Saturday, August 25, 2012

2012 Indian Women's Chess Championship

The Amity 39th National Women Challengers Chess Championship-2012 has reached Round 10, with one more round to go.  Tomorrow will determine the new female champion.  Here are standings after R10:

Rk.NameFEDRtgClub/CityPts.TB1 TB2 TB3
1
Michelle Catherina PIND2079TN8.055.550.548.0
2
WFMBharathi RIND2083TN7.558.553.050.5
3
Nimmy A GIND2195KER7.556.551.549.0
4
WFMMahalakshmi MIND2058TN7.060.555.052.5
5
WFMSaranya JIND2140TN7.058.553.051.0
6
WIMPriya PIND2167TN7.057.552.050.5
7
WFMSwati MohotaIND2025WB7.056.551.548.5
8
WFMChandika DivyasreeIND2218AP7.055.050.047.5
9
Cholleti SahajasriIND2049AP7.053.048.046.0
10
WFMRamya Krishna IIND2128AP7.049.044.542.5
11
Roy PallabiIND1946WB6.558.553.051.0
12
WFMPujari RuchaIND2210MAH6.557.051.549.5
13
Mokal Amruta SunilIND2073MAH6.556.051.048.0
14
WIMThipsay Bagyashree SatheIND2126MAH6.554.549.547.5
15
Harini SIND2029TN6.551.546.544.5
16
Rajasurya JIND1957TN6.550.547.543.5
17
WCMSavant RiyaIND1868GOA6.550.545.544.0
18
Sandhya GIND1713AP6.549.045.042.5
19
Hinduja ReddyIND1791AP6.549.045.042.0
20
WFMMitali Madhukar PatilIND1912MAH6.548.043.541.0
21
Salini RIND1823AP6.056.051.049.0
22
Anjana Krishna SIND1881KER6.056.051.048.0
23
WFMKotepalli Sai NirupamaIND1958AP6.053.549.046.0
24
Lasya GIND1993AP6.053.048.546.0
25
Meenu RajendranIND1967KER6.053.048.045.5
26
WFMRaghavi NIND2101TN6.052.047.045.0
27
Madhuri M PatilIND2014MAH6.049.544.542.5
28
A AkshayaIND2016TN6.049.045.042.5
29
Anigani KavyaIND1709AP6.047.543.541.0
30
WCMTejaswini SagarIND1718MAH5.558.553.051.0
31
Varshini VIND1909TN5.558.052.550.5
32
Aparajita GochhikarIND1849ORI5.557.052.050.0
33
Shweta GoleIND1984MAH5.555.551.048.5
34
Smaraki MohantyIND1771ORI5.555.050.047.0
35
Meghna C HIND1779KER5.554.550.046.5
36
Madhurima ShekharIND1963DEL5.554.049.546.0
37
Supriya JoshiIND1815MAH5.553.549.046.0
38
Ardra V HIND1812KER5.548.544.042.0
39
Bala Kannamma PIND1996TN5.548.543.542.0
40
Akhade VaishnaviIND1609MAH5.548.044.041.0
41
Minki SinhaIND1822BIH5.548.043.541.0
42
Pushpalata MangalIND1846MAH5.547.043.039.0
43
Chandreyee HajraIND1682WB5.546.542.539.5
44
Matta Theja SahhethheIND1631AP5.545.543.039.0
45
Anshul KaushikIND1591HAR5.544.040.537.0
46
