 It's It's A Brunei Blitz!
 The 1st Brunei Internet Chess Blitz, held on ICC on Tuesday, 15 July at 2:00AM (14:00PM local Brunei time), turned out to be a resounding, through the night success with a galaxy of elite online players among the 418 vying for the $6,500 prize fund.
Among the field battling it out through the wee small hours and 2015 games included 17 of ICC's top-rated players 3000 and above, including favorite GM Hikaru Nakamura (Smallville), the third-highest rated blitz player on ICC at 3391, who last month won the ICC Mainz qualifier. But the young American Blitz King didn't have it all his own way this time around, with a seventh round defeat against IM Arthur Gabrielyan (Dinamit) ultimately proving decisive for the destination of the $1,500 top prize, as the young Russian-based Armenian went on to win with a final score of 11.5/13, with his only defeat being to GM Varuzhan Akobian (SCORPION83).
1st IM Arthur Gabrielyan (Dinamit), Russia - $1500
2nd GM Axel Bachmann (olimpus), Paraguay - $1000
3rd GM Ilya Smirin (tapuax), Israel - $750
4th Jeffrey a de Jesus (El-Bandido), USA - $500
5th GM Pawel Jaracz (dvoracky), Poland - $250
6th-7th (1 year ICC): Pikaso, manest
8th-10th (6 months ICC): Silluger, Finegold, mishikoo
11th-20th (3 months ICC): EdUiTu3000, SCORPION83, VerdeNotte, garompon, Serghik, fantasticflank, vitorbronson, fullhouse, Smallville, Indiana-Jones.
Raffle prizes: (3 months ICC): BotanicalKnight, czechmates, Kurugi, AngryChef, Checkmates, HuevosDeLeon, ChronoKnight, manunitedfan, WhiteBuffalo, sitparkcin.
See Full ICC crosstable
Download zip file of all 2015 games
View Picture Gallery
The inaugural Brunei Internet Chess Blitz was held in conjunction with His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam's official 62nd birthday celebrations. ICC also linked up live with the Brunei Chess Center at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas and the Brunei Shell Recreation Cub (BSCR) Chess Center in Seria for a special online B tournament of local Brunei players. This event was won by 19-year-old FM Yee Soon Wei, competing from the BSCR Chess Center, with 8.5-points, who won a return ticket to Singapore.
Major sponsors for this gala birthday event include: Alif Technologies, DST Group, PT. Wai IIIa Sarana Utama & PT Talenta Pratama Madri, Pines Enterprises - Verde and Adison Marketing Services. The tournament is also sponsored by The Empire Hotel and Country Club, i-Centre, Everyman Chess UK, London Chess Centre UK, Mutiara Shakila Nabilah Transportation Services, Royal Brunei Technical Services Sdn Bhd, Zisen Enterprise, PT. Budi Gunawan and PT. El-Nusa.
World Open Video
Four players tied for First in the 36th Annual World Open in Philadelphia (July 6), but Evgeny Najer (Russia) from Moscow, earned the World Open title by winning an Armageddon-style blitz playoff over Parimarjan Negi (India). Both players had edged out Alexander Moiseenko (Ukraine) and Lubomir Ftacnik (Slovakia) on tie-breaks to reach the playoff. All four took home over $12,000 for their efforts! Macauley spoke to Najer, Negi, and Moiseenko after the critical last round, and filed this report:
Are
You a Member of the USCF?
 In a new sponsorship deal with the United
States Chess Federation, ALL current members of the USCF
will qualify for a free 6-month membership! For new WCL
members, simply check the USCF Member box and enter your
USCF membership number and PIN on the WCL
registration page. If you're already registered with
WCL, go to your
account page and use the USCF link at the bottom.
WCL is the new sponsor of the USCF's
2008 Grand Prix and 2008 Junior Grand Prix. We're providing
prize funds of $20,000 and $7,500, respectively, and will
also be running Online Grand Prix events all year, beginning
in April, open only to USCF members. So what are you waiting
for? Sign up now for your FREE 6 month membership to World
Chess Live and start winning those Grand Prix points!
So what are you waiting for? Come join
the growing USCF community at WCL and take part in all the
activities.
