69	42.0	33.0	0	½	1	½	½	0	1	1	0
20	WFM Styazhkina, Anna	4.5	RUS	F	2039	2122	+0.97	42.0	32.5	1	½	1	0	0	0	1	0	1
21	WCM Kiseleva, Arina	4.5	RUS	F	1846	2002	+1.39	41.5	32.5	0	0	1	1	½	0	0	+	1
22	Katyshkina, Anastasia	4.5	RUS	F	1936	2121	+2.06	41.5	32.0	1	½	0	½	0	½	½	1	½
23	Balaian, Alina	4.5	RUS	F	2163	2061	-1.05	41.0	32.0	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	1	½
24	WGM Zakurdjaeva, Irina	4.5	RUS	F	2268	2081	-2.00	40.5	31.5	0	1	0	1	1	1	0	0	½
25	WFM Kindinova, Ekaterina	4.5	RUS	F	2159	2073	-0.80	39.0	29.5	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	1	½
26	Grebennikova, Tatyana	4.5	RUS	F	2009	2015	+0.07	36.5	27.5	1	½	0	0	½	½	½	½	1
27	WFM Travkina, Anastasia	4.0	RUS	F	2176	2090	-0.94	45.5	35.5	1	½	1	0	½	0	1	0	0
28	Kostitsina, Liubov	4.0	RUS	F	2017	2056	+0.50	43.5	34.0	0	1	1	½	0	1	0	0	½
29	WFM Shulakova, Svetlana	4.0	RUS	F	2177	1932	-2.70	40.0	31.0	1	½	0	1	0	0	½	0	1
30	Tskhadadze, Anna	4.0	RUS	F	1761	2023	+2.67	39.0	30.5	0	½	1	½	0	1	½	0	½
31	Chernyak, Viktoria	4.0	RUS	F	1768	1898	+0.99	37.5	30.0	0	0	1	0	1	½	½	0	1
32	Vronskaya, Anna	4.0	RUS	F	1864	1885	+0.17	33.0	25.5	0	0	½	1	0	1	0	½	1
33	Savrova, Lidia	4.0	RUS	F	1591	1700	+0.67	31.0	23.0	0	+	0	0	0	0	1	+	1
34	WFM Botalova, Yulia	3.5	RUS	F	1969	1777	-1.93	35.0	27.0	0	½	½	1	0	0	1	½	0
35	Manina, Ksenia	3.5	RUS	F	2003	1806	-2.25	34.5	25.5	0	1	0	1	0	½	½	½	0
36	Gudkina, Zhanna	3.5	RUS	F	1759	1842	+0.56	34.0	27.5	0	1	0	0	0	1	1	½	0
37	Maidanova, Irina	3.0	RUS	F	1861	1809	-0.70	34.0	26.5	0	0	0	+	1	½	0	½	0
38	Butneva, Larisa	3.0	RUS	F	1868	1638	-2.38	33.0	24.5	0	0	0	0	+	1	1	0	0
39	Petrochenko, Maria	3.0	RUS	F	1491	1615	+0.89	32.5	24.5	0	1	0	0	½	½	0	+	0
40	Yusupova, Lilia	3.0	RUS	F	1672	1550	-0.98	32.5	23.5	0	0	+	0	0	0	0	1	1
41	Sundukova, Ksenia	2.5	RUS	F	1755	1714	-0.43	32.5	24.0	0	0	1	0	½	0	+	-	-
42	Nazarova, Anastasia	2.0	RUS	F	0	1551	1551	32.0	24.5	1	0	0	0	0	+	0	0	0
43	Elizarova, Taisia	2.0	RUS	F	1662	1540	-0.95	27.0	21.0	-	½	0	0	1	½	0	-	0

2011 FIDE World Cup

Various reports from around the internet:

Chessbase has a report including photos and some games from Round 2, Game 1, including a not too flattering photo of Judit Polgar.  Judit, you need to do some rejuvenation of your look.  You're only 35, you shouldn't be looking 50.

