I have to laugh at the somewhat fractured English in this article translated from Chinese to English - but I also have to say that it is written in much better English than I've often read in the Comments section at Yahoo News!
From People's Daily (China) - the English version
Cmilyte enjoys unusual year with newly-crowned European chess title
May 19, 2011
The year 2011 must be somewhat unusual for Viktorija Cmilyte, in which she has won the European Individual Women Chess Championship on Wednesday since 2003 and got three silver medals for finishing runner-up at the continental level in 2003, 2008 and last year.
But it was this year when the worldwide 15th-ranked Lithuanian has finally added the elusive European championship title to her collection of competitive trophies, especially from major competitions.
"Happy. I feel very happy," said the 28-year-old mother of two, who has every right to feel that way, because the continental title had shunned her for so long and for so many times when she had come so close to getting it.
"I missed three (European) championship tournaments," added the newly-crowned champion. "But I took part in all the others up till today."
Born in 1983 at Lithuania's fourth largest city of Siauliai, Cmilyte started playing chess at the age of six, tutored by her own father who remained her coach during her formative years.
She soon made her presence in the chessdom felt when she won the European Youth Champion for Girls (under the age of 10), the World Youth Champion for Girls (under 12), two national championship (including one which she had to brush aside four male contenders to win), the Corus Reserve Group tournament, two Chess Olympiad gold medals, and the World Women Rapidplay Champion.
Apart from playing chess, the tall Lithuanian also plays basketball and volleyball to make the most of her born height.
Thanks to her mental strength, swiftness and stamina, Cmilyte has, between 1996 and this year, posted a winning rate of almost 62 percent off the more than 380 competitive games she has entered.
In May this year, FIDE, the world governing body of the sport of chess, has ranked Cmilyte a worldwide 15th, behind the Russian sisters Nadezhda and Tatiana Kosintseva (4th and 5th respectively), Nana Dzagnidze of 2011 European championship hosts Georgia (6th), Anna Muzychuk of Slovenia (8th), Kateryna Lahno of Ukraine (9th), Alexandra Kosteniuk of Russia (10th), Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria (13th) and Elina Danielian of Armenia (14th).
At the Tbilisi championship, ninth-seeded Cmilyte met and beat top seed Nadezhda Kosintseva and seventh-seeded Elina Danielian but lost to eighth seed Antoaneta Stefanova. But en route to winning the final championship title, the Lithuanian played and defeated twice and defending continental champion Pia Cramling from Sweden, seeded 12th in Tbilisi.
"The most difficult game in Tbilisi I have played was the draw with Bela Khotenashvili (from hosts Georgia)," remembered the Lithuanian who described the eighth-round draw as very challenging.
Source: Xinhua
Polgar: Questions from parents and coaches
Posted: May 19, 2011 - 3:56pm
From georgiatoday.ge
Lithuanian Cmilyte wins women’s chess championship in Tbilisi
Georgian medal challenge diminishes in later rounds
Sports
Issue #562
20.05.11 - 26.05.11
Lithuanian Grand Master Viktorija Cmilyte held off a competitive field to win gold at the European Individual Women’s Championships in Tbilisi on May 18.
In 11 rounds of matches, Cmilyte won eight, drew two and lost only one as she went one better than the previous year in Rijeka, Croatia where she took silver.
Her only setback came at the hands of Bulgarian Antoaneta Stefanova in round 6 but the Lithuanian recovered, most notably with a crucial round 9 victory against reigning champion Pia Cramling of Sweden.
Success in her penultimate match against Georgian-Scot Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant meant that the tie she earned in round 11 against Russia’s Svetlana Matveeva was enough to secure the Championship and the 20 000 EUR prize money.
The Lithuanian won her first European medal at the 2003 Championships at the age of just 19 when she claimed silver in Istanbul.
The 27-year old now becomes only the 9th different winner of the Championships since its formation in 2000.
It was a former champion in fact who claimed silver this year as 2002 champion Stefanova of Bulgaria finished half a point behind Cmilyte.
The Bulgarian drew her final match against Armenia’s Elina Danielian which was enough for the latter to secure a bronze medal, her first European accolade.
Despite a promising start, the Tbilisi-held Championships were to yield no medals for the strong Georgian contingent.
Bela Khotenashvili was the top home performer as she finished in 5th place, a mere half point from a medal position.
The International Master faired well against the top three, drawing with Danielian and Cmilyte and defeating Stefanova in round 7.
However, her results in the last three rounds were to cost her a coveted place on the podium at the Sheraton Metechi Palace.
Defeat in round 9 against two-time champion Kateryna Lahno of Ukraine was followed by draws against Russia’s Tatiana Kosintseva and Slovenia’s Anna Muzychuk as the Georgian star had to settle for 5th.
Two places further back, finishing 7th, was fellow Georgian Lela Javakhishvili for whom a round 9 loss against Stefanova was to prove critical.
She bounced back to defeat Russia’s Evgenija Ovod before a draw in the final round with Nadezhda Kosintseva kept the Georgian International Master out of the medal running.
Having been seeded 18th before the tournament this was still a very fine performance from Javalishvili.
