THE WEEK IN CHESS 752 6th April 2009 by Mark Crowther

1) Introduction

My thanks to Alex Relyea, Christian Rohrer, Attila Csonka, David Llada, Dragan Babic, Jose Mariano Acosta, Luis Scalise, Luiz Roberto Da Costa Jr, Neklan Vyskocil, Miklos Orso, Per Rasmussen, Franz Rulitz, Stewart Reuben, Tarjei J. Svensen Thomas Henrich, Manfred Mussnig, Petr Pisk, Varuzhan Akobian and everyone else who helped with the issue.

Veselin Topalov duely did top the FIDE rating list in April ahead of World Champion Viswanathan Anand. There should be a good case for sponsorship of their world title match but every week brings worse economic news, so whether there is money out there is open to question. The Russian Team Championship Premier League is two rounds short as two teams had to withdraw for economic reasons. Nevertheless there are many good players competing and already some interesting chess.

Hope you enjoy this issue.

Mark

2) April FIDE Rating List

Source: http://www.fide.com. The full list is available for download there.

Veselin Topalov tops the rating list for the 3rd time in a row. World Champion Viswanathan Anand is 2nd in the world. Magnus Carlsen moves up to three in the world in spite of some up and down performances recently. A funny indication as to what has happened in this list is Kramnik's move from 8 to 4 in the world without playing a rated game. Radjabov is up from 6 to 5 in the world but losing rating points. Alexander Morozevich dropped 20 points, Vassily Ivanchuk drops 33 points and out of the top 10, a real drop in form and consistancy for him. Alexander Grischuk goes into the top 10.

FIDE Rating List April 2009 Top 100
Rk	ja09	Name	Ti	NAT	YroB	ju07	oc07	ja08	ap08	ju08	oc08	ja09	ap09	Gms
1	1	Topalov, Veselin	g	BUL	1975	2769	2769	2780	2767	2777	2791	2796	2812	17
2	2	Anand, Viswanathan	g	IND	1969	2792	2801	2799	2803	2798	2783	2791	2783	14
3	4	Carlsen, Magnus	g	NOR	1990	2710	2714	2733	2765	2775	2786	2776	2770	27
4	8	Kramnik, Vladimir	g	RUS	1975	2769	2785	2799	2788	2788	2772	2759	2759	0
5	6	Radjabov, Teimour	g	AZE	1987	2746	2742	2735	2751	2744	2751	2761	2756	27
6	11	Aronian, Levon	g	ARM	1982	2750	2741	2739	2763	2737	2757	2750	2754	37
7	7	Jakovenko, Dmitry	g	RUS	1983	2735	2710	2720	2711	2709	2737	2760	2753	5
8	5	Morozevich, Alexander	g	RUS	1977	2758	2755	2765	2774	2788	2787	2771	2751	13
9	9	Leko, Peter	g	HUN	1979	2751	2755	2753	2741	2741	2747	2751	2751	0
10	14	Grischuk, Alexander	g	RUS	1983	2726	2715	2711	2716	2728	2719	2733	2748	14
11	10	Movsesian, Sergei	g	SVK	1978	2667	2670	2677	2695	2723	2732	2751	2747	23
12	3	Ivanchuk, Vassily	g	UKR	1969	2762	2787	2751	2740	2781	2786	2779	2746	37
13	12	Shirov, Alexei	g	ESP	1972	2735	2739	2755	2740	2741	2726	2745	2745	0
14	13	Wang, Yue	g	CHN	1987	2696	2703	2698	2689	2704	2736	2739	2738	38
15	15	Gelfand, Boris	g	ISR	1968	2733	2736	2737	2723	2720	2719	2733	2733	0
16	19	Gashimov, Vugar	g	AZE	1986	2655	2663	2665	2679	2717	2703	2723	2730	10
17	21	Bacrot, Etienne	g	FRA	1983	2695	2695	2700	2705	2691	2705	2722	2728	9
18	20	Svidler, Peter	g	RUS	1976	2735	2732	2763	2746	2738	2727	2723	2726	25
19	16	Ponomariov, Ruslan	g	UKR	1983	2706	2705	2719	2719	2718	2719	2726	2726	0
20	18	Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	g	AZE	1985	2757	2752	2760	2752	2742	2731	2724	2725	6
21	26	Ni, Hua	g	CHN	1983	2681	2641	2680	2703	2705	2710	2709	2724	16
22	23	Dominguez Perez, Leinier	g	CUB	1983	2680	2683	2691	2695	2708	2719	2717	2721	27
23	27	Karjakin, Sergey	g	UKR	1990	2678	2694	2732	2732	2727	2730	2706	2721	19
24	17	Kamsky, Gata	g	USA	1974	2718	2714	2726	2726	2723	2729	2725	2720	20
25	22	Alekseev, Evgeny	g	RUS	1985	2689	2716	2711	2711	2708	2715	2718	2716	5
26	37	Malakhov, Vladimir	g	RUS	1980	2676	2690	2689	2689	2689	2675	2692	2709	26
27	29	Bu, Xiangzhi	g	CHN	1985	2685	2692	2691	2708	2710	2714	2702	2704	18
28	24	Adams, Michael	g	ENG	1971	2724	2729	2726	2729	2735	2734	2712	2703	13
29	30	Rublevsky, Sergei	g	RUS	1974	2679	2676	2695	2695	2699	2702	2702	2702	0
30	32	Nakamura, Hikaru	g	USA	1987	2647	2648	2670	2686	2697	2704	2699	2701	10
31	35	Naiditsch, Arkadij	g	GER	1985	2644	2639	2638	2623	2665	2678	2693	2700	21
32	44	Tiviakov, Sergei	g	NED	1973	2648	2643	2649	2634	2645	2686	2684	2697	38
33	13	Wang, Hao	g	CHN	1989	2696	2703	2698	2689	2704	2736	2739	2696	29
34	31	Akopian, Vladimir	g	ARM	1971	2708	2713	2700	2673	2673	2679	2700	2696	11
35	42	Kasimdzhanov, Rustam	g	UZB	1979	2683	2690	2681	2681	2679	2672	2687	2695	14
36	34	Eljanov, Pavel	g	UKR	1983	2701	2691	2692	2687	2716	2720	2693	2693	0
37	36	Polgar, Judit	g	HUN	1976	2707	2708	2707	2709	2711	2711	2693	2693	0
38	48	Moiseenko, Alexander	g	UKR	1980	2641	2646	2643	2650	2632	2678	2676	2690	15
39	43	Bologan, Viktor	g	MDA	1971	2650	2657	2663	2665	2686	2682	2687	2690	11
40	28	Vallejo Pons, Francisco	g	ESP	1982	2666	2660	2675	2684	2650	2664	2702	2688	31
41	41	Vitiugov, Nikita	g	RUS	1987	2608	2594	2609	2617	2616	2638	2687	2688	20
42	55	Jobava, Baadur	g	GEO	1983	2644	2644	2643	2658	2665	2664	2669	2687	16
43	51	Harikrishna, P.	g	IND	1986	2664	2668	2664	2679	2668	2659	2673	2686	30
44	45	Almasi, Zoltan	g	HUN	1976	2682	2691	2667	2674	2668	2663	2680	2685	9
45	65	Onischuk, Alexander	g	USA	1975	2650	2674	2664	2664	2670	2644	2659	2684	28
46	60	Tomashevsky, Evgeny	g	RUS	1987	2654	2646	2646	2658	2646	2646	2664	2684	24
47	33	Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime	g	FRA	1990	2595	2634	2637	2632	2681	2716	2696	2684	10
48	25	Sasikiran, Krishnan	g	IND	1981	2676	2661	2677	2679	2684	2694	2711	2682	20
49	40	Efimenko, Zahar	g	UKR	1985	2624	2624	2638	2660	2670	2680	2688	2682	19
50	58	Miroshnichenko, Evgenij	g	UKR	1978	2671	2651	2647	2642	2593	2632	2667	2680	17
51	46	Cheparinov, Ivan	g	BUL	1986	2657	2670	2713	2695	2687	2696	2679	2678	11
52	49	Motylev, Alexander	g	RUS	1979	2648	2645	2644	2666	2674	2672	2676	2677	29
53	53	Timofeev, Artyom	g	RUS	1985	2650	2637	2664	2664	2650	2670	2671	2677	20
54	68	Inarkiev, Ernesto	g	RUS	1985	2663	2674	2681	2684	2675	2669	2656	2676	27
55	50	Nisipeanu, Liviu-Dieter	g	ROU	1976	2683	2668	2684	2684	2692	2684	2675	2675	11
56	61	Short, Nigel D	g	ENG	1965	2683	2649	2645	2660	2655	2642	2663	2674	13
57	54	Volokitin, Andrei	g	UKR	1986	2681	2678	2674	2684	2672	2659	2671	2671	23
58	66	Sokolov, Ivan	g	NED	1968	2666	2673	2686	2690	2658	2650	2657	2669	23
59	56	Najer, Evgeniy	g	RUS	1977	2623	2635	2634	2627	2670	2682	2669	2669	0
60	39	Dreev, Alexey	g	RUS	1969	2606	2607	2633	2657	2657	2670	2688	2668	38
61	63	Nielsen, Peter Heine	g	DEN	1973	2649	2638	2626	2629	2652	2662	2660	2668	3
62	59	Fressinet, Laurent	g	FRA	1981	2646	2654	2656	2656	2673	2676	2666	2664	11
63	47	Sargissian, Gabriel	g	ARM	1983	2667	2673	2676	2643	2660	2642	2678	2660	23
64	64	Sutovsky, Emil	g	ISR	1977	2656	2655	2642	2630	2654	2651	2660	2660	0
65	62	Guseinov, Gadir	g	AZE	1986	2612	2614	2617	2625	2643	2650	2661	2659	20
66	57	Milov, Vadim	g	SUI	1972	2675	2676	2690	2690	2705	2681	2669	2659	18
67		Kurnosov, Igor	g	RUS	1985	2579	2592	2577	2593	2617	2606	2602	2658	38
68	52	Areshchenko, Alexander	g	UKR	1986	2645	2638	2645	2650	2664	2664	2673	2657	39
69	67	Tkachiev, Vladislav	g	FRA	1973	2655	2661	2657	2657	2664	2664	2657	2657	0
70		Fedorchuk, Sergey A.	g	UKR	1981	2618	2645	2652	2671	2624	2603	2633	2656	25
71		Pashikian, Arman	g	ARM	1987	2528	2534	2556	2537	2564	2611	2621	2655	43
72	71	Savchenko, Boris	g	RUS	1986	2577	2583	2589	2569	2578	2648	2654	2655	29
73	87	Nyback, Tomi	g	FIN	1985	2567	2565	2579	2587	2639	2634	2644	2655	13
74	95	Navara, David	g	CZE	1985	2656	2656	2680	2672	2646	2633	2638	2654	24
75	70	Grachev, Boris	g	RUS	1986	2601	2602	2601	2610	2640	2653	2655	2652	29
76	74	Predojevic, Borki	g	BIH	1987	2628	2645	2641	2651	2634	2615	2650	2652	20
77	91	Lastin, Alexander	g	RUS	1976	2583	2597	2604	2622	2639	2651	2643	2650	9
78	84	Caruana, Fabiano	g	ITA	1992	2549	2594	2598	2620	2630	2640	2646	2649	31
79	78	Amonatov, Farrukh	g	TJK	1978	2598	2637	2649	????	2650	2634	2647	2648	18
80	72	Postny, Evgeny	g	ISR	1981	2598	2599	2627	2649	2661	2674	2652	2648	11
81	81	Delchev, Aleksander	g	BUL	1971	2591	2613	2630	2639	2618	2632	2647	2648	7
82	85	Avrukh, Boris	g	ISR	1978	2645	2641	2628	2632	2656	2657	2645	2647	10
83	75	Fridman, Daniel	g	GER	1976	2628	2621	2627	2640	2637	2630	2650	2646	9
84	102	Kobalia, Mikhail	g	RUS	1978	2634	2631	2623	2627	2618	2630	2634	2645	26
85	94	Mamedov, Rauf	g	AZE	1988	2591	2582	2583	2617	2627	2631	2638	2645	20
86	89	Karpov, Anatoly	g	RUS	1951	2668	2670	2655	2655	2651	2651	2644	2644	0
87		Li, Chao b	g	CHN	1989	2529	2553	2566	2581	2590	2622	2628	2643	46
88		Meier, Georg	g	GER	1987	2546	2558	2570	2560	2556	2558	2608	2641	37
89		So, Wesley	g	PHI	1993	2516	2531	2526	2540	2577	2610	2627	2641	29
90	80	Smirin, Ilia	g	ISR	1968	2649	2639	2616	2630	2637	2649	2647	2641	9
91	83	Beliavsky, Alexander G	g	SLO	1953	2653	2646	2638	2641	2606	2619	2646	2640	21
92	73	Berkes, Ferenc	g	HUN	1985	2597	2606	2618	2618	2645	2645	2651	2638	21
93	69	Zhang, Pengxiang	g	CHN	1980	2634	2634	2617	2613	2632	2649	2656	2638	6
94	99	Georgiev, Kiril	g	BUL	1965	2663	2649	2662	2665	2671	2645	2634	2637	11
95		Socko, Bartosz	g	POL	1978	2660	2646	2635	2644	2627	2631	2631	2637	10
96	86	Bareev, Evgeny	g	RUS	1966	2653	2653	2677	2677	2655	2647	2645	2636	9
97		Zhou, Jianchao	g	CHN	1988	2572	2572	2551	2580	2604	2612	2612	2635	35
98	100	Riazantsev, Alexander	g	RUS	1985	2615	2623	2628	2638	2617	2656	2634	2635	28
99	97	Zvjaginsev, Vadim	g	RUS	1976	2658	2674	2677	2674	2663	2646	2636	2635	22
100	79	Roiz, Michael	g	ISR	1983	2630	2644	2659	2659	2680	2677	2647	2635	17

