London, 27th June 2024: The Global Chess League, a joint initiative between the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and Tech Mahindra, a leading global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions to enterprises across industries, is set for a highly anticipated second edition in London. Following the success of the first edition, the league aims to unite the world's top chess players in one of the most historic cities.

The 10-day, one-of-a-kind chess league featuring top players will take place at Friends House, located in the heart of central London, from October 3rd to 12th, 2024. Based on the feedback from fans worldwide, London was selected as the venue for this season to connect with the fast-growing fan base and enthusiasm for chess in the European region.

Photo: friendshouse.co.uk

Arkady Dvorkovich, FIDE President, said, After a fantastic response tothe inaugural season, we are excited to continue our mission of expanding the reach of chess worldwide and drawing in new experiences for chess fans. Tech Mahindras commitment to usher in a new era in the modern chess ecosystem is commendable, and we are confident that the second edition of the league will provide the right platform and push neededto further elevate the sport.

Through this innovative league, FIDE and Tech Mahindra aim to revolutionize the fan experience of chess through a new format and ecosystem, providing an inclusive platform for fans to support their favourite teams and stars, similar to major global sports leagues. The second edition will feature top players from around the world, including reigning world champions and rising stars, competing in a unique team format that emphasizes strategy, collaboration, and high-stakes play.

Mohit Joshi, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Tech Mahindra, said, Chess and business share key values such as planning, speed, strategy, and risk management. The infusion of technology opens exciting new opportunities, transforming both fields. The Global Chess Leagues second edition creates a unique platform for the global growth of chess.

Building on the success of its first season, the league aims to further broaden the viewership base through live broadcasts, interactive fan experiences, and community engagement activities like soon to be launched Global Chess League Trophy Tour. In the tournament, theplayers will compete in a unique joint team format consisting of six players, including two top women chess players and a prodigy player per team. Each team will play a total of 10 matches in a double round-robin format, with the winner of each match being decided in a best-of-six board scoring system.

Peeyush Dubey, Chairperson, Global Chess League Board, said, "We will continue to leverage the Global Chess League's innovative format and next-gen technologies to captivate and engage fans worldwide. The second edition is seeing unprecedented excitement from our partners and stakeholders. Together with FIDE, our vision for the league is to bring the best from the chess world."

The second season will see FIDE and Tech Mahindra collaborate to tap into the growing chess fan base, build a larger audience for chess viewing, and engage in exciting fan activities such as the ongoing all-inclusive hackathon. The hackathon engages with participants of all chess skill levels and technical expertise and collates ideas for improving the way chess is experienced, played, and consumed. Participants can propose ideas in various categories, including education, digital innovation, social impact, business, and arts, among others.

About FIDE

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) is the governing body of the sport of chess, and it regulates all international chess competitions. Constituted as a non-governmental institution, it was recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a Global Sporting Organization in 1999.

FIDE currently has its headquarters in Lausanne, but it was initially founded in 1924 in Paris under the motto Gens una Sumus (Latin for We are one Family). It was one of the very first International Sports Federations, alongside the governing bodies of the sports of Football, Cricket, Swimming, and Auto Racing. It is now one of the largest, encompassing 201 countries as affiliate members in the form of National Chess Federations. Chess is a truly global sport nowadays, with dozens of millions of players on all continents and more than 60 million games on average played every day.

More information: fide.com

Contact:press@fide.com

About Tech Mahindra

Tech Mahindra (NSE: TECHM) offers technology consulting and digital solutions to global enterprises across industries, enabling transformative scale at unparalleled speed. With 145,000+ professionals across 90+ countries helping 1100+ clients, Tech Mahindra provides a full spectrum of services, including consulting, information technology, enterprise applications, business process services, engineering services, network services, customer experience & design services, AI & analytics, and cloud & infrastructure services. It is the first Indian company in the world to have been awarded the Sustainable Markets Initiatives Terra Carta Seal in recognition of actively leading the charge to create a climate and nature-positive future. Tech Mahindra is part of the Mahindra Group, founded in 1945, one of the largest and most admired multinational federation of companies. For more information on how TechM can partner with you to meet your scale at speed imperatives, please visit techmahindra.com, connect with us on techmahindra.com

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For more information on Tech Mahindra, please contact: Abhilasha Gupta, Head - Global Corporate Communications & Public Affairs, Tech Mahindra

Email:Abhilasha.Gupta@TechMahindra.com; media.relations@techmahindra.com

About Tech Mahindra Global Chess League

The Global Chess League is the world's first and largest official franchise league of its kind, with chess players from all over the world competing in a unique joint team format. It is a joint venture between Tech Mahindra, a part of the Mahindra Group, and FIDE. The league will feature male and female chess champions competing in the same team. Playing on the popular Rapid format, the league's joint male-female teams will have the rare distinction of being a unique multiplayer team in the world of professional sports. In addition, the league is a one-of-its-kind live televised chess event offering fans a unique viewing experience. Tech Mahindra and FIDE will explore innovative ways to promote the game through interactive technology-enabled platforms by leveraging next-generation technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality, among others.