The only other Georgian inside the top ten was Arakhamia-Grant as the adopted Scotswoman took 9th place after a respectable showing back on her home ground.
A round 7 success against Jolanta Zawadzka of Poland was followed by successive victories against Armenia’s Lilit Galojan and Russia’s Alexandra Kosteniuk as the Georgian-Scot made a late charge for a medal.
However, defeat to eventual champion Cmilyte in round 10 was a fatal blow to Arakhamia-Grant’s medal aspirations.
Elsewhere among the Georgian competitors, Nino Khurtsidze finished 18th, while Sopiko Khukhashvili took 22nd and Keti Tsatsalashvili 24th.
There was disappointment for Georgia’s biggest pre-tournament hope, Nana Dzagnidze, as the Grand Master finished well down the field in 30th place despite being seeded at number 3.
Dzagnidze drew seven of her eleven matches with her only defeat coming against fellow Georgian Nazi Paikidze in round 7.
A final round success against the Czech Women’s Grand Master Katerina Nemcova was scant consolation for the deflated Georgian.
Perhaps the pressure of playing at home was too much. Whatever the reason, the decade-long drought of Georgian medals at the Championships will go on for at least another year.
By Alastair Watt
20.05.2011
Important Results (11th and final Round):
Girls: K. Kiruthika 6.5 lost to B.S. Samyuktha 10; Rakshitta Ravi 6.5 lost to M.K. Poornasri 9; M.S. Dharsana 6.5 lost to V. Rindhiya 9; P.M. Sri Varshini 6.5 lost to K. Rithikaa 9; S. Shreya 7 bt A. Abisuga 6; N. Harshita 6 lost to V.K. Vidula 7; S. Rajalakshmi 7 bt B. Rakshanaa 6; S. Meena 6.5 bt A.S.J. Aruntamil 6; Sruthika 5 lost to D. Dharani 6; R. Krishika Vaishu 5 lost to Shivani Madhu 6.
Final Standings:
1. B.S. Samyuktha, 2. K. Rithikaa, 3. V. Rindhiya, 4. M.K. Poornasri, 5. V.K. Vidula.
From People's Daily (China) - the English version
Cmilyte enjoys unusual year with newly-crowned European chess title
May 19, 2011
The year 2011 must be somewhat unusual for Viktorija Cmilyte, in which she has won the European Individual Women Chess Championship on Wednesday since 2003 and got three silver medals for finishing runner-up at the continental level in 2003, 2008 and last year.
But it was this year when the worldwide 15th-ranked Lithuanian has finally added the elusive European championship title to her collection of competitive trophies, especially from major competitions.
"Happy. I feel very happy," said the 28-year-old mother of two, who has every right to feel that way, because the continental title had shunned her for so long and for so many times when she had come so close to getting it.
"I missed three (European) championship tournaments," added the newly-crowned champion. "But I took part in all the others up till today."
Born in 1983 at Lithuania's fourth largest city of Siauliai, Cmilyte started playing chess at the age of six, tutored by her own father who remained her coach during her formative years.
She soon made her presence in the chessdom felt when she won the European Youth Champion for Girls (under the age of 10), the World Youth Champion for Girls (under 12), two national championship (including one which she had to brush aside four male contenders to win), the Corus Reserve Group tournament, two Chess Olympiad gold medals, and the World Women Rapidplay Champion.
Apart from playing chess, the tall Lithuanian also plays basketball and volleyball to make the most of her born height.
Thanks to her mental strength, swiftness and stamina, Cmilyte has, between 1996 and this year, posted a winning rate of almost 62 percent off the more than 380 competitive games she has entered.
In May this year, FIDE, the world governing body of the sport of chess, has ranked Cmilyte a worldwide 15th, behind the Russian sisters Nadezhda and Tatiana Kosintseva (4th and 5th respectively), Nana Dzagnidze of 2011 European championship hosts Georgia (6th), Anna Muzychuk of Slovenia (8th), Kateryna Lahno of Ukraine (9th), Alexandra Kosteniuk of Russia (10th), Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria (13th) and Elina Danielian of Armenia (14th).
At the Tbilisi championship, ninth-seeded Cmilyte met and beat top seed Nadezhda Kosintseva and seventh-seeded Elina Danielian but lost to eighth seed Antoaneta Stefanova. But en route to winning the final championship title, the Lithuanian played and defeated twice and defending continental champion Pia Cramling from Sweden, seeded 12th in Tbilisi.
"The most difficult game in Tbilisi I have played was the draw with Bela Khotenashvili (from hosts Georgia)," remembered the Lithuanian who described the eighth-round draw as very challenging.
