Lithuanian PM thanks chess-player Cmilyte for impressive victory

From baltic-course.com
BC, Vilnius, 09.06.2011

On Wednesday, Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius has welcomed and thanked European women chess champion Viktorija Cmilyte (27) and her father and coach Viktoras Cmilis. Prime minister once again thanked the champion for "a good news to Lithuania, having secured an impressive victory in the intellectual sports", writes LETA/ELTA.

Cmilyte has been awarded with a 20,000 litas (5,701 euros) monetary award and Prime Minister's brand name watch. Klemensas Rimselis, Director General at the Department of Physical Education and Sports has awarded the grandmaster with a Sporting Achievement Medal.

Cmilyte sincerely thank PM for exceptional attention paid to the chess sport and her victory. Chess sport situation in Lithuania was also discussed during the meeting with the prime minister, the participants of the meeting exchanged opinion on wider chess training opportunities in secondary schools of Lithuania. Kubilius wished the champion all the very best of luck in upcoming matches. As reported, the Government decided on the reward a week ago, stressing that the 27-year-old chess player significantly contributed to the promotion of the name of Lithuania. Her victory was the first of such an importance throughout Lithuania's history of chess tournaments, the Cabinet said.

Cmilyte won the title of the European chess champion in the 12th European Women Chess Championship held in Tbilisi, Georgia, on May 7-18.

According to the Government's resolution adopted 10 years ago, the chess player would have received a reward of 4,000 litas (1,140 euros) for the victory in Tbilisi. As rewards were halved due to the economic recession, Cmilyte would have been awarded with just 2,000 litas (570 euros).

[One of my favorite facts about Cmilyte is that she was the first and, so far, only female chessplayer to ever win the Lithuanian men's chess championship - and she did it twice!  She was 16 when she won her first title (2000) and won it again in 2005.]

More about Cmilyte. 

Video interview after winning 2011 European Women's title (at Susan Polgar's chess blog)

Chess games. 

Chess Femme News!

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

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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).

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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).

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Lubbock Online has GM Susan Polgar's latest column:

Polgar: Questions from parents and coaches
Posted: May 19, 2011 - 3:56pm

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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

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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.

2011 European Individual Women's Chess Championship

CMILYTE wins! 

Here are the top 10:

Rk.			Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	n	w	we	w-we	K	rtg+/-
1		GM	Cmilyte Viktorija	LTU	2504	9.0	2692	64.5	78.0	11	9	6.57	2.43	10	24.3
2		GM	Stefanova Antoaneta	BUL	2506	8.5	2637	64.5	79.5	11	8.5	6.66	1.84	10	18.4
3		GM	Danielian Elina	ARM	2506	8.0	2629	64.5	79.5	11	8	6.25	1.75	10	17.5
4		IM	Matveeva Svetlana	RUS	2380	8.0	2413	48.5	60.5	11	8	7.17	0.83	10	8.3
5		IM	Khotenashvili Bela	GEO	2470	7.5	2580	66.0	79.5	11	7.5	5.81	1.69	10	16.9
6		GM	Lahno Kateryna	UKR	2530	7.5	2565	63.5	76.5	11	7.5	6.92	0.58	10	5.8
7		IM	Javakhishvili Lela	GEO	2454	7.5	2553	60.5	74.5	11	7.5	5.98	1.52	10	15.2
8		GM	Kosintseva Tatiana	RUS	2559	7.5	2539	60.0	73.0	11	7.5	7.69	-0.19	10	-1.9
9		GM	Arakhamia-Grant Ketevan	SCO	2462	7.5	2535	56.0	70.0	11	7.5	6.36	1.14	10	11.4
10		IM	Muzychuk Anna	SLO	2537	7.5	2533	63.0	76.5	11	7.5	7.46	0.04	10	0.4

An interesting championship.  The "old guard" (not necessarily old age-wise) held down the top 10 - experience counted plenty in 2011 over the rising stars; there were some outlyers, of course, but for the most part it seems that the rising stars could not quite cut it when crunch time came.

You can find the full standings here. 

Cmilyte Closes In On Title

From xinhuanet.com

Lithuanian closes her grip on European women chess championship title
English.news.cn 2011-05-17 10:39:23

TBILISI, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Three-time European runner-up Viktorija Cmilyte on Monday moved a step closer toward the highest of the medal podium at the 2011 European Individual Women Chess Championship by winning one more of her games.

The ninth-seeded Lithuanian beat twice and defending champion from Sweden, Pia Cramling, to claim the full point for 7.5 points out of nine games so far.

On Tuesday Cmilyte plays black with Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant, a Georgian who is now playing for her husband's federation of Scotland. A tie would secure the Lithuanian another silver medal while a win would almost guarantee her a gold medal for the first time in her appearances at the annual event.

Cmilyte took the silver medal at the European Individual Women Chess Championship in 2003, 2008 and last year.

After Monday's games, other gold medal hopefuls in Tbilisi included twice European titlist Kateryna Lahno of Ukraine (in 2005 and 2008), 2002 European champion Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria and Ketevan who each has seven points from nine games.

Championship hosts Georgia can now pin its medal hopes only on 11th-seeded Bela Khotenashvili who shared the third medal-chasing echelon along with Armenia's Elina Danielian and the Russian sisters Nadezhda and Tatiana Kosintseva, all with 6.5 points from nine games, or rather a full point behind the sole leader Cmilyte.