For more information on Tech Mahindra Global Chess League, please visit: globalchessleague.com/

Contact: Abhilasha Gupta, Head - Global Corporate Communications & Public Affairs, Tech Mahindra

Email: Abhilasha.Gupta@TechMahindra.com; media.relations@techmahindra.com

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Tech Mahindra Global Chess League to host its second edition in London - FIDE

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Brain power: Alston teaches chess to help seniors stay mentally active - The Daily Advance

Juga's unreleased chess song, Queen Trap, will be transformed into a music short film during the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Budapest. This artistic project, created by Juga in collaboration with the FIDE Commission for Women's Chess, aims to celebrate women in chess worldwide.

The short film will showcase the best female chess players from 160 countries, as well as women working in chess organizers, streamers, photographers, and arbiters. Filming will take place on September 17, the free day of the Olympiad, at a Budapest landmark, the Hungarian Fine Arts Museum.

Queen Trap promises to portray chess women as never before. The production team has already confirmed the participation of chess champions Judit Polgar, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Elizabeth Paehtz, Bibisara Assaubayeva, Tania Sachdev, and many more! Our goal is to unite all chess ladies and make this artistic performance of chess a dream come true!

All female participants are invited to dress in their own style, entirely in black or white (including shoes and socks). Players will be filmed playing friendly blitz games (3+0 or 5+0 time control) against similarly ranked opponents. The games will be played on chessboards placed on low tables, with participants seated comfortably on cushions on the floor.

Chess equipment, transportation to and from the filming location, and light snacks will be provided. Participants will be requested to stay at the film location for approximately 3 hours on September 17. A detailed schedule and further production information will be released soon.

For players who prefer rapid or classical time controls, there is an option to indicate this on the registration form. Non-playing participants can discuss a pre-set game on a chessboard with other players.

Please keep in mind:

You can find the registration form on the FIDE Commission for Womens Chess website.

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Queen Trap: Music short film to feature women in chess at Chess Olympiad - FIDE

The Biel International Chess Festival offers plenty of different formats to participate in, while you can enjoy the beauty of this tiny, magical area.

In 7 to 8 hours, you can walk around the whole Lake Biel if you are up for a challenge.| Photo: Pixabay

Alternatively, you can take a swim, too! Magnus Carlsen loves to take a dip before playing ...| Photo: Pixabay

No worries, we got you covered. Svitlana Demchenko and I created some short videos to introduce all the different formats available because it can be overwhelming:

To get into the right mood, Svitlana and Arne made two episodes about the Biel Chess Festival. Both will participate in various tournament formats, and cover the event with interviews, articles, and more.

With Leon Mendonca, Surya Ganguly, HarshaBharathakoti, and Svitlana Demchenko, we won some great chess experts to create four 60 MinutesCourses, especially forged for tournament players.

Most of the courses will actually be recorded at the Biel Chess Festival directly.

Rock Solid with the Queen's Indian Defence

In this video course well have a look at the Queens Indian after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6. Well explore the ins and outs of the possible White setups against this rock-solid opening.

Endgame essentials you need to know Vol.1 & Vol 2

In this video course, GM Surya Ganguly joins IM Sagar Shah and drawing from his colossal experience, shares some uncommon endgame wisdom. The material mostly features positions with rook against rook and a pawn, and starts by covering the fundamentals.

The Scotch Game

Besides in-depth theory and exciting tactical exercises in the Scotch Game, this video course also includes a bonus section on the Scotch Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Bc4), a lively variation often leading to very dynamic positions.

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Biel International Chess Festival - Last chance to join! - Chess News | ChessBase

Whether youre looking to improve your cornhole throwing skills, learn about the geology of the Johnny Behind the Rocks trail, or compete at chess, this weekend is packed full of summer excitement!

