ChessBase Magazine Online

Sydney is a six letter word
25.10.2006 – The Opera House and Harbor Bridge, suckao and The Rocks, koalas and Caoili – Australia, and in particular the 4.3 million metropolis of Sydney has plenty to offer. Like the Sydney International Open Chess Tournament, which will take place in April 2007, with an A$13,100 prize fund. Like to join the fun? Then shout us a stubby, mate!
 

Essent 2006: both games drawn, Polgar, Mamedyarov lead
24.10.2006 – Mamedyarov vs Polgar and Topalov vs Sokolov were both fighting draws in round three of the Hoogeveen tournament in Holland. That leaves Judit Polgar and Shakhryar Mamedyarov in the lead with 2.5/3 at halftime, while Veselin Topalov and Ivan Sokolov languish at 0.5 points each. New with videos by Peter Doggers and pictures by Fred Lucas.
 

Ilyumzhinov: 'The chess crown has returned home'
24.10.2006 – "The crown is now on a safe shelf of our safe, and we will never give it away." On a special charter flight from Elista to Moscow after the Elista World Championship match the FIDE President spoke to our correspondent Misha Savinov and gave him noteworthy insights into the next plans of the world chess organisation – which include a $100 million ten-year plan. Ilyuminating.
 

Andrew Martin – Chess for the Connoisseur
24.10.2006 – Like to gain twisted satisfaction from an off-form Ivanchuk? Watch Kiril Georgiev get drubbed in a Blumenfeld Gambit? Or learn how to defeat one of Black's most solid responses against the exchange Queen's Gambit. Our Playchess lecturer Andrew Martin shows it in his Wednesday night lecture.
 

Guinness Chess Records in Mexico City
24.10.2006 – Imagine: a simultaneous exhibition with 14,000 participants – possibly the only chess event that is visible from space. The signing of almost 2000 books in one go by the 12th world champion Anatoly Karpov. A rapid chess tournament, and then the scaling of the Teotihuacán pyramid. Mexico sets new records in chess.
 

Essent 2006: Judit Polgar beats Veselin Topalov
23.10.2006 – Round two of the Essent tournament in Hoogeven, Holland, brought more drama: Judit Polgar outplayed former world champion Veselin Topalov to take her second point in a row. Shakhryar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan also scored a second victory, this time over Ivan Sokolov and with the black pieces. Full report.
 

This week's ChessBase Show: Porper-Lock
23.10.2006 – It is not always old games and famous players from whom you can learn. This week on Playchess Dennis Monokroussos shows us a super-sharp game between two non-grandmasters, Eduard Porper and Gavin Lock – the kind that amateurs should study. Don't miss it.
 

Mamedyarov beats Topalov at Essent Tournament
22.10.2006 – Just eight days after the end of the World Championship in Elista Veselin Topalov in back at the board, at the 2006 Essent tournament in the Dutch city of Hoogeveen. The other players are Shakhryar Mamedyarov, Judit Polgar and Ivan Sokolov. Mamedyarov beat Topalov in round one, Polgar took a point from Dutch number one Sokolov. Report with pictures and video.
 

Rustam Kasimdzhanov: world champion and chess teacher
22.10.2006 – In 2004 Rustam Kasimdzhanov, grandmaster from Uzbekistan, shocked the chess world by winning the FIDE world championship title, beating a string of world-class players like Ivanchuk, Grischuk, Topalov and Adams in the process. "Kasim" is a very deep player, who is able to explain chess ideas in an eloquent, lucid style, with a fine touch of humour. We have two hot new DVDs.
 

Yasser Seirawan: Elista 2006 – Another Perspective
21.10.2006 – A few days ago chief arbiter Geurt Gijssen described the crisis that evolved around the fifth game forfeit at the World Championship, justifying his decisions and criticizing Yasser Seirawan's article "The Layman's Guide to World Chess Match Officials. Now GM Seirawan plays the ball back into Gijssen's court with a powerful volley.
 

First ACP World Rapid in Odessa
21.10.2006 – The Association of Chess Professionals has announced the First ACP World Rapid Cup, to be held from January 4–8 2007 in Odessa, Ukraine. Participants are the players who finished among the best in the ACP Tour 2004/2005 – Kramnik, Anand, Morozevich, Aronian, Leko, Gelfand, Radjabov, Shirov and others. The sponsor is the Bank Pivdennyi. The prize is $136,000.
 

Simen Agdestein: playing with the nerds
19.10.2006 – Remember Simen Agdestein? Seven times Norwegian national chess champion? Trainer of Magnus Carlsen? Ballroom dancer? In a former life Simen was a national soccer player. Now the chess grandmaster is returning to the football pitch, as part of a team of super nerds. Here is some remarkable video footage.