Vantika AgrawalIND1458DEL5.054.549.547.5
47
Priya VssIND1795AP5.052.048.045.0
48
Shiny DasIND1786TRI5.051.046.544.0
49
AakashaIND1620BIH5.050.546.543.5
50
Vaibhavi ThakurIND1598HAR5.046.542.540.0
51
Meghna UpadhyayIND1578MP5.046.542.539.5
52
Kesshni BhasiinIND1594DEL5.046.043.538.5
53
Pammi RaniIND1574BIH5.044.541.038.0
54
Jayashree P SankpalIND1735LIC5.043.039.037.0
55
Radhika Devi ChavaliIND1432LIC5.042.039.535.5
56
Kaur PalkinIND1371DEL5.042.038.535.5
57
Ravneet KaurIND0PUN5.042.038.035.5
58
Hada NancyIND1344DEL5.041.038.534.0
59
Manasa H RIND1653KAR4.551.547.044.5
60
Arunima KalraIND1871DEL4.548.544.541.0
61
ShwetaIND1544CGH4.547.544.039.5
62
Sushmita LamaIND1559SIK4.547.043.040.0
63
Shweta PriyadarshiniIND1583UP4.546.042.039.0
64
JesicaIND0DEL4.545.041.538.5
65
Vaishnavi ThakurIND1530HAR4.545.041.038.5
66
Vaishnavi MSLIND0AP4.544.040.537.5
67
Pranisha GurungIND0SIK4.540.537.035.0
68
Shruti KakarIND1177DEL4.539.036.033.5
69
Shailaja MIND0AP4.045.040.539.0
70
Gurpreet KaurIND1512PUN4.043.040.036.0
71
Janaki Devi MIND1349AP4.043.039.037.5
72
Kumari ShristiIND1421BIH4.042.539.535.5
73
Arundhati BrahmachariIND0LIC4.040.537.034.0
74
Apoorva SharmaIND0PUN4.039.537.033.0
75
Rai SupriyaIND0SIK4.039.536.534.0
76
Khusboo BariIND0BIH4.039.035.533.5
77
Pratiksha PandeyIND1316MP4.038.536.033.0
78
Gurung PushpaIND0SIK4.038.535.532.5
79
Rama BalharaIND0HAR4.038.035.032.5
80
Kritvee KapoorIND0DEL4.034.532.529.0
81
Shah Anila KishorekumarIND1551GUJ3.542.539.535.0
82
Satabdi MajumderIND0TRI3.541.038.035.5
83
Sagnika PratihariIND0ORI3.537.035.031.5
84
Gole VaishnaviIND1409MAH3.537.034.531.0
85
Ria DawarIND0DEL3.535.032.530.0
86
S JayaseeliIND0LIC3.044.540.538.0
87
Namrata SharmaIND0HP3.039.036.033.0
88
Priyanka SahooIND0ORI3.037.034.531.5
89
Shreya SharmaIND0SIK3.037.034.531.5
90
Amritpal Kaur KangIND0PUN3.032.530.527.0
91
Rathore SonakshiIND1987RAJ2.545.040.538.5
92
Arti KapoorIND0DEL2.534.532.028.5
93
Sonal ParmarIND0HP2.533.531.528.0
94
Richa SavantIND0GOA2.531.529.526.0
95
Saranya Sivani VarmaIND0AP2.034.032.027.5
96
Ananya AggarwalIND0UTT2.030.028.024.0
97
Anushree AggarwalIND0UTT1.529.027.022.5
98
Arushi KotwalIND0J & K0.045.040.040.0
Hoinu LhouvumIND0MAN0.045.040.040.0
Ritika NagIND0ASM0.045.040.040.0

