With this evening's game, we have just past the halfway mark in the tournament, and we have 12 leaders with 4 points:
GM Nigel Short, GM Sergey Tiviakov, GM Kamil Miton, GM Victor Mikhalevski, GM Suat Atalik, GM Andrey Rychagov, GM Sipke Ernst, GM Mark Bluvshtein, GM David Howell, GM Alex Yermolinski, GM Tomas Likavsky, Dalia Kagramanov.
OK, how does this pairing system work again Jonathan? Dalia finished 2nd in the recently completed Canadian Youth Chess Championships at the Chateau Laurier, also in Ottawa, immediately prior to this event. This was in the Under-14 Girls Division, and I don't recall there being 11 GM's in her section, but I can always find out. Hmmm, nope, just Dalia and some other young girls....well, I hope she doesn't feel out of her league in such auspicious company, and on Charles Graves Tie Day too (GCTD), a recent Canadian Open tradition. Maybe someone should lend her a tie for the round - could make a great photo!
**********
Well, anyways, compared to yesterday's results on the top boards, today was a virtual cleansing of the ranks. Only 5 draws on the top 20 boards! A few interesting ones, but mostly placid affairs. Nigel Short apologized (jokingly) to my specs in the commentary room for playing rather flatly today. Neither he nor Tiviakov, his opponent, used MonRoi recorders, so I was unfortunately not able to comment on their game. I do believe he opened 1.g3 (or played it fairly early on), as he made a comment to the effect that when he looked over at Reprintsev-Miton on a nearby board and saw 1.g4 (it's true, I swear!), he mentioned that he had nearly played the same thing, but decided that one square forward was enough!
My vote for game of the day goes to GM Viktor Mikhalevski for his smashing win over GM Bator Sambuev - let's take a look!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
GM Atalik: simul shelved, but lecture's a go
GM Suat Atalik and his wife IM Ekaterina Atalik were to give a tandem simul this afternoon -- except that best as the Canadian Open organizers can tell, the amount of interest is distinctly underwhelming.
So rather than hold the Ataliks to their part of the bargain, the organizers have opted to can the tandem simul. Given the attendances at the GM Bluvshtein simul and GM Rychagov simul, the 2007 Canadian Open's players are definitely much more keen on lectures (the lecture Tuesday by GM Tomas Likavsky on psychology in chess was packed, drawing 40 attendees).
However, GM Atalik is a man of his word. He promised the organizers that he would appear at a side event, and he has proposed that if there is interest, on Sunday, after the closing ceremony, he will make himself available to lecture, perhaps using his Canadian Open games as material, or simply having a Q+A session with interested players. "Interactive," GM Atalik stressed, when discussing the proposed lecture.
When are you going to get another chance to interact with an top-notch GM? Don't miss GM Atalik's words of wisdom on Sunday.
So rather than hold the Ataliks to their part of the bargain, the organizers have opted to can the tandem simul. Given the attendances at the GM Bluvshtein simul and GM Rychagov simul, the 2007 Canadian Open's players are definitely much more keen on lectures (the lecture Tuesday by GM Tomas Likavsky on psychology in chess was packed, drawing 40 attendees).
However, GM Atalik is a man of his word. He promised the organizers that he would appear at a side event, and he has proposed that if there is interest, on Sunday, after the closing ceremony, he will make himself available to lecture, perhaps using his Canadian Open games as material, or simply having a Q+A session with interested players. "Interactive," GM Atalik stressed, when discussing the proposed lecture.
When are you going to get another chance to interact with an top-notch GM? Don't miss GM Atalik's words of wisdom on Sunday.
Yermo makes a mean borscht -- and he lectures today
Ottawa chess player Garland Best has been spending some quality time with two particular GMs playing the 2007 Canadian Open Chess Championship.
The reason? Garland is the vice-president of engineering at the Ottawa fibre optics company OZ Optics, which has helped sponsor GM Suat Atalik, IM Ekaterina Atalik and WFM Kubra Ozturk.
The 2007 Canadian Open's Turkish players are staying at the guesthouse of OZ Optics, which was co-founded by Turkish-Canadian Omur Sezerman, who is the company's CEO.
Garland has helped shuttle the players from the tournament site to the guesthouse occasionally, although GM Atalik's friend, GM Yermolinsky, is driving as well (a rental car, provided by the Canadian Open organizers).
All this to say, after Round Four, Garland found himself at his company's guesthouse, chowing down with the GMs. GM Yermolinsky had bought groceries earlier to re-stock the guesthouse's kitchen, and he was glad to invite Garland for dinner. "You have to stay for borscht!" GM Yermolinsky reportedly said.
"He makes a mean borscht -- a delicious borscht," Garland says.
In addition, GM Yermolinsky, a former U.S. Chess Champion who is the GM-in-residence at the Mechanics Institute Chess Club in San Francisco, is a mean lecturer. He will be sharing his insights into the Classical Variation of the Sicilian Defence at 1 p.m. today, of which he knows plenty. (See his latest book, Chess Explained: The Classical Sicilian, if you need proof.)
The fee to attend the lecture is $20. We're expecting it to be popular, so show up early.
The reason? Garland is the vice-president of engineering at the Ottawa fibre optics company OZ Optics, which has helped sponsor GM Suat Atalik, IM Ekaterina Atalik and WFM Kubra Ozturk.
The 2007 Canadian Open's Turkish players are staying at the guesthouse of OZ Optics, which was co-founded by Turkish-Canadian Omur Sezerman, who is the company's CEO.
Garland has helped shuttle the players from the tournament site to the guesthouse occasionally, although GM Atalik's friend, GM Yermolinsky, is driving as well (a rental car, provided by the Canadian Open organizers).
