ChessBase 9.0 – a matter of history (3)

11/3/2004 – A really useful feature of ChessBase 9 is "History". When you look for something you recently saw you don't need to search in a million game database. Just check the games you loaded in the last days or months. You will also find the new threat animation and 3D graphics of ChessBase 9 fascinating. Part three.

Exclusive! Bush vs Kerry on the chessboard

11/2/2004 – You've seen them debate, you've seen the commercials, you've heard all the exhortations, fabrications, and exaggerations. Now we can bring you what really counts, George W. Bush versus John Kerry on the 64 squares. From preemptive attacks to flip-flopping knights, this game has it all.

Corsican rules

11/2/2004 – India's Viswanathan Anand has won yet anoth.. oh, wait, the event's not over yet, sorry. The 8th Corsica Masters rapid tournament has reached the semifinals and Anand is positioned to renew his title yet again. He'll face Bacrot in the semis while Rublevsky and Motylev duel for the other finals spot. Report, games, and analysis.

Boo! Terrifying blunders at Playchess.com

11/1/2004 – Tonight's Playchess lecture by Dennis Monokroussos covers some scary blunders. You can learn from their mistakes or just feel comforted that they make them too. The lecture begins at 9pm EST. Read on for how you can watch the lecture and the starting time in your area. Don't be afraid!

Azmaiparashvili in the news; released from jail

11/1/2004 – The bizarre scuffle during the closing ceremony of the Calvià Olympiad made various mainstream reports. We have press releases from the organizers and FIDE. Azmai has been released and an interview is forthcoming. For now we have some alarming pictures.

Scandal in Calvià, FIDE vice president arrested

10/31/2004 – The 36th Chess Olympiad ended with a bang. But not the fireworks we displayed in our previous report, but with the arrest of FIDE vice president Zurab Azmaiparashvili, who tried to get the attention of the organisers on the stage and was wrestled to the floor and dragged to jail by a group of security agents. Hard to believe, but unfortunately true.

Ukraine and China (and Professor Elo) win in Calvià

10/30/2004 – The underdogs will have to wait for another day. The exact order wasn't perfect, but the favorites followed through. Ukraine and China took gold. In a thrilling final round scramble the Russian men finished ahead of Armenia by a single tiebreak point. The American women nipped Russia for the silver by a half point. Flash report with results and standings.

The Turkish Federation wants the match

10/30/2004 – Yesterday we published an open letter by Garry Kasparov, demanding that the FIDE leadership show guarantees for his reunification match against Kasimdzhanov, announced for January in Dubai, or to ask the General Assembly for authority to quickly seek a new bidder. Now the alternate is on the table, presented for the Turkish Chess Federation by its president Ali Nihat Yazici.

The Olympiad ends with a bang

10/30/2004 – The 36th Chess Olympiad is over, the players are departing, some with medals, all with interesting memories and many exciting games. Before the players all leave Calvià, the beautiful island of Mallorca and the gigantic tournament staged there, we bring you pictorial impressions of the participants at work and at play.

Going for the silver in Calvià

10/29/2004 – Heading into the final round on Friday Ukraine has locked up the men's gold and China has done the same in the women's event. But the battle for the less precious medals is at fever pitch. Russia, USA, Armenia, and Israel are in the hunt and nothing is certain. A big win in the final round will mean glory. Who can pull it off?

Kasparov's letter to FIDE

10/29/2004 – The reunification match between Garry Kasparov and Rustam Kasimdzhanov is scheduled for January 7 – 24 in Dubai. However at the FIDE Congress in Calvià nothing concrete was announced. The funding of the match and many other details appear to be in doubt. In an open letter to the FIDE General Assembly Garry Kasparov delivers firm ultimatums.

Dresden to host the 2008 Olympiad

10/29/2004 – At the FIDE General Assembly there were two countries bidding for the 2008 Chess Olympiad: Estonia, represented by the Minister of Interior and super-model Carmen Kass; and Germany, who put up the Lord Mayor of Dresden and the Prince of Saxony. The latter won 69:29. Picture and video report.

