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29-year-old quadriplegic, the first Neuralink user, plays chess online using BCI

21/03/2024 -

29-year-old Noland Arbaugh became the first user of Neuralink. He mentioned in the livestream that about eight years ago, he had a freak diving accident. It dislocated his C4 and C5 which made him quadriplegic. He is paralyzed and has no sensation of movement below the shoulders. "I love playing chess and so this is one of the things that you all have enabled me to do. Something that I wasn't able to do much, the last few years." - Noland says while we see the cursor moving on the screen controlled by his brain which is named, brain computer interface. Check out this fascinating piece of technology which could possibly help a lot of people getting various stuff done. Photo: Neuralink live stream

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The New Opening Encyclopaedia 2024 - Your easy access to Opening Theory

21/03/2024 -

Be well-prepared with the new Opening Encyclopaedia 2024! Whether you want to build up a reliable and powerful opening repertoire or find new opening ideas for your existing repertoire, the Opening Encyclopaedia covers the entire opening theory and is the ideal start for your opening training. Many new articles enrich the current theory with new or revisited ideas. The Encyclopaedia can help you learn openings quickly and give you a head start on your next opponent. Each article contains explanations and annotated games illustrating typical plans to deepen your understanding. Photo: ChessBase

Velammal AICF WGM 2024 R4: Mary emerges sole leader

21/03/2024 -

WGM Mary Ann Gomes defeated WGM Uurtsaikh Uuriintuya (MGL) to gain sole lead at Velammal AICF WGM Round-Robin 2024. Mary scored an emphatic victory to move ahead of the rest at 3.5/4. WIM Sakshi Chitlange won her game against WIM M Mahalakshmi when the latter made a one-move blunder. It could have been a different outcome had she not made the blunder as her opponent made an inaccuracy. V Rindhiya outplayed WGM Nino Maisuradze (FRA). WIM Mounika Akshaya registered her first victory of the event against WIM Monnisha G K. WGM Altan-Ulzii Enkhtuul (MGL) missed a win against WIM Angela Franco Valencia (COL). Today is the second of the three double rounds. Round 5 starts at 10 a.m. IST. Photos: FI Niklesh Jain

Srihari L becomes the first International Master from Pondicherry

20/03/2024 -

19-year-old Srihari L became Pondicherry's first International Master on 11th February 2024. The teenager earned his maiden IM-norm at Chhattisgarh CM Trophy GM Masters 2022 in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. A little over 15 months later, he earned his second IM-norm at 51st Rilton Cup 2023-24 in Stockholm, Sweden. Almost five weeks later, he delivered a dominant performance at 17th Tamil Nadu IM-norm Round-Robin 2024. He scored his final IM-norm and reached an exact 2400. He also won the tournament and finished a staggering 2.5 points ahead of the rest. His journey towards the GM title continues.

Velammal AICF WGM 2024 R2-3: Mary and Sarayu are the early leaders

20/03/2024 -

WGM Mary Ann Gomes and Sarayu Velpula have emerged early coleaders at Velammal AICF WGM Round-Robin 2024. Mary defeated WIM G K Monnisha in a wild game in the second round. Both of their kings were out in the open. Mary managed to defend her king and use her extra material to win the game. WIM Sakshi Chitlange could not capitalize on her decisive advantage against Sarayu. Instead, she made a one move blunder and Sarayu won the game. Sakshi, WIM M Mahalakshmi and IM Elena Sedina (ITA) are at 2/3 each. They are followed by four players at 50% score of 1.5/3. Round 4 starts at 10 a.m. IST. Photos: FI Niklesh Jain

Di Li wins ChessOrg Schachfestival 2024 Bad Wörishofen, Bharath, Harshavardhan and Akash second

19/03/2024 -

GM Di Li (CHN) scored an unbeaten 7.5/9 to win 39th ChessOrg Festival Bad Woerishofen Open A 2024. He finished a half point ahead of the field. GM Bharath Subramaniyam H, IM Harshavardhan G B and GM Akash G scored 7/9 each. They shared second place. The top three prizes were €2000, €1400 and €900 along with a trophy each respectively. Both Bharath and Harshavardhan drew against the eventual champion. Eleven players including six Indians scored 6/9. IM Ilamparthi A R and IM Muthaiah Al are the remaining two Indians to make a top ten finish. The festival witnessed the combined total participation of 339 players across Open A, B and Senior category. Photos: Official site

Velammal AICF WGM Round Robin 2024 is off to a great start

19/03/2024 -

Velammal AICF WGM Round-Robin 2024 has made a great start. Five out of the six games ended decisively. WGM-elect WIM Sakshi Chitlange and WIM Monnisha G K defeated WGM Uurtsaikh Uuriintuya (MGL) and WGM Nino Maisuradze (FRA) respectively. Top seed, Sarayu Velpula started her tournament with a victory over WIM Mounika Akshaya. WIM Mahalakshmi M and WGM Mary Ann Gomes are the remaining two winners. They defeated V Rindhiya and WIM Angela Franco Valencia (COL) respectively. The total prize fund of the tournament is ₹1000000. The top three prizes are ₹250000, ₹150000 and ₹130000 each. The first of the three double rounds will be played today. Round 2 starts at 9:30 a.m. IST. Photos: FI Niklesh Jain

World Junior U20 Championship 2024 will take place at Gandhinagar, Gujarat this June