The Northern Arapaho Tour Rodeo continues today through Sunday at the Fremont County Fairgrounds in Riverton. Day tickets are $15, a weekend pass is $40 for adults.

The Fremont County Cornhole Wild West Shootout begins today. A FREE skills clinic will take place starting at 7 pm at the Chandelle Event Center.

The Wild Winds Outdoor Program is geared towards children ages 3 to 9, at the Academy of the Winds Outdoor Classroom. It starts at 8 a.m., but dont worry if you miss it, there are plenty of dates in July, as well!

PRIDE EVENT: Inner Bliss Yoga is hosting Pride Yoga at 7 p.m. $15 drop in, punch pass or membership.

The Dubois Friday Night Rodeo starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Clarence Allison Memorial Arena. Tickets are $15 at the door (cash only.)

FREE EVENT: The Jess Corbett Band is playing at the Riverton Senior Center Dance starting at 7 p.m.

The Lander Art Centers Summerfest 2024 starts at Lander City Park at 10 a.m. A rubber duck derby, Landers Got Talent competition, art fair and more will continue until 5 p.m.

Taste of Fremont is happening today at the Fremont Local Market in Riverton! Starting at 11 a.m. you can meet with Jennifer Smith of JVEssentials LLC to taste cupcakes, lemonades, and more.

FREE EVENT: Head to Sinks Canyon for the Leave No Trace Pop-up Education & Outreach Spotlight. Starting at 10 a.m. you can meet the Leave No Trace Crew and find out how to protect Sinks Canyon!

If youre looking for a learning experience, check out Makerspace 307s Printmaking and Monotypes Class (with Jim Jereb) or Lander Pioneer Museums Geology Walk through Johnny Behind the Rocks (with Stan Grove).

The first annual Fremont County Chess Tournament kicks off at the Lander Public Library at 9 a.m. The tournament is free to enter and is for kids ages 5 to 18.

And dont forget to check out the garage sales and your farmers markets in Riverton and Lander this weekend!

Fill up the summer with your events, activities, classes, workshops, meetings, etc. in the County 10 event calendar. Its easy to do, and its free! Just click on Add Event, sign up or log in to CitySpark, then enter your information, and youll receive an email notification that its been posted. Then be sure to share your event(s) on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest!

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This weekend in the 10: Chess, Cornhole, and Summerfest - County 10 News

Bucharest: After missing out on opportunities to win, Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa finally broke through and scored a hard-earned victory over Dutchman Anish Giri in the fourth round of the Superbet Classic chess tournament here.

World Championship challenger D Gukesh, playing with black, had little trouble holding off Firouzja Alireza of France to a draw on a day when Fabiano Caruana scored his second victory in the tournament at the expense of wild-card Deac Bogdan-Daniel of Romania.

Caruana became the sole leader and also got back to number two in live world rankings.

Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi's hunt for an elusive victory continued for the fourth day running as he was held to a draw by Wesley So of Romania while Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan also signed peace with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France in the 10-player round-robin tournament.

The event, a brain-child of former world champion Garry Kasparov, saw the first move made by the former world number one and he chose to watch the game between Alireza and Gukesh.

While this was drawn without much ado, Praggnanandhaa was quick to spot an unforced error by Giri to score his first victory in the USD 350,000 prize money tournament.

Giri turned 30 in the previous round but had mentioned that it was not easy to celebrate when he has Praggnandhaaa as black on the next day.

As if taking a cue, Praggnanandhaa faced the Queen's gambit and capitalised on a simple tactical error by the Dutchman to win a rook for a minor piece in the queen less middle game.

The complications were not so many thereafter but Praggnanandhaa faced some stiff resistance and Giri came closer to a draw only to blow it away after 80 moves.

With five rounds still to come in the super-tournament, Caruana leads the tables with three points out of a possible four and the Indian duo of Pragg and Gukesh are a half point behind.

Vachier-Lagrave, Wesley So, Nepomniachtchi and Alireza are all sharing the fourth spot on two points each whiel Giri and Abdusattorov are on 1.5 sharing the eighth spot. Local boy Deac Bogdan-Daniel is in the last spot on one point and has some catching up to do.

It turned out to be an easy game for Gukesh out of another Queen's gambit accepted opening of the day.

Playing black, the Indian equalised easily out of opening and after the trade of queens did not have much to worry about.

Alireza tried his hands at complications to no avail and the end result was a draw through perpetual check. This was also the first game to end in the day.

Caruana was clearly the better player in his duel against Bogdan-Daniel.