Calvià: Double defeat for Chinese women

10/28/2004 – After twelve (of fourteen) rounds the gold medals look pretty safe in the hands of the Ukraine men and the Chinese women, even though the latter lost two rounds, against the US and Georgia. In the men's section Russia and Armenia are striving for Silver. Here are the games and results, and a video report with impressions of Calvià.

ChessBase 9.0 – on players and openings (2)

10/28/2004 – Sometimes it is important to find out everything about a specific player or opening, and to do it quickly! ChessBase 9 has a number of new functions that support exactly that: fast searches and superb presentation of information retrieved from millions of games in a database. Part two.

What did Vladimir say?

10/27/2004 – The remarks we published recently by Vladimir Kramnik, in which the classical chess world champion expressed serious doubt about the reunification process as it is, have stirred up a vigorous international debate. Before this gets out of hand we thought it expedient to publish the full text of the original interview in Sport Express. Here is a translation by Ilya Krasik.

'It was a very painful decision for me'

10/27/2004 – At the Chess Olympiad in Calvià, Spain, the US "Dream Team" is poised to take a medal in the Women's section, which would be a great boost for chess in USA. But team leader Susan Polgar is in distress. Today she must fight it out against the Hungarian team. Susan is originally from Hungary and tells us her feelings in an exclusive interview.

Keeping the kids in line

10/27/2004 – It was veterans vs whippersnappers at the Essent tournament in Hoogeveen. Young stars Carlsen and Stellwagen were tossed in with experienced internationals Sokolov and Short. The old guys managed to hold off the youngsters, but no one could hold back Sokolov. There was also a draw scandal you'll find out about in our report.

The Queen's Gambit new ChessBase training CD

10/26/2004 – When we think of central pawn captures in the Queen's Gambit, we typically think of Black's move ...dxc4. But White can play a "preemptive first strike" with cxd5, as Thomas Henrichs demonstrates in his new ChessBase Opening training CD Queen's Gambit Orthodox Defense. Get a first look at it in the latest ChessBase Workshop.

Diagram trouble

10/26/2004 – If you spend a lot of time working on internet design, the sight of an overcompressed image or bad graphic can give you indigestion. If it's a chess diagram it can also give you a case of not being able to tell a pawn from a bishop. Mig got so frustrated that finally he had to write about it. Become an export expert. The diagrams you save could be your own.

Second European Internet Championship 2004

10/25/2004 – Today we will start the 2nd European Internet championship with the 1st preliminary. The tournament is divided into four preliminaries. The 1st will start today at 8.30 pm (registration: 8.00 pm) in room Tournaments Official B on playchess.com. Blitz (5+0) will be played in nine round swiss. You need a place among the top fifteen in order to make in the candidates on Saturday, 6th November. The prize fund is € 6,000.00. Full details...

Nostradamus on chess reunification

10/25/2004 – A few days ago we reported on Vladimir Kramnik's doubts about the reunification process. In the meantime we have received an open letter to Kramnik by Ray Keene, who was instrumental to setting up the current situation, and a message by David Levy, his ex business partner, who assures us that the reunification process is indeed well on track...

Calvià: Ukraine and China unassailable?

10/24/2004 – After nine rounds of the Chess Olympiad everything looks like a start-to-finish victory for Ukraine in the men's section and for the Chinese women, who are six points ahead of their nearest rivals. From Calvià on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca we bring you games, results and a spectacular pictorial report.

Playchess lectures with Alterman and Monokroussos

10/24/2004 – Weekend is lecture time on Playchess.com. On Sunday GM Boris Alterman discusses the Benko Gambit, which the Russians call the Volga. On Monday night Dennis Monokroussos takes a look at key games from the Dannemann world championship. Don't miss...

Superb performances by Vallejo and Ivanchuk

10/23/2004 – Seven rounds are over at the Olympiad in Calvià, Ukraine is in the lead in the men's section, China is rampaging in the women's. The best results so far are by local boy Paco Vallejo Pons, who scored 5.5 points in six games for a performance of rating, 2990, followed by Vassily Ivanchuk at 2947. We bring you games, results, statistics and an illustrated report by Vijay Kumar.