The official website for the 2011 World Cup has interviews of players from Round 1 and 2 available. 

The Week in Chess has ongoing coverage of the World Cup along with some annotated games.

Round 2, Game 1 report at Chessvibes. 

Chessdom also has extensive coverage of the World Cup. 

World Chess Hall of Fame and Museum

In the news, from stlouis.cbslocal.com:

World Chess Hall Of Fame To Open In St. Louis
August 31, 2011 3:12 PM

ST. LOUIS, MO. (KMOX) — Some may have scratched their heads at first when the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis opened its doors in the Central West End in 2008. But with the grand opening of the World Chess Hall of Fame next week makes it official, St. Louis is a major player in the world of chess.

“People have really come to recognize St. Louis as the emerging Chess Capital of the country,” said Mike Willmering with the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis. As just recently the US Chess foundation named St. Louis “Chess city of the year.”

The World Chess Hall of fame is moving to St. Louis from Miami and officially opens September 9th with chess related events taking place through the weekend.

On September 10th, Boy Scouts will act out the roles of rooks, bishops and knights in a giant human chess game. Also NASA astronaut Greg Chamitoff will present a chess board he took into space. That board will be displayed in the Hall of Fame.

Visitors there also will be able to see chess sets from around the world.

Willmering said, “the main focus of the Hall of Fame is to discover the cultural and historical impact of the world’s most popular game.” And then across the street the Chess Club and Scholastic Center focuses on the benefits chess players get out of playing.

Admission to the World Chess Hall of Fame is free year-round.

Click here for more information on the upcoming Grand Opening.

Copyright KMOX Radio

I Have Shoes!!!!

Unbelievably, Zappo's delivered the order I placed last night in desperation for three more pair THIS MORNING to the office!  And they didn't charge me an expedited shipping fee, either, that I had signed up for, figuring I'd get delivery on Friday, maybe tomorrow if I was lucky.  Amazing, absolutely amazing customer service by Zappo's, and I let them know it too!  And now you know it.

THANK YOU ZAPPO'S!

What's more, one of the pair of shoes fit well and don't hurt my feet.  That's not saying, of course, that my feet look sexy in them, not with my perennially swollen ankles and wide, puffy instep, but the shoes make me feel sexy and they go perfectly with the dress (I picked it up today from P'dia Custom Couture Clothing, alterations done!!!)

These are the shoes, by David Tate (Tate Shoe Company). They're called, appropriately enough given their look, "Hot Date" and they're $95.00. David Tate designs come in W, WW and WWW widths. I love these shoes!  The heels aren't too high, so I probably won't tip over or break an ankle.

So, going back today to Zappo's by free return postage (that's part of the charm of its service) are four pairs of shoes that did not fit. 

Zappo's - NUMBER ONE FOR SERVICE AND SPEED OF DELIVERY, AND EASE OF RETURN. 

Wow!  Now I'm glad those other orders I tried to place last night for shoes didn't work; I even tried placing an order out of desperation this morning to HSN but the secured website kept telling me I had my home address wrong!  As if I don't know my own home address?  Oh please!  While I was calling the 800 number to complain about the HSN website and to place the order over the telephone, in walked one of the Office Services guys with my delivery from Zappo's!  What's the record for a woman hanging up a telephone?  I think I broke it!

Now - the hunt for the PERFECT accessories and hosiery...

2011 FIDE World Cup

Quick results R2, Game 1:

USA Players:

Kamsky, black pieces, 0.5

Onischuk, white pieces, 0.5

Ivanov, white pieces, 0.5

Shankland, black pieces, 0.5

Judit Polgar, white pieces, against Sergei Movsesian, 0.5

Updated beginning 7:31 p.m.:

I am really impressed with the contingent of American players.  Although GM Ray Robson is out, he didn't go without a fight!

