7 tie for 1st at International Chess Festival "100 Years of Botvinnik

100 Years of Mikhail Botvinnik in St. Petersburg



Seven players tied on first place, GM Denis Khismatullin declared winner

The International Chess Festival "100 Years of Mikhail Botvinnik" was held on 11-20th August at the Mikhail Chigorin Chess Club in St. Petersburg, Russia. The 9-round open tournament offered the prize fund of 25.000 EUR, with top prize being 4500 EUR. The winners will qualify to the final stage of Russian Cup according to the Russian Cup 2011 regulations.

The Russian Chess Federation is organizing a number of events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the 6th World Champion Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik (17 August 1911 - 5 May 1995). Besides the St. Petersburg Open, a seniors' tournament took place in Suzdal-Vladimir, while the world's best players will meet in Moscow on 1-5th September.

166 players competed at the Mikhail Chigorin Chess Club. GM Pavel Ponkratov started furiously with five consecutive wins but then he drew the remaining four games and allowed a larger group of players to catch up on the shared first place with 7.0 points each.

GM Denis Khismatullin was eventually declared winner on best tiebreak criteria. IM Jakov Geller earned a GM norm, while Semen Dvoirys continued the good form after winning the Polugaevsky Memorial few weeks earlier.

Final standings:

1-7. GM Khismatullin Denis RUS 2656, GM Aleksandrov Aleksej BLR 2609, GM Ponkratov Pavel RUS 2593, GM Dvoirys Semen I. RUS 2554, IM Geller Jakov RUS 2535, GM Yakovich Yuri RUS 2539 and GM Neverov Valeriy UKR 2500 - 7.0

8-15. GM Maletin Pavel RUS 2575, GM Zvjaginsev Vadim RUS 2659, GM Epishin Vladimir RUS 2553, IM Baryshpolets Andrey UKR 2474, GM Yevseev Denis RUS 2527, GM Kuzubov Yuriy UKR 2630, GM Popov Valerij RUS 2550, GM Lintchevski Daniil RUS 2553 - 6.5

16-31. GM Yemelin Vasily RUS 2592, GM Pridorozhni Aleksei RUS 2550, GM Levin Evgeny A. RUS 2465, GM Kovchan Alexander UKR 2554, GM Sedlak Nikola SRB 2580, GM Savchenko Boris RUS 2615, FM Pankov German RUS 2387, IM Vlasenko Miroslav RUS 2371, GM Kabanov Nikolai RUS 2520, FM Bulanov Dmitri BLR 2379, IM Smikovski Ivan RUS 2541, IM Rozum Ivan RUS 2464, Predke Alexandr RUS 2450, Serov Maksim RUS 2364, WIM Ivkina Olga RUS 2294 and Tsydypov Zhamsaran RUS 2247 - 6.0 etc

Tournament website

Korchnoi wins Botvinnik Memorial

Viktor Korchnoi Wins Botvinnik Memorial

Rapid seniors' tournament on 15-19th August in Suzdal-Vladimir Oblast

The Russian Chess Federation is organizing a number of events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the 6th World Champion Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik (17 August 1911 - 5 May 1995).

Besides the grande event with the World's top players and a strong open in St. Petersburg, a seniors' tournament was held from 15th to 19th August in Suzdal-Vladimir Oblast. Legendary players from Botvinnik era competed in the round robin rapid tournament with the time control of 25min + 10 sec/move.

Former World Champion Boris Spassky was set to make an appearance but eventually GM Oleg Chernikov took his place.

Viktor Korchnoi maintained the lead throughout the event and took a clear first place with 7.0 points. A point behind is Evgeni Vasiukov who grabbed the second place after a furious finish.

Chief arbiter was GM Yuri Averbakh. The prize fund is 14200 EUR.

Final standings:

1. GM Viktor Korchnoi SUI 2553 - 7.0

2. GM Evgeni Vasiukov RUS 2455 - 6.0

3. GM Lajos Portisch HUN 2523 - 5.0

4-5. GM Borislav Ivkov SRB 2416 and GM Igor Zaitsev RUS 2408 - 4.5

6-8. GM Wolfgang Uhlmann GER 2379, IM Aleksander Nikitin RUS 2430 and GM Oleg Chernikov RUS 2402 - 4.0

9. IM Anatoly Bykhovsky RUS 2354 - 3.5

10. GM Mark Taimanov RUS 2386 - 2.5

Advanced chess tactic from a legend

Black to move. How should black proceed?



Source: ChessToday.net

Ponkratov leads Botvinnik International Chess Festival

100 Years of Mikhail Botvinnik in St. Petersburg

GM Pavel Ponkratov sole leader after six rounds



The International Chess Festival "100 Years of Mikhail Botvinnik" is taking place on 11-20th August at the Mikhail Chigorin Chess Club in St. Petersburg, Russia. The 9-round open tournament offers the prize fund of 25.000 EUR, with top prize being 4500 EUR. The winners will qualify to the final stage of Russian Cup according to the Russian Cup 2011 regulations.



The Russian Chess Federation is organizing a number of events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the 6th World Champion Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik (17 August 1911 - 5 May 1995). Besides the St. Petersburg Open, a seniors' tournament is currently ongoing in Suzdal-Vladimir, while the world's best players will meet in Moscow on 1-5th September.



166 players compete in the Mikhail Chigorin Chess Club. GM Pavel Ponkratov started furiously with five consecutive wins and only in the sixth round conceded a first draw. He is the sole leader with 5.5 points, half a point ahead of the larger group of players.

A 13-round blitz chess tournament was held on 11th August, prior to the start of the main Open. A familiar face, GM Pavel Ponkratov, took a clear first place with 10 points and claimed the top prize of 750 EUR.