19/03/2024 -

FIDE World Junior Under-20 Chess Championship 2024 will take at Gandhinagar, Gujarat from 1st to 14th June. Registrations is on. The deadline for players with personal rights is on 1st April 2024. For additional players and accompanying persons, it is on 1st May 2024. The total prize fund combining Open and Girls category will be €10000 along with Gold, Silver and Bronze medal and a trophy each. Check out the announcement to know the eligibility criteria for participation. The tournament regulations and invitation is also available. Photo: FIDE

Velammal AICF Women Grand Master Round Robin Tournament Begins Today

18/03/2024 -

The launch of the Velammal AICF Women Grand Master Round Robin Tournament took place today in Chennai, the esteemed capital of Indian chess. This event signifies the commencement of an exhilarating series of matches. The tournament features a total of 11 classical matches played on a round-robin basis, showcasing the talents of five foreign women titled players from Mongolia, France, Italy, and Colombia, alongside seven Indian women players. Notably, India's Sarayu Velpula holds the esteemed position of being the top-seeded player in this fiercely competitive lineup. The inaugural ceremony witnessed the gracious presence of Madras High Court Judge, Ms. N Mala, as the Chief Guest, lending an air of distinction to the occasion. Photo - Niklesh Jain

Best Games of the 6th Prague International Chess Festival 2024

18/03/2024 -

Saving the best for the last is a popular saying. The sixth edition of Prague International Chess Festival 2024 awarded best game prize for each round. There was also a prize most spectacular game of the tournament named Lubomír Kaválek Prize. Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) won it for his eighth round game against Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI). In this article, we share with you the games of each round which won the prize along with game videos with either commentary or analysis with IM Sagar Shah and Amruta Mokal with the player. We also saved a few interviews and photos which were not seen in the previous reports. Check out the final report of this festival and find out the dates for the next one. Photo: Petr Vrabec/Prague International Chess Festival

From Happenstance to First International Makruk Open Champion

18/03/2024 -

During one of his trips to Bangkok, while visiting a shopping mall, Peter Long stumbled upon a poster which had Chess and Makruk written on it. It piqued his interest. Makruk is also known as Thai Chess in the west. How did he get into this unique version chess? What is the origin of it? FM FT IA Peter Long writes all about his journey from attending a referee seminar to participating his first-ever international open tournament of Makruk and winning it. He shared his experience of playing a fun team match in Malaysia. Peter also did a lot of research and shares the origin of Makruk. Read this intriguing journey of Peter. Photos: FM FT IA Peter Long

Aditya Mittal astounding at 125th anniversary of Werder Bremen with a 2713 performance

17/03/2024 -

GM Aditya Mittal scored an unbeaten 7/9 to win 125th anniversary of Werder Bremen Tournament. The teenager was the top seed of the event and he certainly delivered a top class performance in one of the strongest chess tournaments to take place at Bremen. He performed at 2713, finished a full point ahead of the competition and gained 13 Elo rating points. Aditya also crossed 2600 in the live ratings for the first time in his career. GM Pawel Teclaf (POL) scored sole 6/9 to finish second. Four players - GM Bobby Sky Cheng (AUS), GM Szymon Gumularz (POL), GM Zahar Efimenko (UKR) and GM Vojtech Plat (CZE) scored 5.5/9 each. They were placed third to sixth according to tie-breaks.

New: Luis Engel - Uncovering the Anti-Sicilians!

17/03/2024 -

Who hasn’t experienced it? You’re prepared for an exciting game in the open Najdorf Sicilian, and suddenly your opponent puts one of the seemingly countless minor variations on the board - in order to avoid the main Najdorf variations. Should you be frustrated? Absolutely not! Luis Engel uncovers the Anti-Sicilians, so you can prepare well. This Fritztrainer offers you the perfect addition to any Sicilian or Najdorf repertoire, and covers all the minor variations that White has tried to avoid the open Sicilian. If you already have the two Fritztrainers covering the Sicilian Najdorf after 5... a6, you have a complete and seamless grandmaster repertoire against 1. e4 at your disposal! Photo: ChessBase

Anastasia Bodnaruk wins 2nd International Women's Championship 2024, Soumya Swaminathan second

17/03/2024 -

The reigning World Rapid Women's champion, IM Anastasia Bodnaruk scored an unbeaten 7.5/9 to win 2nd International Women's Chess Championship 2024. She finished a half point ahead of others. IM Soumya Swaminathan and WIM Mariam Mkrtchyan (ARM) scored 7/9 each. They secured second and third place respectively according to tie-breaks. The tournament was dedicated to the International Women's Day. The total prize fund of the tournament was US$ 50000. The top three prizes were $6000, $5000 and $4000 each respectively. This was the third rating tournament Soumya played in 2024 and she secured her first podium finish of the year.

Exclusive Interview: Insights from the New Officers of AICF

16/03/2024 -

On March 10, Indian chess marked a significant occasion not tied to any tournament or player achievement but rather to the announcement of the newly elected working committee of the All India Chess Federation (AICF). Unlike past elections marred by controversies, this round proceeded in a remarkably peaceful manner, culminating in unopposed victories, a rarity in national associations. Moreover, in compliance with the National Sports Code, the majority of elected individuals are fresh faces. To gain insights into this pivotal moment, ChessBase India conducted an exclusive interview with the newly appointed President of the All India Chess Federation, Nitin Narang, Secretary Dev Patel, and Treasurer Dharmendra Kumar. Let's delve into their perspectives and aspirations for the future of Indian chess.

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