Ian Rogers in Jakarta 2012

GM Ian Rogers was visiting Jakarta last week, March 9th 2012. He was invited by SCUA (Sekolah Catur Utut Adianto / Chess School). During his visit he was giving a chess lectures to audiens from the chess school. SCUA had been producing Indonesia's main army such as GM Susanto Megaranto and Irene K. Sukandar.

Rogers was on his trip from Holland to Australia and decided to transit on Jakarta on this purposes. Rogers had visited Jakarta during the World Chess Championship FIDE Zone XII 1993. With this visit and promotion of chess we expect Indonesia to continue in building strenght in this sport. Pictures below as shared by official's social network pages.

Mikhail Tal Memorial 2012 with player voted by fans

As excited as what we can expect, Mikhail Tal Memorial 2012 will soon started in. The line up confirmed by organizer are:

Magnus Carlsen
Vladimir Kramnik
Levon Aronian
Radjabov Teimour
Hikaru Nakamura
Fabiano Caruana

this will join by other three invitees by organizer. But what make the blog headline is the possibility of the 10th player being choose by fans. On twitter GM Jon L. Hammer (@gmjlh) put in support to GM Michael Adams, while Mikhail Golubev (@mikhail_golubev) support Ponomariov. So who you gonna vote, here the list and the voting website:

Mamedyarov Shakhriyar (AZE) 2752
well, we already got Radjabov, Shak is not doing well lately.


Wang Hao (CHN) 2733
though Chinese player tend to go "safe" in high rated, but Wang's consistent rating in top is deserved this place.

Kamsky Gata (USA) 2741
will have hard work due to US Championship running on this near date

Ponomariov Ruslan (UKR) 2727
an ideal contender to fight against top dogs, Ruslan is strong and need more opportunity, he is still very young

Adams Michael (ENG) 2735
still favorite by many, Michael just win the Bunratty Master last week.

Giri Anish (NED) 2717
with Fabiano Caruana make it to top ten, Anish should start his rivalry into more hard work, otherwise the spot will be stealth by the Italiano-American.

Le Quang Liem (VIE) 2698
same to Anish and Fabiano on this generation rivalry, Le is the second Asian player in the vote list

Polgar Judit (HUN) 2709
very popular choice, well, for a female chess player. Will no surprise if Judit make it from the vote

Shirov Alexei (LAT) 2701
we still need more fire on board!

Jobava Baadur (GEO) 2706
slowly try to steal the show from the rise of Armenia and Azeri player. Jobava is the highest Georgian player, Georgia is the third country which put chess in very serious competitive culture.

Sutovsky Emil (ISR) 2700
well, quite surprise included in the list, but the Sutovsky is the next 2700 player to be fair!

McShane Luke J (ENG) 2691
same generation to Fabiano and Anish Giri, Luke need more luck to be included in this very high profile competition.

Hou Yifan (CHN) 2639
well, wait... Hou is the second female and third Asian here. Putting Hou to fight against top dogs perhaps will put Magnus and Kramnik into cold sweating,.. for afraid of losing!

Choose wisely folks!

The voting URL link of course >>> http://russiachess.org/news/all/vpervie_zriteli_vibiraut_odnogo_iz_uchastnikov_memoriala_talya/

it's in the right table (or use Google Translate!)

Hou Yifan vs Judit Polgar Gibraltar 2012

Gibraltar 2012 chess tournament happening on the same week with Tata Steel at Wijk Aan Zee. But this "2nd rated" high class tournament is follows by big names as Svidler, Polgar, Almasi etc. Then, the most interesting point here is the encounter of Judit Polgar to two of current strongest female player, Koneru Humpy and Hou Yifan.

Judit Polgar is currently (and for age...) the highest female chess player in FIDE elo rating, rated at 2710. Koneru Humpy at 2589 and Hou Yifan at 2605. The differences are about 100 elo. Judit played a draw game to Koneru, but historically, lost to current female World Champion Hou Yifan. This is perhaps the only lost Judit suffered to female player in classical chess for so long. Judit lost to sista Susan Polgar back in 1992, and lost to Alexander Kosteniuk year 2009 but in blitz game.

Here the game Hou Yifan vs Judit Polgar, Gibraltar 2012. In this dynamic Sicilian game, white maintained her attacking mode all the way and force black to slowly lost a piece. Great game Hou!

