New scam targets chess coaches

Written by FM Eric Schiller
1 Sept 2008

I would like to warn our chess community that there is a new scam going around trying to defraud chess coaches. Recently I received an e-mail that seemed legitimate enough but was an attempt to set up a bank fraud.

I quickly realized what was going on and decided to turn the tables by pretending to go along while coordinating actions with the fraud division of my bank. As is typical of these scams the idea was to send me a large check from which I was supposed to send some money to a third party. The plan was that I would send the money and then their check would bounce leaving me out the amount sent.

The setup was a travel scam. I was sent a bogus check drawn on a legitimate Massachusetts company for several thousand dollars, supposedly to provide coaching for the 17-year-old daughter of someone who allegedly worked at the Vatican. I was to send $1500 to a supposed that travel agent in Texas using the scammer’s favorite method: Western Union.

Since I have some experience sending scammers on wild goose chases, I decided to go after this particular scammer by claiming that all the Western Union branches in my area had closed and that I would have to transfer the money by bank transfer instead. This got me access to all the information about their bank account, which I duly turned over to my bank.

Hopefully, they will go after the person who opened that account but in any case they will close down the account so no further scams can use it. I also notified the legitimate Massachusetts company that there are dank account was being used in the fraud.

The important thing is that you be aware that there is an attempt to defraud chess instructors so if you receive anything that looks like the e-mail below, delete it right away and do not respond. This particular e-mail, despite its reference to the Vatican, was sent from Israel and the bank account they wanted me to send money to was in Houston.

Source: Latest Chess

This is the London Chess Centre (owned by IM Malcolm Pein)

With what that just took place in the Armageddon game in Nalchik, Russia between IM Socko and WGM Foisor during the Women’s World Championship, should the Armageddon system be abolished?

Should K + N vs. K + N, or K +B vs. K +B, or K + 2 Ns vs. K be considered a win (on time) in World Championship competition? What if this would have been the final game of the World Championship?

What should FIDE do about this rule? Should this rule be changed immediately?

Position after 27…Qf6 (Nataf – Nakamura, 2008 Montreal)

It is White to move. Can you find the best continuation for White?

Who is this very strong female chess player?

Photo of the opening ceremony by chessdom

Ketino Kachiani is the only Georgian player that came to Nalchik. Here is an interview with her by Mr. Surov.

Surov: Ketino Kachiani is the only chess player from Georgia who came to Nalchik. But she represents Germany. I thank her for her agreement to talk after her loss that didn’t let her go on playing in the Championship.

Surov: You were among those Georgian chess players who wrote an open letter with a request to change the venue of the Championship because of the reasons of security. But in the long run you have come. Why?

Ketino: When we were writing this letter we were in Tbilisi and that was the territory of Georgia. Things like that don’t happen very often in capitals. Not only me but other chess players from the different countries backed up this letter. There were 8 Georgian chess players who were to participate in this tournament. I think the Championship would have been more interesting if they had been here.

The Georgian chess school is one of the best schools. Moreover it is not only a Georgian chess school. It was famous in the times of the Soviet Union. Maya Chiburdanidze has so many titles that I can’t even enumerate all of them. So I think we must support such people, such legends. But later the situation improved and I am happy about that. I think such problems must be solved peacefully. That’s why I have come here. We, sportsmen, understand each other perfectly. I am sure the same will be with politicians. They will negotiate and solve some problems. Important problems.

Surov: So you differentiate politics and sports?

Ketino: Yes. I do because I am a sportsman, a chess player. Politics is not my cup of tea.

Surov: Why do you think Georgian chess players haven’t come?

Ketino: I think it was difficult for them psychologically to play especially when such things happen to your town. I think nobody can imagine that. I myself can’t imagine that because I wasn’t there at that time. This psychological factor is very important in sport. I believe they wouldn’t be able to play comfortably. They had to solve a lot of problems within the last two days: visas, flights, problems of security, etc. These things are of utmost importance.

I think that it was psychologically difficult for the Georgian sportsmen to play. I perfectly understand them. I think the tournament like this Championship is planned beforehand. We must train, we need silence. I grew up in the Soviet Union. All my titles I got being a citizen of the Soviet Union. Now I play for Germany.

Source: Chessdom.com

Two share title as state champ
By Jack Peters, International Master August 31, 2008

Alexandre Kretchetov and International Master Enrico Sevillano tied for first place last Sunday in the Southern California Championship. Each scored 5-2 in the round robin that serves as a state championship.

Next at 4 1/2 -2 1/2 were IM Andranik Matikozyan and this writer. Others: IM Cyrus Lakdawala, 3 1/2 -3 1/2 ; Julian Landaw and Christian Tanaka, each 2 1/2 -4 1/2 ; and Danyul Lawrence, 1/2 -6 1/2 . Only eight of the 28 games ended in draws.

Two sixth-round upsets, Sevillano’s stumble against 15-year-old Tanaka and Matikozyan’s unexpected loss to Kretchetov, left five players in contention for first prize entering the final round. Kretchetov capitalized against the luckless Lawrence, while Sevillano eked out a win against Lakdawala with a superb endgame.

