CFN May, 2008 2

May, 2008 (scroll down for most current news)

News starting May 1, 2008
News starting May 24, 2008
News starting May 27, 2008

May 17, 2008:

Round 4 news is now up and running on the 2008 Frank K. Berry U.S. Women's Chess Championship.

Victory Day Tournament Moscow
April 24 - May 6, 2008
Two chess femmes participated in this 13 player 12 round event: WGM Bathuyag Mongontuul (MGL 2402) and the lovely and controversial WGM Maria Manakova (SRB 2332). The event was won by IM Mikhail Krylov (RUS 2409), with 10.0. WGM Bathuyag Mongontuul finished in 2nd place with 7.5, and WGM Maria Manakova finished in last place with 2.5. (Photo: WGM Maria Manakova, from Kosteniuk's website)

Solinger Schachwochen 2008
May 9 - 12, 2008
In the "A" Group (52 players), WGM Anna Rudolf (HUN 2302), the sole chess femme, finished in 9th place with 4.5/7. The "A" Group was won by IM Dmitrij Saulin (RUS 2404), with 5.5.

Kaupthing Open
May 10 - 17, 2008
This large event has ended. Last year's Kaupthing Open (I assume the "A" Event) was won by GM Koneru Humpy. It's too bad that none of the photographs were captioned (there were many taken during each round). I scrolled through those from Round 9 and found these chess femmes I recognized: IM Tania Sachdev and IM Yelena Dembo.
IM Monika Socko won 1,500 E for her finishing 6th as the top female player in the Open "A."

There were three sections, here are the final standings for each (9 Rounds):

Open "A" (85 players)

1. Istratescu,Andrei GM 2628 M ROU 5 4 0 7.0
6. Socko,Monika IM 2505 W POL 5 3 1 6.5 (won 1,500 E)
18. Dzagnidze,Nana IM 2443 W GEO 5 1 3 5.5 (won 750 E)
23. Nebolsina,Vera WGM 2345 W RUS 4 3 2 5.5 (won 400 E)
32. Tania,Sachdev IM 2423 W IND 3 4 2 5.0 (won 200 E)
38. Zdebskaja,Natalia WGM 2368 W UKR 2 5 2 4.5 (won 100 E)
41. Dembo,Yelena IM 2429 W GRE 3 3 3 4.5
47. Rudolf,Anna WGM 2302 W HUN 3 3 3 4.5
48. Berend,Elvira WGM 2303 W LUX 2 5 2 4.5
52. Schweitzer,Viktor WIM 2218 W FRA 3 3 3 4.5 (Viktor? Viktoria? Julie Andrews in the movie?)
53. Wagener,Anna WGM 2266 W LUX 2 5 2 4.5
70. Bakalarz,Grazyna WFM 2006 W LUX 2 3 4 3.5
85. Vogel,Heike WFM 2134 * GER 1 0 5 1.0

Open "B" (66 players)

1. Dal Borgo,Albin 2164 M BEL 7 2 0 8.0
3. Henrichs,Wenke 2097 W GER 6 1 2 6.5 (won 200 E)
55. Ludewig,Daniela 1398 W LUX 1 4 4 3.0 (won 100 E)
58. Boyarchenko,Vlada 1603 W LUX 2 2 5 3.0 (won 50 E)
64. Dohm,Micheline 1480 W LUX 0 4 5 2.0

"C" Group (22 players)

1. Schmitt,Carsten 1199 M Turm Wadern GER 6 2 1 7.0
4. Apel,Laryana 1307 W Esch LUX 5 2 2 6.0 (won 20 E)
9. Socko,Weronika 1198 W POL 5 0 4 5.0
14. Blond Hanten,Elsa 1200 W Differdange LUX 4 0 5 4.0
17. Krippler,Anne 1200 W Differdange LUX 3 2 3 4.0
20. Berend,Tina 1198 W Dudelange LUX 2 1 6 2.5
21. Krippler,Lisa 1200 W Differdange LUX 1 3 5 2.5

In the News:

Xinhuanet, May 17, 2008 and Mathaba News Agency, May 17, 2008: GM Xu Yuhua (who now lives in Qatar with her husband, GM Mohamad al-Modiahki) will be an Olympic torch bearer in China, doing 100 yards (she's six months pregnant).

Neighbors Go Blog, May 2, 2008: Seven girls from Berry Middle School (photo, right) formed the first ever all-girls chess team in Mesquite ISD. These pioneering young women – Gabbi Williams, Tricia Culver, Ciara Buckley, Michelle Torres, Shayna Vanlehn, Felicia Wagner, and Anna Euziere – competed in the Fifth Annual Kasparov Foundation All-Girls National Chess Championships and finished in second place.