Dropping out of the list: Zhang Zhong, Maxim Rodshtein, Dmitry Bocharov, Pavel Tregubov, Igor Khenkin, Alexander Graf, Yuri Shulman, Giovanni Vescovi, Jan Gustafsson.

3) Russian Team Championships

The Russian Team Championship takes place in Dagomys 4th-10th April 2009. (7 rounds after the economic situation caused a couple of teams to be missing). The Higher League (basically the 2nd level and 9 rounds) and Women's League takes place 2nd-10th April 2009. (7 Rounds).

Official site: http://www.russiachess.org also Europe-Echecs has Videos.

16th Russian Club Cup, Premier League Dagomys (RUS), 4-10 iv 2009 Round 3 (of 7) Standings:
Place	SNo.	Team	Fed.	Local	Match Points	Total	vs+	Wins	B.1
1	7	ShSM-64	RUS	2672	5.0	12.0	2;4;	2	1.0
2	6	Tomsk-400	RUS	2685	5.0	11.0	4;5;	2	1.5
3	8	Economist-SGSEU - 1	RUS	2699	5.0	10.0	1;2;	2	1.5
4	5	TPS	RUS	2645	3.0	10.0	4;	1	1.5
5	3	Ural	RUS	2701	3.0	9.0		0	1.0
6	1	SPbChFed	RUS	2684	2.0	8.5		0	2.0
7	2	Eurasia-Logistic	RUS	2566	1.0	7.5		0	2.0
8	4	M.Chigorin CC	RUS	2459	0.0	4.0		0	1.5

10th Russian Club Cup, Women's League Dagomys (RUS), 2-10 iv 2009 Round 4 (of 7) Standings:
Place	SNo.	Team	Fed.	Local	Match Points	Total	vs+	Wins	B.1
1	8	Spartak	RUS	2510	8.0	12.0	1;5;2;6;	4	2.0
2	3	Economist-SGSEU - 1	RUS	2439	6.0	11.5	6;2;	2	3.5
3	5	AVS	RUS	2486	6.0	10.0	4;6;7;	3	3.0
4	7	SPb Chess Fed	RUS	2432	5.0	9.0	2;4;	2	3.0
5	1	AFGANVET-PetroDom	RUS	2380	4.0	9.0	2;	1	2.0
6	6	Economist-SGSEU - 2	RUS	2360	2.0	5.5	4;	1	1.5
7	4	ShSM	RUS	2425	1.0	5.5		0	1.0
8	2	M.Chigorin CC	RUS	2300	0.0	1.5		0	0.0

16th Russian Club Cup, Higher League Dagomys (RUS), 2-10 iv 2009 Round 4 (of 7) Standings:
Place	SNo.	Team	Fed.	Local	Match Points	Total	vs+	Wins	B.1
1	6	Polytechnik	RUS	2565	6.0	15.0	5;7;8;	3	2.0
2	8	Yugra	RUS	2574	6.0	14.0	3;4;5;	3	3.0
3	9	BelGU	RUS	2518	6.0	13.5	2;4;5;	3	2.0
4	3	Perspektiva	RUS	2518	5.0	14.0	9;1;	2	1.5
5	10	Economist-SGSEU - 2	RUS	2574	5.0	12.0	6;7;	2	1.5
6	4	ZAO "OMZ"	RUS	2477	4.0	12.5	7;1;	2	1.0
7	2	Etude-Contact	RUS	2529	4.0	12.0	10;	1	2.5
8	7	Grifon	RUS	2507	2.0	12.5	5;	1	2.0
9	1	SC MEPhI	RUS	2481	2.0	9.0		0	2.5
10	5	Gostinaya Dvorkovicha	RUS	2333	0.0	5.5		0	2.0

4) Reykjavik Open

The Reykjavik Open took place 24th March - 1st April 2009. Hedinn Steingrimsson edged out Yuriy Kryvoruchko, Hannes Stefansson and Mihail Marin on tie-break after all finished on 7/9.

Paul Frigge produced the PGN bulletin, very nicely too. I give all the games again because firstly when I first released TWIC last week I mis-spelled Reykjavik (I keep trying to end it in a c) and also I mismatched a player in turning it into the TWIC format.

Official site: http://www.skaksamband.is/. Results: http://www.chess-results.com/tnr18947.aspx?lan=1 and blog: http://reykjavikchess.blogspot.com/

Open Reykjavik (ISL), 24 iii-1 iv 2009 Leading Final Round 9 Standings:
Rk.	Ti	Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	Rp	K	rtg+/-
1	GM	Steingrimsson Hedinn	ISL	2547	7,0	51,0	39,5	39,25	2673	10	14,5
2	GM	Kryvoruchko Yuriy	UKR	2604	7,0	51,0	39,5	38,25	2674	10	8,5
3	GM	Stefansson Hannes	ISL	2563	7,0	49,0	38,5	37,50	2667	10	12,2
4	GM	Marin Mihail	ROU	2556	7,0	49,0	38,5	37,50	2654	10	12,1
5	GM	Areshchenko Alexander	UKR	2673	6,5	53,0	42,5	37,50	2617	10	-4,0
6	GM	Shulman Yuri	USA	2639	6,5	51,0	39,5	35,00	2627	10	0,4
7	IM	Vocaturo Daniele	ITA	2445	6,5	50,5	40,0	33,75	2642	10	24,6
8	IM	Roussel-Roozmon Thomas	CAN	2479	6,5	44,5	34,5	31,25	2536	10	7,9
9	IM	Popovic Milos T	SRB	2400	6,5	42,5	32,5	29,00	2471	10	13,4
10	IM	Shytaj Luca	ITA	2453	6,5	42,0	32,5	29,00	2486	10	5,7
11	GM	Maze Sebastien	FRA	2579	6,0	49,5	39,0	32,50	2555	10	-1,5
12	GM	Conquest Stuart C	ENG	2531	6,0	49,5	38,0	30,00	2553	10	3,7
13	IM	Grandelius Nils	SWE	2464	6,0	48,0	36,5	31,00	2511	10	6,9
14	GM	Gupta Abhijeet	IND	2569	6,0	46,0	35,5	29,00	2502	10	-5,4
15	GM	Nataf Igor-Alexandre	FRA	2533	6,0	45,0	34,5	27,75	2508	10	-1,6
16	GM	Williams Simon K	ENG	2507	6,0	43,5	34,0	28,50	2437	10	-6,8
17	GM	Siebrecht Sebastian	GER	2440	6,0	43,0	33,5	25,25	2458	10	4,2
18	IM	Harika Dronavalli	IND	2473	6,0	40,5	32,5	26,50	2381	10	-7,7
19	IM	Ris Robert	NED	2436	5,5	48,0	37,0	26,25	2427	10	1,8
20	IM	Breder Dennis	GER	2427	5,5	46,0	36,0	26,25	2465	10	8,3
21	GM	Danielsen Henrik	ISL	2482	5,5	46,0	35,5	25,25	2408	10	-4,1
22	IM	Caspi Israel	ISR	2402	5,5	45,0	36,0	24,75	2442	10	7,9
23	IM	Lund Esben	DEN	2421	5,5	44,5	34,5	24,75	2412	10	2,0
24	FM	Kjartansson Gudmundur	ISL	2365	5,5	42,0	32,0	21,75	2379	15	6,9
25	GM	Bhat Vinay S	USA	2495	5,5	41,5	32,5	24,50	2387	10	-11,0
26	IM	Kristjansson Stefan	ISL	2472	5,5	41,5	31,5	23,75	2346	10	-10,3
27	GM	Thorhallsson Throstur	ISL	2442	5,5	41,5	31,5	23,00	2397	10	-3,9
28	IM	Thorfinnsson Bragi	ISL	2383	5,5	41,0	31,5	22,75	2346	10	-2,0
29	IM	Gunnarsson Jon Viktor	ISL	2463	5,5	40,0	33,0	23,25	2224	10	-15,4
30	IM	Arngrimsson Dagur	ISL	2404	5,5	40,0	30,0	22,25	2296	10	-9,5
31	FM	Lucaroni Massimiliano	ITA	2310	5,5	36,0	29,5	19,75	2231	15	-1,6
32	IM	Meszaros Michal	SVK	2376	5,0	55,0	43,5	28,50	2503	10	16,9
33	GM	Hillarp Persson Tiger	SWE	2586	5,0	52,0	40,5	26,50	2470	10	-13,0
34	GM	Oleksienko Mikhailo	UKR	2550	5,0	50,0	39,5	26,00	2458	10	-10,6
35	IM	Rombaldoni Denis	ITA	2418	5,0	50,0	38,5	25,25	2454	10	6,4
36	GM	Leon Hoyos Manuel	MEX	2542	5,0	49,5	38,0	26,25	2471	10	-7,8
37	FM	Rombaldoni Axel	ITA	2309	5,0	47,5	39,0	25,00	2448	15	30,1
38		Andersen Mads	DEN	2190	5,0	47,0	37,0	23,00	2386	15	33,6
39		Gretarsson Hjorvar Steinn	ISL	2279	5,0	44,5	37,5	21,00	2380	15	24,1
40		Carlhammar Magnus	SWE	2350	5,0	44,5	34,5	21,75	2344	15	4,5
41	FM	Cohen Or	ISR	2286	5,0	43,5	34,5	20,75	2268	15	4,5
42		Gislason Gudmundur	ISL	2351	5,0	43,0	32,5	20,75	2262	15	-9,1
43	IM	Perunovic Miodrag	SRB	2439	5,0	42,0	32,5	22,25	2241	10	-16,3
44	FM	Cori Jorge	PER	2370	5,0	41,5	32,5	20,50	2283	15	-11,7
45	IM	Macak Stefan	SVK	2527	5,0	39,0	31,0	20,25	2239	10	-24,1
46		Zak Uri	ISR	2198	4,5	50,0	38,5	23,50	2463	15	41,8
110 players

