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Temple visits, meditating at cave and more: Tracing PM Narendra Modis spiritual journey – Firstpost

Posted: October 16, 2023 at 7:21 pm


PM Narendra Modi and Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami at Parvati Kund in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh. PTI

Donning a traditional attire, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers at Parvati Kund in Uttarakhands Pithoragarh district today (12 October). Parvati Kund is a significant holy site for Hindus. Modis day-long visit to the hill state also included darshan of the Adi Kailash peak, believed to be Lord Shivas abode.

PM Modi regularly visits famous shrines and sites and has also opened up about his spiritual awakening previously. As the Indian premier again grabs headlines with his latest holy trip, lets dive into his spiritual journey.

Pithoragarh visit

PM Modi keeps returning to Uttarakhand where he ensures to practice spirituality.

Today, he performed aarti at the Shiva Parvati temple along the banks of Parvati Kund in Jolingkong. A white turban and a ranga (upper body garment) completed his outfit. He also meditated briefly in front of the Adi Kailash peak, seeking blessings from Lord Shiva.

Modi shared pictures of his visit on X and tweeted, I am overwhelmed with the darshan and worship at the holy Parvati Kund of Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand. The mind is also happy with the darshan of Adi Kailash from here. From this place of spirituality and culture nestled in the lap of nature, I wished for a happy life for all the family members of the country.

He then headed to the Gunji village, where he interacted with the locals and personnel of the Army, BRO and ITBP.

Modi also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of several projects worth Rs 4,200 crore in Pithoragarh.

Kerala

PM Modi paid obeisance to saint-philosopher Adi Shankaracharya in his birthplace at Kalady village in Keralas Ernakulam district last September.

Seen in the traditional attire of Kerala, Modi said he felt blessed after his visit. I feel very blessed to be at the Sri Adishankara Janmabhumi Kshetram. It is indeed a special place. Generations to come will remain indebted to the great Adi Shankaracharya for his rich contribution towards protecting our culture, the prime minister tweeted along with his pictures.

According to a PTI report, addressing a public rally during his two-day visit to the southern state, Modi had said the legacy created by Adi Shankaracharya, who was known for the philosophy of Advaita, was spread from Kerala by various spiritual leaders and social reformers like Sree Narayana Guru, Chattampi Swamikal and Ayyankali.

Modi was also honoured to visit Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam in Kochi.

Uttarakhand

Days ahead of Diwali, PM Modi offered prayers at the famous Kedarnath temple in October 2022. He wore Chola Dora, a handmade dress gifted to him by the women of Chamba in Himachal Pradesh, which he paired with a chudidaar pajama, a red and yellow pahadi cap, a kamarband and black shoes.

The Chola Dora featured a swastika and peacock feathers on the back. Modi was presented with the outfit when he had visited the then-poll-bound Himachal.

PM Modi also prayed to Bhagwan Nandi outside the Shiva temple and visited the Adi Guru Shankaracharya Samadhi Sthal in Kedarnath.

He also performed puja at Badrinath Dham wearing a white kurta-pajama and a black winter jacket. He remembered his pitra (ancestors) and prayed for their mukti at the temple, reported Indian Express.

During his visit to Kedarnath in November 2021, Modi had unveiled a 13-foot-tall statue of Adi Shankaracharya at his reconstructed samadhi. In his address last year, the PM said there was a time when spirituality and dharma were connected only with stereotypes and wrong morals but today our culture, our tradition and religious centres are seen with the same sense of pride it should have been seen, according to Indian Express.

Uttar Pradesh

In December 2021, PM Modi said the Kashi Vishwanath (KV) Corridor project will augment the spiritual vibrancy of Kashi or Varanasi. He made a remark a day before inaugurating the project.

Spread over 5.5 lahks (550,000) square feet area, the KV Corridor connects the Ganga river with the Kashi Vishwanath temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Uttar Pradeshs Varanasi.

Modi unveiled the redeveloped Corridor last February. He was also seen taking a dip in the river Ganga in Varanasi during his visit to the holy city.

The famous cave visit

On the eve of the final day of voting during the 2019 general elections, PM Modi was meditating at a cave 11,700 feet up in the Himalayas. He spent the night at the now-famous Rudra meditation cave that May, which is a little over a kilometres trek from Kedarnath, reported The Hindu.

As per Indian Express, the Rudraprayag District Magistrate revealed that the cave has electricity, a heater, a simple bed, mattress, a small bathing area, an attached toilet, an electric geyser for hot water and even a telephone.