The Nimzo Indian by the Romanian met with some sterner test in the opening and Caruana used his Bishop pair to optimal use in the ensuing endgame. This one lasted a mere 34 moves.

Results round 3:

D Gukesh (Ind, 2) drew with R Praggnanandhaa (Ind, 1.5); Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra, 1.5 drew with Firouza Alireza (Fra, 1.5); Anish Giri (Ned, 1.5) drew with Ian Nepomniachtchi (FID, 1.5); Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb, 1) drew with Fabiano Caruana (Usa, 2); Wesley So (Usa, 1.5) drew with he chose to make it on Deac Bogdan-Daniel (Rom, 1). PTI Cor PM PM PM PM

Published 30 June 2024, 06:01 IST

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Superbet Classic Chess round 4: Praggnanandhaa beats Giri, Gukesh draws with Alireza - Deccan Herald

At a film festival in 1970s Iran, after the screening of The Chess of the Wind, a critic brutally asked the director Mohammad Reza Aslani, Who has permitted you to be a director? Later, another critic wrote What have the people done wrong that he wants to be a filmmaker?

The critics posed this question to a director whose film is now recognized as one of the best Iranian movies in history even within the flourishing context of 1970s Iranian cinema. The experience of watching The Chess of the Wind, especially considering the realistic and poetic context of Iranian cinema and the technological restrictions of the time, is stunning. The painterly cinematography and compositions, the meticulous decoupage and mise-en-scne, the camera movement, all of which become part of the narrative. The implicit references to both Iranian and European art, and the shockingly anachronistic zoom-out after the final scene, all make this film stand out. However, the movie was bashed by both the critics and the audience at the time of its screening and ignored in the histories of Iranian cinema, only to be rediscovered decades later.

The movies plot is full of intentional ambiguities and paradoxes, as if it is an expressionist effort to transmit the sense of fear and conspiracy felt by the main character rather than a well-crafted sensible story. In the 1920s, in an aristocratic family from the 19th century, following the death of the family matriarch, the paraplegic daughter, aided by her maid, fights to maintain control over her inheritance amidst greed and betrayal from the other family members, including her stepfather and his nephews. The story revolves around the conspiracies, ploys, and multi-faceted struggles to erase the potential heirs. It is metaphorical, symbolic, and open to interpretation. Some even suggest it foresees later events in the country.

The story, with its paradoxes, ambiguities, and intentionally disrupted and inaudible dialogues, in a way becomes a source of fear and anxiety in itself. Considering Aslani is known more as a documentary filmmaker than a director of fiction, this makes even more sense. He was one of the main figures of a poetic movement in 1970s Iran whose emphasis was on form rather than meaning, sense rather than ideology, and image rather than word.

Almost half a century after its limited screening and a few exclusive showings in the 2000s, the negatives of the film were accidentally found in a second-hand shop by Aslanis son. By restoring these negatives, Martin Scorseses World Cinema Project made it possible for the film to be internationally screened in high quality. Soon after, it gained attention both inside and outside Iran, and a rich volume was published in Iran in 2021 about the movie, shortly after its rediscovery.

Amongst many meticulously implemented ideas of the film, which have been explored by critics, one of the recurring themes is shadow. Several scenes and the dark yet rich palette of the film imply this, including the famous scene of forging deeds at the beginning. Even in her dream, the main character has experienced a world where there were no shadows. The characters in the film are shadow-like presences, plotting conspiracies, and neither the main character nor us, the viewers, will ever get through the obscurity of who is doing what. Also, just like shadows, one can see their traces, but cannot see them themselves. The shadows are not only expressed visually, dialogically, or narratively; music and sound also play a crucial role in conveying the eerie traces of the unseen.

Composed by Sheida Gharachehdaghi, the score fits perfectly into the dark, mysterious, and poetic ethos of the film. Gharachehdaghi, one of the few prominent female composers of the time, studied composition in Vienna and returned to Iran in 1969. Before composing music for The Chess of the Wind, she composed music for several short and feature films, including movies directed by the likes of Bahram Beyzaei. After returning, she established the music centre in the Centre for the Intellectual Development of Child and Adolescent in Iran (CIDC), and systematically implemented the Orff method in music education for the first time. She is known as a contemporary composer, with experiences ranging from operatic works (Fairies, 1989) to pieces for piano solo (The Window to the Garden, 1990), and music for children, composed during her years at CIDC.

