2009 European Women's Team Chess Championship

Standings after R6: Rk. SNo Team Games + = - TB1 TB2 TB3 1 1 Russia RUS 6 5 0 1 10 16,5 76,5 2 2 Georgia GEO 6 4 2 0 10 15,5 85,0 3 20 Azerbaijan AZE 6 3 3 0 9 15,5 80,5 4 13 Romania ROU 6 3 2 1 8 14,5 76,5 5 6 France FRA 6 3 2 1 8 14,5 75,0 6 5 Armenia ARM 6 3 2 1 8 14,0 87,0 7 16 Czech Republic CZE 6 3 2 1 8 14,0 80,0 8 3 Ukraine UKR 6 3 2 1 8 13,5 87,5 9 17 Israel ISR 6 4 0 2 8 12,5 77,0 10 12 Slovenia SLO 6 3 1 2 7 15,0 67,0 11 14 Greece GRE 6 2 3 1 7 14,0 70,0 12 10 Hungary HUN 6 3 1 2 7 13,5 75,5 13 15 Spain ESP 6 3 1 2 7 12,0 74,5 14 4 Poland POL 6 3 0 3 6 15,0 75,0 15 18 Croatia CRO 6 3 0 3 6 11,5 68,0 16 8 Bulgaria BUL 6 3 0 3 6 10,5 72,5 17 11 Netherlands NED 6 2 1 3 5 13,0 62,5 18 7 Germany GER 6 2 1 3 5 11,5 81,0 19 9 Serbia SRB 6 2 1 3 5 10,0 78,5 20 21 Austria AUT 6 2 1 3 5 10,0 61,0 21 19 Italy ITA 6 2 0 4 4 11,5 68,5 22 22 England ENG 6 1 2 3 4 11,5 60,0 23 23 Montenegro MNE 6 1 2 3 4 10,0 62,0 24 25 Former Yug Rep of Macedonia MKD 6 1 2 3 4 9,0 56,5 25 28 Turkey TUR 6 1 1 4 3 6,0 70,0 26 24 Bosnia & Herzegovina BIH 6 1 0 5 2 7,5 58,5 27 26 Finland FIN 6 0 2 4 2 7,0 69,0 28 27 Norway NOR 6 0 2 4 2 7,0 61,0 Top 10 Women by PR after R6: No. Name Rtg Team Rp Pts. Games % Bo. 1 WGM Mamedjarova Zeinab 2285 Azerbaijan 2822 4,5 5 90,0 1 2 WGM Majdan Joanna 2361 Poland 2658 4,5 5 90,0 4 3 IM Javakhishvili Lela 2472 Georgia 2632 4,0 5 80,0 1 4 IM Milliet Sophie 2407 France 2616 4,0 5 80,0 2 5 IM Kosintseva Nadezhda 2493 Russia 2602 5,0 6 83,3 2 6 GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2516 Russia 2600 3,5 5 70,0 1 7 GM Lahno Kateryna 2483 Ukraine 2581 4,0 6 66,7 1 8 IM Khukhashvili Sopiko 2451 Georgia 2579 3,0 4 75,0 2 9 IM Jackova Jana 2393 Czech Republic 2572 4,0 6 66,7 1 10 IM Mkrtchian Lilit 2469 Armenia 2560 4,5 6 75,0 2

Festival of the Nine Gods (Sons of Dou Mu)

Taoists celebrate the nine sons of the Dou Mu, Goddess of the North Star. From the Malaysian Star Online Tuesday October 27, 2009 Thousands pay homage to Nine Emperor Gods By ANDREA FILMER GEORGE TOWN: After nine days on earth, the Nine Emperor Gods were ushered back to the waterways in a grand ceremonial send-off to heaven. Thousands of Taoist devotees flocked to temples in Penang last night to pay homage to the deities at the end of the annual nine-day vegetarian festival. The festival, which began on Oct 18 or the first day of the ninth lunar month, is held to honour the nine sons of Dou Mu, the Goddess of the North Star. In this old historic city, several of the normally quiet streets were brought to life by the clashing of cymbals and lively chatter. Residents in the inner city were seen coming out of their pre-war shophouses or watching processions from the windows of their upper floors. At the Tow Boh Keong Kew Ong Tai Tay temple on Macallum Street, devotees dressed in white ushered majestic floats and sedan chairs upon which the deities “rested’” onto the streets. Mediums with long whips fell into trances and had their cheeks pierced with 5m-long metal skewers before leading devotees to the Weld Quay seafront. At the waterways (believed to be the place where deities arrive and depart) on both Weld Quay and Gurney Drive, devotees from temples all over the island gathered to send off the nine “ren huang” or human sovereigns in boat-shaped floats. When brought out far enough, the floats were set ablaze to symbolise the departing of the deities to heaven. More information on the Goddess Dou Mu: **Dou-mu (at Encyclopedia Mythica) by Micha F. Lindemans The Chinese goddess who supervises the register in which the life and death of each person is recorded. She is venerated by those who wish a long life and personal compassion. Her name means "Mother of the Great Wagon". Dou-mu is portrayed sitting on a lotus throne and has four heads, with three eyes in each, and eight arms -- four on each side of her body. In Taoist temples a hall is often dedicated to her. She is also venerated by Chinese Buddhists.

**Dou Mu (also Tou Mu and sometimes Tau Mu, depending upon country and pronunciation) is known by many different names, all centered on the constellation that we in the West call "The Big Dipper" (Ursa Major). She is the mother of the Seven Stars in that constellation. **In some representations, Dou Mu has nine pairs of arms [?] -- one for each of her children and the remainder for Violet Tenuity and Celestial August, two important stars in the central northern sky. (See star chart representation above and cf. to the Chinese water compass). The Dipper Mother sits on a lotus throne with two of her many hands clasped in prayer. [One PAIR for each of her seven children plus the two other "important stars."] More information can be found in posts done at the China History Forum on the topic "Dipper Mother."

Plan to Scan 'Neanderthal' Genome for 'Modern Human' DNA

Despite the sensationalized title of this article, it discusses an interesting new project. For the first time, the Neanderthal genome will be scanned for traces of modern human DNA. From The Times Online October 25, 2009 Neanderthals ‘had sex’ with modern man Modern humans and Neanderthals had sex across the species barrier, according to a leading geneticist who is overseeing a project to compare their genomes. ... Professor Svante Paabo, director of genetics at the renowned Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, will shortly publish his analysis of the entire Neanderthal genome, using DNA retrieved from fossils. He aims to compare it with the genomes of modern humans and chimpanzees to work out the ancestry of all three species. ... Paabo recently told a conference at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory near New York that he was now sure the two species had had sex — but a question remained about how “productive” it had been. “What I’m really interested in is, did we have children back then and did those children contribute to our variation today?” he said. “I’m sure that they had sex, but did it give offspring that contributed to us? We will be able to answer quite rigorously with the new [Neanderthal genome] sequence.” [He doesn't explain how he is so certain 'Neanderthal' and 'modern human' got close enough to each other to have sexual intercourse ala "Clan of the Cave Bear."] ... Last week Professor Chris Stringer, head of human origins at the Natural History Museum, presented a conference at the Royal Society in London with an idea that could accommodate both sets of evidence [of Neanderthal-modern human offspring]. “It’s possible that Neanderthals and humans were genetically incompatible, so they could have interbred but their children would have been less fertile,” said Stringer. This phenomenon is seen in many other species such as when lions breed with tigers and horses breed with zebras. “I used to believe Neanderthals were primitive,” said Stringer, “but in the last 10,000-15,000 years before they died out, around 30,000 years ago, Neanderthals were giving their dead complex burials and making tools and jewellery, such as pierced beads, like modern humans.” Due to the length of time that has elapsed since Neanderthals became extinct, any trace of their DNA in modern humans could have been diluted below detectable levels. Paabo hopes to overcome this by scanning the Neanderthal genome for the genes of modern humans. Click here to watch an interview with Professor Svante Paabo, who is overseeing the neanderthal genome project, where he talks about whether neanderthals and modern humans had sex.