I was struck by the irony of this photograph from the blog coverage of news from the Championship, showing a giant mural of GM Koneru Humpy hovering over the players in the background. Humpy has not played for the women's national title for several years. I understand her reasoning for not playing, but at the same time, I think it's very sad for India.

From delhichess.com coverage.

2012 French Chess Championships

A tragedy has struck the French championships.  I will let Mark Crowther tell it in his own words, from The Week in Chess:

Mark Crowther - Saturday 25th August 2012
The French Chess Championships for men and women took place in Pau 13th to 25th August 2012. Romain Edouard, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Etienne Bacrot and Christian Bauer all had 7/10 going into the final round. However then there was the shock news of the death of Christian Bauer's 4 month old child.

Crowther went on to report:

On the proposal of the players the 11th and final round was cancelled. Edouard, Vachier and Bacrot were to play off for the title on Saturday but on further reflection it was decided that all 4 players should share the title.

Kudos to the players and the organizers for reaching such a humane result.  Our condolences go out to GM Bauer.

On the women's side, here are the results for the final round:

Round 10 (August 24, 2012)
Milliet, Sophie- Skripchenko, Almira½-½15B09Pirc Defence
Maisuradze, Nino- Collas, Silvia½-½50A57Volga Gambit
Safranska, Anda- Bollengier, Andreea½-½20C25Vienna Game

And here are the final standings (not unexpected):

ch-FRA w 2012 Pau FRA (FRA), 14-24 viii 2012cat. III (2325)
123456
1.Skripchenko, AlmiramFRA2442**1½½10½½11172450
2.Milliet, SophiemFRA24110½**½0½1½11½2343
3.Collas, SilviamFRA2261½0½1**1½010½52337
4.Maisuradze, NinowgFRA22841½½00½**0½1½2297
5.Safranska, AndawgFRA2298½0½0101½**½½2294
6.Bollengier, AndreeawmFRA2253000½1½0½½½**2229

Congratulations to IM Almira Skrupchenko, who makes a fine living playing high-stakes poker when she's not winning the French national women's chess championship.

Study Suggests Indo-European Languages Originated in Anatolia

Hmmm....and where are the "mountains of Ararat?"  Hey, just asking...  I find linguistics an absolutely fascinating area of study.  Perhaps in my next life, I will become a studier of languages and their origins; probably starve to death, too.  Sigh. 

Indo-European Languages Originated in Anatolia, Research Suggests
ScienceDaily (Aug. 23, 2012)The Indo-European languages belong to one of the widest spread language families of the world. For the last two millenia, many of these languages have been written, and their history is relatively clear. But controversy remains about the time and place of the origins of the family. A large international team, including MPI researcher Michael Dunn, reports the results of an innovative Bayesian phylogeographic analysis of Indo-European linguistic and spatial data.

Their paper appears this week in Science.

Map from article.  Red area, and particularly the red area circled in gold,
is the proposed linguistic hot-spot.  The accepted hot spot for the origin of
P-IE is circled in black.


The majority view in historical linguistics is that the homeland of Indo-European is located in the Pontic steppes (present day Ukraine) around 6,000 years ago. The evidence for this comes from linguistic paleontology: in particular, certain words to do with the technology of wheeled vehicles are arguably present across all the branches of the Indo-European family; and archaeology tells us that wheeled vehicles arose no earlier than this date. The minority view links the origins of Indo-European with the spread of farming from Anatolia 8,000 to 9,500 years ago.

Lexicons combined with dispersal of speakers

The minority view is decisively supported by the present analysis in this week's Science. This analysis combines a model of the evolution of the lexicons of individual languages with an explicit spatial model of the dispersal of the speakers of those languages. Known events in the past (the date of attestation dead languages, as well as events which can be fixed from archaeology or the historical record) are used to calibrate the inferred family tree against time.

Importance of phylogenetic trees

The lexical data used in this analysis come from the Indo-European Lexical Cognacy Database (IELex). This database has been developed in MPI's Evolutionary Processes in Language and Culture group, and provides a large, high-quality collection of language data suitable for phylogenetic analysis. Beyond the intrinsic interest of uncovering the history of language families and their speakers, phylogenetic trees are crucially important for understanding evolution and diversity in many human sciences, from syntax and semantics to social structure.

Friday, August 24, 2012

The Use of Pagan Symbols in Jewish Synagogues

The evidence indicates that we are in the presence of a mystical Hellenistic-Byzantine Jewish tradition, a tradition that Talmudic Judaism either ignored or suppressed,29 a tradition we would not know anything about (for it left no literature) were it not for the discovery of this artwork, these symbols.30 The mosaics are in fact the literature of the movement. We need to learn how to read them.

In the square panel of the Beth Alpha mosaic was a zodiac wheel with all 12 symbols and names of the zodiac, surrounded by four female figures at the corners, identifying the seasons of the year. Credit: Art Resource, NY

You can read the entire article and see the mosaics that are cataloged.

From Biblical Archaeology

Jewish Worship, Pagan Symbols
Zodiac mosaics in ancient synagogues

Ship Depicted on Pottery Shard?

There is a very intriguing reference in this article to the possibility of Phoenician trading ships in the area, circa 1000 BCE. 

Bronze Age pottery sherd from Isles of Scilly could be earliest British depiction of a boat

By Richard Moss| 22 August 2012
 
The St. Agnes Sherd.© National Maritime Museum Cornwall
 
More than most archaeological periods from pre-history, Britain’s Bronze Age is constantly being re-assessed as archaeologists and historians find new evidence of its richness and complexity.