The Prime Ministers Office (PMO) took special permission for the visit from the Election Commission as rules prohibit any campaigning 48 hours before voting, reported PTI.

The meditation cave has become a tourist attraction since then. According to The Hindu, there are a total of three caves offering a view of the picturesque Kedarnath valley. Authorities said the caves were booked 103 times in 2019, only 36 times in 2020 due to COVID-19, and none the following year.

Last year, 64 people booked the caves. The bookings again jumped from April this year, as the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand began.

The main cave, where the PM meditated, costs Rs 3,000 per night, while the others are available at Rs 1,500 plus GST, reported The Hindu.

When PM Modi spoke on spirituality

In an interview with Humans of Bombay in January 2019, Modi recalled how he left his home when he was 17 years old for the Himalayas.

I was undecided, unguided and unclear I didnt know where I wanted to go, what I wanted to do and why I wanted to do it. But all I knew, was that I wanted to do something.

He spoke at length about his two-year journey and how he woke up early, took baths in the freezing waters of the Himalayas, and lived with sadhus who taught him to align himself with the rhythm of the universe.

I went wherever God wanted to take me it was an undecided period of my life but still, gave me so many answers, Modi was quoted as saying by India Today.

I aligned and experienced revelations that help me till today. I realised that were all tied down by our thoughts and limitations. When you surrender and stand in front of the vastness you know that youre a small part of a large universe. When you understand that, any trace of arrogance you have in you melts and then life truly begins.

Thats when it all changed, Modi said. After two years, I returned home with clarity and a guiding force to lead the way.

The prime minister, who has amplified efforts to promote yoga since he first came to power in 2014, had said in 2017, Yoga is the entrance point to ones spiritual journey. One should not consider it as the last point, as it is simply the entry gate to the spiritual world, reported Times of India (TOI).

Modi also said that spirituality was Indias strength, and lamented that people tend to link it to religion, emphasising that the two are different.

With inputs from agencies

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Published on: October 12, 2023 17:33:29 IST

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Temple visits, meditating at cave and more: Tracing PM Narendra Modis spiritual journey - Firstpost

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October 16th, 2023 at 7:21 pm

Posted in Meditation

Sneak peek inside Bigg Boss 17 house with chess theme and opulent interiors – IndiaTimes

Posted: at 7:20 pm


The inside pictures of the Bigg Boss 17 house are going viral on social media. The house, which features monotone and earthy interiors, does not have lavish interiors, but rather stone and brick flooring with brown walls. The walls of the house look interesting with intricate carving with figures from the game of chess. There is a huge horse with wings in stone at the entrance as well. Most of the seating area and even the dining table is casted in stone. The couch has cushioned seats in brick print and the garden area seating has stones with white couches. There are three kinds of bedrooms in the house, one has a lavender setting and the other bedroom has wooden interiors in brown with chess figures on the walls and the third bedroom has ancient interiors. Bollywood hunk Salman Khan once again returned as the host with Bigg Boss 17. The show airs on Colors TV from Monday to Friday at 10pm and on Saturday and Sunday at 10pm. It will continue to be live on JioCinema at all times. The show premiered on October 15, 2023.

In This Pic : Bigg Boss 17 House, Bigg Boss 17

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Sneak peek inside Bigg Boss 17 house with chess theme and opulent interiors - IndiaTimes

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October 16th, 2023 at 7:20 pm

Posted in Chess

Mongolia and India win Intercontinental Championship for Prisoners – FIDE

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Teams of India and Mongolia became the champions of the third Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners, the event organized by FIDE and the Cook County (Chicago, IL, USA) Sheriffs Office, after winning the final matches in youth and womens sections of the biggest-ever chess event among correctional facilities.

The team of Pune prison (India) clinched the title inthe men's tournament of the Intercontinental Online Championship for Prisoners 2023 after beating El Salvador in the final.

The final matches in womens and youth sections ran concurrently. In the womens final, Mongolia beat England and took the title; England claimed silver medals. The womens match for third place between El Salvador and the Philippines was not played due to technical reasons. Both teams shared third place.

It is the third gold medal of the Intercontinental Championship for Prisoners under Mongolias belt. In 2021, the country won gold in the inaugural event open competition. A year later, Mongolia came out on top in the womens section. Mongolias triumph is hardly a big surprise, as Mongolia has a long-standing tradition of teaching chess in prisons. Since 1956, chess tournaments have been running in all correctional units across the country.