European Women's Team Chess Championship

Standings after R4: Rk. SNo Team Team Games + = - TB1 TB2 TB3 1 2 Georgia GEO 4 4 0 0 8 11,5 39,5 2 20 Azerbaijan AZE 4 3 1 0 7 11,5 34,0 3 3 Ukraine UKR 4 3 1 0 7 10,5 36,5 4 4 Poland POL 4 3 0 1 6 12,0 27,0 5 1 Russia RUS 4 3 0 1 6 11,0 30,5 6 5 Armenia ARM 4 3 0 1 6 10,0 43,5 7 12 Slovenia SLO 4 2 1 1 5 11,0 26,0 8 14 Greece GRE 4 2 1 1 5 10,0 30,0 9 7 Germany GER 4 2 1 1 5 9,5 37,5 10 13 Romania ROU 4 2 1 1 5 9,5 34,5 11 6 France FRA 4 2 1 1 5 9,5 32,5 12 16 Czech Republic CZE 4 2 1 1 5 9,0 35,5 13 11 Netherlands NED 4 2 0 2 4 9,5 25,5 14 19 Italy ITA 4 2 0 2 4 9,0 26,0 15 10 Hungary HUN 4 2 0 2 4 8,0 36,0 16 9 Serbia SRB 4 2 0 2 4 7,5 38,0 17 15 Spain ESP 4 2 0 2 4 7,5 33,0 18 17 Israel ISR 4 2 0 2 4 7,5 30,5 19 21 Austria AUT 4 1 1 2 3 6,5 28,0 20 22 England ENG 4 0 2 2 2 6,5 23,0 21 24 Bosnia & Herzegovina BIH 4 1 0 3 2 6,0 23,5 22 18 Croatia CRO 4 1 0 3 2 5,5 33,0 23 23 Montenegro MNE 4 0 2 2 2 5,5 28,0 24 8 Bulgaria BUL 4 1 0 3 2 4,0 37,0 25 28 Turkey TUR 4 1 0 3 2 3,5 36,5 26 27 Norway NOR 4 0 1 3 1 4,5 29,0 27 25 Former Yug Rep of Macedonia MKD 4 0 1 3 1 4,5 27,0 28 26 Finland FIN 4 0 1 3 1 3,5 35,0 It’s a surprise to see Azerbaijan currently in second place. WIM Narmin Kazimova, a young player I started following during the 2007 European Women’s Chess Championship, is on the Azerbaijani team. She currently has 1.5/3. The Georgian women’s team is playing like they’ve got something to prove. Round 5 today, then only 2 more rounds to go. I imagine lots of strategizing will be going on as teams look to make their moves now up the rankings. Georgia has already played and defeated the Russians, Germans, Armenians and the Czech Republic. Today they face Ukraine.

The Snake Goddess of Khubala

What makes this story so fascinating is that this snake goddess is not ancient; she died 11 years ago. Of equal interest - Khubala (a/k/a (Kubile, Kubala, Kubaba, Kubabat - Cybele), the Great Mother. Story from The Times of India (Nagpur) TNN 25 October 2009, 05:59am IST KHUBALA (SAONER): She may have passed away 11 years ago of a snake bite, but the memories of Sarika Dhakne are still alive in the minds of the villagers of Khubala, about 50 km away from Nagpur. Not only that, Sarika has been quite literally idolized by the villagers who say that no one has died of a snake bite ever since. On June 26 every year, the day Sarika had died, her family organizes a pooja at a shrine they built in her memory. A green field, where Sarika was bitten by the snake, serves as the backdrop of the shrine. A fleeting glimpse at the idol in the shrine, that stands on the bank of a narrow stream, may leave an onlooker foxed as Sarika's idol, in a bluish attire with a snake head rising above her head, may appear like Lord Shiva, whose temples are commonplace in the lanes and bylanes of the country. "Villagers generally visit the fields to relieve themselves. Sarika had also gone there for the same reason and got bitten by a snake on her right ankle," recalled Sarika's distant relative Bapurao Pradhan. "We rushed her to a temple as villagers have more faith on the miraculous powers of sacred places and holy persons than anything else. It was in my lap that she breathed the last," said Pradhan who said he wanted to bring Sarika home as a daughter-in-law. "My wife passed away when our children were young. After that, Sarika used to take care of my house. I would have liked to have Sarika marry my elder son Sachin," said Pradhan. "She was the most beautiful of her siblings," he added. The story of Sarika deification is also quite strange. Pradhan and other villagers recalled that there would be snakes spotted at the Dhakne's residence daily after Sarika's last rites were performed. "The family members were baffled and scared by the occurrence. But, gradually they started placing a diya in front of the snakes, perceiving it as a manifestation of her spirit," said neighbour Lakshmi Kolte. The Dhaknes soon took a pilgrimage to Nagdwar to appease the snake goddess and its lord (Shiva). "However, it was a hair-raising experience that prompted the Dhaknes to build the shrine. One day, the family members spotted two snakes mating on a ceiling beam inside the house. This incident shook up the Dhaknes who took this as a sign and decided to build a shrine in Sarika's memory," said another villager. Pradhan's son Ashok recalled how Sarika was a good student who scored well in her board exams. "A feast in her memory is organized after the annual ritual at the shrine every year," said Ashok. The family members, who regularly visit the shrine to light lamps and incense sticks, say they dream of building a bigger shrine one day.

Humpy Calls AICF's Bluff

From The Times of India Humpy declares war on AICF secy TNN 26 October 2009, 01:08am IST CHENNAI: Grandmaster Koneru Humpy seems to have declared war on All India Chess Federation secretary DV Sundar. On Sunday, in an interesting sequel to her first salvo two days ago, Humpy challenged the AICF secretary to appear for an open debate in front of the media to "prove his point". The World No. 2 [Women's List] also released documents to support her allegations. Earlier, Humpy had withdrawn from the Asian indoor championship after Sundar allegedly refused permission for her to be accompanied by her father/coach. Sundar had termed Humpy's allegations "baseless" and a "combination of half-truths and lies". Humpy released letters that were exchanged between the two with regard to the incidents mentioned in her allegations. Humpy revealed she was never comfortable with any other coach than her father. "Once I tried without his guidance in the Chess Olympiad, 2006, at Turin, Italy, and I utterly collapsed," says Humpy in her open letter to Sundar. In the four tournaments during the 2009-10 period for which Humpy confirmed participation, her father agreed to pay the airfare and for stay and food but all that he required was his inclusion in the delegation and visa/accreditation clearance, reveals the letter. The request was not granted by Sundar. Humpy made it clear that the issue was not exactly about AICF bearing the expenses for her father's trip, as pointed out by Sundar, but "it's about his (Sundar's) tyrannical attitude in forcing me to play in the tournaments irrespective of my preferences". Humpy described how she had been treated shabbily in India, while she got perfect conditions while she played for her club, Monaco, to which Sundar took exception. "He (Sundar) needs to go to Monte Carlo and see for himself. I'm proud to be part of the team for the Monaco Club. For the third time consecutively I played for the Monaco team. They know the importance of a trainer, and invite me along with my dad. They treat me like a celebrity and cheer me up for every game. On the other hand Mr. Sundar encourages me with warning letters," she said, and claimed she got a winning position in her "first game off the chess board". She also refuted Sundar's claim that it is the world body (FIDE) that issues certificates of participation and released certificates signed by the AICF secretary in international events.

