Week in Review: Recent Chess News

Whew - what a busy and tiring day. September here was gorgeous, but Mother Nature flipped a switch the first week in October and it's been unrelentingly rainy, windy, cold, miserably cloudy, dark dark dark and dank! More of the same was forecast for yesterday with some relief (partly cloudy but still cool/cold) forecast for today. Yesterday when I woke up, I expected it to be raining. It wasn't! It was still very windy, and cool/cold, but it was dry, and about 1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. the clouds blew out unexpectedly and the sun appeared! It was still too windy and wet to consider doing serious yard work. But today dawned dry again (no rain overnight as was forecast), much less windy, and when the sun chased away some early morning clouds by 9:30 it felt like a heat wave out there! LOL! It was great! Early on I had on my heavy duty Badger Alloys sweatshirt (inherited from brother-in-law Fred) and was out back well before 9 a.m. picking up and breaking down major branches that were scattered all over the grass for the past several weeks of intermittent strong winds. I got the biggest ones out of the way, but I won't kid you - there were lots of smaller ones left behind. I should have raked, but once the sun came out I was itching to get the lawnmower out and cut the front lawn. I waited until the respectable hour of 9:30 a.m. Grass out front got cut; I raked some leaves, did some pruning, cleaned the leaves off the driveway; then my buddy Ann and I went to Menards where I picked up some needed supplies to repair my cedar picket fence. We lunched at Olive Garden, took a leisurely ride in the country to enjoy the day and the autumn colors which were showing in all of their glory in the clear (not watery) sunlight. The sky was so blue today! When I got home I turned on the radio and listened to the tail-end of the Packers/Cleveland Browns game (Packers won 31-3), then I fired up the lawnmower again and tackled the back yard, which has not been cut for 3 weeks. An hour later it was done, and I sure need a shower, peeeuuuhhh! But first I pulled out one of the lawn chairs I had put away earlier this morning and sat out on the deck for awhile listeing to post-game analysis, just enjoying the sun and relatively balmy temperatures. Now the sun has set and it's cooled off quite a bit, but thanks to the sunlight pouring in today, the house heated up (with no help from the furnace, which I shut off this morning) to about 70 degrees. My crazy next store neighbors are now out (in the almost dark) cutting their lawn - well, at least they're doing it, their lawn was looking shaggy! Here are various links to news events during the past week - I'm just too tired this evening to put them up at Chess Femme News. There should be enough here to fill your reading schedule for a couple of days! On USWCC Boston herald http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/other_sports/general/view/20091014anna_zatonskih_wins_us_womens_chess_championship/srvc=home&position=recent Story in Iryna Zenyuk http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09288/1005637-53.stm The abolish women titles bullshit article from the WST http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09288/1005637-53.stm And commentary on it at Chessbase http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5834 On Zatonskih clinching title at the Gambit blog http://gambit.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/12/zatonskih-is-us-womens-champion-again/ News brief on Iryna Zenyuk finishing 8th (I'm sure she was VERY disappointed with her performance) http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/yb/136431286 Coverage in the Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-16932-Chess-Examiner~y2009m10d13-2009-US-Womens-Chess-Championship-has-a-winner-with-a-round-to-go Chessbase article on USWCC http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5833 Article on Nana Alexandra http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5827 Arne at Chessvibes on abolishing women's titles http://www.chessvibes.com/columns/abolishing-women%e2%80%99s-titles-a-different-perspective/ Report on USWCC by Peter Doggers at Chessvibes http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/zatonskih-clinches-2nd-consecutive-u-s-womens-championship-title/ Zatonskih's performance rating: 2817. Don't think I've reported on Nanjing - this report from Chessvibes too http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/xu-yuhua-wins-nanjing-gp-tournament/ European Club Cup -here is the official site with link to chess-results http://www.ecc2009.com/eng.htm Jen Shahade's reaction to the WST bullshit article about abolishing women's titles http://main.uschess.org/content/view/9786/343/ And commentary from the always-entertaining Elizabeth Vicary chess blog http://lizzyknowsall.blogspot.com/2009/10/wsj-article-about-womens-titles.html http://www.chessvibes.com/columns/valencia-lectures-part-2-the-amazing-story-of-the-lost-chess-book/ Modern chess invented in Valencia lecture part 2 Tania Sachdev http://lifestyle.in.msn.com/fashion/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3309562 Is this the same cause? One of the same people is involved - Tania is going to be a model in a fashion show to show "solidarity" with a convicted rapist? Oh my. http://www.merinews.com/article/anand-jons-sister-organises-a-solidarity-fashion-show/15786672.shtml Movie about a woman learning how to play chess and how to cheat on her husband http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/movies/news/story/1294359.html Article on Armenian Women's Team at the World Team CC http://www.aysor.am/en/news/2009/10/23/sport2/