Round 1 Match 26
Bacrot, Etienne (FRA)	½	½	1	0	1	1				4
Robson, Ray (USA)	½	½	0	1	0	0				2

Already after R1 32 players were deleted! Now 32 remain, and many more will be eliminated without further ado after Game 2 tomorrow. How far can Kamsky go? How far will Shankland go? Bet he's got his own all-female fan club :)

In the 2009 World Cup, Boris Gelfand knocked Judit Polgar out in the Third Round, and Gata Kamsky was knocked out also in Round 3 by Wesley So.

Today's Hottie is GM Sam Shankland, the undisputed star of this photo - nice shirt and tie, too :)

The Sad Saga of the Black Dress Shoe

Hola darlings,

Well, I can't find a black dress shoe that fits to save my life!  Forget about the stores.  I tried Rogan's (forgedaboutit), Kohl's, Boston Store and Penney's.  There are no independent shoe stores left in the area that I can get to.  Everyone has shoes, it seems, but they're all stocked in M only and I can't even get my big toe into a M width shoe these days!  A fruitless trip to the mall tonight sealed my fate.

The two pair I ordered from Zappo's arrived yesterday and I eagerly unwrapped and tried them on.  The shoe styled by "Annie" was far too small; the shoe styled by Softspots was far too large, plus I did not like the heel style.

Earlier today I was all set to order several pairs of shoes online from Boston Store, but it will take between 5 and 7 days to arrive at regular shipping - I don't have that much time plus the holiday (Labor Day) will interfere.  I could order expedited shipping but it was outrageously expensive!

So, back to Zappos this evening, where I ordered three more pair and I coughed up an extra $15.00 for 2 business day shipping, so hopefully the shoes will be here by Friday and one pair will fit.  If not - oh crap - maybe I need to pay for the expensive expedited shipping from Boston Store to get those "available online only" shoes after all.  There is no "if not" - I've run out of time to get shoes! 

I never dreamed it would be this difficult to find a pair of black dress shoes in WW.  Come on - other people must have feet that swell up on them just like mine do!  It's not like I'm a size women's 12 EEEEE!  I'm a size 8 EE - but -- that's another problem.  No two manufacturers make a WW (also known as EE) the same width! 

Arggggghhhhhhh!  My credit card company is going to think I've developed a shoe fetish (2-3 weeks ago it was a black dress fetish), and they're loving every minute of it because they'll charge me interest while I'm waiting for credit balances to appear as I've been returning merchandise left and right.  Damn!

9:18 p.m. Update:

Damn!  I can't get expedited shipping for those shoes from Boston Store!  I went through the order process for three pair and can't get them on time!

Now I'm at a place online called shoebuy.com which promises free shipping and return - and they have the brand (Easy Street) that I'm looking for...

9:42 p.m. Update:

Can't get it to work properly plus they don't have any of the shoes in WW.  Epic fail.  I'm tired, and frustrated, and going to bed.

Special Exhibition at the Met: Mother India: The Goddess in Indian Painting

June 29, 2011–November 27, 2011
Florence and Herbert Irving Galleries for the Arts of South and Southeast Asia, 3rd floor

Mahadevi, The Great Goddess
c. 1725

The goddess (devi) is both the source and the affirmation of life. In early Indian religions, this concept is deified in a variety of forms. While we lack a historical understanding of the quasi-magical-religious function of the earliest images of the female form on view in this exhibition, we identify them as goddesses.

A bit later, we witness the emergence of deified females who have identifiable roles associated with the protection of children and with the life-affirming powers of water. The former finds expression in goddesses who originally may have been devourers of children—that is, the bearers of disease. Over time some were placated and thus acquired more benign aspects. The enthroned goddess with a cornucopia and children, from northwestern India, represents this tradition.

A second association is with the creation of life. This female principle is expressed in a number of ways; as the bearer of life, we see the appearance of the cult of the yakshi—personified female nature spirits—who embody the fecundity and fertility of nature. They survive in sculptures from the early centuries B.C. and were appropriated into Buddhist and Jain worship about the first century A.D.