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/

Grieving Birds

Article from The Telegraph.co.uk Magpies 'feel grief and hold funerals' Magpies feel grief and even hold funeral-type gatherings for their fallen friends and lay grass "wreaths" beside their bodies, an animal behaviour expert has claimed. Published: 7:00AM BST 21 Oct 2009 Dr Bekoff, of the University of Colorado, said these rituals prove that magpies, usually seen as an aggressive predator, also have a compassionate side. The discovery raises the debate about whether emotions are solely a human trait or whether they can be found in all animals. Previous studies have suggested that gorillas also mourn their dead while rats have empathy and cats form friendships. Dr Bekoff said he studied four magpies alongside a magpie corpse and recorded their behaviour. "One approached the corpse, gently pecked at it, just as an elephant would nose the carcase of another elephant, and stepped back. Another magpie did the same thing, " he said. "Next, one of the magpies flew off, brought back some grass and laid it by the corpse. Another magpie did the same. Then all four stood vigil for a few seconds and one by one flew off." After publishing an account of the funeral he received emails from people who had seen the same ritual in magpies, ravens and crows. "We can't know what they were actually thinking or feeling, but reading their action there's no reason not to believe these birds were saying a magpie farewell to their friend," he wrote in the journal Emotion, Space and Society. Those who see emotions in animals have been accused of anthropomorphism – the attribution of human characteristics to animals. However, Dr Bekoff said emotions evolved in humans and animals because they improve the chances of survival. "It's bad biology to argue against the existence of animal emotions," he said. He also claims to have seen emotions in elephants. While watching a herd in Kenya he noticed an injured cow elephant who was only able to walk slowly. "Despite her disability the rest of the herd walked for a while, stopped to look around and then waited for her to catch up. "The only obvious conclusion we could see is the other elephants cared and so they adjusted their behaviour," said Dr Bekoff. *************************************************************************************** Of course birds grieve for their dead. I have seen the same thing with crows in my back yard, which is wildlife friendly. Birds and lots of other critters flock here for sanctuary, food, fresh water all year round. Some critters have died here, too. I have not, however, seen birds lay "wreathes." They do lay long grass and leaf bits over or near a body of a fallen bird. I always assumed it was to cover it to hide it from scavengers - at least, for a little while. That behavior is purposeful and deliberate. Birds communicate constantly. One only has to have a backyard atwitter with the winged beings to become aware of this - unless one is deaf! I instantly know when a predator is on the prowl in my back yard, based upon the level and particular tenor of bird calls, for instance. In 19 years in this house, I have gotten pretty good at spotting a predator - a cat, a hawk, an occasional eagle! or owl, if I get to the patio door quickly enough or crank open one of the casement windows upstairs. In fact, I've gradually become convinced over the years that the birds know I will come running if they make enough of a ruckus and will shoo away the predator. They have me trained!

Ancient Artififacts as Pawns in Blackmail

Why I have no respect for Zahi Hawass -- Story from The International Herald Tribune When Ancient Artifacts Become Political Pawns By MICHAEL KIMMELMAN Published: October 23, 2009 BERLIN — As thousands lined up to catch a glimpse of Nefertiti at the newly reopened Neues Museum here, another skirmish erupted in the culture wars. Egypt’s chief archaeologist, Zahi Hawass, announced that his country wanted its queen handed back forthwith, unless Germany could prove that the 3,500-year-old bust of Akhenaten’s wife wasn’t spirited illegally out of Egypt nearly a century ago. “We’re not treasure hunters,” Mr. Hawass told Spiegel Online. “If it’s proven clearly that the work was not stolen,” he said. “there shouldn’t be any problem.” Then he said he was sure the work had been stolen. Globalization, it turns out, has only intensified, not diminished, cultural differences among nations. The forces of nationalism love to exploit culture because it’s symbolic, economically potent and couches identity politics in a legal context that tends to pit David against Goliath. Mr. Hawass also recently fired a shot at France, demanding the Louvre return five fresco fragments it purchased in 2000 and 2003 from a gallery and at auction. They belonged to a 3,200-year-old tomb near Luxor and had been in storage at the museum. Egypt had made the demand before, but this time suspended the Louvre’s long-term excavation at Saqqara, near Cairo, and said it would stop collaborating on Louvre exhibitions. France got the message. It promised to send the fragments back tout de suite. It didn’t go unnoticed in Paris, Berlin or Cairo that Mr. Hawass pressed his case about Nefertiti [image, above, from stock photo] and suspended the excavations by the Louvre just after his country’s culture minister, Farouk Hosny, bitterly lost a bid to become director general of the United Nations’ cultural agency, Unesco. The post went late last month to a Bulgarian diplomat instead. Mr. Hosny would have been the first Arab to land the job, and Egypt’s president, Hosni Mubarak, had banked a not insignificant amount of his own prestige on the minister’s getting it. But Jewish groups and prominent French and German intellectuals (not the Israeli government, though) campaigned against Mr. Hosny. When asked in Egypt’s Parliament last year about the presence of Israeli books in Alexandria’s library, Mr. Hosny said: “Let’s burn these books. If there are any, I will burn them myself before you.” That prompted Elie Wiesel, Claude Lanzmann and Bernard-Henri Lévy in Le Monde to urge that he not be selected, also quoting Mr. Hosny as saying in 2001, “Israeli culture is an inhuman culture” based on theft. After that Mr. Hosny told the same French newspaper that he was sorry for those remarks and “nothing is more distant to me than racism, the negation of others or the desire to hurt Jewish culture or any other culture.” Then he failed to get the job and blamed the failure on a Jewish conspiracy. “The conspiracy was bigger than you can imagine,” he told an Egyptian weekly. In fact, what may have ultimately done Mr. Hosny in, aside from his closeness to an old, tired, dictatorial regime, was his suspected role, as an Egyptian diplomat in 1985, in protecting the perpetrators of a terrorist attack on a cruise ship, the Achille Lauro, during which a Jewish American tourist in a wheelchair was shot and pushed into the sea. In any case, days after the Unesco decision, Mr. Hawass went after France and Germany. When questioned about the timing, he insisted there was no connection, saying he had asked the French to return the artifacts two months earlier. But that was when Mr. Hosny’s campaign had already started to fall apart. Likewise, Mr. Hawass had also said that his sudden announcement, in late August, of restoration work on an Egyptian synagogue had nothing to do with Mr. Hosny’s bid. It was just as clear back then that this was an attempt to assuage growing Jewish opposition to the minister. Over the years Egypt has occasionally made a bid for Nefertiti, when the political climate is ripe. Germans point out that Ludwig Borchardt, who discovered Nefertiti at Tel el Amarna in 1912, had Egyptian approval to take it to Berlin. Just the other day, Iraq repeated its demand that Germany return the Gate of Ishtar from the ancient city of Babylon, excavated and shipped to Berlin before World War I. In Iraq’s case, the government seems to be wagering that German ambivalence about the current war may help swing popular opinion here about giving back the gate, just as Saddam Hussein’s regime played the repatriation card in 2002 as a tactic in negotiating with the United Nations over letting weapons inspectors into the country. For the Egyptian public, Mr. Hosny’s defeat was another condemnation of the country’s stagnant leadership. “Defeat and failure and regression will keep following this regime, whose members’ policy is to stay in office forever,” wrote Muhsin Radi, a Muslim Brotherhood Member of Parliament, in the daily Al-Dustour. [Oh sure, so the Egyptians are supposed to turn the reins of the country over to YOU? Bwwwwwwaaaaaaahhhhhhaaaaaaaaa!] The country’s only potent weapon left may be antiquities. It plays to popular sentiment and national pride. While the art world likes to ponder the merits or misfortunes of seeing art from one place in another place or the inequities that have resulted from centuries of imperialist collecting, the real issue behind the Egyptian claims, as with so many others, is nationalism. Continued 2

Jeff Sarwer Poker Star

Wow! I didn't know - guess I lead too sheltered of a life. I know that many really good chessplayers have abandoned chess in favor of the poker table, and are making mucho bucks at it. I became interested in Jeff Sarwer when I discovered some years ago that the icky nasty boy chessplayer in the smash hit movie "Searching for Bobby Fischer" was supposedly based upon Sarwer! A few years back I tried to find out about where he was (then) and what he was doing, but I didn't get very far. I located a website that seemed to be by the Jeff Sarwer, but it didn't mention anything about poker (that I recall). In fact, it didn't seem to mention much about anything at the time. This was maybe 4 years ago? - something like that. Anyway, tonight, doing a routine search for chess news, I came across this article mentioning Sarwer chessplayer turned poker player. Except - Canadian? I thought he was from Michigan! Goes to show what I know! Turns out, I wasn't the only person who wondered about him: Remember Jeff Sarwer from Searching for Bobby Fischer?

Tania Sachdev on Walking the Walk

From The Times of India Chess is easier than rampwalk: Tanya CHARU AMAR24 October 2009, 08:42pm IST We caught up with Asian Chess Champion Tanya Sachdev for a tête-à-tête just after the youth icon walked the ramp for the first time for designer duo Ashima-Leena. Here’s what the girl has to say.... How was it being on the ramp for the first time? “After playing chess for so long I always thought walking the ramp would be easy, but now I can easily say that chess is much easier. Initially I had butterflies in my stomach, but once I was there, it was good fun. What made you say ‘yes’ to Ashima-Leena? “As their collection is a dedication to the cause of creating a green Delhi, and a welcome to the commonwealth games – being a sports woman, I had a dual reason to support them. Tell us something about the dress you are wearing... I love this dress that Ashima-Leena has chosen for me. It’s very beautiful and comfortable. What’s your personal style statement? Being into sports, one can usually find me sporting a jeans and T, though I love dressing up like this. Any message you would like to give to the city? “I think the presence of each one of us in this show gave out the message that it’s our city, have a heart for it and love it!