News, Chess News and 2008 Chess Olympiad

Hola! dondelion has published a new edition of Random Round-up. This week's focus is China. At Goddesschess, RR is in the right-hand column, below Axis Mundae. This isn't chess news - but it's great stuff! 2008 Chess Olympiad: Round 10 Action reviewed at Chessvibes.com. At Chess FM, a video interview with GM Veselin Topolov. US keeps chess medal hopes alive in Chess Olympiad, an AP report from November 23, 2008 on the US Teams' Round 10 action. Tanraj Sohal Wins BC Junior Chess Championship 24 Nov 2008 by editor SURREY – Chess champ Tanraj Sohal, a Grade 7 student from Surrey, has done it again. The chess wizard has won the 2008 BC Junior Chess Championship held in New Westminster on November 8-9, 2008. He is the youngest BC Junior Chess Champion ever to win this trophy. This championship is open to all the BC junior chess players under the age of 20. The remarkable and gifted Tanraj just celebrated his twelfth birthday in October and is still in his last year at elementary school. Tanraj recently returned from a successful trip in Vietnam where he represented Team Canada at the World Youth Chess Championship (WYCC) held at Vung Tau Resort, near Hi Chi Minh City from October 19-31, 2008. His dad, Dr. Parmjit Sohal, was the Head of Team Canada Delegations which represented 24 players from all across Canada at WYCC in Vietnam. Just to keep things in perspective about the 2008 Chess Olympiad, where we focus on our favorite teams, of course, but mainly the top teams garner the bulk of publicity, an article about the Women's and Open Teams from Kyrgyzstan: Kyrgyz female chess team wins twice on World Chess Olympiad 24/11-2008 08:52, Bishkek – News Agency “24.kg”, By Ksenia TOLKANEVA Kyrgyz combined girls’ chess team won twice in the framework of the ninth and tenth regular tours of the World Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany, Kyrgyz Chess Federation reported to the news agency “24.kg”. Kyrgyz girls’ team defeated Norway 3:1. The victorious points were brought by Greta Lim and Irina Ostriy. Chyngyz kizi Ayjarkyn and Janyl Tilenbaev were tied. On November 23 our girls’ team met with Columbian chess players. In the result Kyrgyzstan has 2.5 points against the Columbian 1.5. However, they could not withstand to Croatia team. Only Irina Ostriy managed to make a draw, others failed- 0.5:3.5. Kyrgyz chess players will meet Israel rivals in the framework of the eleventh round. Kyrgyz men’s combined team met with Singapore rivals and defeated them, scoring 3:1. Bolot Takyrbashev and Tologon tegin Semetey finished their games with victory. Nurdin Samakov and Sadam Davletbakov were tied with Singapore chess players, gaining 0.5 points for the Kyrgyz team. Besides that, our athletes met with Uzbek chess players. The latter considered as one of the strongest ones. Only Tologon tegin Semetey managed to tie with Aleksey Barsov, 0.5:3.5. Tomorrow, November 25, Kyrgyz men’s team will play against the United Arab Emirates. Susan Polgar's column: Chess champ gives update from World Chess Olympiad in Germany Lubbock Avalanche-Journal Sunday, November 23, 2008 Story last updated at 11/23/2008 - 3:08 am

Chess News

Hola! L'echecs des Femmes November 1st column is now up and running at Chessville. dondelion has posted a brand new Random Round-up (right hand column, scroll down to RR) at Goddesschess, and I've done some updating of October and November news at Chess Femme News. Enjoy! The 2008 Olympiad opens tomorrow in Dresden with play starting 11/13. GM Susan Polgar is acting as a sort of ambassador at large and the English-language news liason with the press and I understand she'll be publishing a daily review in Dresden's largest newspaper and also doing a daily television spot (this is per the Parrot at Chessville).

This and That

The October edition of JanXena's Les Echecs des Femmes is up and running at Chessville. Be one of the dozen people who read it every month :) At Goddesschess, dondelion has done a new Random Round-up - a very interesting one this week on headgear and horns and the Persian Goddess Anahita - modern Iranians still celebrate a holiday in her honor. Check RR out in the right-hand column under Axis Mundae.

Chess News Update

I spent the weekend putting together the June Chessville column and it's up and running, hooray!