The other powerful expression of the goddess as the source of life in early India is the personification of the great rivers of the subcontinent. Three rivers of northern India—the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the now-lost Saraswati—were worshiped as some of the most ancient deities of India. Sri Gaja-Lakshmi, the benign goddess being bathed by a pair of elephants—a metaphor for the life-giving powers of the monsoons—emerged to denote auspiciousness, prosperity, and good fortune. Saraswati, revered by Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists alike as the embodiment of wisdom and knowledge, is one of the earliest goddesses to have cult images made in her honor. The Jain mother goddess Ambika embodies the maternal principal.

About the sixth century a variety of early sources on devi in her myriad forms were brought together in the seminal text the Devi Mahatmya. Primarily devoted to narrating the origins of Durga and her relationship to the pantheon of male deities, the text represents Durga as the ultimate destroyer of demons. It also introduces the awesome forms that emerge from her being, Kali and Camumda, who give expression to Durga's terrible aspect, as do the seven matrikas (mothers).

The worship of the goddess continues to shape Hindu practice today, with Sri Lakshmi pouring down golden coins as its most popular expression.

Lyudmila Rudenko Memorial

Mon 22nd Aug 2011 -Wed 31st Aug 2011
St Petersburg, RUS
43 Players.
9 Round Swiss
Time Control: 90m:30m+30spm(1)