Now the boundaries of what we know about this increasingly sophisticated period are being pushed even further by a small pottery sherd which is currently on display at the National Maritime Museum in Cornwall.

The piece of pottery was found during archaeological excavations of a Late Bronze Age roundhouse on St Agnes, on the Isles of Scilly, in 2009, and some archaeologists believe it clearly shows etched lines that resemble a sailing ship.

For Sean Taylor, an archaeologist with the Cornwall Council Historic Environment Service (CCHES), the find could be hugely significant for our understanding of the Bronze Age.

“The sherd is part of a small thick-walled vessel, perhaps a cup or beaker, and it’s highly unusual in that it has been inscribed, prior to firing, with a freehand design,” he explains.

“If this is a ship, and it does look like a masted ship, then this is the earliest representation of a boat ever found in the UK.”

Taylor believes the inscription could represent a Phoenecian trading vessel, which was blown off course and was seen by our Bronze Age forebears as it passed the Scillies.

“This would have been a remarkable sight worth commemorating, hence it being drawn on a pot," he says.

“However, masted boats are not known in this country until the first century BC. This sherd dates back to 1000-800BC confirming the importance and rarity of this object.”

The sherd, which is on display as part of the museum’s exhibition, 2012BC: Cornwall and the Sea in the Bronze Age, was found by archaeologists from the CCHES on a site owned by the Cornwall Rural Housing Association.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

2012 Indian Women's Chess Championship

Here is the long official title:  Amity 39th National Women Challengers Chess Championship-2012

And here are the current standings:

