του Λουκά ΖαχείλαΤο κείμενο που ακολουθεί βασίζεται σε άρθρο που δημοσιεύθηκε στο περιοδικό ΣΑΧ πριν από 12 χρόνια, δηλαδή το 1999. Αναζητώντας το Wijk Aan ZeeΟμολογώ ότι η πρώτη απογοήτευση ήρθε όταν, καθισμένος στο σαλόνι...

Πώς θα ξεπεραστεί το πρόβλημα με το τείχος των μαύρων πιονιών;Πρόβλημα του David Przepiorka, Deutsches Wochenschach 1907Τα Λευκά κάνουν ματ σε 4 κινήσεις

Εκπλήξεις είχαμε στο 2ο γύρο (επιταχυνόμενο ελβετικό) του Masters Group στο Gibraltar. Ο μεγάλος Korchnoi κέρδισε με τα μαύρα τον Caruana(!), o Sengupta τον Bologan, ενώ η Victoria Cmilyte με τα λευκά τον Kiril Georgiev. Άλλα σημαντικά αποτελέσματα:Dzagnidze-Adams...

It's not as big a deal as Wijk aan Zee, but the annual open event in Gibraltar is always worth noting. This year's edition includes such stars as Vassily Ivanchuk, Mickey Adams, Fabiano Caruana and Nigel Short, but one shouldn't forget the great Viktor Korchnoi. Sure, he'll be 80 in a few months, but the old lion had enough teeth to crush Caruana, with Black, in round 2. (To be fair to Caruana...

As the 2011 edition of Wijk aan Zee heads into the homestretch, the fighting spirit seems to increase by the round. In round 10 there were only two draws in the seven Group A games (admittedly, both were disappointing and one was almost shameful), as players throughout the crosstable fight to improve their places. At the top of the table, the world champion, Viswanathan Anand, seized the...

Viswanathan Anand beat Alexei Shirov and Hikaru Nakamura beat Maxime Vachier-Lagrave with white to lead on 7/10 going into the final rest day. The other two leaders Aronian and Kramnik had black and encountered Dutch opponents who were very happy to draw. These four will battle it out for the title as the aforementioned Vachier and World Number One Magnus Carlsen were defeated. Carlsen weakened...

Viswanathan Anand beat Alexei Shirov and Hikaru Nakamura beat Maxime Vachier-Lagrave with white to lead on 7/10 going into the final rest day. The other two leaders Aronian and Kramnik had black and encountered Dutch opponents who were very happy to draw. These four will battle it out for the title as the aforementioned Vachier and World Number One Magnus Carlsen were defeated. Carlsen weakened...

- Ο Γερμανός Ulrich Stephan είναι ο νέος παγκόσμιος πρωταθλητής στο σκάκι δι αλληλογραφίας. http://www.chesscafe.com/chronicles/chronicles.htmΌλες οι παρτίδες της τελικής φάσης- Παρουσίαση του καινούριου βιβλίου του Tim Harding, Correspondence Chess in Britain and Ireland...

Going into the third and final rest day, again the names of Vishy Anand and Hikaru Nakamura can be found at the top of the Tata leaderboard. The World Champion beat Alexei Shirov while the American grandmaster defeated Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Magnus Carlsen suffered his second loss, against Ian Nepomniachtchi. General info The Tata Steel Chess [...]

1. V. Anand 7 H. Nakamura 73. L. Aronian 6½ V. Kramnik 6½5. M. Carlsen 5½ I. Nepomniachtchi 5½ M. Vachier-Lagrave 5½8. A. Giri 5 R. Ponomariov 5 Wang Hao 511. J. Smeets 3½12. E. l'Ami 313. A. Grischuk 2½ A. Shirov 2½V. Anand - A. Shirov 1-0Πάλι Cambridge Springs, πάλι η ίδια συνέχεια με 11.Bc4, αυτή τη φορά ο Shirov προτίμησε να αφήσει...

"The big plus about coming to Gibraltar for the tournament is that people are simply charmed by the place, the great scenery, the sea by the hotel, and the nice weather in general. When people come they find it attractive."

With the peace being signed in the top board, the young and energetic Ukraine Grandmaster Kravtsiv Martyn took up the challenge in the right earnest and brought down the Israeli Grandmaster Alon Greenfeld. The Sicilian game lasted 60 moves and was one of the last to conclude in the event. Martyn emerged a clear winner, ahead of his countryman and top seed Alexander Areshchenko.

Malcolm Pein looks at the start of the Gibraltar Masters starring Vassily Ivanchuk.

Malcolm Pein looks at the start of the Gibraltar Masters starring Vassily Ivanchuk.

A quick and smooth, attacking win was awarded the daily “Piet Zwart” prize of 500 Euros. The winner, Vladimir Kramnik, beat Erwin l’Ami, who castled too early and saw his king getting under fire quickly. Another instructive press conference from the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands. Enjoy!