Queenstown Chess Classic and Irene Sukandar

A resort town of New Zealand, Queenstown, was hosting their third Chess Classic event from 15th-23rd January 2012 at the Millennium Hotel in Queenstown. The town is famous for being the location of several top end Hollywood motion pictures such as The Lord of The Ring trilogy.

In this Chess classic event, three players climbed to the top and ended up sharing the highest points, hence sharing first place. Australia's GM Darryl Johansen, GM Li Chao and GM Zhao Jun managed to be those first three. In the last round, GM Darryl Johansen won the thrilling sicilian game as black verses GM Gawain Jones. The game had been pushed into the narrow battlefield at the Black's king corner, but Black managed to escape the pressure and pulled out the counter attack. Following game are GM Gawain Jones vs GM Darryl Johansen.

The tournament also marked a succesful trip for Indonesian WGM Irene K. Sukandar. Flying and play in high spirit , as she always shared on her social network, IKS managed to score a positive 6.5 out of this nine rounds event. Only losing point to higher rated opponent , to GM Gawain Jones and GM Zhao Jun, IKS managed to score point notably against IM Stephen Soloman of Australia and WGM Nadig Kruttika from India. This let her to get the 2449 performance point from her 2325 Fide rating.

Irene also scored a nice international exposure, thanks to a report by WGM Nadig Kruttika on Chessbase.com. A photo of Irene with lovely friend, chessplayer/photographer Vivian Gu Xiaobing.

Medina and Andrean Susilo won Singapore 2011

As a small and emerging chess culture, Singapore is equipped well with their chess education and chess educator. It is only the matter of public interest that chess is yet to pick their best result as competitive sport in region. With international trainer with super GM title from Georgia, China, Phillipine etc, Singapore is establishing great chess education infrastructure in the city.

The Singapore Chess Festival held in the end of year 2011 is a great practise ground for locals. The result on top events still favour strong invited GM, but the point to have their local talent trained was achieved. In the 2nd Asean, GM Cao Sang claimed the first prize, closely followed by Indonesian GM Megaranto Susanto. The 2nd Asean Women, smoothly won by Medina Aulia, ahead of her Indonesian mates Chelsie Sihite Monica and others. In the lower section, FM Andrean Susilo, also Indonesian player, claimed the first position in 8th Singapore Open. Complete English language report can be view in Singapore Chess News website.

Di penghujung tahun 2011, tim catur berisi atlet-atlet nasional berangkat dan tour ke Singapore untuk mengikuti festival catur di tempat. Singapore walaupun sebuah negara dengan daerah geografis paling micro ini mempunyai infra struktur pendidikan catur yang baik. Penulis pernah bermain dan mengamati perkembangan catur mereka dan sistem pendidikannya sangat terstruktur. Sayangnya kultur catur memang tidak terlalu populer di kalangan pelajar muda yang lebih memilih eks skul berpotensial lainnya, kalo tidak Singapore sudah menjadi saingan baru di kancah percaturan ASEAN. Bayangkan mereka mempunyai Akademi catur dengan trainer bergelar GM dari Georgia dan China. Dan banyak lagi GM dari Phillipine dan Myanmar yang memilih ber imigrasi ke kota/negara ini.

Hasil touring pecatur Indonesia di Singapore akhir Desember 2011 adalah, 8th Singapore Open dimenangkan FM Andrean Susilo, 2nd Asean Women dimenangkan Medina Aulia Wardana sedangkan 2nd Asean dimenangkan pecatur China GM Cao Sang tetapi GM Megaranto Susanto tetap memetik hasil dengan menduduki juara ke-dua.

Top Ten Most Memorable Chess Games of 2011

Once again we are at the end of another great year in chess. A candidate knockout and World Cup happening this year are some of notables events. Surely there are thousand of interesting games, but I would like to recollecting the year 2011 and put in ten of most memorable chess games. These are not the best chess games but something like most memorable because of its intensity, its rivalry, its background story and others.

This list put in chronological order. Enjoy the list!