In the youth section, team India lifted the trophy after defeating the defending champions Serbia in the final. The bronze medal went to team Ecuador.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich congratulated the winners and finalists:

This has been an event filled with remarkable stories, incredible talent, and a shared commitment to the transformative power of chess and the resourcefulness of the human spirit. What is most important is that over the past three days, we have all taken part in something new and meaningful that gives a chance for change and improvement. You are all now part of the global chess family. And wherever you go or wherever your life may take you, remember FIDEs motto, which in Latin reads Gens Una Sumus and means We are one family.

Players were also greeted by the Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board, Dana Reizniece-Ozola: I congratulate all of you who have succeeded in being the top teams in the 3rd Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners. I hope it brings you great satisfaction because I know you have been working very hard to achieve these results. All the officials who have been supporting you also get my warm thank you and appreciation. The competition in our tournament does increase together with the number of countries participating, and there will be more! Next year, we have the goal to engage 64 countries!

The winner in the mens section will be determined on Monday, October 16th.

The third Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners aims to popularize chess as an efficient tool for reintegrating incarcerated people. This year, the event attracted 118 teams from 50 countries representing all continents, providing an opportunity for inmates to play with their peers across the globe.

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October 16th, 2023 at 7:20 pm

Posted in Chess

(Global Chess Festival 2023): Berkes, Gaal Win Judit Polgar’s First … – Chess.com

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In the heart of Budapest at Judit Polgar's ninth Global Chess Festival 2023, the Hungarian duo, Team Mighty Fox, claimed victory in the festival's invitational triathlon event, bagging $4,000 in prize money in the process.

The winning team, comprised of GM Ferenc Berkes and WIM Zsoka Gaal, scrimmaged through three chess disciplinesPuzzle Battle, tandem chess, and finally, bullet chess, and finished atop the leaderboard ahead of GM David Howell and WFM Alessia Santeramo's Team Crazylandia.

Also running during the two-day celebration of chess were the online #ChessConnectUs Open and Scholastic tournaments, which were won by the 15-year-old FM Syvatoslav Bazakutsa and 13-year-old Will Moorehouse, respectively.

Creative crossovers between IRL and online play are all the vogue in chess right now and Polgar has continued to elevate the entertainment value of the Global Chess Festival with each edition.

In 2023, the Triathlon event took center stage, and with a star-studded lineup, including several of Hungary's top players as well as world-renowned content creators, viewers were in for a spectacle.

Speaking about the format of the triathlon, Polgar said the following: "Well, it was my idea to come up with something that might be very entertaining for chess enthusiasts and chess lovers. So the idea was to have mixed pairs and to have three kinds of chess activities where the players can show their focus, how they make decisions, what their intuition is all about, and how they can play in pairs. So to mix things up and have fun!"

The first segment on the schedule was Puzzle Battle and from these matches, two frontrunners would emerge Team Crazylandia and Team Mighty Fox, who both finished on four points. Individually, the most outstanding performance in the section went to Howell, who won all his battles with scores over 44 and a high score of 46, with only IM Gellert Karacsonyi (42) coming close. Howell was all smiles after each clash.

The English GM's partner Santeramo was unlucky not to put their duo in front after striking out on a score of 29 in her match with Team Maglat's WGM Dana Reizniece-Ozola. With 30 seconds on the clock, Reizniece-Ozola was able to make up the ground between them and finish two puzzles ahead of Santeramo on 31.

Meanwhile, Berkes and Gaal got off to a flying start and both managed to win two of their three Puzzle Battles. For Berkes, accuracy was prioritized over speed and, thanks to this, he was able to clutch up against GM Miguel Illescas by two puzzles.

Despite starting slowly in the Puzzle Battle segment, the tandem chess rounds were a raging success for Illescas and IM Olga Alexandrova, also known as Team DragonChess. After securing a draw with Howell and Santeramo in round one, the duo was unstoppable.

A helpmate against Berkes and Gaal from an equal position followed by a rook blunder by Karacsonyi and Reizniece-Ozola catapulted Team DragonChess into second place on seven points.

Still ahead of them however was Team Mighty Fox, who managed to win their other two games and take a commanding three-point lead over the field. The duo's success could be attributed to their teamwork throughout and their decision to play double-fianchetto systems paid off, particularly in their game against Team Maglat.

The final leg of the triathlon was bullet chess, a fitting sprint to the finish for the four teams. Unsurprisingly, the top seed Howell was the most dominant of the male players, scoring 2.5/3 for his team and only conceding a draw to Berkes (2/3) while Santeramo managed to add just one point to Team Crazylandia's tally.