SPICE Cup

GM Susan Polgar is already assembling her line-up for the 2010 SPICE Cup. GM-elect Ray Robson moves from the "B" Group this year to the "A" Group. GM Eugene Perelshteyn and GM Georg Meier are also confirmed for the 2010 "A" Group. "The format of the A group will once again be a 6-player DRR (category 16 or 17) event. The B group will be a 10-player (category 11-12) RR event." A third group will also be added for 2010 - not yet specified! An all women group? A second norm-opportunity group similar in make-up to Group "B"? A combination of the two? I'll be very interested to see what SPICE cooks up for 2010 :)

Ruth Haring - New USCF Executive Board Member

Ruth Haring (website) was elected to the Executive Board of the U.S. Chess Federation in July, 2009. From ChicoER.com 'In the zone': InnerView, Ruth Haring loves the people, competition, challenge of chess By MARY NUGENT - Staff Writer Posted: 10/22/2009 12:00:00 AM PDT CHICO — Ruth Haring has been reading a book detailing a state of consciousness described as "in the zone." She knows that particular condition of increased focus and attention. "It happens with artists, athletes. It's a mental state. It's when you're very involved with something, concentrating. It's good, psychologically. You don't notice anything else going on around you. It means you want to be there and you are learning something," said Haring. When Haring is playing chess, she is in the zone. This year —the same year she moved to Chico — she was elected vice president of the United State Chess Federation, of which she is a life member. She is an International Woman Master, and was recently named head of the U.S. delegation to the International Chess Federation. Earlier this month, she went to Greece for a federation meeting. Every country in the world is part of it, she said. Haring's love for chess started with her childhood in Fairbanks, Alaska. The cold, snowy winters with limited daylight made an indoor atmosphere of playing games a given for most children. "It was the '60s and '70s. We had no TV, there were no video games. We had a university pool, sledding and skating. But everybody spent a lot of time with indoor games," she said. "I liked chess right away. When I played in a tournament, I was hooked." At 14, she joined the United States Chess Federation, and remembers first playing competitive chess in Fayetteville, Ark. Since then, she has traveled the world playing chess. "It's fun to travel and talk to people. People can be any race, sex or religion, and they can still sit across from each other and play chess." Haring is good — really good. She is ranked among the top 1 percent of tournament players in the country. Through the years, she has taught thousands of people to play chess, including children. "Chess is good for kids — they're learning to learn. Chess is great for study skills. "There are rules in chess. There is a winner and a loser. If you study, you'll get better. "Some people do have a natural talent for chess, but if they also apply themselves, they could become masters. In that way, it's like music and math prodigies." So what does it take to be a good chess player? "Patience and discipline. It's fun. You want to capture your opponent's men, outsmart him — and win." The only time in her life when she wasn't seriously playing chess was when her three children were growing up. "They all play, but my son teaches chess in the Bay Area and plays in tournaments. It's nice to have this in common with him." She and her son have traveled in the U.S. and Europe together for chess tournaments and events. Only recently has she played in a senior tournament. "I could have played in U.S. Women or U.S. Senior. I chose the senior. It was for people over 50 in Tulsa, Okla. It was so much fun — I met a lot of people I knew 30 years ago." She has spent years studying books and other players. She hopes to write a book and teach children in Chico. She plays chess with people who gather Wednesdays and Saturdays at Augie's Fine Coffee & Tea. After living in Silicon Valley for years, Haring decided to move to Chico a year ago. "Chico and Davis remind me of other small college towns where I've lived. I lived in Los Gatos and it felt similar. I like the atmosphere, that feel of a university town." ———— In a nutshell Name: Ruth Haring Hometown: Fairbanks, Alaska Age: 54 Education: bachelor's degree in psychology from Univeristy of Central Arkansas, studied computer science at San Jose State University, project manager course through George Washington Universtiy at IBM. Work experience: Management background, experience at eBay, IBM and other companies in Silicon Valley since 1983; moved to Chico a year ago and is vice president of the United States Chess Federation, a full-time job, she said. Years ago: "I met Bobby Fischer. I had to set limits — I told him I would not talk about any conspiracy theories. I told him I had a degree in psychology and we talked about the psychology of chess ... He gave me advice. He said I am a good player and should try to be more optimistic. "I used what he said at other times in my life. I was working as a progam manager in the Silicon Valley, and I tried to think about how to make something a win-win. I adopted a can-do/go-getter attitude in management."

Wonderful Dogs

Dogs in the news. Here are some dogs that are faithful and loyal companions, a credit to their species. This is a "Picture of the Day" from the Christian Science Monitor. Caption: A girl and her dog look out from a vehicle as they wait with her family for security clearance on the outskirts of Bannu, a town on the edge of the Pakistani region of Waziristan, on Thursday [October 22, 2009]. Pakistanis are fleeing a military offensive in South Waziristan against the Taliban. Pakistani troops and the Taliban have claimed early victories in the operation that started on Saturday. Ijaz Muhammad/AP) I don't know what breed (or cross-breed) of dog this might be - a Kangal "shepherd dog" of the mountainous regions of Turkey/Kurdistan, etc., or some variation? It looks massive, and almost bear-like with those dark haired markings around it's snout! Being an owner of many dogs who went there way in due time to the Happy Hunting Grounds, I'm familiar with that thick ruff of hair around the throat/neck area of some breeds/mixed breeds, but I'm not familiar with a dog near the size of this one (judging by the size of it's head it is gigantic, ohmygoddess!) I sure wouldn't want to come up against such a dog, even armed with a gun. And maybe that's the whole point. Notice how alert the dog is, and the pretty little girl snuggled safe behind it. No cataracts evident in the eyes that I can see in the photographs, but I see a hint of grey hair in the ruff and around its snout; so, this is not a young dog, but perhaps 10 years old. Strong, smart from many years experience on the hills against predators including human beings, and yet with clear eyesight although perhaps not as fast as it used to be. This photo makes me very sad. The lovely little girl tucked in amongst her family's possessions, with the dog hitching a ride, as they abandon their home for safer (hopefully safer) ground, as a war grinds on which neither girl nor dog understands or cares about. They are victims, they are not participants. They have no say in the matter. The family can stay and perhaps be killed, or flee and perhaps be killed anyway. I'm surprised the family didn't make this dog run alongside the vehicle. Not out of cruelty, but because shepherding/herding dogs of the mountains are bred for stamina and endurance, and would be expected to do this, the owners wouldn't think twice about it and would not consider it cruel at all. Perhaps there is some special connection between the girl and the dog? Or the dog did something heroic in its past, that now gives it a place of honor amongst the family and its most valuable possessions? Or it is what it appears to be - an aging but still formidable guard dog that will fight to the death to defend the girl it guards. We will never know. Cf. the Kurdish, or depending upon your political bent, the Turkish, Kangal dogs, featured in the October, 2009 Goddesschess Random Round-up - you'll have to work for it -- scroll down to October 13th, and then scroll down more and click on the various links (including a rather dubious video) once you get to the topic of the Kangal dog. There is a photograph of two magnificent dogs and their handlers and some little kids, too. You know what, those dogs don't give a damn what side of what border they were born on. On a lighter note, I found this article uplifting and inspiring. Dogs teaching kids how to read :) Yeah, you read that correctly! LOL! It's a great story: Learning to read? Try talking to a dog updated 10:34 a.m. EDT, Thu October 22, 2009 By Rachel RodriguezCNN (CNN) -- Meet Bailey. She's a registered therapy dog, but you won't find her in hospitals or nursing homes. Instead, Bailey makes weekly visits to libraries and schools. She sits quietly or snuggles up to kids as they read her a book. And no, she's not napping, and the kids don't have treats in their pockets. She's actually helping these children learn to read. Rest of article.