Source: Xinhua
*****************************************************
Chessbase has a report (and photos of the ladies, of course), on the recently completed 2011 European Individual Women's Chess Championship (May 7 - 18, 2011 in Tbilisi, Georgia). The report covers events through Round 8 (the tournament was 11 rounds).*****************************************************
Chessbase also has a report on the 2nd Hainan Dangzhou (May 15 - 24, 2011) in which current Women's World Chess Champion GM Hou Yifan of China is going up against very strong male competition. So far, Hou is 1.5/3, starting out the tournament with a victory (with the white pieces) against comparatively rated GM Zhou Weiqi (at ELO 2610; Yifan's ELO is 2612).******************************************************
Lubbock Online has GM Susan Polgar's latest column:Polgar: Questions from parents and coaches
Posted: May 19, 2011 - 3:56pm
******************************************************
Another report on GM Viktorija Cimylte's victory at the European Individual Women's Chess Championshp:From georgiatoday.ge
Lithuanian Cmilyte wins women’s chess championship in Tbilisi
Georgian medal challenge diminishes in later rounds
Sports
Issue #562
20.05.11 - 26.05.11
Lithuanian Grand Master Viktorija Cmilyte held off a competitive field to win gold at the European Individual Women’s Championships in Tbilisi on May 18.
In 11 rounds of matches, Cmilyte won eight, drew two and lost only one as she went one better than the previous year in Rijeka, Croatia where she took silver.
Her only setback came at the hands of Bulgarian Antoaneta Stefanova in round 6 but the Lithuanian recovered, most notably with a crucial round 9 victory against reigning champion Pia Cramling of Sweden.
Success in her penultimate match against Georgian-Scot Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant meant that the tie she earned in round 11 against Russia’s Svetlana Matveeva was enough to secure the Championship and the 20 000 EUR prize money.
The Lithuanian won her first European medal at the 2003 Championships at the age of just 19 when she claimed silver in Istanbul.
The 27-year old now becomes only the 9th different winner of the Championships since its formation in 2000.
It was a former champion in fact who claimed silver this year as 2002 champion Stefanova of Bulgaria finished half a point behind Cmilyte.
The Bulgarian drew her final match against Armenia’s Elina Danielian which was enough for the latter to secure a bronze medal, her first European accolade.
Despite a promising start, the Tbilisi-held Championships were to yield no medals for the strong Georgian contingent.
Bela Khotenashvili was the top home performer as she finished in 5th place, a mere half point from a medal position.
The International Master faired well against the top three, drawing with Danielian and Cmilyte and defeating Stefanova in round 7.
However, her results in the last three rounds were to cost her a coveted place on the podium at the Sheraton Metechi Palace.
Defeat in round 9 against two-time champion Kateryna Lahno of Ukraine was followed by draws against Russia’s Tatiana Kosintseva and Slovenia’s Anna Muzychuk as the Georgian star had to settle for 5th.
Two places further back, finishing 7th, was fellow Georgian Lela Javakhishvili for whom a round 9 loss against Stefanova was to prove critical.
She bounced back to defeat Russia’s Evgenija Ovod before a draw in the final round with Nadezhda Kosintseva kept the Georgian International Master out of the medal running.
Having been seeded 18th before the tournament this was still a very fine performance from Javalishvili.
The only other Georgian inside the top ten was Arakhamia-Grant as the adopted Scotswoman took 9th place after a respectable showing back on her home ground.
A round 7 success against Jolanta Zawadzka of Poland was followed by successive victories against Armenia’s Lilit Galojan and Russia’s Alexandra Kosteniuk as the Georgian-Scot made a late charge for a medal.
However, defeat to eventual champion Cmilyte in round 10 was a fatal blow to Arakhamia-Grant’s medal aspirations.
Elsewhere among the Georgian competitors, Nino Khurtsidze finished 18th, while Sopiko Khukhashvili took 22nd and Keti Tsatsalashvili 24th.
There was disappointment for Georgia’s biggest pre-tournament hope, Nana Dzagnidze, as the Grand Master finished well down the field in 30th place despite being seeded at number 3.
Dzagnidze drew seven of her eleven matches with her only defeat coming against fellow Georgian Nazi Paikidze in round 7.
A final round success against the Czech Women’s Grand Master Katerina Nemcova was scant consolation for the deflated Georgian.
Perhaps the pressure of playing at home was too much. Whatever the reason, the decade-long drought of Georgian medals at the Championships will go on for at least another year.
By Alastair Watt
20.05.2011
*******************************************************
The Hindu (Tiruchi, May 20, 2011) reported that B.S. Samyuktha (10 points)won girls' title after the 11th and final round of the State under-7 chess championship! Important Results (11th and final Round):
Girls: K. Kiruthika 6.5 lost to B.S. Samyuktha 10; Rakshitta Ravi 6.5 lost to M.K. Poornasri 9; M.S. Dharsana 6.5 lost to V. Rindhiya 9; P.M. Sri Varshini 6.5 lost to K. Rithikaa 9; S. Shreya 7 bt A. Abisuga 6; N. Harshita 6 lost to V.K. Vidula 7; S. Rajalakshmi 7 bt B. Rakshanaa 6; S. Meena 6.5 bt A.S.J. Aruntamil 6; Sruthika 5 lost to D. Dharani 6; R. Krishika Vaishu 5 lost to Shivani Madhu 6.
Final Standings:
1. B.S. Samyuktha, 2. K. Rithikaa, 3. V. Rindhiya, 4. M.K. Poornasri, 5. V.K. Vidula.
