16th Unive (Hoogeveen)

For years, I always spelled Hoogeveen wrong. I usually came up with something similar to "Hogheven" - er...

This illustrious tournament has traditionally featured at least one strong female chessplayer.  For many years, it was, more often than not, GM Judit Polgar.  This year is no different - one of the higest-rated female players in the world is playing in the 16th Unive.  Current women's world chess champion GM Hou Yifan of China is in the invitational along with GM Hikaru Nakamura of the USA, and GMs Sergei Tiviakov and Anish Giri of the Netherlands (I think they are the highest-rated players in the Netherlands, but do not quote me on that!)  Giri is a young phenom.  Tiviakov transplated himself years ago and has been a steady performer for his new homeland.  Nakamura is the #1 player in the USA and one of the top-10 highest rated players in the world.

Here are the current standings, courtesy of coverage at The Week in Chess:

16th Unive Crown Hoogeveen (NED), 21-27 x 2012											cat. XVIII (2687)
					1		2		3		4
1.	Nakamura, Hikaru	g	USA	2775	*	*	½	.	1	½	1	½	3½	2806
2.	Tiviakov, Sergei	g	NED	2656	½	.	*	*	½	½	½	1	3	2753
3.	Giri, Anish	g	NED	2693	0	½	½	½	*	*	½	.	2	2625
4.	Hou, Yifan	g	CHN	2623	0	½	½	0	½	.	*	*	1½	2562

Today, Hou Yifan drew her game with Nakamura, an impressive feat. 

Several chess femmes are playing in the Open (78 players).  There is one more round to go.  WGM Alina L'Ami, whom Goddesschess sponsored to play in the 2011 City of Montreal Chess Championships, is the top female thus far with 4.0/8 and is currently in 35th place overall.  Her husband, GM Erwin L'Ami, is tied for 2nd place with four other players, at 6.0/8.

16th Unive Tournament 2012

Wow!  This is going to be an extremely interesting event, with GM Hou Yifan now assuming, it seems, the former throne of GM Judit Polgar who played in this event over many years!  Check out the line-up:

16th Unive Crown Hoogeveen NED Fri 19th Oct 2012 - Sat 27th Oct 2012 Player List
Rk	Name	Ti	FED	Elo	FIDE Id
1	Nakamura, Hikaru	GM	USA	2775	2016192
2	Giri, Anish	GM	NED	2693	24116068
3	Tiviakov, Sergei	GM	NED	2656	1008013
4	Hou, Yifan	GM	CHN	2623	8602980

Here is the official website. It's in Dutch, but if you read and speak English, you can sort of/kind of make portions of it out. It's a good brain exercise, darlings! Try it!  I find it exhausting, but also hilariously funny when I try to guess what certain words migh mean :)

Get ready!  ACTION STARTS OCTOBER 19/20, 2012!