Alexandrova and Gaal were equally impressive and finished in a tie on 2/3. Due to Berkes and Gaal adding a combined four points to their total, in the bullet segment, Team Mighty Fox's final score sat at 12, spelling a comprehensive victory for the Hungarian team.

In a post-tournament interview with Polgar and Sachdev, Berkes cordially spoke about the naming of their team, stating: "I used to be tricky and I think for sure that Zsoka [Gaal] was a part of this [in reference to the fox]." Berkes went on to suggest that his favorite segment was tandem chess while Gaal gave an alternate response, indicating that she enjoyed bullet chess.

For their efforts, the pair received $4,000 while Team Crazylandia walked away with the $3,000 prize for second place.

Standings - Triathlon

All Games - Tandem/Bullet Segments

On the first day of the Global Chess Festival, two winners were crowned in the #Chessconnectsus online Swiss finals. In the open event, Balakutsa, a familiar name to eagle eyed fans of Chess.com's Junior Speed Chess Championship, won with a perfect 11/11 score having defeated multiple titled players in a clinical fashion.

The road to victory was a little tougher in the scholastic division for Moorehouse and after losing his fifth and sixth rounds, the "Go Magnus Chess Academy" student recovered sensationally with a hack-and-slash 13-move victory over his 1800-rated opponent.

Moorehouse then finished the event with five wins on the fly to assume his rightful place at the top and claim the year of free diamond membership along with a 150 Chessable voucher.

Judit Polgar's Global Chess Festival, now in its ninth edition since starting in 2007, is one of the true highlights of the chess calendar. Held in Budapest, Hungary, and also online, it attracts thousands of chess fans from around the world. The triathlon was the focal point of the event and with a $10,000 prize fund and live coverage provided by Chess.com, the festival is back and bigger than ever.

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October 16th, 2023 at 7:20 pm

Posted in Chess

Chess players, coaches biased against female players, NYU study … – Washington Square News

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File Photo: Two young girls playing chess at the Unruly Queens Fall 2022 Chess Festival. (Manasa Gudavalli for WSN)

Parents and coaches tend to be biased against female chess players, according to a study conducted by researchers at NYUs psychology department.

The researchers interviewed around 300 parents and coaches of chess students, asking them to evaluate the skills of more than 650 players. Those interviewed 90% of whom were men rated the potential of female chess players lower on average compared to that of male players.

Sophie Arnold, a doctoral student at NYUs Department of Psychology and lead author of the study, said the study is part of a larger effort to look at how gender bias impacts women in male-dominated fields. Only 14% of chess players are women, according to the United States Chess Federation.

Our research highlights the seemingly innocuous belief that success in chess requires extreme intellectual talent, brilliance, as one belief that can contribute to gender bias in chess, Arnold said in an interview with WSN. This connection suggests that, for combating gender bias in chess, folks could also look to successful ways of combating gender bias in other brilliance-oriented fields.

Researchers also found that many of the people interviewed believed that brilliance played a major factor in their ratings. Respondents who said brilliance was necessary to play chess also thought that female chess players would be more likely to quit due to a lack of skill compared to male players.

NYU alum and U.S. Womens Chess Champion Jennifer Shahade, who co-authored the study, said that parents and coaches may be quick to judge female players who dont quickly show promise. She said the belief that chess requires inherent brilliance could lead parents and coaches to prevent players from learning and improving.

Theres a bias against female players who dont immediately display their talent and potential, Shahade told WSN. Were cutting some girls too early from something that they can enjoy and excel in when we overvalue the importance of inherent brilliance in chess.

The team found that parents and coaches reported investing equal time and energy in male and female players, suggesting some may not be aware of the biases they hold against female chess students. Shahade said she thinks that more wide-ranging representation of female players at all levels of the sport could help them feel more confident. She said the high level of chess showcased on the popular Netflix series The Queens Gambit, for example, could intimidate emerging female players.

We need to showcase the accomplishments of a wider variety of female players so that girls can see many examples of women excelling in chess, Shahade said. When its all focused on a super genius character like Beth Harmon, it can be quite compelling and exciting, but of course, not everyone checkmates their coach on the second week.

ContactGraylin Lucas at [emailprotected].

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October 16th, 2023 at 7:20 pm

Posted in Chess

Hou Yifan Out For Revenge Against Lagno In 2023 Julius Baer … – Chess.com

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Chess.coms top event for women, the $70,000 Julius Baer Womens Speed Chess Championship, is back next month and this time with a big-name sponsor and six of the strongest players on the planet.