Round 6 standings:

1. GM Ponkratov Pavel RUS 2593 - 5.5

2-9. GM Maletin Pavel RUS 2575, GM Aleksandrov Aleksej BLR 2609, GM Kovchan Alexander UKR 2554, GM Khismatullin Denis RUS 2656, GM Dvoirys Semen RUS 2554, GM Yemelin Vasily RUS 2592, GM Zvjaginsev Vadim RUS 2659 and GM Levin Evgeny A. RUS 2465 - 5.0

10-18. IM Geller Jakov RUS 2535, Aitbayev Aslan KAZ 2346, GM Pridorozhni Aleksei RUS 2550, GM Yakovich Yuri RUS 2539, GM Savchenko Boris RUS 2615, IM Solovjov Sergey I. RUS 2387, GM Sedlak Nikola SRB 2580, IM Onischuk Vladimir UKR 2490 and IM Iljin Timofey UKR 2504 - 4.5 etc

Tournament website

Which is your favorite game?

Which is your favorite Botvinnik game?

Message from FIDE President Ilyumzhinov

Where would you rank Botvinnik among all the great world champions in history?



The 100th Anniversary of Mikhail Botvinnik

Wednesday, 17 August 2011 09:35



WELCOME MESSAGE FROM THE FIDE PRESIDENT KIRSAN ILYUMZHINOV



Today is a remarkable date for the chess world – the 100th anniversary of a chess legend Mikhail Botvinnik.



Mikhail Botvinnik is known as one of the greatest chess players of the twentieth century, the founder of the Soviet chess school and three-times World Chess Champion. Mikhail Botvinnik played a major role in the chess life of his generation which led chess to a new, state level of its development. Due to his outstanding chess career and achievements people of his country learned more about chess and it gradually entered every Soviet family. He is not only the "Patriarch" of the Soviet chess school but also a wise mentor of such noble chess players as Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik among the others.



Anyone who loves chess will always remember his style of play and his brilliant games against Capablanca, Tal, Smyslov. These games helped many people learn and fall in love with chess. Playing top class chess for decades, being an eminent chess author, one of the pioneers of computer chess and one of the openings theory researchers, Botvinnik is widely regarded as the most influential chess contributor in the world.



We are paying tribute to the first world class player who will be in our hearts forever.



www.fide.com

100th anniversary of Botvinnik's birth

Soviet grandmaster 100th anniversary

Aug 17, 2011 14:33 Moscow Time

Today marks the 100th birth anniversary of Soviet and Russian International Grandmaster and three-time World Chess Champion Mikhail Botvinnik.

Botvinnik became world champion in 1948, 1958, and 1961, and he played a total of 1202 games.

He was one of the pioneers of new trends in chess, made a significant contribution to world chess design and became a great chess teacher.

His students include World Champions Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov.

He died in May 1995.

Source: http://english.ruvr.ru

Korchnoi dominates Botvinnik Memorial

Mikhail Botvinnik Memorial 2011

Viktor Korchnoi leading the seniors' tournament after round six

The Russian Chess Federation is organizing a number of events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the 6th World Champion Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik (17 August 1911 - 5 May 1995).

Besides the grande event with the World's top players and a strong open in Sankt Petersburg, the RCF is hosting a seniors' tournament from 15th to 19th August in Suzdal-Vladimir Oblast. Legendary players from Botvinnik era compete in the round robin rapid tournament with the time control of 25min + 10 sec/move.

Former World Champion Boris Spassky was set to make an appearance but eventually GM Oleg Chernikov took his place.

After six rounds of play Viktor Korchnoi took a convincing lead with five points, full point and a half ahead of the group of players.

Chief arbiter is Yuri Averbakh. The prize fund is 14200 EUR.

Round 6 standings:

1. GM Viktor Korchnoi SUI 2553 - 5.0

2-4. GM Lajos Portisch HUN 2523, GM Evgeni Vasiukov RUS 2455 and IM Aleksander Nikitin RUS 2430 - 3.5

5-9. GM Oleg Chernikov RUS 2402, GM Wolfgang Uhlmann GER 2379, GM Borislav Ivkov SRB 2416, GM Igor Zaitsev RUS 2408 and IM Anatoly Bykhovsky RUS 2354 - 2.5

10. GM Mark Taimanov RUS 2386 - 2.0

Thanks to Mr. Alexander Kentler

Who will win the Botvinnik Memorial?

Who will win the Botvinnik Memorial?
	Boris Spassky
	Viktor Korchnoi
	Lajos Portisch
	Wolfgang Uhlmann
	Borislav Ivkov
	Mark Taimanov
	Evgeni Vasiukov
	Igor Zaitsev
	Aleksander Nikitin
	Anatoly Bykhovsky

Legends at Botvinnik Memorial

Mikhail Botvinnik Memorial
Seniors' tournament on 13-20th August in Suzdal-Vladimir

The Russian Chess Federation is organizing a number of events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the 6th World Champion Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik (17 August 1911 - 5 May 1995).

Besides the grande event with the World's top players, the RCF is preparing a seniors' tournament which will be held from 13th to 20th August in Suzdal-Vladimir Oblast. Legendary players from Botvinnik era will compete in the round robin rapid tournament with the time control of 25min + 10 sec/move.

Boris Spassky (France), Viktor Korchnoi (Switzerland), Lajos Portisch (Hungary), Wolfgang Uhlmann (Germany), Borislav Ivkov (Serbia), Mark Taimanov, Evgeni Vasiukov, Igor Zaitsev, Aleksander Nikitin and Anatoly Bykhovsky (all Russia) will participate.

Chief arbiter will be Yuri Averbakh. The prize fund will be 14200 EUR.