Supporting Local Chess: Some Announcements

Hola darlings! I have a vacation day today - a three day weekend stretches before me like the Promised Land, ahhhhh.... I have lots to do around this house. I am seriously thinking about hiring a cleaning service. I have hired a landscape contractor to come in and tame the wilderness that is my back yard, now even more overgrown than usual due to the record rains we had this month. Today I must cut the grass, vacuum, visit the supermarket and do some laundry. Yech. Normally I don't mind yard work, but with the record rainfall came a record crop of mosquitoes, and they are all thirsting for my blood. They bite even through the strongest insect repellant - and the way I sweat in this heat and humidity the stuff runs off of me in rivulets anyway, leaving me unprotected. Oh, I forgot, I'm not supposed to mention that I sweat - har :) A retirement to Las Vegas (despite the lack of potable water issues) is looking more and more appealing all the time... By choice, I spend so much time doing Goddesschess-related things (including this blog) that the normal things in life (such as housework and grocery shopping and sleeping) fall by the wayside. But - what the heck. Once the trees have been trimmed and the weeds whacked out of the flower beds and everything properly edged and half a ton of mulch laid down, things will begin to look semi-civilized around here, and my economic stimulus check will pay for it all... I'm also seriously considering buying one of those large screened tents and affixing it so that I can once again sit on my deck without a spray can of RAID in hand. So, as I'm girding myself and building up the resolution to go outdoors and face the swarming hungry hordes of skeeters, I'm checking out the chess news.

LOCAL CHESS LOCAL CHESS LOCAL CHESS LOCAL CHESS

• Susan Polgar blogged on June 26th about giving a plug for your local chess club and (thus far) 15 people have posted about their chess clubs. Robin posted about the Hales Corners, Wisconsin Southwest Chess Club.
• The SWCC has a convenient email service that announces upcoming events. Casual chess was hosted last night at the Barnes & Noble bookstore not too far from where I live - I can actually get to it from here using public transportation and footpower (I don't own an automobile and never learned to drive - talk about being an ANTIQUE!) I've yet to meet any of the folks from the SWCC and would love to do so - and there's a perfect opportunity coming up September 4th when Barnes & Noble will once again be the site of an evening of SWCC chess. If you see a gorgeous slightly-overweight woman of a "certain age" with dark chin length hair (I had my Xena length tresses chopped off for the summer) in sunglasses - that's me.

I love libraries. For some strange reason - strange since none in my family were great readers - I developed a love of reading as a wee child and as far back as I can remember, made heavy use of the local book mobiles that used to regularly visit the neighborhoods when I was a kid; later, when I was old enough to venture out several blocks away from home, I walked to neighborhood branch libraries (all of which, sadly, were closed over the years due to budgetary constraints and the often wonderful buildings with rotundas and corinthian columns were sold off, one by one) to spend blissful hours in the card catalogs and the stacks. This was when I first developed a taste for science fiction, historical romances and tomes on ancient history!

Those local library branches that have survived to this day are the situs of much chess activity, which is logical given that the distinctive smell of books and the generally quite atmosphere is conducive to concentration and thought, two hallmarks of chess. Here are some announcements of local chess activities centered in libraries:

• The Batavia Library in Batavia, Illinois is hosting a summer series of chess events as part of a reading promotion program, a great idea and sounds like a lot of fun: "Chess Knights" will be offered from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Aug. 5 at the library, 10 S. Batavia Ave. Participants may attend as many game nights as they'd like. Tables will be set up in different areas on the library's lower level, including the outdoor Reading Garden, weather permitting. Players are welcome to bring a friend or relative, or they may come alone. Library staff will make sure everyone who wants to play has an opponent. Participants may bring their own chess set, or use one provided by the library. The program is free and registration is not required. "After July 4, the library will host a chess tournament with prizes. Tournament play is optional," Zillman said. Tournament information will be available at the end of June. For details, call (630) 879-4775.
• The Burlinginton, Massachusetts Public Library is also featuring Chess Basics for children and teens begins Monday, June 23, 7 to 8:45 p.m. Burlington High School graduate, Peter Hovey, teaches chess. Registration encouraged but drop-ins welcome. Also, July 7 and 21, and Aug. 4. This program is sponsored by The Friends of the Burlington Public Library and is free and open to the public.
• From Berkeley, California - aaaahhhhh, Berkeley, Goddess bless you! An announcement in the Berkeley Daily Planet: The Berkeley Chess Club meets every Sun. at 7 p.m. at the Hillside School, 1581 Le Roy Ave. 843-0150.
• From Tuscon, Arizona, an announcement at AZstarnet.com (Community Calendar): Chess Club — Oro Valley Public Library, 1305 W. Naranja Drive. For adults and serious youth players. 1-5 p.m. Fridays except July 4. Free. 229-5300.