In her music, there are occasional direct or subtle references to different Iranian music genres. In Fairies, for example, Iranian music is applied as a narrative tool, directly used yet decontextualized and accompanied by an English translation of a famous contemporary Persian poem, an approach repeated in The Chess of the Wind by the blind musicians who play Iranian classical music out of its context, in a grotesque backdrop. In Chahargah, another piece of hers, an Iranian classical mode is reinterpreted with a contemporary touch. The Chess of the Wind, though, offers a different reading of Iranian musical elements.

Of all the sources of inspiration for her composition, Gharachehdaghi chose one of the most unexpected ones. The film starts with the atonal and unmetered sounds of wind instruments on a background of a metric pattern played by percussion. This combination is very similar to what is known as the music of naghreh-khneh (naghreh-room) in Iran. Naghreh-khnehs were open rooms usually situated on the top of the gates of certain buildings of significance, hosting a group of musicians, playing wind instruments such as sorn and karen, and the percussive naghreh. None of these instruments are typically used in Iranian classical music but are mostly used in certain folklore genres. These musical rooms have existed since at least the 16th century, and European travelers have described its music as chaotic and unpleasant. Musicians in these rooms had to play before dawn and after sunset, in royal ceremonies, in wars, and on special occasions, such as Islamic holidays or the start of the Iranian New Year. There are few active naghreh-khnehs in Iran in religious buildings, such as the holy shrines in Qom and Mashhad; therefore, the contemporary connotations of this type of music are more religious than before.

In this context, the composers choice of this spatio-musical tradition makes more sense. Apart from its historical character, which suits the setting of the story, the amelodic (or even atonal), chaotic, yet polyphonic nature of naghreh-khnehs music fits the multi-layered interplay of conspiracies within the house. Its religious and apocalyptic connotations, reminiscent of the Islamic musical idea of The Trumpet of Israfil, which also heralds the resurrection of the dead, serve the end-of-an-era narrative of the film. Its intertwining with themes of war and terror further emphasizes the violent fate of the characters.

What makes this choice more meaningful is its capacity to be re-framed through an atonal reading, which makes it both contemporary and mysterious. Apart from the opening credits, the composed music score is used in only three other scenes, all of which are murder scenes. In these scenes, the music remains arhythmic and atonal, with occasional vague references to Iranian intervals and melodic figures. Similar to the directors gothic reading of Iranian architecture, the composer offers an unconventional interpretation of Iranian musical elements, which is not lyrical or nostalgic, but rather grotesque, mysterious, and terrifying.

The sounds used in the movie, as heard in the record, also play an important role in emphasizing the gothic ethos of the movie. The shadows are heard in the sounds and voices with invisible sources, such as the coughs and laughter of a supposedly dead character apparently coming from nowhere. Other musical elements fill the silence in the eeriest way, such as the sounds made by the main characters wooden wheelchair, or the ticking sound of the clock and the clinks of the metal flail which, in the murder scene, are dissolved into the music.

These elements represent gaps, silences, or absences: the wheelchairs sound represents the main characters pain, and the constant ticking and clinking are shadows of their fear of the supposedly murdered man even after his death. The sounds, just like the visual elements of the film, are the sonic shadows of the characters, who remain inaccessible throughout the entire film. Aslanis movie and Gharachedaghis score mirror the story and its characters: after decades of dwelling in shadows, they rose from the dead and emerged into the light.

Excerpt from:

A Music of Shadows: Sheida Gharachedaghi Soundtrack to The Chess of the Wind - The Quietus

Chess and music are frequently connected, indeed rightly so. Of celebrated composers, Sergei Prokofiev was a talented player of master strength. Aggressive and tactical in style, the composer of the heroic score for Alexander Nevsky and the romantic ballet, Romeo and Juliet, once defeated Capablanca in a simultaneous display. His surviving games gave ample evidence of his creative abilities over the chessboard.

Jose Raul Capablanca vs. Sergei Prokofiev (simultaneous display)

Sergei Prokofiev vs. Maurice Ravel

Maurice Delage vs. Sergei Prokofiev

In contrast, the avant-garde composer John Cage, learnt chess, primarily in order to communicate osmotically with his artistic hero, Marcel Duchamp. If there was a chessboard parallel to Cage, it was former world champion (1963-1969) Tigran Petrosian at his most mysterious, as British Master Peter Clarke described Petrosianic strategy in his anthology of the Maestros most outstanding games.

Tigran Petrosian vs. Wlodzimierz Schmidt

On playing over the above game for the first time, the following question occurred to me: to what extent is the development of new strategic ideas still possible in modern chess?