5) Mar de Ajo International

The Mar de Ajo International took place 23rd-31st March 2009. Andres Rodriguez Vila, Andre Diamant and Salvador Alonso finished in that order on Sonnen-Berger tie-break after they all scored 6.5/9.

Official site: http://scalise.fortunecity.com/ajo09/ajo09ini.htm

Magistral Mar de Ajo (ARG), 23-31 iii 2009												cat. VIII (2439)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0
1.	Rodriguez Vila, Andres	g	URU	2524	*	0	1	½	1	1	½	1	1	½	6½	2595
2.	Diamant, Andre	m	BRA	2472	1	*	½	½	½	0	1	1	1	1	6½	2601
3.	Alonso, Salvador	m	ARG	2441	0	½	*	1	1	½	½	1	1	1	6½	2604
4.	Garcia Palermo, Carlos	g	ITA	2484	½	½	0	*	0	1	1	½	½	1	5	2476
5.	Hobaica, Juan Pablo	m	ARG	2402	0	½	0	1	*	½	½	½	1	1	5	2486
6.	Rodriguez, Jorge Luis	f	ARG	2393	0	1	½	0	½	*	½	½	½	1	4½	2444
7.	Slipak, Sergio	g	ARG	2452	½	0	½	0	½	½	*	1	½	½	4	2394
8.	Ginzburg, Maximiliano	m	ARG	2455	0	0	0	½	½	½	0	*	½	1	3	2312
9.	Van Riemsdijk, Herman C	m	BRA	2392	0	0	0	½	0	½	½	½	*	½	2½	2278
10.	Claverie, Raul		ARG	2374	½	0	0	0	0	0	½	0	½	*	1½	2173

6) Arnold Eikrem Memorial

The Arnold Eikrem Memorial takes place 4th- 12th April 2009. It is a part of the 125th anniversary celebrations of Oslo Chess Club. There is also a FIDE rated open alongside with 40 players.

Official site: http://sjakkselskapet.no/jubileum/

Arnold Eikrem Memorial Oslo NOR (NOR), 4-12 iv 2009												cat. X (2486)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0
1.	Macieja, Bartlomiej	g	POL	2601	*	.	1	.	.	.	.	.	1	1	3
2.	Hammer, Jon Ludvig	g	NOR	2566	.	*	.	.	.	½	1	1	.	.	2½	2776
3.	Elsness, Frode	m	NOR	2441	0	.	*	.	1	.	.	.	1	.	2	2610
4.	Kveinys, Aloyzas	g	LTU	2534	.	.	.	*	.	½	½	.	.	1	2	2611
5.	Johannessen, Leif Erlend	g	NOR	2540	.	.	0	.	*	1	.	.	.	1	2	2593
6.	Berg, Emanuel	g	SWE	2610	.	½	.	½	0	*	.	.	.	.	1	2421
7.	Handke, Florian	g	GER	2496	.	0	.	½	.	.	*	½	.	.	1	2376
8.	Ogaard, Leif	g	NOR	2403	.	0	.	.	.	.	½	*	½	.	1	2333
9.	Trygstad, Kristian	f	NOR	2314	0	.	0	.	.	.	.	½	*	.	½	2208
10.	Moen, Andreas	f	NOR	2353	0	.	.	0	0	.	.	.	.	*	0

7) Battle of the GMs Dapitan

The Battle of the GMs took place in Dapitan City 24th-31st March 2009. Wesley So ran away with the category XI event with 9/11. Most of the games from the final two rounds are missing.

Battle of the GMs Dapitan (PHI), 24-31 iii 2009													cat. XI (2505)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2
1.	So, Wesley	g	PHI	2627	*	½	1	½	1	½	1	½	1	1	1	1	9	2755
2.	Antonio, Rogelio jr	g	PHI	2519	½	*	½	½	1	½	½	1	½	1	1	0	7	2605
3.	Torre, Eugenio	g	PHI	2560	0	½	*	½	1	½	½	½	½	½	1	1	6½	2564
4.	Paragua, Mark	g	PHI	2537	½	½	½	*	½	0	½	1	½	0	1	1	6	2537
5.	Gomez, John Paul	m	PHI	2539	0	0	0	½	*	½	1	½	½	1	1	1	6	2537
6.	Bitoon, Richard	m	PHI	2473	½	½	½	1	½	*	½	½	1	0	0	½	5½	2507
7.	Laylo, Darwin	g	PHI	2504	0	½	½	½	0	½	*	1	½	1	½	½	5½	2504
8.	Sadorra, Julio Catalino	m	PHI	2439	½	0	½	0	½	½	0	*	1	1	1	½	5½	2510
9.	Nolte, Rolando	m	PHI	2488	0	½	½	½	½	0	½	0	*	½	½	1	4½	2441
10.	Gonzales, Jayson	g	PHI	2468	0	0	½	1	0	1	0	0	½	*	½	½	4	2406
11.	Villamayor, Buenaventura	g	PHI	2471	0	0	0	0	0	1	½	0	½	½	*	1	3½	2374
12.	Dableo, Ronald	m	PHI	2432	0	1	0	0	0	½	½	½	0	½	0	*	3	2336

8) Vietnam Championships

The Vietnamese Championships took place in Hanoi, 14th-28th February 2009. The event saw a 9 Round swiss followed by either Semi Finals or playoffs for places and then a Final and 3rd-4th playoff. Bui Vinh beat Dao Thien Hai in the final, Hoang Canh Huan beat Nguyan Hoang Nam 1.5-0.5 in a rapid playoff after they both won a game in the initial playoffs.

Official site: http://www.vietnamchess.com.vn

9) 11th European Senior Teams

The 11th European Senior Team Championships take place in Velden, Carinthia (Kaernten), the southernmost province of Austria 5th-13th April 2009.

The Russian team, title holders the Czech Republic and Germany's team are the strongest competitors, closely followed by an Austrian quartet, including Velden local Franz Hoelzl. Viktor Korchnoi plays for the Swiss team.

Official site: http://www.velden-schach.at/european-senior-championship and http://www.chess-results.com/tnr19361.aspx

10) Belgrade Spring Open

The Belgrade Spring Open took place 21st-31st March 2009. Nikola Ostojic took first place on tie-break from Bozidar Marinovic, Balind Nadj Hedjesi and Ilija Grubisic after all finished with 7/9.

Official site: http://www.beochess.rs

Spring Open Belgrade (SRB), 21-31 iii 2009
Pl.	Name	Ti	Rtg	Pts.	BK.	BK.	SB.	pobd
1	Ostojic Nikola	IM	2388	7	50½	53½	40.5	5
2	Marinovic Bozidar	M	2395	7	49½	54½	41.75	5
3	Nadj Hedjesi Balind	M	2348	7	46	49	37.25	6
4	Grubisic Ilija	MK	2265	7	44½	47½	35.75	5
5	Radlovacki Jovan	M	2387	6½	48½	53	36.5	5
6	Skare Goran	FM	2310	6½	47	51½	35.5	5
7	Nestorovic Lazar	MK	2207	6½	47	51	35	5
8	Andrijevic Milan	IM	2384	6½	46	49½	33.75	5
9	Maksimovic Marko	MK	2155	6½	46	49	32.5	6
10	Djokic Nenad	FM	2350	6½	43	47	33.5	4
11	Cetkovic Miodrag	IM	2283	6½	39½	43½	30.5	5
12	Elez Nikola	MK	2078	6½	34½	36½	26.75	6
13	Brujic Bozidar	FM	2194	6	46	49	31	5
14	Maksimovic Miroslav	MK	2269	6	45	48½	30.25	4
15	Svetac Nenad	MK	2322	6	42	45	27.75	4
16	Damjanovic Dragan	FM	2229	6	41	42½	27.75	5
17	Petrovski Igor	I	1967	6	39	41½	23.5	6
18	Pusonja Nikola	I	1660	6	37½	38½	25.5	6
19	Dimitrijevic Radmilo	MK	2218	5½	46	49½	27	4
20	Vlahovic Svetozar	FM	2175	5½	44	47	24.5	4
21	Mrsa Ferdinand	MK	2229	5½	43½	46½	25.25	4
22	Jakovljevic Zivota	FM	2125	5½	43½	46	23.5	5
23	Ivanovic Nikola	MK	2224	5½	43	47	26.5	4
24	Jevtic Miroljub	MK	2164	5½	43	47	26.25	4
25	Stankovic Ivan G	MK	2094	5½	43	47	25	5
26	Starcevic Goran	FM	2227	5½	42½	46	26.5	5
27	Nesic Tomislav	I	1390	5½	42	46	26.75	4
28	Cicmil Slobodan	MK	2135	5½	42	45½	24.75	5
29	Bulatovic Nikola	MK	2083	5½	41½	44½	26.25	3
30	Mihajlovic Miodrag	FM	2183	5½	41½	44½	25.75	5
31	Vujadinovic Milan	MK	2174	5½	41	44½	25.25	4
32	Jovicic Radosav	MK	2234	5½	40½	44	25.75	5
33	Tasic Zoran T	MK	2212	5½	39	41	23.25	5
34	Kosovac Milan	MK	2029	5½	39	41	22	5
35	Bulatovic Ilija	MK	1899	5	42½	46½	25.75	2
113 players

11) V Ciocaltea Memorial

The Victor Ciocaltea Memorial took place in Bucharest, Romania 23rd March - 2nd April 2009. Gergely-Andras-Gyula Szabo, Constantin Lupulescu and Ioan Cristian Chirila finished on 7½/11. The table below is constructed from the game file, I couldn't find an official final table.