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NM Dan Heisman "Improve Your Chess"
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National Master Dan Heisman is a
name that is synonymous with excellence in chess coaching
and teaching.
Over the years, Dan has produced
many winning students and scholastic teams - and now
he can help you, too! In this series of five instructional
videos for ICC Chess.FM, Dan brings you his innovative
teaching methods on how to play better chess - and
all packed with sound advice from the maestro himself.
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1. Introduction to Safety and Counting
(below 1500) -- Watch
now
2. Introduction to Time Management (all players)
3. Introduction to Thought Process (800-1800)
4. Common Evaluation Misconceptions (1000-2200)
5. Is It Safe? (below 1900) - this video is a follow-up
to "Introduction to Safety and Counting"
These 5 videos are available exclusively
for ICC members - but as a special launch promotion, non-members
can view for free Dan's
first video in full. To view the other four video in
the series, sign
up for membership!
Mondays: GM Ronen Har-Zvi "New Ideas
in the Petroff's Defense"
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The Petroff Defence (sometimes
called the Russian Defence, and named after Russia's
Alexander Petrov, 1794-1867) is considered as one
of Black's most reliable and solid methods of meeting
the king's pawn opening. It is easy to play and an
excellent choice for someone looking for an alternative
to the Scotch Opening, the Italian Game and the ‘Spanish
torture’ of the Ruy Lopez.
Until a few years ago, the Petroff was an opening that was favored by only a few top Grandmasters, including Anatoly Karpov and Artur Yusupov. However, the last few years have seen a dramatic rise in its popularity, and it now provides battlefields for many top clashes of the modern elite players, including Anand, Kramnik, Leko, Topalov, and Shirov. And in the latest of his "New Ideas in..." series, GM Ronen Har-Zvi, takes a closer look under the microscope at the solid Petroff.
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Click here
for a free 5 minute preview of Ronen's latest video. To
listen to the full videos, sign
up for membership!
Tuesdays: Chess Talk with IM John Watson
 Tune-in
for Chess Talk with IM John Watson on ICC Chess.FM. John's
weekly 60+ minute show (members only) will feature an interview
with leading chess personalities. All shows run on demand
for members after airing.
This week (Tue., 15 July), joining IM John Watson on Chess
Talk is writer, teacher and chess warrior IM Dr. Mark Ginsburg.
An International Master since 1982, Mark has been a regular battler
in the chess circuit now for over 30 years. He has written many articles
for publications such as Chess Life and Joel Benjamin's ill-fated Chess
Chow. More recently though, he started an entertaining chess
blog that dwells on his reminiscences with a nostalgic trip down memory
lane of chess events and personalities from the past.
Mark, who is recognized as an openings innovator, has played and taught
on ICC (aries2)
almost since its inception back in 1995. Shortly, he will be releasing
a new series of videos for Chess.FM, called Upholding the Sicilian:
An antidote to the Sidelines, that will give a complete repertoire
for black against the annoying anti-Sicilians.
Find below a selection of free 5-minute
previews of the latest shows. To listen to the full shows, sign
up for membership! |
Wednesdays: Attack with LarryC!
 New
at ICC Chess.FM - Attack With LarryC! A
weekly 30 min+ show on Wednesdays at 15:00 EDT
(and available on-demand thereafter for members), featuring
three-time U.S. Champion Larry Christiansen, one of the
most dangerous and respected attacking players of his generation.
Larry is a feared competitor and attacker
who authored two popular books that showcase his aggressive
style: Storming
the Barricades and Rocking
the Ramparts. And each week on his show, Larry
will feature various attacking motifs and themes and showing
you how best to play for mate.
Click "Play
Video" for a free 5 minute preview of Larry's latest
video. By popular demand from members, we are now archiving
previous Attack
with LarryC shows. This video is just one of the many
benefits of being a full member of ICC - so, sign
up for membership!
Thursdays: Ask the Renaissance Man
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Tune-in for "Ask the Renaissance Man" with National Master Dan Heisman every Thursday at 21:00 EDT. You send in the questions and Dan provides the answers every week on his Q&A show. Questions on tournament rules, opening play, chess books, chess politics, current events, and more!