Defending champion GM Kateryna Lagno and the near-legendary GM Hou Yifan, the world number-one for eight years and last years runner-up, have confirmed they will resume their speed chess rivalry.

Both will battle it out in the main event from November 13 to 22, which is supported by the Swiss private bank Julius Baer.

The stellar lineup also includes the highly-decorated GMs Alexandra Kosteniuk and Valentina Gunina. Kosteniuk and Gunina are two of the finest and fastest women players, and both former champions.

Indias GM Harika Dronavalli, the runner up to Hou in 2021, will also return alongside fellow countrywoman IM Vaishali Rameshbabu, the fast-rising 22-year-old from Chennai and sister of the prodigy GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu.

Here's what happened in last year's dramatic final:

Two more spots are available from what promises to be an exciting qualification event, open to all titled women, from November 8 to 9. This year, however, the format for the first stage is slightly different.

The Julius Baer Womens Speed Chess Championship is being brought into line with the Speed Chess Championship and the Junior Speed Chess Championship which means the qualifier will see a 14-round Swiss on day one followed by a top-8 double elimination bracket on the second day.

The winner of each bracket on day two will advance from the qualifier to the main event. Play will begin at 9 a.m. ET / 15:00 CEST / 18:30 IST on both days.

The main event starting November 13 will see an eight-player single elimination bracket, with seedings determined by a Chess.com panel. The six players listed above have been directly invited, and will be joined by the two qualifiers.

All matches will be played over 5+1, 3+1 and 1+1 time controls. The exact schedule will be confirmed later.

Antje Hembd, Head Global Sponsoring & Partnership Julius Baer, said: We are thrilled to support the Womens Speed Chess Championship for the first time and to help to empower women and create a more equitable, diverse and exciting chess landscape.

"This year Julius Baer has been included in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GE). This inclusion shows our commitment to advance to the topic and to share our results transparently supporting our Diversity & Inclusion vision to foster an inclusive environment built on care.

This years Julius Baer Womens Speed Chess Championship is the fifth edition of the event, which has seen a series of thrilling finals since it first burst onto the scene four years ago.

GM Elina Danielian, who reached the main event as a qualifier, won the inaugural WSCC in 2019 defeating Gunina 15-13 in the final. Danielian was dethroned in 2020 by GM Anna Ushenina, who beat Kosteniuk in the final. Hou then took the title in 2021, toppling Dronavalli, before Lagno won it against Hou in 2022.

You can watch the live broadcast on Chess.com/TV or on our YouTube and Twitch channels. Find out more about the 2023 Julius Baer Women's Speed Chess Championship in our event guide here.

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Hou Yifan Out For Revenge Against Lagno In 2023 Julius Baer ... - Chess.com

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October 16th, 2023 at 7:20 pm

Posted in Chess

Announcing The 2023 US Collegiate Rapid & Blitz Championships – Chess.com

Posted: at 7:20 pm


Chess.com is excited to announce that we will be hosting the 2023 U.S. Collegiate Rapid and Blitz Championships. The rapid championship will be held on October 29and the blitz championship on November 5.

Registration is underway and continues until 12 a.m. Eastern/9 p.m. Pacific the day before each event. The games start at 12 p.m. Eastern/9 a.m. Pacific. The games will be US Chess online-rated.

Established in 2019, this event has quickly become one of the premier tournaments in the country for college students. Last year's individual champions were GM Benjamin Gledura from Webster in the rapid and GM Mikhail Antipov from Mizzou in the blitz.

Among those crowned this year will be the 2023:

Additionally, the top four individual performances from each institution will count toward team championships, and the top three individual finishers in each event will also be recognized as well as players below certain US Chess rating thresholds. Last year's team champions were Webster University in rapid and the University of Missouri in blitz.

The rapid event is a nine-round Swiss tournament with a 10+5 time control, while the blitz event is a 12-round Swiss tournament with a 3+2 time control.

Register here; it's free! Note that a .edu email address is required.

This November, new champions will be crowned as we head into 2024, which will begin with the Pan-American Intercollegiate Championship in January and the Spring 2024 season of the Collegiate Chess League.

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Announcing The 2023 US Collegiate Rapid & Blitz Championships - Chess.com

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October 16th, 2023 at 7:20 pm

Posted in Chess

Qatar Masters Round 1: Carlsen Wins 23-Move Miniature – Chess.com

Posted: at 7:20 pm


World number-one Magnus Carlsen won a 23-move miniature as he set out to defend his title in the 2023 Qatar Masters, a tournament last held in 2015. GMs Hikaru Nakamura and Anish Giri were among the star names to win in round one, but GMs Gukesh Dommaraju and Nihal Sarin had to fight for draws, while GM Vladimir Fedoseev was put to the sword by 19-year-old Indian IM Kushagra Mohan.