Official site: http://www.sahclub.ro/

Victor Ciocaltea Mem Bucharest (ROM), 23 iii-2 iv 2009													cat. X (2484)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2
1.	Szabo, Gergely-Andras-Gyula	m	ROU	2506	*	½	1	½	½	½	½	1	½	½	1	1	7½	2614
2.	Lupulescu, Constantin	g	ROU	2608	½	*	½	½	½	½	1	1	½	1	½	1	7½	2605
3.	Chirila, Ioan Cristian	m	ROU	2485	0	½	*	1	½	½	1	1	1	1	½	½	7½	2616
4.	Miron, Lucian-Costin	m	ROU	2443	½	½	0	*	1	½	1	½	1	½	½	½	6½	2552
5.	Jianu, Vlad-Cristian	g	ROU	2544	½	½	½	0	*	½	½	1	0	1	½	1	6	2514
6.	Shishkin, Vadim UKR	g	UKR	2493	½	½	½	½	½	*	½	0	½	1	½	½	5½	2482
7.	Abasov, Nijat Azad		AZE	2397	½	0	0	0	½	½	*	½	1	½	1	1	5½	2491
8.	Haznedaroglu, Kivanc	m	TUR	2451	0	0	0	½	0	1	½	*	1	1	1	0	5	2450
9.	Roganovic, Milos	f	SRB	2475	½	½	0	0	1	½	0	0	*	0	1	½	4	2382
10.	Erdogdu, Mert	m	TUR	2460	½	0	0	½	0	0	½	0	1	*	½	1	4	2383
11.	Murariu, Andrei	g	ROU	2490	0	½	½	½	½	½	0	0	0	½	*	½	3½	2350
12.	Burnoiu, Nicolae-Costel	m	ROU	2453	0	0	½	½	0	½	0	1	½	0	½	*	3½	2353

12) I Costa del Sol International

The I Costa del Sol International took place 22nd February - 29th March 2009. Daniel Lopez Gonzalez took first place on tie-break from Antonio Naranjo Moreno after both finished on 7½/9.

Official site: http://es.geocities.com/clubajedrezsanpedro/

Costa del Sol Open Malaga (ESP), 22-29 ii 2009 Final Round 9 Standings:
Rank	Name	Elo	FED	Ano de Nac.	Typ	Pts	BH.
1	Lopez Gonzalez Daniel	2209	ESP	1980	MA	7½	43
2	Naranjo Moreno Antonio	2275	ESP	1988	MA	7½	40½
3	Marquez Bernal Florencio	1980	ESP	1969	MA	7	37½
4	Carrascoso Morales Abel	2220	ESP	1986	MA	6	46½
5	Naranjo Rivera Antonio	1952	ESP	1952	MA	5	38
6	Dominguez Marin Jose Miguel	0	ESP	1996	MA	5	37½
7	Moreno Guerrero Idelfonso	1852	ESP	1971	MA	4½	42
8	Alcazar Cordon Antonio Luis	0	ESP	1961	MA	4½	36
9	Mesa Rojas Victor	0	ESP	1994	MA	4½	33
10	Anillo Fernandez Isabel	0	ESP	1996	MA	4½	28½
11	Becerra Melgar Rafael	1605	ESP	1972	MA	3½	29
12	Chaves Medina Daniel	1716	ESP	1985	MA	3	33
13	Gonzalez Capacete Jose Miguel	0	ESP	1999	MA	3	29½
14	Cortes Fernandez Juan	0	ESP	1964	MA	3	27½
15	Cortes Cabeza Cameron	0	ESP	1999	MA	3	26½
16	Garcia Garrido Jose Carlos	0	ESP	1968	MA	2½	29½
17	Sanchez Corrales Jose	0	ESP	1992	MA	2	36
18	Colomer Luque Francisco	0	ESP	1981	MA	2	35
19	Navia Martin Sergio	1896	ESP	1993	MA	2	34½
20	Benarque Lopez Francisco Jose	1902	ESP	1992	MA	1	36
21	Galindo Garcia Adrian	1670	ESP	1992	MA	1	36
22	Le Rigoleu Toni	0	ESP	1994	MA	1	29
23	Andrades Marquez Mario	0	ESP	1994	MA	1	27½
24	Chacon Castro Juan Antonio	0	ESP	1994	MA	1	27

13) Genset Cup Szombathely

The Genset Cup took place in Szombathely (HUN) 26th March - 3rd April 2009. 100 minutes/40 moves + 30 minutes , 30 sec addition after each move

Istvan Sipos won the event with 6.5/9. News: Attila Csonka.

Official site: http://sakk.savaria.hu/main.php?Lang=HU

Genset Cup Szombathely (HUN), 26 iii-3 iv 2009												cat. IV (2330)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0
1.	Sipos, Istvan	f	HUN	2380	*	½	½	1	½	1	½	1	½	1	6½	2490
2.	Rapport, Richard	f	HUN	2371	½	*	0	½	1	½	½	1	1	1	6	2450
3.	Kantorik, Marian	m	SVK	2356	½	1	*	1	½	½	1	0	0	½	5	2369
4.	Csiba, Dominik		SVK	2268	0	½	0	*	1	1	0	½	1	1	5	2379
5.	Kiss, Attila	m	HUN	2369	½	0	½	0	*	½	1	½	1	½	4½	2325
6.	Rachela, Milan	f	SVK	2380	0	½	½	0	½	*	½	½	1	1	4½	2324
7.	Csiszar, Csaba	m	HUN	2450	½	½	0	1	0	½	*	½	0	1	4	2273
8.	Stavrianakis, Ioannis		GRE	2214	0	0	1	½	½	½	½	*	½	½	4	2299
9.	Kislik, Erik Andrew		USA	2310	½	0	1	0	0	0	1	½	*	½	3½	2251
10.	Buzeti, Jernej		SLO	2199	0	0	½	0	½	0	0	½	½	*	2	2124

14) First Saturday April

The First Saturday tournaments (GM, IM and FM) take place 4th-17th April in Budapest.

Also I messed up the March IMA tournament table and games by confusing Richard S Jones with a much weaker player. I give the table and games again.

Official site: http://www.firstsaturday.hu/

FSGM April Budapest (HUN), 4-12 iv 2009												cat. VII (2416)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0
1.	Heinz, Axel		GER	2398	*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	1	1
2.	To, Nhat Minh	f	HUN	2367	.	*	.	.	.	.	.	.	1	.	1
3.	Duong The Anh	m	VIE	2434	.	.	*	.	.	½	.	.	.	.	½	2484
4.	Ilincic, Zlatko	g	SRB	2545	.	.	.	*	½	.	.	.	.	.	½	2351
5.	Muir, Andrew J	m	SCO	2351	.	.	.	½	*	.	.	.	.	.	½	2545
6.	Nguyen Huynh Minh Huy	m	VIE	2484	.	.	½	.	.	*	.	.	.	.	½	2434
7.	Kosic, Dragan	g	MNE	2512	.	.	.	.	.	.	*	?	.	.	0
8.	Horvath, Peter1	g	HUN	2445	.	.	.	.	.	.	?	*	.	.	0
9.	Csirik, Andras	f	HUN	2302	.	0	.	.	.	.	.	.	*	.	0
10.	Gara, Anita	wg	HUN	2326	0	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	*	0

FSIMA April Budapest (HUN), 4-14 iv 2009
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2
1.	Bacso, Gabor	f	HUN	2171	*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	1	.	.	1
2.	Kislik, Erik Andrew		USA	2314	.	*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	1	.	1
3.	Simonyi, Zoltan	f	SRB	2225	.	.	*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	1	1
4.	Corke, Anya	wg	HKG	2237	.	.	.	*	½	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	½	2268
5.	Lengyel, Bela	m	HUN	2268	.	.	.	½	*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	½	2237
6.	Eperjesi, Laszlo	m	HUN	2294	.	.	.	.	.	*	.	?	.	.	.	.	0
7.	Farago, Sandor	m	HUN	2255	.	.	.	.	.	.	*	.	?	.	.	.	0
8.	Kahn, Evarth	m	HUN	2285	.	.	.	.	.	?	.	*	.	.	.	.	0
9.	Magyar, Otto	f	HUN	2296	.	.	.	.	.	.	?	.	*	.	.	.	0
10.	Frick, Christoph		GER	2246	0	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	*	.	.	0
11.	Katzir, Moshe		ISR	2279	.	0	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	*	.	0
12.	Grigoryan-Lyell, Meri	wf	ENG	2084	.	.	0	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	*	0

FSIMB April Budapest (HUN), 4-13 iv 2009
					1		2		3		4		5		6
1.	Lyell, Mark	f	ENG	2300	*	*	.	.	.	.	.	.	1	.	.	.	1
2.	Szalanczy, Emil	m	HUN	2295	.	.	*	*	.	.	.	.	.	.	1	.	1
3.	Parkanyi, Attila	m	HUN	2315	.	.	.	.	*	*	?	.	.	.	.	.	0
4.	K('a)rolyi, Tibor jr	m	HUN	2328	.	.	.	.	?	.	*	*	.	.	.	.	0
5.	Cox, Tristan A		ENG	2090	0	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	*	*	.	.	0
6.	Koppenhoefer, Bernhard		GER	2151	.	.	0	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	*	*	0

FSIMA March Budapest (HUN), 7-17 iii 2009												cat. I (2266)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1
1.	Berczes, Csaba	m	HUN	2383	*	½	½	½	½	½	½	1	1	1	1	7	2403
2.	Lengyel, Bela	m	HUN	2268	½	*	1	1	½	1	½	½	½	½	½	6½	2375
3.	Corke, Anya	wg	HKG	2260	½	0	*	½	½	1	1	0	1	1	½	6	2338
4.	Mihok, Oliver	f	HUN	2355	½	0	½	*	½	½	1	1	1	0	1	6	2329
5.	Vegh, Endre	m	HUN	2285	½	½	½	½	*	½	0	1	½	½	1	5½	2300
6.	Jones, Richard S	f	WLS	2318	½	0	0	½	½	*	0	1	1	1	1	5½	2296
7.	Sebestyen, Balazs	f	HUN	2283	½	½	0	0	1	1	*	0	0	1	1	5	2264
8.	Bach, Matthias	f	GER	2276	0	½	1	0	0	0	1	*	0	1	1	4½	2228
9.	Bacso, Gabor	f	HUN	2123	0	½	0	0	½	0	1	1	*	½	1	4½	2244
10.	Arsenault, Nicolas		CAN	2229	0	½	0	1	½	0	0	0	½	*	½	3	2120
11.	Tesik, Csaba		HUN	2145	0	½	½	0	0	0	0	0	0	½	*	1½	1982

15) ITT Proyeccion U20

The ITT Proyeccion U20 tournament took place in Buenos Aires 25th-31st March 2009. Federico Perez Ponsa won the event with 7/9.