Controversy with All India Chess Federation

On October 22, 2009, GM Koneru Humpy of India, the second-highest rated female chess player in the world today, issued a press release that was published online and through other news outlets. (Photo, 2008 Women's World Chess Championship at Nalchik, Round 5, Game 2). Here is the full text of the Humpy press release at Chessbase. In the press release, GM Koneru explained her reasons for withdrawing from representating India at the 2009 Asian Indoor Games (of which chess is a component), and set out several complaints she had with responses (or lack thereof) from Mr. Sunder, Honorary Secretary of the All India Chess Federation, and some incidents generally with the AICF. Today Chessbase published a response by D. V. Sunder, Honorary Secretary of the All India Chess Federation, who was specifically named in GM Koneru's press release as deficient in performing his official duties for the AICF. Here is the full text of Mr. Sunder's press release at Chessbase. Mr. Sunder says of GM Koneru and her father, Koneru Ashok, who also acts as her trainer/chess "many things are said out of imagination and half truths." I don't know how this is being viewed in India or anywhere else, but this resident of Wisconsin thinks it is clear that Mr. Sunder is accusing GM Koneru and Koneru Ashok of lying - about almost everything. The crux of the back-and-forth seems to be centered on three inter-related issues: (1) Requiring GM Koneru to play in Indian GM tournaments deemed of importance to the AICF and other entities because of AICF rules or because of state and/or national Indian laws applying to chess players - or a combination of any or all of the above. I exempt from this any requirements to which GM Koneru agreed to in a sponsorship contract; (2) GM Koneru's freedom to play in any tournaments/events (whether in India or not) that she deems of importance to her professional career, even if that may sometimes conflict with what the AICF wants and, this cannot be ignored, generating as much income as she can through prize money and/or appearance fees; (3) Requiring GM Koneru to play on official Indian Women's chess teams, and/or requiring her to play in Women-only tournaments inside or outside of India. I find it synchronicitous that the Humpy/AICF controversy should come up within a few days of an article published in The Wall Street Journal saying that women's titles should be abolished as should all women-only chess events. I'm writing a piece on that for the Goddesschess website that I hope to have ready for publication this weekend. What does it come down to - nationalism - or money (never to be discounted as a motivating factor) and career advancement? How selfless must a chess player be in advancing national pride at the expense of his or her own financial future and place in the record-books of chess history? How far should a nation state, or a national federation, be allowed to go in forcing a chess player, a star or a promising future star, to play for the glory of national as opposed to self-interest?

A Long Way Yet To Go...

A popular broadcast jingle and print ad from the 1970's for Virginia Slims cigarettes started out "You've come a long way, baby...". Yeah, right. Females were treated with a LOT more respect in the so-called stone age than today, in the so-called civilized world. WARNING - A miscellany of current news articles about violence against females of all ages, some of the accounts are gruesome. I wasn't even trying to find these news stories. India: 9-year-old Samastipur girl raped TNN 23 October 2009, 03:21am IST SAMASTIPUR: A nine-year-old girl was raped allegedly by a villager on Monday night. The incident occurred at Basudeopur village under Kalyanpur police station in Samastipur district. Police have sent the profusely bleeding girl to the Sadar hospital here for treatment. According to reports, the girl was overpowered by one Sanjay Sahni while returning home from an immersion procession for Goddess Kali and dragged to a bamboo grove. There, the man raped the nine-year-old and fled after the girl fainted. Some villagers spotted the girl on Tuesday morning and brought her home. An FIR has been lodged with Kalyanpur PS. But no one has been arrested yet. United States: Florida: Garbage trucks lead to discovery of dead Fla. girl By BRENT KALLESTAD, Associated Press Writer Brent Kallestad, Associated Press Writer October 22, 2009 ORANGE PARK, Fla. – After 7-year-old Somer Thompson vanished on her way home from school, investigators tailed nine garbage trucks from her neighborhood to a Georgia landfill nearly 50 miles away, then picked through the trash as each rig spilled its load. They sorted through more than 225 tons of garbage before their worst fears were realized: Sticking out of the rubbish were a child's lifeless legs. ... An autopsy to establish the cause of death was performed Thursday, but authorities would not disclose their findings. At a news conference, Beseler would not say if Somer had been sexually assaulted or answer other questions about the condition of the body. ... The sheriff said police have questioned more than 155 registered sex offenders in the area so far. State online records show 88 sex offenders live in Orange Park [where Somer Thompson lived and disappeared], a Jacksonville suburb of about 9,000 people just south of Jacksonville Naval Air Station. ... Arizona: Police: Man ran down 'too Westernized' daughter From CNN.com updated 5:06 p.m. EDT, Wed October 21, 2009 Arizona police are looking for an Iraqi man who they allege ran down his daughter and her friend because he believed his daughter had become "too Westernized." Peoria, Arizona, police said Wednesday that Faleh Hassan Almaleki, 48, struck his 20-year-old daughter, Noor Faleh Almaleki, and her friend Amal Edan Khalaf with a vehicle he was driving in a parking lot Tuesday afternoon. Faleh Hassan Almaleki was angry with his daughter "as she had become too 'Westernized' and was not living according to [the family's] traditional Iraq[i] values," Peoria police said in a statement released Wednesday. Noor Faleh Almaleki is hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, according to the statement. Khalaf, 43, received injuries that are not life-threatening but is still in the hospital, police said. Noor Faleh Almaleki lives with Khalaf, police said but did not elaborate on how the two women knew each other. Faleh Hassan Almaleki was last seen in a gray or silver Jeep Grand Cherokee, police said. No further details were immediately available. Peoria is about 13 miles northwest of Phoenix. New York: A related story, but this woman was an "accidental" victim of street violence Sadie Mitchell, 92-year-old Bronx woman killed by stray bullet, made frantic call to friend for help By Barry Paddock, Joe Jackson and Jonathan Lemire DAILY NEWS WRITERS Updated Wednesday, October 21st 2009, 6:09 PM A 92-year-old woman struck by a stray bullet in her Bronx living room used her last moments of strength to crawl to a phone and call her best friend for help. Sadie Mitchell - a beloved "mother to everyone on her block" who always carried fresh roses to church - was still alert when she dialed her pal minutes before she died. ... Nevada: October 20, 2009 Man beats woman to death over cigarette (NECN/KOLO) - A senseless crime has left a community in shock. A man asked a woman for a cigarette, and then beat her to death. 47-year-old Eileen Pruitt was just walking her dogs when she was brutally attacked. Authorities say it was a chance encounter with 22-year-old Ryan Bonnett of Lockwood, Nevada, that would end Pruitt's life. The Storey County Sheriff's office says Pruitt was attacked last night on Avenue Bleu de Clair as she walked her dogs. Authorities say Bonnet was intoxicated when he asked Pruitt for a cigarette, then allegedly beat her to death. ... Bonnett was arrested and is expected to face open murder charges. ... Pruitt survived the attack, but died because of her injuries early this morning. Wisconsin: Pipe bomb detonated during West Bend murder-suicide By Sharif Durhams of the Journal Sentinel Posted: Oct. 15, 2009 A man in West Bend tried to help his mother early Thursday as her ex-husband chased her down and shot her. The ex-husband then shot himself in the head, police said. A Milwaukee police bomb squad team and federal agents helped West Bend police investigate the chaotic scene Thursday morning in the 1200 block of N. 12th Ave., where the victim, Alice Gill, 52, and the shooter, Jeffrey Gill, 50, died. A news release from the West Bend Police Department says investigators later learned that a pipe bomb had been detonated in Alice Gill's vehicle during the shooting, which occurred just after midnight. Police say the 27-year-old son heard yelling and a car horn beeping shortly after midnight and went outside to investigate. He saw his mother and her ex-husband struggling in the vehicle and went to help his mother. That's when Jeffrey Gill started shooting and Alice Gill ran, police said. The shooter chased his ex-wife in the front yard of the house, shot her several times and killed himself, the news release says. Police noted the Gills were divorced two years ago and that Jeffrey Gill had past arrests on suspicion of domestic violence [what is "suspicion" of domestic violence? Geez!] and possession of a controlled substance, as well as six times for drunken driving. United Kingdom: London, England Teenage girl 'murdered by father' Page last updated at 16:51 GMT, Thursday, 8 October 2009 17:51 UK Tulay Goren, 15, a Kurdish Turk from Woodford Green, north London, vanished in 1999 and her body has never been found, the Old Bailey was told. Her father Mehmet Goren, 49, and uncles Cuma Goren, 42, and Ali Goren, 55, both from Walthamstow, all deny murder. The men also deny conspiracy to murder her boyfriend, Halil Unal, 30, between May 1998 and February 1999. Tulay was last seen alive on 7 January 1999 with her father Mehmet Goren, of Navestock Crescent, Woodford Green, who is alleged to have killed her later that day. Jonathan Laidlaw QC, prosecuting, said Tulay was killed "to restore the so-called honour" of the family, who originate from Turkey. The term was an "appalling and inappropriate way" to "dignify" the offence, he added. ...

