Christmas 2009 Full of Chess

Merry Christmas to everyone, may peace and joy fill everyone heart. But some GMs and WGM just can't had enough peace because they need to find a good move in their chess game! This holiday season see a lots of event to be watched.

First to mentioned is the continuation of Asian Team Championship in Kolkata. The event is a battle between 10 teams from Asia. Up to round 5 top standing for men :
.....................TB1 TB2 TB3
1. INDIA A - 10 84,0 52,0
2. VIETNAM - 7 63,0 51,0
3. IRAN - 7 51,0 53,0
4. INDONESIA - 6 38,0 43,0
5. INDIA B - 6 34,0 45,5
6. BANGLADESH- 4 27,0 48,0
7. SINGAPORE- 4 24,0 43,0
8. SRILANKA- 3 8,0 38,0
9. YEMEN- 2 6,0 38,0
10.NEPAL- 1 4,5 41,0

For women :
.....................TB1 TB2 TB3
1. VIETNAM - 9 65,0 49,0
2. INDIA A - 7 53,5 49,5
3. INDIA B - 7 50,5 47,5
4. IRAN - 5 50,5 37,5
5. SINGAPORE - 5 34,5 48,5
6. INDONESIA - 4 30,0 35,0
7. BANGLADESH - 4 25,0 34,5
8. SRILANKA - 3 6,0 35,5
9. NEPAL - 1 0,0 32,5
Tie Break1: Matchpoints (2 for wins, 1 for Draws, 0 for Losses)
Tie Break2: Olympiad-Sonneborn-Berger-Tie-Break
Tie Break3: Buchholz Tie-Breaks (variabel with parameter)

Full result see here.

The tournament see a dramatic imbalance between high rated team and the low rated with 4-0 score in every round. The recipient of this perfect score is either Nepal or Srilanka. Round 5 Women see Indonesian team facing India B. WGM Irene draw with WGM Mary Ann Gomez in Sicilian games. After the exchange both side reach a rook and opposite bishop position. Both girls shake hand realizing no significant improvement for both side.

Next to Irene, all the Indonesian girls lost to India. WFM Dewi Citra played the longest game with WIM Padmini Rout. Both have a passed pawn standing in a square next to promotion square, but Black has a King to support his pawn while White doesn't. White resign in 62 moves.

Last position of WFM Dewi Citra vs WIM Padmini Rout 0-1
WGM Irene vs WGM Mary Ann Gomes 1/2-1/2

In Men area, Round 5 see Indonesia keep the 4-0 tradition to Nepal team. Vietnam also quickly in 3-0 score playing Bangladesh , GM Le Quang Liem wins over GM Rahman Ziaur. The last board and longest for round 5 is a battle between GM Bui Vinh and FM Abdul Malek. Both reach a 2P+ opposite Bishop position but the score read the Vietnamese wins it, so 4-0 for Vietnam vs Bangladesh. Live games here.

Other great tournament is a RUSSIAN SUPER FINAL, which after round 5 Grischuk is on top with 3.5 above Svidler and Vitiugov with 3.0 . The young Sjugirov is making headline with a 20+ move win over Svidler. In Women section Alisa Galliamova is in perfect 5/5 , second by N. Kosintveva with 4/5. See LIVE game here.

In Holland, the Groningen 2009 also had great LIVE chess to be watched, Jan Timman is playing Robin Van Kempen and also a strong group A open.

In Sweden there is Rilton with LIVE tranmission here.

And of course the Battle of Giant reaching conclusion here. Spassky and Korchnoi is back in match and their score is equal with both wins each other.

And that's our chess menu for this holiday season.