Official site: http://www.ajedrez.com.ar/ITT-FADA-GEBA-20.htm

ITT Proyeccion U20 Buenos Aires (ARG), 25-31 iii 2009												cat. III (2309)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0
1.	Perez Ponsa, Federico	f	ARG	2390	*	½	½	1	1	1	1	½	½	1	7	2519
2.	Goldwaser, Christian		ARG	2356	½	*	½	½	1	½	½	1	1	1	6½	2469
3.	Real de Azua, Ernesto	m	ARG	2445	½	½	*	½	½	1	½	1	1	1	6½	2459
4.	Della Morte, German	m	ARG	2383	0	½	½	*	1	½	½	1	½	1	5½	2380
5.	Guerrero, Alvaro		URU	2178	0	0	½	0	*	½	1	1	1	1	5	2366
6.	Meza, Hugo		ARG	2318	0	½	0	½	½	*	½	1	1	½	4½	2307
7.	Granara Barreto, Sebastian A	f	URU	2220	0	½	½	½	0	½	*	½	0	1	3½	2238
8.	Mayorga, Nicolas	f	ARG	2306	½	0	0	0	0	0	½	*	1	1	3	2184
9.	Contin, Daniel	m	ITA	2321	½	0	0	½	0	0	1	0	*	½	2½	2141
10.	Shcherbine, Andrei		RUS	2171	0	0	0	0	0	½	0	0	½	*	1	1973

16) Serbian Championship

The Serbian Championship takes place in Kragujevac 2nd-15th April 2009.

Official site: http://www.serbiachess.net/

ch-SRB Kragujevac (SRB), 2-15 iv 2009														cat. XI (2516)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4
1.	Ivanisevic, Ivan	g	SRB	2625	*	.	.	.	.	1	½	.	1	.	.	.	1	1	4½	2856
2.	Vuckovic, Bojan	g	SRB	2572	.	*	.	½	.	.	.	½	.	½	.	1	1	.	3½	2603
3.	Drazic, Sinisa	g	SRB	2533	.	.	*	½	.	.	½	.	½	.	.	.	1	1	3½	2638
4.	Pikula, Dejan	g	SRB	2568	.	½	½	*	.	.	.	½	.	1	.	½	.	.	3	2568
5.	Bogosavljevic, Boban	g	SRB	2526	.	.	.	.	*	1	½	.	.	.	0	½	.	1	3	2623
6.	Damljanovic, Branko	g	SRB	2573	0	.	.	.	0	*	.	.	.	.	1	1	.	1	3	2623
7.	Perunovic, Milos	g	SRB	2580	½	.	½	.	½	.	*	0	.	.	1	.	.	.	2½	2548
8.	Rajkovic, Dusan	g	SRB	2486	.	½	.	½	.	.	1	*	½	.	.	.	0	.	2½	2511
9.	Antic, Dejan	g	SRB	2513	0	.	½	.	.	.	.	½	*	½	1	.	.	.	2½	2507
10.	Sarenac, Ivan		SRB	2320	.	½	.	0	.	.	.	.	½	*	.	½	1	.	2½	2510
11.	Miladinovic, Igor	g	SRB	2571	.	.	.	.	1	0	0	.	0	.	*	.	.	1	2	2459
12.	Sedlak, Nikola	g	SRB	2572	.	0	.	½	½	0	.	.	.	½	.	*	.	.	1½	2362
13.	Popovic, Aleksandar M		SRB	2325	0	0	0	.	.	.	.	1	.	0	.	.	*	.	1	2267
14.	Zlatic, Mihajlo	m	SRB	2463	0	.	0	.	0	0	.	.	.	.	0	.	.	*	0

17) Nashua Open

George Mirijanian reports: The Nashua Open took place 28th-29th March 2009 at the Holiday Inn in Nashua, New Hampshire, USA. GM Alexander Ivanov, 52, of Newton, Massachusetts posted a perfect score of 5-0 to capture first place. Taking second place with a 4-1 tally was FIDE master William Kelleher, 59, of Watertown, Mass. Deadlocked in third place with 3-2 results were national master Henry "Hal" Terrie of Manchester, N.H., and U.S. Chess Federation-rated experts Sheriff Khater of Nashua and Carlos Avalos of Pawutcket, Rhdoe Island. The FIDE-rated event drew 44 players in two sections and was directed by F. Alexander Relyea of Bedford, N.H., with assistance from Nital Patel, also of Bedford.

Alex Relyea sends games from the event.

18) San Sebastian GM

There is a tournament in San Sebastian July 6th-16th 2009.

GMA San Sebastian (ESP), 6-16 vii 2009 cat. XVIII (average elo: 2687)
Sergei Movsesian	2747	SVK
Peter Svidler	2726	RUS
Rustam Ponomariov	2726	UKR
Hikaru Nakamura	2701	USA
Rustam Kasimzhanov	2695	UZB
Francisco Vallejo	2688	SPA
Maxime Vachier-Lagraeve	2684	FRA
Anatoly Karpov	2644	RUS
Julio Granda	2610	PER
Pablo San Segundo	2560	SPA

Prizes in Euros: 1.- 9.000 2.- 6.000 3.- 4.000 4.- 3.500 5.- 3.000 6.- 2.500 7.- 2.000 8.- 1.500 9.- 1.000 10.- 500

There will be also a B tournament (cat. XI), C tournament (cat. VIII), and D tournament (female players). The games will be played in the same hall that held the historic tournament in 1911 won by Capablanca and the organisers are hoping for a special event to commemorate the centenary. News David Llada. Website to be announced.

19) Dortmund

The Dortmund Chess Meeting takes place 2nd-12th July 2009. Players: Kramnik, Leko, Carlsen, Jakovenko, Bacrot, and Naiditsch play.

Details: http://www.chess-international.de/?p=429

20) 40th Mar del Plata International

The 40th Mar del Plata International takes place 5th-12th April 2009.

Official site: http://www.mdpajedrez.org.ar/arch800/abierto40.htm

21) 32nd San Sebastian Open

32nd San Sebastian International Open takes place 5th-12th April 2009 in the Spanish northern city of San Sebastian (near french border).

Official site: http://www.fgajedrez.org/open/open.htm

22) Thailand Open Championship

The Thailand Open Chess Championship 2009 & 9th Bangkok Chess Club Open takes place at the Aisawan Resort & Spa at Wongamart Beach, only 2km from Pattaya Beach, 1st-6th April 2009. The title sponsor is the Thailand Chess Association.

I couldn't find any results or games anywhere but Nigel Short plays.

Official site: http://www.bangkokchess.com/

23) Chance to play against Kasparov or Anand

Press Release / Zurich, 2nd April 2009 Dr. Christian Rohrer

Schachgesellschaft Zuerich the world's oldest chess club is offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for chess enthusiasts: To play against champions such as Kasparov or Anand. Further information is provided in the press release below.

Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity to Play Against a World Champion at the Schachgesellschaft Zuerich's Jubilee!

The celebrations in August 2009 to mark the 200th anniversary of the Schachgesellschaft Zuerich will be a dream come true for a few chess players. The world's oldest chess club is offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at the simultaneous exhibition at Zurich Main Station on 22 August: 100 chess enthusiasts will get the chance to cross swords with champions such as Kasparov or Anand in simultaneous games. Taking place alongside this event are an open tournament featuring a world-class line-up, which is being held from 9 to 15 August, and the Champions Rapid, the rapid chess tournament on 23 August.

100 chess enthusiasts will be picked from those who answer the 10 competition questions correctly and will be given the chance to fulfill their dreams. On 22 August 2009, they will play at Zurich Main Station in the Champions Simultan against a World Chess Champion: Viswanathan Anand, Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov, Viktor Korchnoi, Vladimir Kramnik, Boris Spassky, Ruslan Ponomariov, Veselin Topalov -- each of these players will take on 25 amateurs. 200 matches to represent each year of the Schachgesellschaft Zuerich, which was founded in 1809. 16 simultaneous matches -- each champion's first two games -- will be broadcast live on the Internet.

All information regarding the competition can be found in the recently published official jubilee programme, which is available for download at http://www.sgzurich2009.ch. The programme also contains information on the Champions Rapid -- the rapid chess tournament for the champions -- starting on 23 August, the Jubilee-Open from 9 to 15 August as well as the history of the world's oldest chess club. Richard Forster's book entitled "Die Schachgesellschaft Zuerich. 1809 bis 2009", which outlines the club's history, will be appearing from the end of May to commemorate the jubilee.

The Jubilee-Open at the Kongresshaus Zurich is set to welcome an extraordinarily high-class line-up. In the Alois Nagler Memorial (master tournament) and in the Accentus (Swiss Chess) Open -- the general tournament -- players ranging from beginners to world-class players will fight it out for a total of 100,000 Swiss Francs in prize money. 16 grandmasters have already registered, including the opening specialist and former World Championship Candidate Alexey Dreev. Many grandmasters have already expressed interest in taking part in the competition, including super-grandmasters who have an Elo rating of over 2700. Entrants have until 4 August to register for the Jubilee-Open; the easiest way to do this is to fill in the online form on the jubilee website at http://www.sgzurich2009.ch.

Please visit http://www.sgzurich2009.ch for further information about the Schachgesellschaft Zuerich's jubilee.

Dr. Christian Rohrer Schachgesellschaft Zuerich Jubilee 2009 Communications http://www.sgzurich2009.ch. Email: rohrer@sgzurich2009.ch

24) Forthcoming Events and Links

Akobian vs Shulman Rapid Match

Varuzhan Akobian takes on Yuri Shulman in a four day rapid match in California USA April 22nd-25th 2009. Organiser Thomas Southerland (contact@tacbase.com)

Official site: http://www.chessmastered.com/

Brno Chess Festival

The Duras Chess Club organises the Brno Chess Festival in the Czech Republic. The GM Brno, IM Tespo Engineering and IM Dopravni stavby tournaments take place 26th June - 5th July 2009. Open tournaments start on the 27th June 2009.

Applications and details contact Rudolf Moulis: e-mail: moulis@kroknet.cz , phone +420 548 522 186, mobile phone: +420 607 900 656

Further info at: http://www.skduras.cz/cz/propozice.html and http://www.skduras.cz/cz/brnensky-sachovy-festival-2009.html

Foxwoods Open

The Foxwoods Open takes place 8th-12th April 2009.

Official site: http://www.foxwoodsopen.com/

Toronto Open

The Pricewaterhouse Coopers Toronto Open Chess Championship takes place April 17th-19th 2009.

Official site: http://monroi.com/pwc-toronto-open-chess-championship-home.html and http://www.gtachessevents.memberlodge.com/

World Open

The World Open Chess Tournament takes place June 29th - July 5th 2009 in Philadelphia.