All this to say, after Round Four, Garland found himself at his company's guesthouse, chowing down with the GMs. GM Yermolinsky had bought groceries earlier to re-stock the guesthouse's kitchen, and he was glad to invite Garland for dinner. "You have to stay for borscht!" GM Yermolinsky reportedly said.
"He makes a mean borscht -- a delicious borscht," Garland says.
In addition, GM Yermolinsky, a former U.S. Chess Champion who is the GM-in-residence at the Mechanics Institute Chess Club in San Francisco, is a mean lecturer. He will be sharing his insights into the Classical Variation of the Sicilian Defence at 1 p.m. today, of which he knows plenty. (See his latest book, Chess Explained: The Classical Sicilian, if you need proof.)
The fee to attend the lecture is $20. We're expecting it to be popular, so show up early.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Side Events for Wednesday July 11th
Canadian Open Side Events on Wednesday, July 11th
Lecture by GM Alex Yermolinsky on his insights on the Classical Sicilian, 1 PM EDT (Albion) Room) Cost $20 CAD
Simul by GM Suat Atalik and WGM Ekaterina Atalik, tandem 1 PM EDT (Cartier Room) Cost $20 CAD. Please sign up beforehand (signup sheet by York Room)
On Thursday, July 12th, there will be the Canadian Book Launch of Nick's Best, by IM Lawrence Day. More details shortly.
Lecture by GM Alex Yermolinsky on his insights on the Classical Sicilian, 1 PM EDT (Albion) Room) Cost $20 CAD
Simul by GM Suat Atalik and WGM Ekaterina Atalik, tandem 1 PM EDT (Cartier Room) Cost $20 CAD. Please sign up beforehand (signup sheet by York Room)
On Thursday, July 12th, there will be the Canadian Book Launch of Nick's Best, by IM Lawrence Day. More details shortly.
Monroi realtime broadcast
Monroi realtime broadcast is now available for top boards: 2, 3, 4,5 and 7
http://www.monroi.com/wdc/round.php?round_id=1322
http://www.monroi.com/wdc/round.php?round_id=1322
GM Alex Yermolinsky on Board 13 using a Monroi PCM
The realtime PGN file for 31 top boards in Round 5 is available for download at:
http://www.monroi.com/tournamentgate/CanOpen07/index.html
http://www.monroi.com/tournamentgate/CanOpen07/index.html
Seirtne Golb
For those still looking for the "diagram above" in my last post, there is none. Be aware (as I still can't get my head around it) that the entries are published in reverse order of creation. So, this was definitely my bad - I should have said "below" rather than "above"....as there has only been one diagram in all the blog entries to date (I believe), other than Tim Bouma's photograph of a projection of game Bu-Short, Round 4, I think everyone will have figured it out.
I promise, as penance, I will try to imagine standing on my head from now on when providing multiple blog entries for the day! :-) or is that :-( ?
I promise, as penance, I will try to imagine standing on my head from now on when providing multiple blog entries for the day! :-) or is that :-( ?
Success at Last!
The diagram is a snapshot of an all Russian battle from Round 4: GM Anton Shomoev vs. GM Bator Sambuev - the same gentlemen mentioned in a previous blog entry, "Friend vs. Friend".
Well, given that Black is down three pawns in the featured position, having just played 26...Bg6, and continued to play for a possible win(!) for another 30 moves, I would say that their was nothing particularly "friendly" about this battle royale. The game was eventually drawn on move 56 (Queen and 2 pawns each). It brought back memories of old Shakmatny Bulletin magazines in my Junior days, where every second game featured unknown (to me) Russians hacking and slashing their way to sacrificial wins or wild perpetuals - great stuff!
Seriously, if you need some inspiration to play for a win, I suggest you take a look. All available .pgn gamescores are posted at the MonRoi site, and various other links on the canchess.ca blog have other tools (PGN readers) etc. if you need them. Using two windows is a good way to enjoy my annotated games as well if you do not have a physical board and pieces available.
Thanks very much to Gilbert (an anonymous blog poster from Sunday's Rds 2/3, who instructed this Luddite (at least prety much so technically) on how to finally get with the program and pepper my notes with diagrams of a few key positions. Hopefully I won't forget how I produced the above! And to Peter Hum for apprising me of this useful post, and passing the info along.
We are nearly at the halfway mark of the Canadian Open, and things will continue to heat up, I am sure. Hopefully you are all enjoying a taste of what I am providing each day live and on-site. Stay tuned for some more exciting chess soon - cheers!
Well, given that Black is down three pawns in the featured position, having just played 26...Bg6, and continued to play for a possible win(!) for another 30 moves, I would say that their was nothing particularly "friendly" about this battle royale. The game was eventually drawn on move 56 (Queen and 2 pawns each). It brought back memories of old Shakmatny Bulletin magazines in my Junior days, where every second game featured unknown (to me) Russians hacking and slashing their way to sacrificial wins or wild perpetuals - great stuff!
Seriously, if you need some inspiration to play for a win, I suggest you take a look. All available .pgn gamescores are posted at the MonRoi site, and various other links on the canchess.ca blog have other tools (PGN readers) etc. if you need them. Using two windows is a good way to enjoy my annotated games as well if you do not have a physical board and pieces available.
Thanks very much to Gilbert (an anonymous blog poster from Sunday's Rds 2/3, who instructed this Luddite (at least prety much so technically) on how to finally get with the program and pepper my notes with diagrams of a few key positions. Hopefully I won't forget how I produced the above! And to Peter Hum for apprising me of this useful post, and passing the info along.
We are nearly at the halfway mark of the Canadian Open, and things will continue to heat up, I am sure. Hopefully you are all enjoying a taste of what I am providing each day live and on-site. Stay tuned for some more exciting chess soon - cheers!
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