2009 U.S. Women's Chess Championship

A few postscripts to this year's great event. In today's mail Goddesschess received a "thank you" from the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis staff that included a personalized note and an inscribed and personalized photograph of WGM Camilla Baginskaite thanking Goddesschess for our support of women's chess. Nicely done and thanks a lot! We greatly enjoyed covering this year's Championship (we always do!) and we intend to sponsor another Goddesschess prize in 2010. I love this photo of Camilla Baginskaite, taken by Suzy Gorman, part of a feature article on the Championship at Chess Life Online. Several of the players took time on their free day to be photographed by Ms. Gorman. A visit this evening to the official coverage at the website for the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis also revealed a video interview shortly after the R9 denouement, with the live coverage crew (Jennifer Shahade, Ben Finegold and Macauley Peterson) with Champion IM Anna Zatonskih ($16,000 plus winner of the Goddesschess Fighting Chess Award) and second place winner Baginskaite who scored her firm IM norm and won a spot in the next Women's World Chess Championship to be held in Istanbul, Turkey (and a prize of $12,000).

Hales Corners Chess Challenge X!

Games by two of the top female finishers in the Reserve Section: Wagner,Warren (1382) - Huang,Alena (1320) [D13] HCC X, Milwaukee, WI (3), 17.10.2009 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.Bf4 Nf6 6.Nf3 Bf5 7.e3 a6 8.a3 e6 9.Bd3 Bg4 10.h3 Bh5 11.0-0 Bd6 12.Bxd6 Qxd6 13.b4 0-0 14.Be2 Rac8 15.Qb3 Rfe8 16.Qb2 Bxf3 17.Bxf3 e5 18.dxe5 Nxe5 19.Rfd1 Nxf3+ 20.gxf3 Qe5 21.Na4 Qf5 22.Kg2 Rc4 23.Rd4 Rc2 24.Qb1 Rxe3 25.Qd1 Rce2 0-1 Huang,Joanna (1383) - Neumann,Curt (1245) [B23] HCC X, Milwaukee, WI, 17.10.2009 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 g6 3.f4 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bb5 Nd4 6.Bc4 Nxf3+ 7.Qxf3 d6 8.0-0 Nh6 9.d3 0-0 10.Qg3 Be6 11.Bxe6 fxe6 12.Qh4 Nf7 13.f5 Ne5 14.Bh6 Bxh6 15.Qxh6 exf5 16.exf5 gxf5 17.Qg5+ Kh8 18.Rxf5 e6 19.Rxf8+ Qxf8 20.Rf1 Qg7 21.Qf6 Qxf6 22.Rxf6 Re8 23.Ne4 d5 24.Nxc5 Kg7 25.Rxe6 Rxe6 26.Nxe6+ Kf6 27.Nc7 d4 28.Nb5 Nc6 29.a3 a6 30.Nd6 b5 31.Kf2 Ke5 32.Nf7+ Kd5 33.g4 a5 34.c3 dxc3 35.bxc3 b4 36.cxb4 axb4 37.axb4 Nxb4 38.Ke3 Nc6 39.Ng5 h6 40.Nf7 Ne7 41.Nxh6 Ng6 42.Nf5 Ne5 43.g5 Ng4+ 44.Kf4 Nxh2 45.g6 Ke6 46.d4 Nf1 47.d5+ Kf6 48.g7 Kf7 49.d6 Nd2 50.d7 1-0

Southwest Chess Club: Upcoming Action!

OCTOBER 22, 2009: Spook House Action II 3-Round Swiss: Game/29 Minutes and Game/30 Minutes. USCF Rated. EF: $5. (½-Point Bye available for only first round if requested prior to round) TD is Becker; ATD is Fogec A one-night tournament, with 3 rounds on October 22nd. You have the option of either: Game in 30 minutes (which is Regular-rated and Action-rated), or Game in 29 minutes (which only affects your Action rating, not your Regular rating). Several strong players are already interested in both sections, so come on out! For G/30, clocks are set at 25 minutes with a 5-second delay, and for G/29, clocks are at 24 minutes with a 5-second delay. OCTOBER 29 AND NOVEMBER 5, 12, AND 19, 2009: Halloween Spook Swiss 4-Round Swiss in Two Sections (Open and Under-1600). Game/100 minutes. USCF Rated. EF: $5. (One ½-Point Bye Available for any round (except round four) if requested at least 2-days prior to round). TD is Grochowski; ATD is Fogec. Website Online Schedule Thursday events are held at St. James Catholic Church in the lower level of the Parish Center building (immediately in frontof the church). The address is 7219 South 27th Street in Franklin. Parking in rear, enter through south door. Hours: 6-11p.m. Thursday tournament Registration: 6- 6:55 p.m. Games begin at 7 p.m.

Alexandra Kosteniuk News

GM Alexandra Kosteniuk recently sent me another video of a game she analyzed and provided video commentary for and I've finally got time to post it. Trying this out again, to see if I remember how to embed a video after AK's tutoring session :) Yippee! I think it works - well, at least, the link takes you directly to the video at You Tube so it "sort of" works, LOL! At least I've now managed to embed the link inside of an image, which is something I could NOT figure out how to do before! News from GM Kosteniuk's blog, she is going to be playing Board 1 in the European Team Chess Championships for a powerful Russian Women's Team. The event starts on October 21, 2009. AK was in Moscow on a whirlwind visit to promote her new book "Diary of a Chess Queen," which is currently available in Russian and will be available in English on December 1, 2009. You can pre-order the English language book - the Russian language version is available right now. For a limited time, the books will be personally autographed by AK. I love this photograph from a small simul held at the book store where AK appeared to sign sold copies of her book. The expressions on the faces of the audience and the participants - priceless! - it looks like an absolutely wonderful event and I wish I could have been there to see it in person. The little ones playing - they look absolutely dazzled, LOL!

Monroi Founder to Give Talk

Montreal, Canada (RPRN) 10/21/09 — Brana Malobabic-Giancristofaro, MonRoi Inc Founder is coming to the Montreal Girl Geek Dinners Event to present a case study of MonRoi Inc launch and operations. She will touch on how to develop ideas into a business, some of the most common start-up mistakes, and some unique ways to grown your business. Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 6pm to 7:30pm Capriccio Restaurant, 17 rue Notre-Dame West, Montreal Free, open to public, men and women interested in technology We encourage guests to Register for Free on Facebook About the Presenter Brana Malobabic-Giancristofaro, B.Sc.EE, runs a Technology Company that Webcasts Chess Tournaments Live Around the World. Prompted by a lifelong passion for chess, Brana founded MonRoi, a high technology and Internet company that specializes in patented live chess webcast system and wireless devices for score keeping. An expert in new technology development and marketing, she oversees day-to-day operations of the company, which enables spectators to follow chess tournaments in real-time on the Internet. Brana established and executed the world's first International Women's Chess Grand Prix, recognizing women in chess. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. She is affiliated with the Economic Development of Saint Laurent Investment Advisory Committee and volunteers mentoring entrepreneurs who are starting their own businesses. For her innovations she received the Alpha Gala Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Chamber of Commerce of Saint Laurent. Brana appeared on numerous TV News and was featured in engineering, business and chess magazines worldwide. She has been recognized by Cambridge Who’s Who for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in new technology. For more information about MonRoi™ Inc, visit http://monroi.com/ Contact: brana@monroi.com About the Girl Geek Dinners Montreal Girl Geek Dinners are an offshoot of the London Girl Geek Dinners, started by Sarah Blow. The goal of these get-togethers is to make technology accessible and interesting to all age groups and all people, particularly women. These monthly events are aimed at providing a welcoming atmosphere and a platform for learning in an informal environment. They are always held in pubs, bars or restos and there is usually a speaker (or several) who talk for a short while on a chosen subject for the evening. Contacts: tanyamcginnity@yahoo.com; sarah.severson@gmail.com; Media Contact Name: Zeljka Malobabic Media E-mail: zeljka@monroi.com Media Phone: (514) 332-2462 Media Web Address: http://www.monroi.com Company Contact Name: MonRoi Inc Company E-mail: info@monroi.com Company Phone: (514) 332-2462 Company Web Address: http://www.monroi.com

