The Chess Players Society of Nigeria

Before the rating system players were generally classified by the handicap a stronger player could give them. The chess program Rybka has a higher rating than any human, and recently it beat GM Roman Dzindzichashvili in a pawn and move handicap game. Would it be able to acquit itself similarly against an IM who got a pawn and two moves handicap? It would and it did.

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Breaking news: Armenian GM Levon Aronian defeated Alexander Grischuk to take clear first in the Grand Prix tournament, finishing with 8.5/13 points and a performance of 2816. Second is Teimour Radjabov, who beat his main rival Sergey Karjakin with the black pieces. Kamsky beat Navara, two games are still under way. Express report.

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This event in Gaziantep, Turkey, has become very exciting, with two clear leaders two rounds before the end. German IM Arik Braun is being chased by GMs Howell, Safarli, Rodshtein, Negi and others. In the girls’ section India’s Harika Dronavalli is half a point ahead of Ukrainian Mariya Muzychuk. Anything can happen in the final rounds. Giant pictorial report by Özgür Akman.

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In reply to a recent appeal by a number of participants to move the forthcoming World Chess Championship from Nalchik to a safer location, FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov writes: “In the current situation I appeal to all not to mix politics and sport, and not to involve FIDE and the world chess community into political, territorial and other disputes.” Statement by Ilyumzhinov.

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Four games decided in round eleven, with the others well fought; then three
unmemorable draws, two hard-fought ones and one beautifully instructive strategic
win by Peter Svidler in round twelve. The Second FIDE Grand Prix
in Sochi nears its end. Aronian is in the lead, but can still be caught or overtaken.
Games on Playchess.com. Note: the final
round
starts an hour earlier.

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