Let me attempt to elaborate on this point. A century and a half ago, the profound chess thinker Steinitz systematically collected (for the first time) a wealth of information concerning the positional and strategic elements that go up to make the game of chess. Never before had there existed information (embedded in Steinitzs own games and annotations) concerning the desirability of establishing pawn centres; of seizing the bishop pair; of avoiding pawn weaknesses in ones own camp while inflicting such evils on the adversarys position; of creating a pawn majority on the Q-side, and much more.

The Steinitzian theories were formulated into rules by the Praeceptor Germaniae, Siegbert Tarrasch, and this massive achievement on the part of the German Grandmaster represented the close of the first major stage in the development of chess strategic thought.

Since the time of Tarrasch there have been two more significant movements,bringing with them an advance in our grasp of the strategic possibilities and limitationsofthe chessboard. I mean the Hypermodern revolution and the rise of the dynamic Soviet school of chess.

All three movements, the Classical, the Hypermodern and the Soviet, added something new to our thinking about chess, but, to a very large extent, the two latter movements also embodied a denial of their intellectual ancestor, the Classical school. For example: the theory of the Hypermodern masters (Reti, Grnfeld . . .) concerning the establishment of pawn centres was not so much an entirely new concept (as was the original theory concerning pawn centres) but a reversal, in certain situations, of the Classical rules.

The historical stage reached by modern chess is: the Eclectic.

The best of modern chess has evolved into an amalgam of all previous theories: the classical approach of Boris Spassky; the Romanticism of Tal; nowadays we see top Grandmasters gaily setting up massive pawn centres in true classical style in some of their games , while demolishing identical centres (all according to Reti) in others. Today any strategic idea will gain acceptance if it works, and it is rare that a strategic conception will be condemned on purely abstract grounds without the support of at least some analysis. Everything goes, if it is successful. The following quotation from Peter Clarkes collection of Tals games typifies the modern approach:

A very good rule says that one should avoid weakening ones King position by advancing pawns. However, rules are meant to guide, not to enslave.One of the blessings of present-day chess is thatit is freer than ever from dogma. Many of the most valuable ideas would never have been investigated , had not masters persevered with bad moves. Clarke is referringto Blacks11th move inthevariation:

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5 7. Nge2 c6 8. d5 cxd5 9. cxd5 a6 10. Qd2 Nbd7 11. g4 h5

11 h5 is in fact so strong that the whole variation has now been virtually abandoned from Whites side.

So, in view of all this, can we assert that it is still possible for progress to occur in the history of chess ideas, even when we have formulated all the rules and also discovered when it is possible to violate our own formulations? In the present game versus Schmidt, Petrosian provides a possible answer to this creative dilemma. In the previous examples I quoted the Classical rules were reversed for very good and valid reasons (a further example is the good, yet backward, black Q-pawn in certain variations of the Sicilian Defence). If one accepts that chess contains an element of art in its complex make-up then one can perhaps gain some insight into Petrosians mystical conduct of this game.

Against Schmidt, Petrosian certainly reverses all Classical principles, but are the reasons ones which we can recognize as good and healthy?

It is possible to argue that the era of truly creative Western art has now passed and that all which remains for art to achieve is to parody former greatness. Does modern art have truly original statements to make, or is it painfully aware of the achievements of the past, even in its very own act of creation? I would be the last to deny that the work of Mahler contains elements of profound and moving beauty, but structurally this work is dominated by symphonies. If one compares Mahlers 7th or 9th Symphony with any symphony by Mozart, Beethoven or Brahms, one will begin to appreciate the factor of parody concealed in the artistic consciousness of the twentieth century. Examples nearer our own time are Philip Glass, Andy Warhol, and Dmitri Shostakovich, who often creates the effect in his work of laughing at himself (e.g. the pure circus music of Shostakovichs 9th Symphony.) Paradoxically, Shostakovitch had been commissioned by Stalin , no less, after the composers triumph with his Leningrad Symphony, to compose a work celebrating the Soviet victory against Hitler. Even more extreme approaching artistic nihilism are Stockhausen and Cage, in particular the lattersFour Minutes 33 seconds,in which the virtuoso pianist does absolutely nothing during the stipulated time period.