2009 World Juniors - Girls

The action begins October 21st. Here is a list of the players for the Girls' Juniors, by rating: No. SNo. Nombre EloInt FED 17 1 WGM GOMES Mary Ann w 2396 IND 55 2 WIM ZHANG Xiaowen w 2391 CHN 8 3 WIM CORI T Deysi w 2361 PER 43 4 WGM PAULET Iozefina w 2342 ROU 48 5 WIM SEVERIUKHINA Zoja w 2339 RUS 41 6 WIM PADMINI Rout w 2331 IND 35 7 WIM MIKADZE Miranda w 2317 GEO 9 8 WGM DAULYTE Deimante w 2307 LTU 49 9 WGM SOUMYA Swaminathan w 2297 IND 42 10 WIM PAIKIDZE Nazi w 2279 GEO 53 11 WIM UMUDOVA Nargiz w 2254 AZE 26 12 WIM IVAKHINOVA Inna w 2249 RUS 28 13 WIM KALININA Olga w 2229 UKR 54 14 WIM YILDIZ Betul Cemre w 2224 TUR 22 15 WFM HAYRAPETYAN Anna 2212 ARM 16 16 FUCHS Judith w 2207 GER 51 17 WFM TJOLSEN Katrine w 2178 NOR 40 18 WIM OZTURK Kubra w 2176 TUR 30 19 WIM LEKS Hanna w 2169 POL 1 20 WFM AMED Stephanie w 2159 ARG 13 21 FERNANDEZ Maria Florencia w 2159 ARG 29 22 WIM KIRAN Manisha Mohanty w 2153 IND 50 23 WFM STEIL-ANTONI Fiona w 2152 LUX 39 24 OLSAROVA Tereza w 2150 CZE 6 25 WIM CONGIU Mathilde w 2149 FRA 24 26 HEREDIA SERRANO Carla w 2135 ECU 5 27 WFM COLOMBO Camila w 2129 URU 25 28 WFM HERRERA Milena w 2118 COL 20 29 HARINI Sankaran w 2109 IND 12 30 ENKHTUUL Altanulzii w 2091 MGL 36 31 WGM MONA Khaled w 2090 EGY 18 32 WIM GREEFF Melissa w 2081 RSA 38 33 OIKONOMOPOULOU Maria 2065 GRE 46 34 ROMERO ECHEVERRIA Abigail w 2048 ECU 52 35 TREJOS Shirley 2039 CRC 37 36 MOTYCAKOVA Monika w 2038 SVK 27 37 JORQUERA CABELLO Valentina w 1997 CHI 11 38 DOCENA Jedara 1987 PHI 34 39 WIM MENDOZA VELAZQUEZ Lorena Aleja w 1973 MEX 4 40 BUCAR Natasa w 1972 SLO 7 41 CORDERO Daniela w 1969 BOL 33 42 MARTINEZ Janine w 1948 BRA 32 43 MARTINEZ DE NEGRI M Agustina w 1945 ARG 15 44 FLORES Nancy 1927 ARG 19 45 GUO Emma w 1920 AUS 44 46 REGINATO Sabrina w 1880 ITA 3 47 ANU Bayar w 1876 MGL 2 48 ANTON Sarah w 1820 AUS 45 49 ROCHA Valquiria 1812 ANG 21 50 HATTINGH Angelique w 1790 RSA 10 51 DE LEON Patricia w 1741 URU 14 52 FERREIRA Susana Carolina G w 1660 POR 23 53 HEINRICHS Vivian w 0 BRA 31 54 LOPES Nelma w 0 ANG 47 55 ROSALINO Sonia 0 ANG

A Woman Born to Rule

From enperu blog Lady of Pacopampa: A woman born to rule Date posted - unknown - I saw it today (October 20, 2009) By Stuart Starrs After three years of work in the town of Pacopampa, a team of archaeologists led by Yuji Seki have found the outlines of an ancient temple that would have formed part of a larger complex located 20 minutes from the modern town of the same name. But far more impressive is what they’ve found buried inside the temple. The team discovered the tomb of a woman, whose social position quickly became evident. On the highest terrace of the San Pedro mountain in what is today Chota in Cajamarca, the birth of a girl began what was to be a new episode of the Formative Period some 3000 years ago. Born in the archaeological complex that we now call San Pedro de Pacopampa, the healthy baby girl would be raised to one day lead her people. This is the conclusion arrived at by Yuji Seki, lead archaeologist from the National University of Ethnology in Osaka, Japan. More...

EBay Sale of Antiquities

This is interesting - but, does this mean that every country in the World where EBay is present online must enter into its own agreement with the online vendor to limit the sale of illicit antiquities? Story from Swiss.info.ch from news aggregator October 20, 2009 - 7:53 PM eBay to limit sale of cultural artefacts Switzerland's Federal Culture Office and online auction house eBay have agreed to limit the sale of archaeological artefacts over the internet. The memorandum of understanding, signed on Tuesday in collaboration with the Federal Police Office and the Association of Swiss Cantonal Archaeologists, follows a successful three-month pilot project in 2008. eBay "will only permit the sale of archaeological artefacts in Switzerland with proof of legality issued by the competent authorities in Switzerland or abroad," the Culture Office said in a statement. The restrictions apply particularly to cultural property classified in risk categories including those contained in the "red list" of the International Council of Museums, and in categories defined in bilateral agreements. Both Interpol and Unesco, the United Nations culture agency, have released recommendations concerning the illegal trade of stolen cultural artefacts. A law banning the illegal trafficking of cultural property entered into force in Switzerland nearly four years ago. The country is one of the world's top four trade hubs for art objects. eBay's international headquarters are in Bern, the Swiss capital. swissinfo.ch and agencies

Possible Nemesis Temple Found in Turkey

Story from Hurriyet News Goddess of divine retribution awaits daylight Monday, October 12, 2009 İZMİR - Anatolia News Agency Archaeologists have found traces of a temple built for the Greek goddess of divine retribution, Nemesis, during excavations in the ancient city of Agora in the Aegean port city of İzmir. Akın Ersoy of Dokuz Eylül University’s archaeology department and heading the archaeological excavations in the ancient city, told the Anatolia news agency on Monday that they speculated there might be a temple built for Nemesis in the area. “We found traces of such a temple during our excavations in Agora,” he said. “We want to concentrate our work to unearth the temple in the future.” This year's archeological excavations have unearthed many important findings that belonged to the Ottoman era, said Ersoy, including many pieces of Ottoman ceramics. “There are several layers to be worked,” said Ersoy. “We will work on the Ottoman era first, followed by the Eastern Roman, Roman and then the earlier ages.” Ersoy said it was during the excavation work when they found clues of a temple to Nemesis built in the ancient city. “We think the temple is situated on the western side,” he added. “It might be under the Hürriyet Anatolian High School building. We hope to unearth it in coming years.” In Greek mythology, Nemesis was the spirit of divine retribution against those who succumb to hubris, vengeful fate, personified as a remorseless goddess. The ancient city of Agora was constructed during the rule of Alexander the Great. Today it is mostly in ruins. What little is left remains because of Faustina, wife of Marcus Aurelius, who had the Agora rebuilt after an earthquake devastated the original in A.D. 178. The Agora was first excavated by German and Turkish archaeologists between 1932 and 1941. Surrounded on the west and north by colonnades, the Agora once had a large altar dedicated to Zeus in the center. The altar is now gone, but statues of Poseidon and of Demeter believed to have come from the altar are on display in the Archaeological Museum in İzmir. Also visible at the site are various capitals, remnants of three of the four main gates, some recognizable stalls, architectural fragments bearing medieval coats of arms and a stone slab that may have been used as a gaming board. What kind of possible game board? Can it be dated to Alexander the Great's time, or is it perhaps part of Faustina's rebuild? Photos - we need photos!