Rank	Name	Score	Fed.	M/F	Rating	TPR	W-We	BH	BH-HiLo	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
1	WGM Shaydullina, Sandugach	6.0	RUS	F	2158	2458	+2.48	28.5	21.5	1	1	0	1	1	1	1
2	WFM Goryachkina, Aleksandra	6.0	RUS	F	2153	2470	+2.63	27.5	22.0	1	1	½	1	1	1	½
3	Trapeznikova, Darya	5.0	RUS	F	1979	2366	+3.49	34.5	25.5	1	1	1	1	1	0	0
4	IM Romanko, Marina	5.0	RUS	F	2402	2336	-0.39	32.5	23.5	1	1	1	0	1	½	½
5	WGM Doluhanova, Evgeniya	5.0	UKR	F	2227	2288	+0.63	30.0	21.0	1	1	1	1	0	0	1
6	WGM Stjazhkina, Olga	5.0	RUS	F	2247	2318	+0.71	27.0	18.0	1	0	1	½	1	½	1
7	WGM Eidelson, Rakhil	5.0	BLR	F	2242	2261	+0.38	25.0	18.5	0	1	1	1	0	1	1
8	WFM Baraeva, Irina	5.0	RUS	F	2204	2226	+0.42	23.0	16.5	0	1	1	0	1	1	1
9	WGM Molchanova, Tatjana	4.5	RUS	F	2346	2264	-0.66	29.5	20.5	1	1	½	0	½	½	1
10	WIM Butuc, Maria	4.5	RUS	F	2172	2104	-0.36	24.5	18.0	1	0	1	0	1	½	1
11	WIM Baraeva, Marina	4.5	RUS	F	2197	2081	-0.83	22.5	16.0	1	0	0	1	½	1	1
12	WIM Severiukhina, Zoja	4.0	RUS	F	2270	2242	-0.20	31.0	22.0	1	0	1	1	½	½	0
13	WFM Kostrikina, Anna	4.0	RUS	F	2079	2282	+1.87	29.0	21.0	1	1	0	0	0	1	1
14	IM Galojan, Lilit	4.0	ARM	F	2389	2228	-1.22	27.5	21.0	0	1	1	1	½	½	0
15	WIM Tomilova, Elena	4.0	RUS	F	2317	2139	-1.42	27.5	19.0	0	1	1	0	1	1	0
16	WFM Travkina, Anastasia	4.0	RUS	F	2176	2155	-0.08	25.5	17.5	1	½	1	0	½	0	1
17	WGM Zakurdjaeva, Irina	4.0	RUS	F	2268	2082	-1.46	22.0	15.5	0	1	0	1	1	1	0
18	Kostitsina, Liubov	3.5	RUS	F	2017	2146	+1.18	28.0	21.0	0	1	1	½	0	1	0
19	WFM Bivol, Alina	3.5	RUS	F	2171	2089	-0.67	27.0	18.0	1	½	1	1	0	0	0
20	WFM Korchagina, Viktoria	3.5	RUS	F	2109	2013	-0.71	26.5	19.0	1	0	0	½	1	1	0
21	WFM Styazhkina, Anna	3.5	RUS	F	2039	2149	+1.00	26.5	18.0	1	½	1	0	0	0	1
22	Azimova, Karina	3.5	RUS	F	2087	1997	-0.74	25.0	17.5	0	½	1	½	½	0	1
23	Tskhadadze, Anna	3.5	RUS	F	1761	2072	+2.50	23.5	16.0	0	½	1	½	0	1	½
24	Markelova, Lubov	3.5	RUS	F	2074	1906	-1.43	18.0	13.0	0	0	0	1	1	½	1
25	Balaian, Alina	3.0	RUS	F	2163	2056	-0.91	27.5	19.5	1	0	0	1	1	0	0
26	Katyshkina, Anastasia	3.0	RUS	F	1936	2057	+0.97	26.5	18.5	1	½	0	½	0	½	½
27	WFM Shulakova, Svetlana	3.0	RUS	F	2177	1947	-2.03	26.0	18.5	1	½	0	1	0	0	½
28	WFM Kindinova, Ekaterina	3.0	RUS	F	2159	2033	-1.06	25.5	18.5	1	0	0	1	1	0	0
29	Petrochenko, Maria	3.0	RUS	F	1491	1645	+1.00	24.0	17.0	0	1	0	0	½	½	0	+
30	Grebennikova, Tatyana	3.0	RUS	F	2009	2008	-0.06	23.0	16.5	1	½	0	0	½	½	½
31	Chernyak, Viktoria	3.0	RUS	F	1768	1915	+1.10	23.0	16.5	0	0	1	0	1	½	½
32	WFM Botalova, Yulia	3.0	RUS	F	1969	1757	-1.59	20.5	14.0	0	½	½	1	0	0	1
33	Manina, Ksenia	3.0	RUS	F	2003	1859	-1.24	19.5	14.0	0	1	0	1	0	½	½
34	Butneva, Larisa	3.0	RUS	F	1868	1690	-1.40	19.0	14.0	0	0	0	0	+	1	1
35	Gudkina, Zhanna	3.0	RUS	F	1759	1851	+0.45	18.5	13.0	0	1	0	0	0	1	1
36	WCM Kiseleva, Arina	2.5	RUS	F	1846	1949	+0.68	24.5	19.0	0	0	1	1	½	0	0
37	Vronskaya, Anna	2.5	RUS	F	1864	1894	+0.06	21.5	15.5	0	0	½	1	0	1	0
38	Maidanova, Irina	2.5	RUS	F	1861	1803	-0.57	21.5	15.5	0	0	0	+	1	½	0
39	Sundukova, Ksenia	2.5	RUS	F	1755	1714	-0.43	21.5	13.5	0	0	1	0	½	0	+
40	Nazarova, Anastasia	2.0	RUS	F	0	1651	1651	20.0	14.0	1	0	0	0	0	+	0
41	Savrova, Lidia	2.0	RUS	F	1591	1576	-0.16	18.5	13.0	0	+	0	0	0	0	1
42	Elizarova, Taisia	2.0	RUS	F	1662	1601	-0.46	18.0	13.0	-	½	0	0	1	½	0
43	Yusupova, Lilia	1.0	RUS	F	1672	1157	-1.47	19.5	13.0	0	0	+	0	0	0	0