Details: http://www.chesstour.com/wo09.htm and http://monroi.com/2009-world-open-chess-tournament-home.html

US Championships

The 2009 US Chess Championship takes place in St Louis, United States, May 18th-29th 2009. 24 players compete including: Varuzhan Akobiana, Julio Becerra Rivero, Joel Benjamin, Michael Brooks, Larry Christiansen, Jaan Ehlvest, Josh Friedel, Boris Gulko, Robert Hess, Tyler Hughes, Ildar Ibragimov, Gregory Kaidanov, Gata Kamsky, Melik Khachiyan, Irina Krush, Charles Lawton, Hikaru Nakamura, Alexander Onischuk, Ray Robson, Enrico Sevillano, Alexander Shabalov, Yury Shulman and Anna Zatonskih.

The women's championship takes place 2nd-12th October 2009 at the same venue.

Official site: http://www.saintlouischessclub.org/. Live coverage by Monroi.

British Championships

The 96th British Chess Championships take place 26th July - 8th August 2009 in Torquay.

Official site: http://www.britishchess09.com/

Zone 2.3 Guayaquil Ecuador

Zone 2.3 takes place in Guayaquil Ecuador 10th-21st May 2009.

Details: http://www.ajedrezenecuador.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=443

Argentine Championships

The Championships of Argentina 2009 take place in April and May. Semifinals: 30th April - 6th May, 2009 in La Plata. Final: 9th-20th May, 2009 in La Plata. Place: Club Espanol de la Plata.

Official site: http://www.ajedrez.com.ar/

XVIII La Roda Open

The XVIII La Roda Open takes place 8th-12th April 2009.

Official site: http://www.cplaroda.com/ajedrez/

Asian Individual Open

The Asian Individual Open and Women’s Chess Championship in Subic Bay, Philippines from May 12th-24th 2009. No official site.

South American U20

The South American U20 Championship takes place in Cochabamba - Bolivia 8th-14th April 2009.

Official site: http://www.ajedrezbolivia.com/

Doeberl Cup and Sydney International 2009

The 2009 Doeberl Cup is in Canberra 9th-13th April 2009. See http://www.doeberlcup.com.au/

The 2009 Sydney International Open takes place 15th-19th April 2009. See http://www.chessaustralia.com.au/index.cfm?site=open

Free entry to GMs, IMs, WGMs and WIMs.

Free accommodation for selected GMs and WGMs.

For further information, please contact Brian Jones info@chessaustralia.com.au

4th FIDE Grand Prix Tournament in Nalchik

FIDE Grand Prix Series Tournament Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia 14th - 29th April 2009

The fourth FIDE Grand Prix Series Tournament will be held in Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia, during 14th -29th April 2009 at the Intour - Hotel "Sindica".

14 participants are: Vladimir Akopian (Armenia), Evgeny Alekseev (Russia), Levon Aronian (Armenia), Etienne Bacrot (France), Pavel Eljanov (Ukraine), Boris Gelfand (Israel), Alexander Grischuk (Russia), Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine), Gata Kamsky (USA), Sergey Karjakin (Ukraine), Rustam Kasimdzhanov (Uzbekistan), Peter Leko (Hungary), Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan), Peter Svidler (Russia).

The fourth FIDE Grand Prix will be the strongest one in the series, and one of the strongest tournaments of the world this year. New functions on the FIDE website allow us to see the current rating changes of top-grandmasters. The average rating of the tournament in Nalchik will be around 2725 points based on the April 2009 list to be published soon. Previously the highest average rated tournament was held in the third stage of the series, Elista (2715 points).

The top-rated player of the competition is the World Cup 2005 and Olympiad winner Levon Aronian.

Two players have also shown excellent results this year: Alexander Grischuk - the winner of Linares and Elista super tournaments, and Sergey Karjakin, who has won the Corus tournament in January in Wijk-an-Zee.

World Cup 2007 winner Gata Kamsky this year has shown also a good performance during the Challenge match against Veselin Topalov.

The tournament is so evenly balanced that everyone of the 14 participants who comes to Nalchik is in a good position to win the tournament.

Time control: 120 minutes for the first forty moves, 60 minutes for the next twenty moves and then each player will be allotted 15 minutes after the second time control and an increment of 30 seconds per move will be allowed from move 61 onwards.

Games will be played 15th-29th April 2009. Rest days: April 20th and 25th. The total prize-fund is 162,000 Euros.

Official website: http://www.nalchik2009.fide.com

For more information please contact: moscowchess@gmail.com

Tournament of Young Talents

The 30th annual Tournament of Young Talents takes place 9th - 13th April 2009 in Frydek-Mistek, Czech Republic. It is a festival of three tournaments: Tournament of young talents - several groups for youth players under 14 years Up to 8 years children championship - open Czech Championship under 8 years Pobeskydi - FIDE open and at least one round-robin with the possibility to achieve IM/WGM norm.

Further details: http://www.chessfm.cz

21st Lenk International Chess Festival

After a great jubilee with the 20th Lenk Chess Festival, last year has come the shock news that the, 21st Lenk International Tournament, April 9th-13th 2009 will be the last chess event in the Simmental region, a very attractive tourist area. "Beochess" with "Swiss Chess Tour" this year close all their chess activity. During 21 years Lenk became very popular in chess world and it will be pity if nobody keeps on the tremendous tradition.

So, last time, Hotel Kreuz will be venue, Lenk Open. Swiss system, 7 rounds and the games will last a maximum of 5 hours (40 moves for 2 hours and 30 minutes till the end). The prizes: 1.500 SF, 1.200, 800, 600, 400, 2x300 and 3x200 SF. Special prizes: Ladies, senior (1948), junior(1989-92), schoolboy (1993) and amateur (under 2000) for all: 200 CHF. Entry fee 130 SF, FMs and juniors 60 SF, at the door 20 SF more, GMs and IMs free. Venue: Hotel "Kreuz". Time table: Round 1st 18.00-23.00 April 9,; Rounds 2/3 10.00-15.00 and 16.00-21.00 April 10,; Round 4 14.00-19.00 April 11,; Rounds 5/6 10.00-15.00 and 16.00-21.00 April 12,; Round 7 10.00-15.00 April 13. Closing ceremony April 13 at 16.00.

Info: Beochess +41+62+965-46-50 (Robert Spoerri) or event@beochess.ch or site http://www.beochess.ch for more details.

14th Pannonia - Nitrokemia Cup

The 14th Pannonia - Nitrokemia Cup takes place in Balatonalmadi, 29th July - 2nd August, 2009.

Group A: International Open Tournament for FIDE ratings. Group B: International Open Tournament for FIDE ratings, for players under 2000 ELO System used: 7 Rounds Swiss without age limit for both Groups Venue: The air-conditioned Conference Hall of Pannonia Cultural Centre & Library Address: Balatonalmadi, Városház Square 6. Organiser: Recreation Association of Vorosbereny Time Limit: Group A: 90-90 minutes + 30sec after each move Group B: 120-120 minutes for all moves

Details: http://fancsyimi.fw.hu. Entries and further information IM Fancsy Imre E-mail: almadikupa@freemail.hu

4NCL

The 4NCL takes place 4th October 2008 - 4th May 2009. Rounds 7-8 took place 21st-22nd March 2009 in the Barcelo Hotel, Hinckley Island. The 8 team Groups 1A and 1B concluded with round 7 and the top 4 teams from each group went on to the Championship Pool and the bottom four to the Relegation Pool. The teams have already played the three other teams from their preliminary groups and these results will stand. The first of the four remaining rounds was round 8 played on March 22nd. This system is used in the French TOP 16.

Official site: http://www.4ncl.co.uk - Live coverage: http://www.bcfservices.org.uk/livechess/4ncl/0809/index.htm

Dutch Teams

The Dutch Team Championship takes place 27th September 2008 - 10th May 2009. Round 7 was on the 28th March 2009. Round 8 is on 18th April 2009.

Great coverage at: http://www.schakers.info/ and also the http://www.schaakbond.nl/wedstrijdschaak/knsb-competitie/

Dutch Teams (NED), 27 ix 2008 - 10 iv 2009 Round 7 (28th March 2009) results
BSG	ESGOO	3.5-6.5
Utrecht	Voerendaal	6-4
HMC Calder	HSG	4.5-5.5
Hotels.nl	LSG	5-5
Rotterdam	Apeldoorn	5.5-4.5

Dutch Teams (NED), 27 ix 2008 - 10 iv 2009 Round 7 Standings:
	Meesterklasse	Mp	Bp	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
1.	HSG	14	50	x	.	.	5.5	8.5	8.5	6.5	7.5	5.5	8
2.	Hotels.nl	11	44½	.	x	6.5	6	8.5	4.5	6	.	5	8
3.	Schrijvers Rotterdam	10	39	.	3.5	x	6	4.5	5.5	5.5	6	.	8
4.	HMC Calder	8	39½	4.5	4	4	x	5.5	.	5.5	.	7.5	8.5
5.	Utrecht	8	31	1.5	1.5	5.5	4.5	x	.	5.5	6	6.5	.
6.	ESGOO	7	31	1.5	5.5	4.5	.	.	x	2.5	5.5	5	6.5
7.	Homburg Apeldoorn	4	34	3.5	4	4.5	4.5	4.5	7.5	x	5.5	.	.
8.	Voerendaal	4	33	2.5	.	4	.	4	4.5	4.5	x	6.5	7
9.	LSG	4	32	4.5	5	.	2.5	3.5	5	.	3.5	x	8
10.	BSG	0	16	2	2	2	1.5	.	3.5	.	3	2	x

M-Tel Masters

The 5th M-Tel Masters takes place in Sofia 12th-23rd May 2009 (rest day 18th May).

The Category XXI event sees Veselin Topalov, Magnus Carlsen, Vassily Ivanchuk, Wang Yue, Leinier Dominguez Perez and Alexei Shirov play in a double round robin format. The games will be played in a glass pavilion on the square in front of the National Theatre Ivan Vazov.

The time control is 90 minutes for 40 moves per player and 60 minutes per player till the end of the game. The maximum period for a single game is 5 hours. "Sofia rules" will again be used. They are that: Opponents cannot communicate during the games and cannot offer a draw. Proposals for a draw can be made only through the Chief Arbiter in three cases: triple repetition, eternal chess and theoretical draw position. When making the decisions the Chief Arbiter will be consulted by Zurab Azmaiparashvili, Vice President of FIDE.

Official site: http://www.mtelmasters.com

French League Top 16

The French Team Championship (TOP 16) took place in 4 towns (Clichy, Cannes, Metz, Mulhouse) 20th-22nd March 2009. The next rounds take place 30th April - 3rd May 2009.

Official site: http://www.echecs.asso.fr/Equipes.aspx

14th International Stuttgart Championship

The 14th "International Stuttgart Championship" in Germany takes place 21th-24th May 2009. Contact Michael Meier e-mail: info@stuttgarter-stadtmeisterschaft.de

For further information on the event: http://www.stuttgarter-stadtmeisterschaft.de

20th International Chess and Games Festival Czech Open

The 20th International Chess and Games Festival Czech Open 2009 takes place 16th July - 2 August 2009 in Pardubice (the Czech Republic). There are more than 100 tournaments in chess and other games, eg. European Youth Chess Teams Championship, ISCU Children Clubs Chess Championship and European Amateurs Championship in Chess.