2009 Hoogeveen

GM Judit Polgar is back! She confirmed in a video (Chessvibes video) that now that her children (a boy and a girl) are a wee bit older and renovations of their apartment in Hungary are finished, she is going to be playing a little more chess. After Hoogeveen, a tournament to which she has been invited (and won) many times in the past, JP will be playing in a blitz tournament and then in the World Cup Knock-Out Tournament in November. JP is one of only three women playing in the World Cup -- current Women's Chess Champion GM Alexandra Kosteniuk and GM Hou Yifan are the other two confirmed female participants! All players are tied with one point each (all draws) after 2 rounds. Here are the pair-ups for R3: Pairing of round 3 of Univé Schaaktoernooi - Kroongroep Table White - Black Results --------------------------------------------------------------------------round 3 1 Polgar, Judit ( 1 ) - Giri, Anish ( 1 ) 1- 2 2 Tiviakov, Sergei ( 1 ) - Ivanchuk, Vassily ( 1 ) 4- Here is the PGN from Judit's game against Ivanchuk earlier today: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6 5. Bd2 Bb7 6. g3 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Bg2 O-O 9. O-O Na6 10. a3 Be7 11. b4 Rc8 12. Qb3 Qc7 13. Rfd1 Rfd8 14. Nb5 Qb8 15. Bf4 d6 16. Rac1 h6 17. h3 e5 18. Bd2 Nc7 19. Nc3 Qa8 20. Be3 Bf8 21. Kh2 Ne4 22. Nh4 Nxc3 23. Rxc3 Bxg2 24. Nxg2 Ne6 25. f3 d5 26. cxd5 Rxc3 27. Qxc3 Rxd5 28. Rc1 Qd8 29. Qc8 g6 30. Qa6 Qd7 31. Rc8 Kg7 32. Rb8 Qe7 33. Bc1 Rd7 34. Bb2 Nd4 35. h4 h5 36. Bxd4 exd4 37. Nf4 Kh7 38. Qc8 Kg7 39. Qc2 Rc7 40. Qd1 Qd7 41. Qd3 Qd6 42. Re8 Rc3 43. Qb5 Be7 44. Ra8 Re3 45. Rxa7 d3 46. exd3 Rxf3 More or less winning was 46... Qd4! which Polgar saw, but after 47. Qd5 Re2+! 48. Kh3 she missed that Black has 48... Qg1! -+ 47. Kg2 Re3 48. Kf2 Re5 49. Qd7 Qf6 50. d4 Re4 51. Kf3 Re1 52. Kf2 Re4 53. Kf3 Re1 54. Ra8 Ra1 55. Qe8 Kh6 56. Qh8+ Qxh8 57. Rxh8+ Kg7 58. Rb8 Rxa3+ 59. Kg2 Bxb4 60. Rxb6 Be1 61. Ne2 Re3 62. Rb2 Kf6 63. Kh3 Kf5 64. Rb5+ Kf6 65. Rb6+ Ke7 66. Rb2 f6 67. Kg2 Kd6 68. Ra2 Kd5 69. Kh3 Ke4 70. d5 Kxd5 71. Nf4+ Kd6 72. Rg2 Ke5 73. Nxg6+ Kf5 74. Nf8 Rd3 75. Rg1 Re3 1/2-1/2 You can find a play-through board (to play through the game) at Chessvibes along with full coverage of the Crown Tournament, as well as coverage at Susan Polgar's blog.

Kali Puts on a Benevolent Face

Story from the Calcutta Telegraph Dark Kali gets a makeover! She sure reminds me of the ancient eye-goddesses! Black destroyer of demons goes true - City pandals turn Kali from fearsome goddess of the moonless night to benevolent protector SUDESHNA BANERJEE October 19, 2009 Goddess Kali has gone from dark and destructive to blue and benevolent. Shyama Kali, the relatively benign avatar of the mother deity, was more conspicuous this Kali puja than her dark-hued twin with fearsome eyes and blood-smeared lips. According to the Kumartuli Mritshilpa Sanskrity Samity, barely 500 of the 4,500-odd idols that were sculpted this year portrayed the goddess in her rudra roop (terrible form). “The number of Kali pujas in town has increased, and so has the demand for idols that show the goddess in a different light. In fact, 90 per cent of the new orders that came to us this year were for Shyama Kali,” Babu Pal, the secretary of the samity, told Metro on Sunday. So is the changing face of Kali in pandals just a cosmetic change? “Chardike shudhu khun, jokhom… (There’s blood and wounds all around). People are praying to the mother goddess to be spared the violence. It is easier to seek such a boon from a mother who does not look violent herself,” explained 64-year-old Himangshu Sekhar Chakraborty, the priest in charge of rituals at the Kali puja in Salt Lake’s AB Block. With Shyama Kali so much in demand, the more familiar image of the dark destroyer of evil whom people would invoke on Amavasya (no-moon night) has become a rare sight at baroari (community) pujas. “These days only people who perform Kali puja at home for mannat (blessings) ask for the rudra roop,” said 61-year-old Kumartuli veteran Nimai Chandra Pal. Of the 42 idols he sold this year, only two were of Kali in rudra roop. The evolution of the ferocious goddess to a still destructive but benevolent mother is, however, not a recent one. The best-known description of Kali is as the figure who emerged from the knitted eyebrow of Ambika in the heat of battle with demons. Legend has it that Kali drank blood oozing out of the body of Raktabij, the demon whom Ambika slayed, to prevent each drop from touching the ground and giving birth to innumerable other demons. According to writer Sanjib Chattopadhyay, the goddess in this avatar is the antithesis of what worshippers seeking solace would like to see in these violent times. “Hence the growing popularity of Shyama Kali with a countenance that almost smiles at you, and someone who one can visualise almost as a member of the family,” he added.

Hales Corners Chess Challenge X!

More photos...

Joanna Huang receiving a Kosteniuk prize from TD Tom Fogec

Action shots of the ladies in the Reserve Section

Hales Corners Chess Challenge X!

More photos of the ladies in action! Robert Shockley v. Sandra Pahl Brian MacLeish v. Isabella Ilchenko Jonathan Hildeman v. Nicole Niemi

Hales Corners Chess Challenge X!

More photos - I'll have some games from the chess femmes within the next few days, too. Winners of Kosteniuk prizes: Rachel Ulrich (left) and Alena Huang (right) Alena Huang v. Warren Wagner Claudia Schneider checkmating John Hegelmeyer

Hales Corners Chess Challenge X!

Here are the final standings for the ladies (with Section winners noted) (updated 7:48 p.m.): Open (42 players): No. Name St Rate 1 2 3 4 Score 1. Amanov, Mesgen (1)............ IL 2437 W8 W12 W16 W5 4.0 13. Niemi, Nicole (18)............ WI 1854 W27 D6 L14 W29 2.5 (Goddesschess prize) 36. Pahl, Sandra R (40)........... WI 1527 L31 L24 L35 W41 1.0 (Goddesschess prize) Reserve (33 players): No. Name St Rate 1 2 3 4 Score 1. Etzel, Steven W (1)........... WI 1565 W32 W14 W6 W8 4.0 2. Huang, Joanna (8)............. WI 1383 W33 W15 D7 W13 3.5 (Regular and Goddesschess prizes) 7. Ulrich, Rachel J (12)......... IL 1351 W34 W18 D2 D9 3.0 (Regular and Goddesschess prizes) 8. Huang, Alena (14)............. WI 1320 W29 W5 W10 L1 3.0 (Regular and Goddessches prizes) 21. Ilchenko, Isabella (31)....... WI 590 L14 W32 L5 W28 2.0 28. Schneider, Claudia (28)....... WI 656 L11 L4 W31 L21 1.0 33. Khunger, Simran (26).......... WI 872 L2 L30 -U- -U- 0.0 A good showing by Nicole Niemi in the Open, a tough one for Sandra Pahl but she scored a win in her final game. A great result for Joanna Huang (3.5/4), Rachel Ulrich and Alena Huang (3/4.0)! Congratulations to the winners of the Goddesschess and Kosteniuk prizes. I'll see if I can get a couple of the ladies' games to post. Official ratings for the Tournament at USCF. You Tube video - top boards in Reserve Section (I think final round).