The tournament was held on two weekends in the Century City law office of John Rowell, an expert who participated in the 2000 state championship and offered to provide a more comfortable site. John Hillery directed for the Southern California Chess Federation.

Source: http://www.latimes.com

• Sept. 19-28 daily (except Sept. 23, which is a rest day): SPICE Cup International
http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2008/08/2008-spice-cup.html

• Sept. 20: SPICE Cup Scholastic Open (Grade K-12)
http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2008/08/spice-cup-scholastic-championship.html

• Sept. 27-28: SPICE Cup Open Grand Prix
Two sections: Grand Prix and Amateurs (for players rated under 1000)
http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2008/08/spice-cup-grand-prix.html

• Sept. 27-28: Texas State Women’s Open Championship
Open Tournament for women across the U.S. and worldwide
http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2008/08/texas-womens-open-championship_27.html

Details for all of these tournaments are also available on the SPICE Web site, www.SPICE.ttu.edu.

GM So still on top of Vietnam chess

By Marlon Bernardino
Cebu Daily News
First Posted 10:28:00 08/31/2008

STANDINGS: 4.0 points — GM Wesley So (RP), GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili (Georgia), GM Dao Thien Hai (Vietnam), GM Le Quang Liem (Vietnam)

3.5 — IM Richard Bitoon (RP), GM Tu Hoang Thong (Vietnam), GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son (Vietnam), GM Nguyen Anh Dung (Vietnam), FM Pham Chuong (Vietnam), Tu Hoang Thai (Vietnam), Vo Thanh Ninh (Vietnam)

3.0—IM Rolando Nolte (RP), GM Konstantine Shanava (Georgia), GM Marat Dzumaev (Uzbekistan), FM Nguyen Doc Hua (Vietnam), Nguyen Van Huy (Vietnam), Nguyen Hoang Nam (Vietnam)

2.5—IM Julio Catalino Sadorra (RP)

FRESH from beating 17th seed IM Goh Weiming (2403) of Singapore in the fourth round, 4th seed GM Wesley So (2577) settled for a draw with top seed GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili (2615) of Georgia in yesterday’s fifth round to remain on top along three others in the Dragon Capital Vietnam Open Chess Championship at the P&T Hotel in Vung Tau, Vietnam.

The 14-year-old So, who won board 1 gold medal in the recently World Youth Under-16 Chess Olympiad in Mersin, Turkey had 4.0 points on three win and two draw, the same out put of Azmaiparashvili, 3rd seed GM Le Quang Liem (2577) and 11th seed GM Dao Thien Hai (2489) of Vietnam, his sixth round opponent.

Sharing the limelight with So, who is currently the world’s youngest chess GM, is 15th seed IM Richard Bitoon (2439) of Cebu who upset 6th seed GM Konstantine Shanava (2552) of Georgia in the fourth round then split the point with 18th seed IM Tu Hoang Thai (2395) of Vietnam in the fifth to raise his total 3.5 points.

Bitoon now shares 5th to 11th places with his next round opponent 10th seed GM Tu Hoang Thong (2493) of Vietnam.

Meanwhile, 7th seed IM Rolando Nolte (2522) scored back-to-back draws against GM Tu and 19th seed Nguyen Van Huy (2386) of Vietnam to raise his total to 3.0 points, good for 12th to 17th spots along with his sixth round opponent 24th seed Nguyen Hoang Nam (2310) of Vietnam.

Source: http://globalnation.inquirer.net

Round 6 results:

Nataf 1/2 Nakamura
Shulman 1/2 Akobian
Bluvshtein 1-0 Zugic
Maze 1-0 Roussel-Roozman
Kovalyov 1-0 Charbonneau

Standings after 6 rounds:

1. Shulman, Yuri g USA 2623 4½

2. Akobian, Varuzhan g USA 2610 4
3. Bluvshtein, Mark g CAN 2548 4

4. Charbonneau, Pascal g CAN 2499 3½
5. Nakamura, Hikaru g USA 2697 3½

6. Nataf, Igor-Alexandre g FRA 2534 2½
7. Maze, Sebastien g FRA 2553 2½
8. Kovalyov, Anton m ARG 2548 2½

9. Zugic, Igor m CAN 2457 2

10. Roussel-Roozmon, Thomas m CAN 2486 1

Official website: http://perso.b2b2c.ca/lesechecauquebec/tim2008.htm

Who is this chess player?