In Petrosians games this artistic crisis is sometimes translated into chess terms. If it is no longer possible to invent ideas that are truly original then it is still possible, as an act of creative defiance, to parody all the Classical rules. In this game Petrosian simply reverses all of good old Dr Tarraschs formulations, as a sheer act of technical virtuosity. This mysterious encounter shows Petrosian mocking all the principles by which other players live, and in a sense this is chess without soul just as so much of modern art lacks true soul. Further we might say that Petrosians play here corresponds to that twentieth-century music which lacks all tonal centre. I suspect that the initial impulses going to create atonal music represented just as much a negative or reversal of traditional tonality as the consciousness of being involved in the genuine process of artistic achievements. As we have seen, Cage goes even further!

I knew Cage and played against him many times, even organising a birthday celebration for him at the Chelsea Arts Club and conspiring with then Vice President, Barry Martin, to present a birthday cake in the shape of DuchampsFontaine, in other words an inverted, white ceramic urinal. On his sad passing, I was invited in December 1993 to deliver his funerary oration at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.

When the German composer Paul Hindemith (1895-1963) wrote his symphonyDie Harmonie der Welt(later to metamorphose into an opera of the same name) I doubt that he had chess in mind. However, there is, I believe a connection.

HindemithsHarmony of the Worldfocuses on the life of astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) a student of the eccentric Tycho Brahe. Brahe was himself a groundbreaking observer of the universe. He inhabited a castle called the Fortress of the Stars (Uraniborg) and wore a false bronze nose for everyday use, saving his gold and silver prosthetic noses for best. Tychos original nose had been slashed in a duel, not blasted by celestial lightning from the heavens, which so obsessed him.

Kepler led a less dramatic existence, concentrating, without much incident, on establishing the harmonic relationship between earth, the remaining planets and the sun. And this is where chess comes into the equation.

World chess champion Vassily Smyslov once published an anthology of his chessboard masterpieces entitledIn Search of Harmony

a volume, by the way, in which I figure as one of the great mans victims. Chess is an area of human endeavour, which, in common with mathematics and music, allows child prodigies to demonstrate astounding genius. And I suggest that Harmony is the key.

Consider the young Mozart. Among so many other precocious musical achievements, such as composinga Minuet and Trio in G Majoraged five, he was able to reconstruct and transcribe AllegrisMisererefrom memory, having heard the closely guarded score just onceduring a visit to The Vatican. It should be recalled that at the age of fourteen, Mozart also wrote his first opera:Mitridate Re di Ponto, or Mithridates, King of Pontus.

In mathematics alarming precocity was displayed by, for example, Ruth Lawrence, who graduated from Oxford University age thirteen with a starred first class Honours Degree; not to mention John Nunn, who went up to Oxford at the age of fifteen to pursue his mathematical studies. Nunn, who also distinguished himself as a chess-playing prodigy, went on to become a grandmaster and professional player, who numbered even the legendary Anatoly Karpov amongst his scalps.

Indeed, accounts abound of amazingly youthful chess prodigies, including Jos Capablanca who allegedly picked up the moves of the game aged four, simply by watching his father play. Then there was Paul Morphy who at twelve defeated the illustrious European Master Lowenthal, and perhaps most spectacular of all, Bobby Fischer, US champion at the age of fourteen and victor of the so-calledGame of the Centurywhen he was thirteen.

It seems to me that there must be some quality which links chess, music and mathematics. I believe that quality to be an inner harmony which connects all three activities and which the youthful human brain is capable of identifying. The striking factor is that prodigies in chess, music and mathematics are capable of performing at the highest level without significantprior experience.

It would be unthinkable for a child or young teenager to paint like Leonardo da Vinci or write with the depth of Tolstoy or Shakespeare, since the relative life experience would not yet have been accumulated in general such dimensions would be missing. For music, maths and chess, on the other hand, the prodigies appear to be able to leap the chasm of experience and tap directly into an underlying harmony, a harmony which most of us cannot easily perceive.

Apart from John Nunn, who was proficient in both maths and chess from an early age, it is worth noting that Smyslov (World Chess Champion from 1957-1958) was also an accomplished opera singer. Meanwhile, Soviet Chess Grandmaster Mark Taimanov enjoyed a second career as a concert pianist.

With the advent of computers, such as the Demis Hassabis AlphaZero, new dimensions of harmony are now constantly being revealed. At first sight,or to the uninitiated, the moves and strategies of AlphaZero may appear opaque. Queens moved to fantastically improbable attacking squares such ash1, at the rearwards furthest extremity of the board, or sacrifices made for no apparent immediate compensation. Yet the former World Champion Magnus Carlsen has carried out a deep study of the programmes games and drawn advantageous conclusions for his own strategies. Harmony is there and Magnus has located it.