More detailed information: http://www.czechopen.net/news/index.php. the festival website will be ready at the end of April.

6th Summer Catalan Chess Circuit

The 6th Summer Catalan Chess Circuit takes place May - September every year as part of the Catalan Chess Circuit, which is composed of 28 International Tournaments, and held in Spain, extended beyond Catalonia.

In 2009 there will be 14 Opens with traditional time control to be played over 9-10 days, as well as 14 Opens in Rapid Chess, played over 1-2 days (see Tournament Calendar).

During 120 days of tournaments, around 22.000 chess games will be played with selected ones broadcast.

Approximately 3,000 players from more than 30 different countries. The prize fund will reach 175.000 euros.

Apart from the traditional tournament prizes, the Catalan Chess Federation establishes a special classification composed of player´s results in each Circuit tournament, based on which players will be able to claim such special Circuit Prizes as General Final Standings, Prizes by Categories, Specific Prizes for best Catalan Players.

Prizegiving Ceremony will be held at Fiesta Catalana (Catalan Chess Party), on September, 27th, 2009

For more information please contact the Catalonia Chess Federation on federacio@escacs.cat or visit the official website: http://escacs.cat/circuit2009/torneigs.html

6th Summer Catalan Chess Circuit (ESP), 5 v - 20 ix 2009
5-13 May	VILA DE SALOU	SALOU	9 Rd Swiss	B	C	Francesc Linan 616094289
17 May	VILA DE CANOVELLES	CANOVELLES	9 Rd Swiss	b	b	Daniel Flores 938493564
24 May	VILA DE L'AMPOLLA	L'AMPOLLA	9 Rd Swiss	a	b	Enric Gallimo 666187061
31 May	VILA DE STA COLOMA DE QUERALT	SANTA COLOMA DE QUERALT	8 Rd Swiss	a	a sup	Salvador Barrot 654095338
20 June	CIUTAT DE REUS	REUS	9 Rd Swiss	a	a sup	Joan Pinol 649341056
21 June	MOLLET DEL VALLES	MOLLET DEL VALLES	9 Rd Swiss	b	a	Francesc Fernandez 647625832
24 June-2 July	VILA DE SORT	SORT	9 Rd Swiss	B	C	Joan A. Conesa 609825066
25 June-3 July	VILA DE MONTCADA	MONTCADA	9 Rd Swiss	A	A	Reyes Cantero 938152902
4-12 July	BARBERÀ DEL VALLES	BARBERA DEL VALLES	9 Rd Swiss	A	A sup	Víctor Pont 629386528
4-12 July	TORREDEMBARRA	TORREDEMBARRA	9 Rd Swiss	C	B	Jordi Salvat 649061984
13-22 July	CIUTAT DE BALAGUER	BALAGUER	10 Rd Swiss	A sup	A	Antoni Montoliu 679082837
18-26 July	ANDORRA	LES ESCALDES	9 Rd Swiss	A sup	A sup	Oscar la Riva 00376-347085
22-30 July	VILA DE SITGES	SITGES	9 Rd Swiss	A	A	Francesc González 600923277
25 July	CERVELLO	CERVELLO	8 Rd Swiss	b	b	Juan Mª Santiago 936840402
26 July	OLOT	OLOT	8 Rd Swiss	b	b	Josep Ma Mir 606119678
1-8 August	FIGUERES "MIQUEL MAS"	FIGUERES	9 Rd Swiss	C	A	Jordi Serra 699848479
1-9 August	CIUTAT DE BADALONA	BADALONA	9 Rd Swiss	A	A sup	Manel Triquell 609683157
2-10 August	LA POBLA DE LILLET	LA POBLA DE LILLET	9 Rd Swiss	C	C	Josep Salvador 630625152
15-16 August	VILA DE POBLENOU	BARCELONA	10 Rd Swiss	a sup	a	Joan Lorda 659529581
21-30 August	SANTS	BARCELONA	10 Rd Swiss	A sup	A sup	Cotxeres 932918701
22-23 August	AJEDREZND	BARCELONA	9 Rd Swiss	a sup	a	Jordi Morcillo 620341266
1-10 September	FESTIVAL DE SABADELL	SABADELL	9 Rd Swiss	B	B	Ivan Aguilar 666346958
6 September	VILA DE SANTPEDOR	SANTPEDOR	9 Rd Swiss	b	b	Josep Mascaro 616477533
11 September	DIADA DE L'11 DE SETEMBRE	SABADELL	9 Rd Swiss	a	a sup	Ivan Aguilar 666346958
12 September	RIBERA D'EBRE	MORA D'EBRE	8 Rd Swiss	a	a	Josep Terrones 696204203
13 September	CIUTAT DE TORTOSA	TORTOSA	8 Rd Swiss	b	b	Abraham Pla 680532570
19-20 September	VALLFOGONA DE BALAGUER	VALLFOGONA DE BALAGUER	Suís 11 rondes	a sup	a	Jaume Parramon 649960831
Potential
13-21 July	SANT MARTI	BARCELONA	9 Rd Swiss			Ricard Llerins 933082425

9th Znojmo Open

The 9th International Chess Festival Znojmo Open 2009, takes place 30th April -3rd May 2009 in the town of Znojmo (the Czech Republic). Events include FIDE open with 7 rounds, the Znojmo Queen - Open Women’s Czech Championship in Active Chess, the Znojmo Princess-active chess for girls up to 14 years of age and Ing. Turek’s Memorial Competition. Open Local Championship of South Moravian Chess Federation in Active Chess for individuals. More detailed information at http://www.czechtour.net/znojmo-open/

Czech Tour 2009/2010 http://www.czechtour.net/news/

5th Thessaloniki Games Festival

The 5th Thessaloniki Games Festival takes place 26th April - 4th May 2009.

Official site: http://gamesfestival.chessdom.com/ and http://www.gamesfestival.com/

Chess Classic Mainz

The Chess Classic Mainz takes place 27th July - 2nd August 2009 in the Rheingoldhalle in Mainz.

The world championships in rapid chess and Chess960 will be staged in a tried and trusted double round robin format with four players, after which the players battle it out in mini-matches to determine the top spot. The players for the main events have already been contracted.

The GRENKELEASING Rapid World Championship sees the World Chess Champion and Chess Classic serial winner Vishy Anand will try to defend his title for the 11th time in a row. He faces Levon Aronian, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Arkadij Naiditsch.

Other events include the gigantic ORDIX rapid chess Open, the FiNet Ches960 Open, the open tournaments for U14 talents, the 40 board simultaneous exhibition with Levon Aronian, the Livingston Chess960 Computer World Championship, etc., etc.

Full details: http://www.chesstigers.de

XXVII Andorra International Chess Open

The XXVII Andorra International Chess Open takes place 18th-26th July 2009. Contact: open@escacsandorra.com

Official site: http://www.escacsandorra.com

27th Elba Chess Festival

The 27th Elba Chess Festival takes place 10th-17th May 2009.

Official site: http://www.tuscanhotels.it/cmsx.asp?IDPg=10

Calgary International

Calgary, Alberta (Canada) stages a small 9 round international norm event May 14th-18th, 2009. A host of GM's and IM's will be in attendance, IM norms will be available.

Official site:http://www.albertachess.org/Calgary_International.html

For more info, email the tournament organiser Tony Ficzere at tficzere@telus.net

London super-tournament in December 2009

Cream of world chess to play in new London tournament. [Press release 9th March 2009]

London Chess Centre is proud to announce a world-class chess tournament to be held in London in December, 2009. The event will be an elite eight-player all-play-all in the most prestigious tournament in the capital since former world champion Anatoly Karpov won the Phillips and Drew Masters in 1984.

Since then, despite London hosting three world title contests, there has not been a tournament in which England's leading players could lock horns with the world's best on home soil. The December 09 tournament will be the first in a series of events designed to reinvigorate UK chess and promote the game and its undoubted educational benefits in schools and communities.

The tournament will be FIDE Category 19 with an average FIDE rating of 2700 and a minimum prize fund of €100,000. The eight players will comprise of three English and five world-class Grandmasters from abroad. Included in the prize fund will be a €10,000 Brilliant Game award along with separate prizes for each victory with the White and Black pieces. Matches will be covered live online where fans will be able to vote for Game of the Day.

The tournament has applied for membership of the prestigious annual Grand Slam of Chess which culminates in Bilbao and boasts a €400,000 prize fund.

The games will be under Classical Chess time control; 40 moves in two hours, 20 in the subsequent hour then an additional 15 minutes plus an increment of 30 seconds a move until the end of the game. The tournament will further benefit from the use of Sofia Rules which disallow early draws. Players will receive three points for a win and one for a draw.

The opening ceremony will take place on Thursday, December 10 and will include a blindfold chess display and charity simultaneous. Play will take place daily from Friday, December 11 to Thursday, December 17 inclusive.

The list of players and venue will be announced in April.

Malcolm Pein (IM) Director London Chess Centre

Notes for editors: All communications to Malcolm Pein IM at London Chess Centre: 020 7388 2404. E-Mail: info@chess.co.uk. Website: www.chess.co.uk

Masterskill Commonwealth Chess Championships

The Masterskill Commonwealth Chess Championships takes place 14th-21st July 2009 in Ipoh, Malaysia.

Details: http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/4-tournaments/3827-commonwealth-chess-championship-2009-in-malaysia

Maia Chiburdanidze Cup

The "Maia Chiburdanidze Cup" (International Open Women's Chess Tournament) takes place in the Chess Palace, Tbilisi (Georgia) 4th-13th June 2009. The Tournament is open to all women players. Each player must herself (or her federation) cover all her expenses: entry fee, transportation, accommodation and board. 9 round Swiss. Rate of play: 90 min for all moves, increment 30 seconds per move. Details available from the addresses below.

Contact IA, FM Varlam Vepkhvishvili E-mail: chessgeorgia@hotmail.com or chessvarlam@hotmail.com.

Phone:
(995)32-997736 - Federation
(995)32-960199 - Home
(995)99-771974 - Mobile

Official site: http://www.gcf.org.ge

1st International Open Tbilisi

The 1st International Open Tbilisi Chess Tournament takes place 14th-24th June 2009.

Official site: http://www.chess.tbilisi.ge (not yet up and running)

9 round Swiss. Rate of play: 90 min for all moves, increment 30 seconds per move. Details available from the addresses below.

e-mail: chessvarlam@hotmail.com - Varlam Vepkhvishvili
e-mail: ggrs92@hotmail.com - Giorgi Khomeriki

Varna Chess Festival

The 1st International Chess Festival Varna, takes place at the Grand Hotel Varna 11th-20th June 2009. Contact: seahorse@abv.bg for more details.

Website: http://euroschoolchess.org/ (although I couldn't find the event myself)

European Youth Championships

The European Youth Championships (U10 - U18) takes place in Fermo/Italy 30th August - 10th September 2009.

Details: http://www.euroyouth2009.com

European Senior Championships

The European Individual Senior Championship takes place in Rogaska Slatina/Slovenia 22nd - 31st July 2009. For the first time just before the event a European Senior Rapid Championship will be organised. The dates are 19th - 21st July.