Round two starts on October 12 at 8 a.m. ET/14:00 CEST/5:30 p.m. IST.

The 2023 Qatar Masters is the third edition of a trendsetting chess open that we first saw almost a decade ago. Let's take a quick look back at the history.

The chess world has long been divided between a rich elite and a mass of players struggling to make ends meet. To get to the elite you need talent, sometimes a little luck, and above all to perform well in "open tournaments," which, as the name suggests, are events that are more or less open to everyone willing to pay an entry fee and their own expenses.

As soon as top young players could, they'd stop playing open events for modest and hard-to-win prizes and instead compete in small all-play-all tournaments against their elite colleagues, where even relative failure would be financially rewarded. The drawback of such events for chess fans, however, is that we quickly become familiar with all the top players and sometimes tire of seeing them compete against each other week after week.

That led, in the last decade, to a new trend to hold open tournaments, but to make them attractive to the world's very best players with hefty top prizes and appearance fees. The Qatar Masters, along with similar events held in Gibraltar and on the Isle of Man, was a trailblazer with its first edition in 2014.

Chinese GM Yu Yangyi, at the time just 20 years old, was the surprise winner, after taking down former World Champion GM Vladimir Kramnik in the final round. Kramnik tied with Giri for second, half a point behind.

A year later, World Champion Carlsen had joined the fray. He duly won but needed a playoff against Yu, who had defeated GM Wesley So on demand in the final round, while Kramnik again took third place. Among the participants that year were future GMs 12-year-old Alireza Firouzja and 11-year-old Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

Sadly that was the last Qatar Masters, until now, although the organizational effort in 2016 went into holding the World Rapid and Blitz Championships in Doha. Carlsen said of that event when interviewed after round one: "I tied for first in both rapid and blitz, but I only got bronze and silver on tiebreaks. I still have something to prove!"

The Qatar Masters is back, and though the venue has shifted from Doha to the nearby Lusail Sports Arena in Lusail, the format remains the same.

160 players are competing in the top group over nine rounds of classical chess, for $108,250 in prizes. The top prize is $25,000.

There are also other prizes on offer, including $5,000 for the top female player.

The line-up is formidable, including eight 2700+ rated players, as well as Carlsen, Nakamura, Giri, and Gukesh from the world's top-10.

For round one, the rating list was cut in two, so that number-one-ranked Carlsen played number 79, 17-year-old Indian IM L R Srihari, number-two-ranked Nakamura played number 80, 21-year-old Indian IM Vantika Agrawal, and so on. That meant there were heavy favorites on all the top boards, and many stars did grab the expected wins. For instance, Carlsen shrugged off a late arrival in Qatar to beat Srihari in just 23 moves. He claimed to have made a very late choice of what to play:

"I didnt know what to play on move 1, so I just asked Mohammed [organizer Qatari GM Mohammed Al-Modiahki], who made the first move, to make a move, and he played 1.c4, and I thought it looked like a good move, so Ill play it!"

He played 1.c4, and I thought it looked like a good move, so I'll play it!

Magnus Carlsen

Carlsen said he was surprised in the opening, but then things swung his way, since his opponent, "chose a very concrete approach later, going for some material, which was flawed, because he had no pieces protecting his king and then it was a fairly pleasant job attacking after that."

The former world champion got to offer multiple piece sacrifices, including a choice of rooks.

The sparkling 23-move win that follows is our Game of the Day, annotated by GM Dejan Bojkov.

Nakamura admitted he had a "very, very tough game" against the talented Vantika, though he credited his 62-move victory to cranking up the pressure when his opponent was low on time. Her weakening 28.f5? was essentially the losing move, and was played with under 20 seconds on the clock.

With 28...Qe2+! and then 29...Qd3 Nakamura was able to force a favorable endgame, and he never gave his opponent another chance. Check out his full recap below.

Seven of the top-ten seeds won, with GM Jorden van Foreest pouncing on a less-than-obvious blunder to trap German IM Raphael Lagunow's queen. Just to emphasize the point, when the queen briefly managed to escape the box, it was only to find itself doomed to be lost.

No one said it was going to be easy, however. Giri did eventually win, but only after again and again seeming to let a win slip against another talented young Indian IM, S Rohith Krishna. You could definitely be forgiven for missing the strength of 20.Rh5! (with the main threat simply to follow up with Qb5 and take on d5).