Rays206th book, Chess in the Year of the King , written in collaboration with Adam Black, and his 207th, Napoleon and Goethe: The Touchstone of Genius (which discusses their relationship with chess) areavailable from Amazon and Blackwells.

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Music, chess and the harmonies of the world - TheArticle

The 5th European Small Nations Individual Chess Championship and the 2nd European Small Nations Womens Chess Championship concluded yesterday in Andorra la Vella.

The events were played from 22-30 June as 10-player round-robin tournaments with the players representing the following federations: Andorra, Liechtenstein, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Faroe Islands, Malta, Guernsey, Monaco, Jersey, and San Marino.

GM Igor Efimov (MNC, 2312) emerged as the sole winner of the Open Championship scoring 8/9 points. Igor Efimov finished the event without a single loss, ahead of IM Fred Berend (LUX, 2235) who won silver with the score of 7 points. FM Serni Ribera Veganzones (AND, 2341) won bronze medal scoring 6.5 points.

After intense last round in the Womens event, WGM Elvira Berend (LUX, 2230) became the sole Winner of the event, scoring 7.5 points. Elvira Berend and WIM Marija Zvereva (MNC, 2040) headed into the last round tying for the top, and Elvira Berend won her last-round game against WFM Filipina Thornton (MLT, 1787), while Marija Zvereva lost against WFM Andrea Henderson De La Fuente (AND, 1966). Winning the final game, Andrea Henderson De La Fuente finished the event with 7 points and claimed silver, and Marija Zvereva came third with the score of 6.5 points.

Final rankings of both sections can be found here.

The Closing ceremony of the event took place yesterday evening with the attendance of the ECU Treasurer Mr. Ion-Serban Dobronauteanu and the President of the Andorra Chess Federation Mr. Francesc Rechi. The ECU Treasurer Mr. Dobronauteanu also opened the final round with the first ceremonial move.

Detailed information about the event can be found through theofficial website of the event.

The Championships were supported by European Chess Union.

Visit link:

GM Igor Efimov and WGM Elvira Berend win European Small Nations Chess Championships 2024 - European Chess Union

The Globetrotters have won our 2nd Summer 24 Hours Arenafollowed by Glory of Red Green and TEAM PHILIPPINES LIVE CHESS. In the second division KNIGHTS OF HEARTS, TungJohn Playing Chess and The United Chess Nations scored best. TEAM MC_ADMN, ONE WORLD League and The 24 Hour Arena Tournament Club did the same in our 3rd division.

These are our individual medallists ..

... and these are the final results in this Arena:

Overall standings after week 2

All clubs are playing in the same Arena, while they are scoring in three different divisions. Clubs and players score seasonal points as follows: 1st: 20 pts, 2nd: 15 pts, 3rd: 12 pts, 4th: 10 pts, 5th: 8 pts, 6th: 6 pts, 7th: 4 pts, 8th: 3 pts, 9th: 2 pts and 10th: 1 pt.

Provisional standings after 2 out of 13 Summer24 Hours Arenas:

(4)

Summer 24 Hours Masters (2 out of 13)

pts

1.

(1)

TEAM PHILIPPINES LIVE CHESS

32

(3)

The Globetrotters

32

3.

(2)

Glory of Red Green

30

4.

(4)

3 CHECK FUN

18

(5)

SK LESTANE

18

6.

(6)

TEAM IRAN LIVE

10

(7)

Team Australia

10

8.

(8)

The Green Team

3

9.

(9)

The Great Minds.

2

10.

(10)

Chess.com Schachmatt

0

.

Summer 24 Hours Experts

pts

1.

(1)

KNIGHTS OF HEARTS

40

2.

(2)

The United Chess Nations

27

3.

(3)

Adriana Nikolova FANCLUB

22

4.

(4)

Argentina Chess Club

16

5.

(6)

TungJohn Playing Chess

15

6.

(5)

Ajedrez Alegra

8

(6)

Chess.com Deutsch

8

8.

(6)

1WL LIVE tournaments

0

(6)

Schachfreunde Sachsen

0

(6)

The Chess Warlords - TCW

0

.

Summer 24 Hours Candidates

pts

1.

(1)

TEAM MC_ADMN

40

2.

(2)

Chess.com - Polska

23

3.

(4)

Link:

ONE WORLD League's 2nd Summer 24 Hours Arena: Gold for The Globetrotters - Chess.com