Chess News

Chess Femme News has been updated, June 22, 2008. Enjoy!

Chess News Update, This and That, Etc.

• Susan Polgar's latest column has been published at the online version of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (June 15, 2008)
• I updated Chess Femme News last night. I'm terribly behind the times and just started putting together the June, 2008 news! I blame press of other business (such as unrelenting rain from Mother Nature) and exhaustion from covering the recently-concluded U.S. Chess Championships. I added information about the post-Armageddon events following the awarding of the women's champion title to WGM Anna Zatonskih at the 2008 Frank K. Berry U.S. Women's Chess Championship.
• Speaking of Anna Zatonskih, if I didn't post about this earlier, Tom Braunlich (one of the organizers of the 2008 U.S. Chess Championships) did an interview with AZ that has been published at Chess Life Online because he did not want to wait for the print version (good for him and great for us!) Overall impression: highly favorable. She is one classly lady.
• dondelion has updated Random Round-Up at Goddesschess for the week of June 15th! You'll find it posted just below "Access Mundae" on the right-hand side of the page (scroll down a bit). As always, Mr. Don has done a fantastic job of putting together bits and pieces of archaeology and whatever-ology to present a beautiful work of art!

Local Chess News: Waukesha, Wisconsin

Young chess players are not rook-ies Game of wits popular with local children, parents By KATHERINE MICHALETS - GM Today Staff June 7, 2008 WAUKESHA - Before the chess tournament pitting children against adults began Wednesday night, Roshan Wijetunge, 10, was not practicing his moves on a chess board, but playing with the other youngest members of the Waukesha Chess Club in the parking lot of the Eagles Club. “It’s fun and it’s challenging playing in long games,” said Wijetunge, of Wauwatosa. “When you’re playing different kids, you can make different friends.” Jim Nickell, president of the Waukesha Chess Club, said he is happy for the “influx” of children in the club. “We’re glad to see these youngsters because this is the future of the club,” he said as he processed paperwork for Wednesday’s tournament, which will last several weeks. “It helps us and it helps them.” Wijetunge learned how to play chess three years ago from his parents, and he said the game has helped him in school. “I connect more things in school to chess, like math,” Wijetunge said. The full story is available at The Freeman online, but I don't have a subscription (not free).

Chess News

My June column is up and running at Chessville. This month there's also a separate report on the Frank K. Berry U.S. Women's Chess Championship. Enjoy!

Chess News Update

Hola darlings! I'm just about to go out and tackle the dreaded mess in the back yard. I've updated Chess Femme News, May 24, 2008. I've begun work on my June Chessville column, as the end of the month is coming up fast and the editor will be knocking on my email door soon politely asking where it's at! But first - to the raking!

Chess News Update

Chess Femme News has been updated, May 14, 2008! SUCH news, darlings, be sure to catch up on what's been going on at the 2008 Frank K. Berry U.S. Women's Chess Championship - news from GM Susan Polgar, too! The Susan Polgar Foundation has contributed $150 to the Fighting Chess Award prize fund to make a total of $500, to be awarded to the winner of the Goddesschess Fighting Chess Award at the U.S. Women's Chess Championships. There's more - Suffice to say thank you doesn't begin to say it to GM Susan Polgar - but in order to make sense of this post you've got to read the Chess Femme News.

Chess News Update

Chess Femme News has been updated, May 2, 2008, to reflect the final standings of the 2008 European Individual Chess Championships, and more. Enjoy!

Chess News Update

Chess Femme News has been updated, April 23, 2008. Scroll down for latest news (and be sure to hit your refresh button).

Chess News Update

Chess Femme News has been updated, April 22, 2008 (scroll down for latest news).

Chess News Update

Chess Femme News has been updated, April 21, 2008.

Chess News Update

Chess Femme News has been updated, April 20, 2008! A special note of congratulations to GM Susan Polgar for her official appointment as Ambassador for the 2008 Dresden Chess Olympiad. Ms. Polgar will also be in charge of international media for the Olympaid. Paul Truong has been named official photographer of the Olympiad. More information at the Susan Polgar blog.

Chess News Update

Chess Femme News has been updated, April 19, 2008.

Chess News Update

Chess Femme News has been updated, April 16, 2008!

Chess News Update

Chess Femme News has been updated, April 14, 2008!