10.Magnus Carlsen vs Hikaru Nakamura
Tata Chess 2011 Group A, Round 8 1-0

Hikaru Nakamura is going to win his first super tournament here, but at round 8, Magnus Carlsen defeat him. Not only this defeat is memorable, but it will be the start of string of defeat suffered by Nakamura in this year. It's look like Nakamura are beating any other top player today (Kramnik, Anand, Aronian, etc.) but Carlsen. The game in Chessgames.com generated 18 pages of comments.

9.Boris Gelfand vs Alexander Grischuk
World Championship Candidates Final 2011 (E60) · 1-0

Boris Gelfand surprise everybody by winning the super strong KO events to decide the challenger for Vishy Anand. He duly perform a solidly and beat everyone from Mamedyarov, Kamsky and Grischuk in final.
 
8.Wesley So vs Alexey Shirov
19th Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament 2011 · (D11) · 1-0

This semi super tournament played by six player round robin. Wesley So finally break the egg and put his name elegantly by tie winning this event. This is, maybe, the only strong tournament by So after his successful Corus Chess a while ago, where he won the Group C!
 
7.Yasser Seirawan vs Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
World Chess Team Championship 2011 · (A43) · 1-0

This is one of my favorite games in 2011. Not only Yasser is my favorite player and chess writer, but to see how he challenge by 'youngster' in sharp opening play, and duly won it because it is so unpositional and out of theory, is a winning moment of chess. Yasser also won the other top challenge by Judit Polgar (on her birthday) and giving a nice comeback in US team and chess fans rejoice one again.
 
6.Alexander Morozevich vs Peter Svidler
Russian Superfinals 2011 · (D97) · 1-0

Peter Svidler and Morozevich are having great year in 2011. Svidler won this Russian Superfinal and then world cup. But, in the final round Morozevich down Svidler in this nice game. Morozevich having won the previously higher league tournament are now watch nervously by chess fans, but he prove that his games still on and strongly finish no.2
 
5.Gata Kamsky vs Peter Svidler
World Cup 2011 · Spanish Game: Morphy Defense (C78) · 0-1

One of most famous moment and chess move of 2011. Until move 25, Kamsky seem dominated the King hunting as white, but Svidler move 26..Re2!! killed it all. This is one of Svidler's black wins, as he continue in this style until the final of World Cup 2011.
 
4. Leinier Dominguez-Perez vs Judit Polgar
World Cup 2011 · Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian. Open (B33) · 0-1

This ultra sharp and dramatic game is one of my most favorite moment in 2011. The game was in Sicilian defence, played by Judit Polgar who desperately need to secure a win after a lost the day before. Leinier Dominguez played a strong opening and very promising position, with little risk to lost and absolutely able to hold draw with great precision. But Leinier continued play in "style" and slowly put into great tactical shoot create by Judit. The game continue in roller coaster of Houdini's analysis and show both side have moments. In the end Judit seems almost unable to convert her end game advantage and need a nerve of steel to find the winning position. It generated 16 page views in chessgames.com
 
3.Alexander Grischuk vs Peter Svidler
World Cup 2011 · Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation. Wing Attack (B43) · 0-1

This is the last Svidler black string of winning in World Cup and the winning game of World Cup final. And this enough to give Svidler his big cup after a long absency of prestigious world title. Svidler will join Ivanchuck and Grischuk to play in next edition of candidate.
 
2. Viswanathan Anand vs Vassily Ivanchuk
4th Bilbao Masters 2011 · Spanish Game: Schliemann Defense (C63) · 0-1

Ivanchuck played great tournament here. Winning four times but yet lost the title to Carlsen who beat him in the later round. Ivanchuck surprises started in this game, follow tensely by fans around the world. This event memorable because of the news that Ivanchuck robbed by gun criminal in Brazil. He 'recover' by beating Nakamura, but lost two times to Carlsen and Vallejo-Pons.
 
1. Luke McShane vs Vladimir Kramnik
London Chess Classic 2011 · Spanish Game: General (C60) · 0-1

Kramnik taking advantage of the last Britton he need to play.. and defeat. This game concluded the London Classic and also ended Nakamura almost domination in London. The game generated 20 pages of comments.
 
--- other candidates of most memorable and most controversial games of 2011 ---
 
Alexander Moiseenko vs David Navara ,draw, World Cup 2011
Navarra controversially 'tortured' Moiseenko by offering a draw in winning final position. The little story was well known (read here) and this is the Fair Game of the 2011!
 