May 18, 2008:

I've updated the news through Round 5 for the 2008 Frank K. Berry U.S. Women's Chess Championship! Lots of action - will Krush and Zatonskih continue to match each other in perfection until they meet each other in Round 8? Will that match result in a draw (like last year)?

Susan Polgar World Championship for Girls

June 7 - 8, 2008
Las Vegas, Nevada
This event has been held the past couple of years (this is now the third) in conjunction with the Las Vegas International Chess Festival at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas. Last year our partner Georgia Albert (a/k/a Isis) attended a free presentation on marketing given by Susan Polgar and Paul Truong at the hotel and came away greatly impressed. Scholarships to Texas Tech University and prizes of up to $100,000 will be awarded (I believe this is split between the World Open for Girls and the World Open for Boys). Lots of events are scheduled. More information at Susan Polgar's blog.

Sri Lanka Women's National "A" Championship
May 17 - 24(?), 2008

Here's a news report on Rounds 1 and 2 from The Sunday Times Online.
Standings after Round 2:
Vineetha Wijesuriya and Anjana Perera (2)
Ayodhya Liyanagedera, Lihini Walallawita, Sachini Ranasinghe and Dilini Umesha (1.5)
Irindu Basnayake (1)
Samanthi Wettasinghe, Harshani Konara, Supeshala Thilakawardena, Navodya Selvaratnam,
Mihirani Jayatillake and Dinushki Premnath (0.5)
Lumbini Ambanwela (0.0)

May 19, 2008:

Hola! I've updated through Round 6 for the 2008 Frank K. Berry U.S. Women's Chess Championship. Zatonskih is still perfect after 6 rounds, with 6.0, but Krush had to settle for a draw with Iryna Zenyuk and is now in second place with 5.5. Abrahamyan won and is in third place with 4.0.

May 20, 2008:

I've updated through Round 7 for the 2008 Frank K. Berry U.S. Women's Chess Championship. A shocker - Zatonskih lost yesterday and Krush won, to leapfrog half a point head of Zatonskih in the standings. Today in Round 8 they face each other. Meanwhile, Tatev Abrahamyan has quietly put together a five game winning streak that no one seems to have noticed and is now in third place!

In the News:

The Baguio Sun Star, May 21, 2008: Thirteen year old Brena Mae Membrere of the Phillipines conquers the world!

The Chiliiwak Times, May 20, 2008: Ola Kubiak, a Grade 4 student at St. Mary's elementary, tied as co-champion at the 2008 B.C. Youth Chess Championship, held at Sprott-Shaw Community College in New Westminster on April 26 and 27. She won in the girls 10-and- under category, tying for top honours, and will be competing in the national finals in Quebec City, Canada.

Vietnam New Service, May 20, 2008: FPT to sponsor Vietnamese chess

The Information Technology and Telecommunications FPT Corporation last Thursday signed an agreement with the Viet Nam Chess Federation (VCF) to promote the game. An FPT representative said by sponsoring the game domestically, the company hoped Viet Nam would become a major chess-playing nation. The representative said FPT would offer financial support to the VCF to invite grandmasters with an Elo rating of 2,600 or higher to compete in Viet Nam. In the first competition the year, FPT plans to spend US$30,000, with additional sponsorship coming from the firm’s subsidiaries if necessary. The VCF said it would invite chess grandmasters from Russia, India, China, Singapore and the Philippines to compete in the tournament.

May 21, 2008:

2008 Frank K. Berry U.S. Women's Chess Championship

JUST CONCLUDED!

FLASH! IM Anna Zatonskih wins the U.S. Women's Chess Championship title after a grueling round of tie-break games - five in all - Yikes! Silly me, I thought it was all over (and that IM Irina Krush had won the title) after the 3rd game, but NOOOOOO, IT WAS NOT!

FLASH FLASH! GM Susan Polgar announced at her blog that Tatev Abrahamyan is the winner of the $500 Goddesschess Fighting Chess Award! Way to go, Tatev. Tatev finished the tournament with six wins, three losses, and no draws, and while successfully managing to stay in the background (except for a stunning photograph by Tom Braunlich [or was the photographer Betsy Dynako?] at Monroi which shows how beautiful she is), she put together a very nice tournament.

I was trying to cover events at the Goddesschess blog as they occurred - Susan Polgar has more coverage (as always).

I'll update tomorrow, I'm exhausted after a full day at the office and non-stop chess action tonight that I was trying to watch and update while doing laundry, house-cleaning, cooking a casserole for supper, trying to follow the latest news of the Championship at various websites, and blogging! 'night!

May 22, 2008:

2008 Frank K. Berry U.S. Women's Chess Championship
I've updated for Rounds 8 and 9, and the play-off games for the title between IM Anna Zatonskih and IM Irina Krush.