Rank after Round 8

Rk.NameFEDRtgClub/CityPts.TB1 TB2 TB3
1
Nimmy A GIND2195KER6.536.032.030.0
2
WFMMahalakshmi MIND2058TN6.037.033.030.5
3
WFMSaranya JIND2140TN6.037.032.531.0
4
WFMBharathi RIND2083TN6.036.031.530.0
WFMSwati MohotaIND2025WB6.036.031.530.0
6
WFMChandika DivyasreeIND2218AP6.035.030.528.5
7
Michelle Catherina PIND2079TN6.033.530.027.5
8
WIMPriya PIND2167TN5.537.032.531.0
9
Mokal Amruta SunilIND2073MAH5.536.031.529.5
10
Varshini VIND1909TN5.536.031.529.5
11
Cholleti SahajasriIND2049AP5.535.531.030.0
12
Aparajita GochhikarIND1849ORI5.534.530.528.5
13
WFMPujari RuchaIND2210MAH5.532.529.026.5
14
Rajasurya JIND1957TN5.532.029.526.5
15
WFMRaghavi NIND2101TN5.531.527.526.5
16
Roy PallabiIND1946WB5.036.032.030.0
17
Shweta GoleIND1984MAH5.035.532.029.5
18
WFMKotepalli Sai NirupamaIND1958AP5.035.531.529.5
19
WIMThipsay Bagyashree SatheIND2126MAH5.035.531.029.5
20
Smaraki MohantyIND1771ORI5.035.030.529.0
21
Anjana Krishna SIND1881KER5.034.530.528.5
22
Meenu RajendranIND1967KER5.033.530.027.0
23
Salini RIND1823AP5.033.529.527.5
24
WFMRamya Krishna IIND2128AP5.032.528.527.5
25
Sandhya GIND1713AP5.032.029.026.5
26
Priya VssIND1795AP5.032.029.026.5
27
Lasya GIND1993AP5.031.528.525.5
28
A AkshayaIND2016TN5.031.028.025.5
29
Madhuri M PatilIND2014MAH5.029.525.525.0
30
WCMTejaswini SagarIND1718MAH4.538.534.032.5
31
Madhurima ShekharIND1963DEL4.537.533.531.0
32
Harini SIND2029TN4.536.031.530.0
33
Meghna C HIND1779KER4.535.031.529.0
34
Shiny DasIND1786TRI4.534.530.528.5
35
Vantika AgrawalIND1458DEL4.533.529.528.0
36
WCMSavant RiyaIND1868GOA4.533.529.528.0
37
Supriya JoshiIND1815MAH4.532.028.526.0
38
AakashaIND1620BIH4.531.028.025.0
39
WFMMitali Madhukar PatilIND1912MAH4.530.527.024.5
40
Ardra V HIND1812KER4.530.026.525.0
41
Hinduja ReddyIND1791AP4.529.526.524.0
42
Manasa H RIND1653KAR4.529.026.024.0
43
Akhade VaishnaviIND1609MAH4.529.026.023.0
44
Chandreyee HajraIND1682WB4.528.025.022.5
45
Anshul KaushikIND1591HAR4.526.524.021.0
46
Vaishnavi ThakurIND1530HAR4.526.023.520.5
47
Arunima KalraIND1871DEL4.033.030.026.5
48
Bala Kannamma PIND1996TN4.031.027.026.0
49
Kesshni BhasiinIND1594DEL4.029.528.023.0
50
Anigani KavyaIND1709AP4.029.527.024.5
51
Shweta PriyadarshiniIND1583UP4.029.526.523.5
52
Vaibhavi ThakurIND1598HAR4.029.026.023.5
53
Matta Theja SahhethheIND1631AP4.028.527.023.5
54
Sushmita LamaIND1559SIK4.028.525.523.0
55
Meghna UpadhyayIND1578MP4.028.025.023.0
56
Gurpreet KaurIND1512PUN4.027.524.521.5
57
Radhika Devi ChavaliIND1432LIC4.025.523.020.0
58
Minki SinhaIND1822BIH3.533.029.527.0
59
Pushpalata MangalIND1846MAH3.531.528.525.5
60
ShwetaIND1544CGH3.530.027.024.0
61
Pammi RaniIND1574BIH3.529.026.024.0
62
Jayashree P SankpalIND1735LIC3.528.525.023.5
63
Vaishnavi MSLIND0AP3.527.024.522.5
64
JesicaIND0DEL3.527.024.522.5
65
Shah Anila KishorekumarIND1551GUJ3.527.024.021.0
66
Janaki Devi MIND1349AP3.526.523.522.0
67
Khusboo BariIND0BIH3.526.023.520.5
68
Kaur PalkinIND1371DEL3.525.022.520.0
69
Pranisha GurungIND0SIK3.524.522.020.0
70
Shruti KakarIND1177DEL3.523.021.518.0
71
Gurung PushpaIND0SIK3.522.520.517.5
72
Ravneet KaurIND0PUN3.028.525.524.0
73
Kumari ShristiIND1421BIH3.027.525.021.5
74
Hada NancyIND1344DEL3.026.024.520.5
75
Rai SupriyaIND0SIK3.026.023.021.5
76
Apoorva SharmaIND0PUN3.025.523.020.5
77
Namrata SharmaIND0HP3.025.523.020.5
78
Arundhati BrahmachariIND0LIC3.025.022.520.5
79
Pratiksha PandeyIND1316MP3.024.523.019.5
80
Priyanka SahooIND0ORI3.024.021.519.5
81
Amritpal Kaur KangIND0PUN3.020.519.016.0
82
Kritvee KapoorIND0DEL3.019.017.515.0
83
Rathore SonakshiIND1987RAJ2.529.526.024.5
84
Shailaja MIND0AP2.529.025.524.0
85
S JayaseeliIND0LIC2.529.025.523.5
86
Satabdi MajumderIND0TRI2.526.523.522.0
87
Rama BalharaIND0HAR2.525.523.020.5
88
Gole VaishnaviIND1409MAH2.523.521.018.5
89
Ria DawarIND0DEL2.523.021.018.5
90
Shreya SharmaIND0SIK2.023.521.019.0
91
Sonal ParmarIND0HP2.023.020.519.0
92
Richa SavantIND0GOA2.020.519.016.0
93
Sagnika PratihariIND0ORI1.526.023.021.5
94
Arti KapoorIND0DEL1.522.020.017.0
95
Saranya Sivani VarmaIND0AP1.521.019.516.0
96
Anushree AggarwalIND0UTT1.520.018.514.5
97
Ananya AggarwalIND0UTT1.518.517.013.5
98
Arushi KotwalIND0J & K0.028.024.024.0
Hoinu LhouvumIND0MAN0.028.024.024.0
Ritika NagIND0ASM0.028.024.024.0
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