This week (Thur., July 17), Dan's guest on his show will be new World Chess Live Newsletter editor Jonathan Hilton. He'll be taking Q & A with Dan on his groundbreaking "How Wojo Won" series , including his efforts to obtain lost Wojtkiewicz game scores and turn his series into a book; the Chess Journalists of America Awards; his new job as editor of the World Chess Live Newsletter; and blogging for CLO from tournaments across the country.
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And this week for non-members, you can listen to the full show for free by clicking here. So, all the more reason to become a member now and get to listen each week to all the shows on ICC Chess.FM!
Thursdays: Boris Alterman's Gambit Guide
Israeli GM Boris Alterman
is best known as a leading chess advisor for the multi-title
winning chess software program (Deep) Junior, where he specialized
in developing its opening book.
Fridays: GM Joel Benjamin "Game
of the Week"
 Three-time
U.S. Champion GM Joel Benjamin starts his
weekly show every Friday at 15:00 Server Time. Click "Play
Video" for a free 5 minute preview of Joel's latest
show. To listen to the full show, sign
up for membership!
Joel is regarded by many as one of
the best commentators and analysts' we have in the game
today, and each Friday he will be giving us his insight
and spin with his selection of Game of the Week.
This not-to-be-missed weekly video
series is exclusive for ICC members only -- so if you want
to get ahead of the game, get ready to tune-in! By popular
demand and requests from members, ALL
of Joel Benjamin's GOTW videos are available. Enjoy!
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New in Chess Yearbook 87 - Soft Cover Edition
 The chess players guide to opening news, this issue contains articles on:
* Vasily Ivanchuk astonishes again with a queen sac in the Najdorf.
* Survive the Polugaevsky Gambit with EuroChamp Sergey Tiviakov.
* Ever the Jaenisch Ruy Lopez will do for Teimour Radjabov.
* Alexander Morozevich defies all chess laws in the Nimzo-Indian.
and dozens of other opening secrets and surprise weapons.
246 Pages.
Price $28.95 -  Buy now!
Dangerous Weapons: The Benoni and Benko - Palliser, Emms, Ward and Jones
 Are you tired of playing the same old openings time and time again? Perhaps it's time for a change, but you cannot decide between the numerous options available? Here's the answer: choose Dangerous Weapons and amaze your opponents with new and exciting opening ideas!
In this book, four renowned opening experts get together to take a revolutionary look at the Benoni, the Benko and all their associated variations. Instead of travelling down well-trodden and analysed paths, they concentrate on fresh or little-explored variations, selecting a wealth of 'dangerous' options for both colors. Whether playing White or Black, a study of this book will leave you confident and fully-armed, and your opponents running for cover!
270 pages, soft cover.
Price $25.95 - Buy
now! |
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Flexible French, The - Moskalenko
 The famous French Defense is one of the most widely-played chess openings. It is a fighting opening, which perfectly suits many club players as well as a growing number of top player.
The Flexible French is a revolutionary repertoire book for both Black and White. Viktor Moskalenko presents a wealth of original and dynamic options in every main line, proving that the French is a very lively and intriguing defense.
The Ukrainian grandmaster’s analysis is high-level, yet his touch is light and fresh, and the book sparkles with original ideas. In his own inimitable style, Moskalenko gives the reader new gusto for the French.
This extremely accessible book rounds off with seven relatively unknown weapons, early deviations with which you may surprise your opponent – as Black or as White!
280 pages, soft cover.
Price $24.95 - Buy
now!
1000 Combinations - Pinter
 Subtitled: The Key to Better Calculation
Another in the '1000 ...' series from GM Jozsef Pinter - for other titles in the series see the related products at the bottom of this page.
Using the same languageless approach as Informator the book presents a thousand combinations split into thematic sections and graded by difficulty so that they gradually get harder as you progress through the sections. The solutions (in algebraic notation) give multiple variations of defense.
All the material for the book has come from actual chess games, ranging from 1850 on to 2007 - but with a slightly heavy bias towards positions from the 1990's. Aimed at players rated between 1600 up to 2300.
310 pages, hard cover.
Price $39.95 - Buy
now! |
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