Photo by chessdom

Round 1 Results: (red = forfeit, bold = tie matches, blue = upsets)

CHN Xu, Yuhua 2483 1.5
RSA Solomons, Anzel 1895 0.5

EGY Alaa El Din, Yorsa 1959 0
IND Koneru, Humpy 2622 2

CHN Hou, Yifan 2557 2
EGY Khaled, Mona 2007 0

PER Zapata, Karen 2180 0 F
BUL Stefanova, Antoaneta 2550 2 F

SWE Cramling, Pia 2544 1.5
VEN Sanchez Castillo, Sarai 2202 0.5

POL Gasik, Anna 2211 2 F
FRA Sebag, Marie 2529 0 F

CHN Zhao, Xue 2522 2 ARG
Zuriel, Marisa 2231 0

UZB Muminova, Nafisa 2242 0
RUS Kosintseva, Tatjana 2511 2

RUS Kosteniuk, Aleksandra 2510 2
IRI Pourkashiyan, Atousa 2269 0

CRO Golubenko, Valentina 2271 0.5
LTU Chmilyte, Viktorija 2508 1.5

SLO Muzychuk, Anna 2504 2
BUL Velcheva, Maria 2281 0

RUS Zakurdjaeva, Irina 2308 0.5
CHN Ruan, Lufei 2499 1.5

UKR Zhukova, Natalia 2489 1
USA Rohonyan, Katerine 2321 1

VIE Nguyen, Thi Thanh An 2323 2
GEO Chiburdanidze, Maya 2489 0

HUN Hoang Thanh Trang 2487 1.5
CUB Arribas Robaina, Matza 2323 0.5

AZE Kadimova, Ilaha 2324 1
GER Paehtz, Elisabeth 2481 1

UKR Ushenina, Anna 2476 1.5
VIE Le Thanh Tu 2325 0.5

ROM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca 2337 1
POL Socko, Monika 2473 1

USA Krush, Irina 2470 0 F
ITA Sedina, Elena 2344 2 F

CHN Zhang, Jilin 2344 0.5
UKR Gaponenko, Inna 2468 1.5

GEO Javakhishvili, Leta 2461 0 F
ARG Amura, Claudia 2345 2 F

RUS Nebolsina, Vera 2350 0
IND Harika, Dronavalli 2461 2

RUS Kosintseva, Nadezhda 2460 2
IND Mohota, Nisha 2354 0

GEO Gvetadze, Sopio 2355 0 F
RUS Korbut, Ekaterina 2459 0 F

USA Zatonskih, Anna 2446 2 F
NED Bosboom Lanchava, Tea 2358 0 F

GER Kachiani-Gersinska, Ketino 2374 0.5
CHN Shen, Yang 2445 1.5

ARM Mkrtchian, Lilit 2436 1
AUT Moser, Eva 2383 1

CHN Tan, Zongyi 2387 1.5
IND Tania, Sachdev 2432 0.5

SRB Bojkovic, Natasa 2423 1
CHN Ju, Wenjun 2389 1

MGL Mongontuul, Bathuyang 2406 2
POL Rajlich, Iweta 2417 0

GEO Lomineishvili, Maya 2414 0 F
GEO Khukhashvili, Sopiko 2408 0 F

RUS Matveeva, Svetlana 2412 2 F
GEO Khurtsidze, Nino 2413 0 F

After winning the super Tal Memorial by a full point, Ivanchuk made a surge today to win the super Tal Memorial Blitz by a full point over Kramnik! Ivanchuk is also the reigning World Blitz Champion. He won it ahead of Anand last year.

Perhaps we should all start to speak to our pawn before each game

Here are the final standings:

1. Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2781 23.5

2. Kramnik, Vladimir g RUS 2788 22.5

3. Carlsen, Magnus g NOR 2775 21.0

4. Svidler, Peter g RUS 2738 20.0
5. Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar g AZE 2742 20.0

6. Lékó, Peter g HUN 2741 18.0
7. Grischuk, Alexander g RUS 2728 18.0
8. Karjakin, Sergey g UKR 2727 18.0

9. Kamsky, Gata g USA 2723 17.5
10. Gelfand, Boris g ISR 2720 17.5

11. Ponomariov, Ruslan g UKR 2718 17.0

12. Grachev, Boris g RUS 2640 14.5

13. Alekseev, Evgeny g RUS 2708 14.0
14. Karpov, Anatoly g RUS 2651 14.0
15. Morozevich, Alexander g RUS 2788 14.0

16. Movsesian, Sergei g SVK 2723 12.5
17. Eljanov, Pavel g UKR 2716 12.5

18. Tkachiev, Vladislav g FRA 2664 11.5

Picture and report by chessdom

The chess player from Romania Sabina-Francesca Foisor celebrated her birthday on the second day of the Championship as well. The Organizing Committee of the Championship congratulated her on her 19 birthday with champagne and a cake with candles.

Aslan Afaunov, the Chairman of the KBR State Committee on Physical Culture and Sport wished her success and happiness and presented her with a bouquet of red roses. In the presence of all those present singing “Happy Birthday” the young Romanian blew out all the candles from the first attempt. While doing it she probably thought of winning the World Championship. The time will show.

Sabina drew both games against Polish top female player Monika Socko. They will head to a tie-break to determine who will advance to the next round.

I know Sabina’s parents (both are IMs) for many years and I am happy to see her following their success.

I just added some new cool internal features for this blog. One of them is the hybrid tracking chart of bloggers worldwide. Here is an example of the activities on this blog in the last 3 minutes. It shows the countries and cities of the bloggers. Amazingly, Norway is currently #2 (in the past 3 minutes) behind the U.S., and ahead of the U.K., Canada, France, India, Holland, Sweden, etc.