Further details are published under http://www.sahohlacnik.com/eu-sen/

European Union Website

The European Chess Union Website ECU website has changed address to http://www.europechess.org

Alushta Diary 2009

Alushta Diary 2009:

GM Norm events: 23.05 - 1.06, 2.06 - 12.06, 15.06 - 25.06, 2.09 - 12.09, 14.09 - 24.09, 26.09 - 6.10, IM Norm: 23.05 - 1.06, 2.06 - 12.06, 15.06 - 25.06, 2.09 - 12.09, 14.09 - 24.09, 26.09 - 6.10, Rating tournament: 4.06 - 12.06, 22.06 - 27.06, 5.09 - 13.09, Open tournament (under 16 years) 3.06 - 11.06, 13.06 - 21.06, Alushta Swiss 9 rounds Open tournament First prize - 1000$ First prize (woman) - 500$ 28.06 - 6.07, 10.07 - 18.07, 20.07 - 28.07, 22.08 - 30.08, Alushta Swiss 9 rounds Blitz tournament 7.07, 19.07, 29.07, Alushta Swiss 9 rounds Open tournament (rapid chess) 8.07 - 9.07, 30.07 - 31.07, Alushta Session of school of Gennadi Kuzmin 21.06 - 27.06, 15.07 - 24.07. Individual and group studying Further information: http://www.kaissa.com.ua phone +38 (06560)5-05-32, +380505828911 (for Russian speaking), + 380506692604 (for English speaking) e-mail: info@kaissa.com.ua

Zuerich Chess Club 200th Anniversary

Dr. Christian Rohrer reports: The world's oldest chess club celebrates its 200th year with spectacular jubilee events, including World Champions Spassky, Kasparov and Anand.

The Schachgesellschaft Zuerich celebrates 200th anniversary with spectacular jubilee events

The Schachgesellschaft Zuerich, the world's oldest chess club, celebrates its 200th year in 2009 with spectacular jubilee events. To mark the anniversary, some of the greatest masters of the last five decades, including World Champions Spassky, Kasparov and Anand, will play at the event. Highlights will be a simultaneous exhibition and a rapid chess tournament on the 22nd and 23rd of August, held in Zurich Main Railway Station. With generous sponsor support from Credit Suisse the Schachgesellschaft Zuerich continues its long standing tradition of world class chess tournaments.

On Saturday the 22nd of August, in simultaneous games 200 amateurs will be honoured to face eight word-class chess players, who have made historical contributions to world chess over the last 50 years: Viswanathan Anand, Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov, Viktor Korchnoi, Vladimir Kramnik, Boris Spassky, Ruslan Ponomariov and Veselin Topalov. On Sunday the 23rd of August, these champions will compete against each other in an exciting rapid chess format. Judit Polgar, the strongest female chess player ever, and Werner Hug of Schachgesellschaft Zuerich, former world junior chess champion, will replace Kasparov and Spassky, who have retired from competitive chess.

A huge number of spectators, from enthusiasts to the generally curious, is expected for the events at Zurich Railway Main Station. And no one need miss it: All commemorative events will be streamed live via Internet.

The jubilee commences with an open tournament; certain to be one of the most exciting open chess tournaments of 2009. Players of every skill level, from beginners to the elite world class, are expected and will be welcomed at the Zurich Kongresshaus from August 9th to the 15th, 2009. They will compete in two tournaments, 9 rounds each, for CHF 100.000 guaranteed prize money and many attractive prizes.

To further honour the occasion, Richard Forster, reputable chess historian, will release his comprehensive book, researched in great detail, on the unique history of the Schachgesellschaft Zuerich. Entitled "Schachgesellschaft Zuerich: 1809 bis 2009", Forster's work will analyze the development of the Schachgesellschaft Zuerich from the times of Napoleon to the present day.

Details: http://www.sgzurich2009.ch

32nd Ikaros Chess Festival 2009

The traditional 32nd Ikaros Chess Festival 2009 takes place on Ikaria island.

The main event of the festival, the International Aegean Open Championship takes place 11th-19th July 2009. It is a 9 round swiss event with prize fund 3600 Euros in total (1st prize 1000 Euros, special money prizes for ladies and veterans). Special conditions for GMs/IMs and WGMs/WIMs are provided, special discounts for families and club teams are also offered (more information will be available in the official announcement of the festival that will be out soon on the official webpage.

Contact info: ikaros@chess.gr while to contact us on the phone one can try: +30 6932 478386 or +30 210 5010871 (Mr. Savas Kyriakou). For general information about the island of Ikaria one can also check at: http://www.island-ikaria.com

Official site: http://www.chess.gr/ikaros

Pula Open 2009

The 23rd International Chess Tournament "Pula Open 2009" takes place 27th June - 4th July 2009 in Pula, Croatia. Official site: http://www.skpula.hr and contact e-mail: pulaopen@globalnet.hr.

Hungarian Chess Tournaments March-October 2009

1. 7th-19th of February, FIRST SATURDAY GM-IM-FM Budapest FIRST SATURDAY Budapest, GM-IM-FM round robins (BERGER), 9-13 games, GM-IM norm possibilities in Budapest, venue: Hungarian Chess Federation, Falk Miksa Str.10. 2nd floor. Organisation: Nagy Laszlo, FIDE International Chess Organizer /NL/, E-mail: firstsat@hu.inter.net Website: http://www.firstsaturday.hu Phone-fax: +(361)-2632859, cellphone: +(36)-30-230-1914 /From 12:00 a.m. until midnight - Central European Time = GMT+1/

2.20th-28th of February IM-Rating Caissa, Kecskemet, org: Dr.Erdelyi, Tamas, cellphone: +36-30-271-33-38, Landline phone-fax: +36-76-481-685 e-mail: postmaster@caissa.t-online.hu Website: http://www.caissachessbooks.hu Usually also in the second half of the month IM and rating tournaments in Kecskemet, a city 80 km South-East from Budapest.

3.7th-19th of March, First Saturday, Budapest, GM-IM-FM, org Nagy L.

4.20th-28th of March, 25th BUDAPEST SPRING FESTIVAL 9 rounds Swiss Open, org: Nagy L. - e-mail: firstsat@hu.inter.net

5.4th-16th of April First Saturday Budapest, org.Nagy L.

6.18th-26th of April Caissa, IM + rating Kecskemet, Org.Erdelyi,

7.2nd-14th of May, First Saturday GM-IM-FM Budapest, org Nagy L.

Kecskemet Caissa IM + rating tournaments more: 16th-25th of May, 20th-28th of June, 18th-27th of July, 15th-24th of August, 19th-28th of September. FIRST SATURDAY Budapest GM-IM-FM tournaments more: 6th-18th of June, 4th-16th of July, 1st-13th of August, 5th-17th of September.

Novi Sad Open

1) Open turnir , 10-11 jan. 2009 , Srpska Nova g. u N. Sadu , 5 kola , rejtinguje se !!, fide tempo http://www.drazic.co.rs

2) IM , berger, 10-18.jan.2009. , 10 rounds, fide tempo, Novi SAd, for elo and norms fide, http://www.drazic.co.rs

3) Open turnir , 16-18 jan.2009, Novi Sad "Zima u Novom Sadu", 5 kola , rejtinguje se !!, fide tempo http://www.drazic.co.rs

4) cuger turnir , Olimpik, 12. jan.2009, Novi Sad, start 20 h , http://www.drazic.co.rs

5) program of chess edukation, every day from 12-15 jan. 2009 chess lessons with varius GM and Im (available in 3 languages),,,, some of teachers GM Kosanovic G. , GM SEdlak Nikola, GM Kovacevic A , GM DRazic Sinisa etc...

6) Open t. , "Dunav-Drava -Sava" , Banja Junakovic(87km from N.Sad), 9 rounds, fide tempo, possible norms fide and elo, date - 21-25.01.2009., special package , only 130 eur, 4 days full board with available swiming pool, and include also entry fee !! more http://www.drazic.co.rs Special discount for people who take part in more than one events.

Luis Scalise

Luis Scalise's chess pages have moved to: http://scalise.fortunecity.com/

Grand Slam Masters Final

The 2nd edition of the Grand Slam Masters Final will be played in Bilbao, September 2-15th 2009. The winners of Corus-Wijk aan Zee, Ciudad de Linares and Mtel Masters-Sofia tournaments will qualify directly for the Masters Final in Bilbao, where the first edition (played at a central square, inside a glass cube) was a very big success last September.

More details on the 2009 tournament (number of players, system of play, etc) will be announced at the end of the Corus tournament in Wijk aan Zee. The Grand Slam is in negotiations to include one more high level tournament in the 2009 circuit.

Grand Slam Chess Association (GSCA)

Dresden, 23 November 2008

Chess Study

Dr Robert Howard is making a study of rated chess players.

The full article: http://education.arts.unsw.edu.au/fidestudy/results

If you would like to participate, please go to this website: http://education.arts.unsw.edu.au/fidestudy/

For any queries, please contact Dr Robert Howard, University of New South Wales, on rwh@unsw.edu.au

Bundesliga

The Schachbundesliga season 2008/09 runs 3rd-5th October and runs until March 2009. 16 Teams compete with team rosters of 16-18 players but only eight play each weekend. There will be live coverage of all the games.

Dates: 4th-5th October 2008 25th-26th October 2008 29th-30th November 2008 12th-14th December 2008 (Here the official seventh round will be played. Although some will be played at other times) 31st January 2008 - 1st February 2009. 28th February - 1st March 2009. 28th-29th March 2009.

Official site of the Schachbundesliga (http://www.schachbundesliga.de/index.aspx) Further information (in German) and the entrance site for the live coverage: http://www.schachbundesliga.de/index.aspx

European Youth U-16 winners Texas Scholarships

The University of Texas at Dallas (USA) has offered scholarships to the winners of the U-16 European Youth Chess Championships since 2007. The agreement with the European Chess Union has been extended for another three years. The total value of the scholarships during this five-year period will be approximately 1 million USD, said James A. Stallings, Director of the UTD chess program.

Interview on the ECU website: http://www.europechess.org/home518.aspx?art=ft

27th Elba Island Festival

The 27th International Chess Festival of Elba Island "Luigi Amalfi", takes place at the Hotel Lacona 10th-17th May 2009.

Details: http://www.tuscanhotels.it/en/cmsx.asp?IDPg=23

GM Boris Alterman's Chess Lessons

GM Boris Alterman has a blog with free chess lessons on it.

Website: http://chesslessons.wordpress.com/

Etienne Bacrot's Website

Etienne Bacrot has a website at: http://www.chess22.fr/ with his analysis and news. Very worth while, especially when he's playing.

ICC and FICS client for mobile phones

Mats Luthman has written a program that connects to ICC and FICS, compatable with many modern mobile phones. I've been looking for something like this for a while for watching live tournaments if I'm out and about. Its a nice free solution, you can also play but I haven't tried that.

Website: http://www.luthman.nu/Mobi/Mobi.html