A total of 130 players from 26 European nations and federations have been competing in the ongoing European championship which started on May 7 in the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi. The annual event first inaugurated in 2000 in Batumi, another city in Georgia.

Editor: Yang Lina

Koneru Humpy Gets Kudos for Her Play in Czech Coal Chess Match

From The Times of India:
Humpy hand in Snowdrops victory
Hari Hara Nandanan, TNN, Nov 30, 2010, 01.56am IST

GM Koneru Humpy, 2009
file photo

CHENNAI: The Czech Coal Chess Match held last week was appropriately named Snowdrops (ladies) vs Oldhands. The chess legends of the 20th century vs the rising generation of female players.

You may call it a rematch because the same event was held last year too in Czech Republic around the same time when the snow was falling. India's Koneru Humpy, the strongest lady in the chess world after Judit Polgar, led the Snowdrops to a creditable 18-14 victory over the veterans.

Humpy was the top scorer with six points from the eight games she played (two each with reversed colours against the four opponents) but effectively it was a match of eight rounds in all- play-all system, each round consisting of four games.

Snowhands had a terrific start winning the first round by 3-1, but the veterans drew level with a same score in the next round. The ladies virtually had the match sealed in the next two rounds with resounding wins (3.5-0.5 and 2.5-1.5) taking a four-point lead.

Oldhands consisted of Lajos Portisch, one of the world's best chess players during the 1960s and 1970s, Vlastimil Hort, one of the best Czech players of all time, Dragoljub Velimirovic, champion of Yugoslavia in 1970, 1975 and 1997, known for his combinations and Wolfgang Uhlmann, the best player of former East Germany. Humpy, Lithuanian Grandmaster Viktoria Cmilyte, Philippines-born Australian chess player Arianne Caoli and the Czech Tereza Olsarova formed the Snowdrops quartet.

Humpy's only loss was to Vlastmil Hort in the penultimate round when she played attacking chess and went for a win. The Indian, who will be playing in the Women's World Championship at Hatay ( Turkey) in the first week of December, had satisfying wins over Portisch and Uhlmann in the first half of the tournament.

"Old masters play more practical chess rather than following move-to-move analysis. They try to create problems to the opponent over the board sometimes even by giving away material. I observed that if they get inferior positions they show a lot of determination to find counter-play," noted Humpy about her rivals after the match.

Humpy had good support from Viktoria Cmilyte, who scored 5.5 points. Hort was the top scorer for Oldhands with five points.

BNbank Blitz 2009

An extragavanza put on to showcase Carlsen. BNbank Blitz GpA Oslo (NOR), 28 xi 2009 cat. IX (2453) 1. Carlsen, Magnus g NOR 2801 5½/6 2737 2. Cmilyte, Viktorija m LTU 2480 4 2568 3. Socko, Monika g POL 2457 2 2326 4. Hansen, Pal Andreas NOR 2072 ½ 2178 A nice performance by Cmilyte, who is now playing in the First ACP Women's Rapid Cup in Konya, Turkey.

Politiken Cup

This is the most entertaining introduction to a tournament I've ever read! What will happen to the frantic Chess Queen? Eek! There once was a queen who would do anything to fight for her king. Her powers on the battlefield were almost unlimited. She could move in any direction and get where she wanted to go in an instant. She had a small army also willing to die for their king. Eight farmers who could move only forward and not retreat, but who were good at staking out territory. Two knights on horses who jumped at a slight angle. Two elephants who moved with alarming quickness in diagonal lines across the battlefield (she started calling them ‘bishops’ after her conversion to Christianity). And two chariots (which she called ‘rooks’ from her knowledge of Persian). Her only problem was that the enemy had a queen with exactly the same powers and the same kind of ferocious army. She knew she’d have to rely on strategy rather than brute force, and that she’d have to hold back and let her henchmen spill some blood before she came along to clean up. First she sent out some farmers to establish control of the center of the battlefield. Then she sent out the knights to protect the farmers. She quickly built a human shield of three farmers and a chariot for her king to hide behind. Things were going well until the enemy elephants cut down her knights and her farmers were left exposed. The enemy farmers cut hers down like butter. ‘Useless fools!’ she screamed. She had to dash out to the rescue much earlier than she wanted. She killed the elephants and took down a knight but left herself completely exposed to enemy attack. She knew the kingdom depended on her, and for the first time in her life she felt all alone. To find out how this story ends. . . The Copenhagen Chess Festival 2009 including Politiken Cup 2009 and Nordisk Championship begins July 18, 2009 and ends July 26, 2009. Official website (English). Thanks much to Brendan Cooney for writing such a cool intro to this popular event. Traditionally, several top-rated chess femmes participate in the Politiken Cup! This year's enrollees include (this is not a full list of chess femmes): GM Marie Sebag (FRA 2531) WGM Viktorija Cmilyte (Lithuania) 2470 (Photo above) WIM Svetlana Agrest (country???) 2260 Eva Jiretorn (country???) 2150 Sebag and Cmilyte will have their work cut out for them, as the top GMs include a player over 2700 and many in the high-2600s.