Giri made very hard work of what followed, however, and allowed his opponent to come incredibly close to taking a draw.

All's well that ends well, but for other top players, it was an even tougher day at the office.

Nihal had to defend an inferior endgame until move 109, while Indian IM Mohammad Nubairshah Shaikh had the mighty Gukesh on the ropes. The world number-eight eventually exchanged off queens and groveled for a draw, but it still cost 3.7 rating points and dropping out of the top-ten on the live rating list.

Of course, that wasn't the worst that could happen, with Fedoseev losing 8.4 points after falling to 279-point-lower-rated Kushagra in a game where things escalated fast.

There are still eight rounds to go, however, so early misfortunes are no insurmountable obstacle to overall success.

Qatar Masters | All Games Round 1

The 2023 Qatar Masters is a nine-round open tournament for players rated 2300+. It takes place in Lusail, Qatar on October 11-20, and boasts a $108,250 prize fund with $25,000 for first place, as well as a $5,000 prize for the top female player.

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Qatar Masters Round 1: Carlsen Wins 23-Move Miniature - Chess.com

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October 16th, 2023 at 7:20 pm

Posted in Chess

9-Year-Old Dubbed ‘Messi Of Chess’ Youngest Ever To Score IM Norm – Chess.com

Posted: at 7:20 pm


It started with a Chess.com account during the pandemic. Now 9-year-old FM Faustino Oro from Argentina has made history as the youngest player ever to score an IM norm.

The prodigy dubbed the "Messi of Chess" by Argentinian media made headlines in June when he crossed 2300 for the first time. He was the youngest player ever to do so, beating the former record set by Uzbek GM Javokhir Sindarov by over seven months. Just three months earlier, he had also become the youngest ever to break 2200.

On September 17, Oro, nicknamed "Fausti," scored 6.5/9 and finished second in II Copa Ciudad, a round-robin tournament in Comodoro Rivadavia, southern Argentina. Remarkably, he went through the nine rounds undefeated and scored four wins and five draws.

He finished off FM Andres Aguilar in round 5 excellently.

While Fausti was helped by several shorter draws throughout the tournament, he exhibited superb attacking skills as well, such as in this game in round seven.

Fausti finished a point behind the winner, GM Diego Flores, but tied with GM Neuris Delgado Ramirez, both grandmasters with whom he drew.

After the event, Flores was full of praise for Fausti.

What I can tell you about Faustino is that he is an incredible boy. Here he confirmed what he has been doing in each tournament and how much is expected of him. It makes me happy to see him play, how he uses every resource in every position, and that he also continues an upward streak in his career," Flores told Infobae.

Oro's score was enough for his first IM norm, making him the youngest player in the history of the game to do so. GM Abhimanyu Mishra, who has the prestigious title of the world's youngest-ever grandmaster, also holds the record as the youngest-ever IM. He achieved that at 10 years, 9 months, and 3 days, 17 days earlier than GM R. Praggnanandhaa. As Fausti turns 10 on October 14, this means he has almost 10 months to break yet another record.

"Fausti is very happy to have achieved the norm, but the focus is always on improving the level of play," Fausti's father, Alejandro Oro, tells Chess.com. "When this happens, everything else follows naturally: norms, titles, and Elo ratings."

He says his son is particularly happy about only having lost one of his last 18 classical games. "That gives him more confidence to face the upcoming challenges," he says.

Asked about the record as the youngest player to score a norm, he says:

"We, as parents, are very proud, but we don't chase records. If they come, they are welcome, but Fausti's goal is to reach the elite of chess, and for that, you don't necessarily have to set records."

In the three weeks since the norm, Fausti has received plenty of media attention at home in Argentina. How does a 9-year-old deal with that?

"We try to make the exposure as gradual as possible, although sometimes it's quite challenging. He likes it when people talk about him in a positive way, but in general, he's not too fond of interviews. Pressure is something that comes with any high-level competitive sport, but he has the mindset of a bull, which makes it easier for him," Alejandro Oro says.

His father has previously talked about how he created an account on Chess.com for his son during the pandemic to prevent him from kicking a ball inside their home during lockdown, which has been essential for his progress. In August, FaustinoOro crossed 2900 for the first time in blitz. He is also creating content for ChessKid.com, where he has been doing a live show called "Fausti el pequeo gigante" (Fausti the little giant) in addition to being an ambassador for ChessKid throughout Latin America.