Radjabov, Teimour vs Naiditsch, Arkadij 0-1
A0918th Euro-TCh Open(8)Porto Carras/Greece

and

Movsesian, Sergei vs Meier, Georg 0-1
C0518th Euro-TCh Open(9)Porto Carras/Greece

These two key moment where Germany won the European Team gold medal.

Azerbaijan vs France - 2-2
Controversial draw result in European Team Champ, where Gashimov from Azerbaijan suddenly become ill during the match and a dramatic peace pact signed in the end of this match.

Vallejo Pons, Francisco vs Nakamura, Hikaru 1-0
E94 Chess Masters Final 2011(9.1)
Perhaps the most controversial game in ending. Hikaru Nakamura reach the last move before time control, but failed to understand this due to miss-communication to arbiter, and leave the board for a drink and duly declared lost because of this. Should Nakamura can get different result, he have a high chance to compete the first title in Bilbao tournament.

Hikaru Nakamura vs Michael Adams
London Chess Classic 2011 · King's Gambit: Accepted. Abbazia Defense (C36) · 1-0
One of the rare King Gambit played by 2700+ player against 2700+, and white win with it!

Well, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and thanks for reading my blog in the year 2011!

Chess at SEA Games 2011 Jakarta Palembang

SEA Games or South East Asian Games kicking off last night. The multi sport event is the Olympiad of the region. In this year edition, Jakarta will co-hosting with city Palembang, separate by sea as one is in Java island and Palembang in Sumatera archipelago.

Chess is getting its share pie in the festival. Three event where design to appeal chess as a sport, surprisingly, it is design as Blindfold, Mixed Pair (perhaps due to the high popular Badminton mixed pair setup) and of course standard or classical Chess.

GM Le Quang Liem headline the overall rating. Indonesian puts high hope as we put in the "dream pair" GM Megaranto Susanto with WGM Irene K. Sukandar. Full list of player is below, the event will started at Saturday 12th of November 2011 for a week of play, for that three medals.

Team-Composition MIXED PAIR
Myanmar (RtgAvg:2193)
1 FM Zaw Oo
2 May Hsu Lwin

Vietnam (RtgAvg:2403)
1 GM Dao Thien Hai 2505
2 WGM Nguyen Thi Thanh An 2300

Thailand (RtgAvg:1856)
1 Hansing Saphong
2 Taweesupmun Chanida

Indonesia (RtgAvg:2444)
1 GM Megaranto Susanto
2 WGM Sukandar Irine Kharisma

Malaysia (RtgAvg:2060)
1 IM Lim Yee-Weng
2 WFM Nur Najiha Hisham

Philippines (RtgAvg:2327)
1 GM Barbosa Oliver
2 WIM Perena Catherine

ASEAN Chess (Standard Classical)
1 Antonio Rogelio Jr PHI

4 Halay Taufik INA
2 Kongsee Uaychai THA
3 Nguyen Huynh Minh Huy VIE
5 Wynn Zaw Htun MYA

Blindfold
7 GM Le Quang Liem VIE 2714

1 GM Gomez John Paul PHI 2506
10 GM Laylo Darwin PHI 2502
4 GM Nguyen Anh Dung VIE 2438
9 IM Purnama Tirta Chandra INA 2384
6 GM Zaw Win Lay MYA 2377
2 IM Lioe Dede INA 2375
3 IM Mok Tze-Meng MAS 2363
5 IM Myo Naing MYA 2317
8 IM Liew Chee-Meng-Jimmy MAS 2303

UPDATED:
There will be another six variations of events, Men Standard, Men Blitz, Men Rapid, Women Standard, Women Blitz, and Women Rapid.

So far the hosting team Indonesia already surprisingly missed all the medals. In mixed pair, Indonesia surprisingly losing to Malaysia team (Megaranto losing and Irene draw after playing a good position) and missed the bronze.

Medals for Mixed pair:
1. Vietnam
2. Philippines
3. Malaysia

Medals for Blindfold:
1 GM Le Quang Liem VIE 2714 7.0

2 GM Gomez John Paul PHI 2506 7.0
3 GM Laylo Darwin PHI 2502 5.5