"I first came across Fausti when he started streaming on his own channel during the pandemic. The only thing worse than my chess skills are my Spanish skills, but even though I didn't understand what he was saying, his energy was infectious! I became a fan right away. Of course, he went on to become a very strong player too; perhaps a generational talent. My only hope is that he doesn't learn English. Otherwise, I'm out of a job for sure," Chesskid's CCO FM Mike Klein said.

Director of ChessKid Espanol, WIM Ivette Garcia Morales, says:

"I met Faustino Oro since at that time IM Jorge Rosito was both of their coaches. I remember Jorge Rosito telling me how talented a 7-year-old student named Faustino was. This was during the pandemic, and at that time both Faustino and I had a show, I remember how impressed I was at that first show."

With an October rating of 2358, Oro is well on the way to breaking 2400 as well. GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov is currently the youngest to cross that mark when he had barely turned 10.5 years old.

He now targets becoming an international master, but the long-term goal is even higher.

"He wants to become a world champion, but the focus is on playing better than yesterday, and achieving that already brings him one step closer to the goal," Alejandro Oro concludes.

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9-Year-Old Dubbed 'Messi Of Chess' Youngest Ever To Score IM Norm - Chess.com

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October 16th, 2023 at 7:20 pm

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10/10 Was The Date, 10/11 Were The Scores – Chess.com

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The victors of Titled Tuesday on October 10 were a long-time contender and a first-time winner: GM Dmitry Andreikin took home his 16th victory in the early tournament while GM Eduardo Iturrizaga, who made waves earlier this year by reaching Division I of the Aimchess Rapid, won his first Titled Tuesday in this week's late event.

Both scored 10 points out of 11, although only Andreikin won outright as GM Jose Martinez took a tough-luck second-place finish in the late event.

One of the favorites in the field of 577 was knocked out of contention early on, when GM Alireza Firouzja faced IM Levy Rozman and lost his second game of the first five rounds. (No bonus points were awarded for all four knights occupying all four central squares.)

Meanwhile, one of the other favorites, GM Magnus Carlsen, started out 7/7. However, he lost in two of the next three rounds and the 10th round game against Andreikin ended up effectively deciding the tournament.

In the final round, Andreikin and GM Anton Demchenko made a six-move draw to lock up the top two spots, while Carlsen recovered in just 82 seconds of clock time to grab third place with the best tiebreaks among seven players on nine points.

October 10 Titled Tuesday | Early | Final Standings (Top 20)

(Full final standings here.)

Andreikin won $1,000, Demchenko $750, and Carlsen $350 for their finishes. Rounding out the top five were Martinez in fourth place for $200 and GM Alexey Sarana in fifth for $100. IM Tatjana Vasilevich finished in 16th place on eight points to claim the $100 women's prize.

In the late field of 429, Iturrizaga and Martinez quickly emerged as the top two contenders. After six rounds, they were the last players on perfect scores. Naturally, they faced each other in the seventh round, where it was Martinez who won in a game that got fairly tactical quite early.

Iturrizaga would end up winning all of his last four games, quickly closing the gap with Martinez. Martinez could only make draws in the very next rounds, splitting the point with GM Daniel Naroditsky in the eighth round and GM Nihal Sarin in the ninth.

Iturrizaga would beat both of them, which effectively ended up being the difference in the tournament. His victim was Naroditsky in round nine, and then Nihal in round 11:

Martinez also won in the last two rounds, including against early winner Andreikin in the final round, keeping the tie going. Unfortunately for Martinez, head-to-head is only the fourth Swiss tiebreak, and Iturrizaga edged him out by a point in the first tiebreak.

October 10 Titled Tuesday | Late | Final Standings (Top 20)

(Full final standings here.)

Iturrizaga won $1,000 for his victory while Martinez earned $750 in second place, which on top of his fourth-place prize earlier gave him $950 total. GM Matthias Bluebaum finished third for $350, GM Jaime Santos fourth for $200, and GM Sergei Zhigalko fifth, claiming $100. IM Karina Ambartsumova won the $100 women's prize with a 6.5/11 score.

Chess.com hosts Titled Tuesday every week as two 11-round Swiss tournaments. Open only to titled players, the first Tuesday tournament begins at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time/17:00 Central European/20:30 Indian Standard Time, and the other at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time/23:00 Central European/2:30 Indian Standard Time (next day).

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10/10 Was The Date, 10/11 Were The Scores - Chess.com

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October 16th, 2023 at 7:20 pm

Posted in Chess


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