Ana Ivanovic qualified for Final Masters

By beating Tatiana Golovin in the quarterfinals of Luxembourg VTA, Ana Ivanovic booked ticket for the final Masters tournament to be held in Madrid. Already qualified for the final eight were Henin, Kuznetzova and Jelena Jankovic.

Ana later eliminated Russian Vera Zvonareva to progress to the Luxembourg final. Good luck Ana!

Essent Chess Tournament 2007

11th Essent Chess Tournament is taking place on 12-20 October in Hoogeveen, Netherlands. The 17th-category Crown group will feature Shakhryar Mamedyarov (AZE 2757), Ruslan Ponomariov (UKR 2706), Loek van Wely (NED 2679) and junior Zaven Andriasyan (ARM 2540). First round is on 14 October.

Essent Open with 7.500 Euros in prizes is already full. 90 players can participate, new entries will be placed on the reserve-list. Amateur tournament will consist of two groups (morning and afternoon) with 80 players each. Afternoon group is full. Youth tournament is also planned.


Essent live coverage

Isle of Man

16th Monarch Assurance Isle of Man International is being held on 22-30 September. GMs Vitali Golod and Michael Roiz are leading with 3.5 points after four rounds and should meet each other in the fifth. A bulk of players with 3.0 points are following.

Official website


Michal Krasenkow - Vitali Golod
1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 dxc4 4. Nc3 c6 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. Ne5 Nbd7 9. Nxd7 Nxd7 10. O-O O-O 11. e4 Bg6 12. f3 e5 13. Be3 exd4 14. Bxd4 Qa5 15. Qc2 Ne5 16. Be2 Rad8 17. Bf2 f6 18. f4 Nd7 19. Bc4+ Kh8 20. Rad1 Bc5 21. g4 h6 22. h4 Bxf2+ 23. Qxf2 Qb4 24. Qd4 Rde8 25. g5 Nb6 26. b3 Nxc4 27. bxc4 Rd8 28. Qe3 Qxc4 29. gxf6 gxf6 30. f5 Bh7 31. Kh2 Rxd1 32. Rxd1 Rg8 33. Ne2 Qxa4 34. Rd7 Qb5 35. Re7 Qb4 0-1

Michael Roiz - Bartlomiej Heberla
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. g3 Bf5 4. c4 e6 5. Bg2 Nb4 6. O-O Nc2 7. Nh4 Nxa1 8. Nxf5 exf5 9. Nc3 Nf6 10. cxd5 Be7 11. Bf4 O-O 12. Qd3 Qd7 13. Rxa1 c6 14. dxc6 bxc6 15. Qc4 Rac8 16. Na4 Rfd8 17. e3 Ne4 18. Rc1 c5 19. Bxe4 fxe4 20. Nxc5 Bxc5 21. dxc5 Qf5 22. h3 Qxh3 23. c6 Qf5 24. Qe2 Rd3 25. c7 h5 26. Kg2 Qd5 27. Rh1 g6 28. g4 Qd7 29. Rh4 f6 30. Bg3 Kg7 31. gxh5 Rd2 32. Qc4 Qf5 33. h6+ Kh8 34. Rf4 Qd5 35. Qxd5 Rxd5 36. Rxf6 Kh7 37. Bd6 Kxh6 38. Rf8 1-0

Serbian Championship - Final Match

Serbian Chess Championship, which took place back in March, ended in a three-way tie. Serbian Chess Federation and Faculty of Mechanical Engineering are organizing final match to determinate single champion for year 2007.

The event is taking place on 21-23 September with the slightly faster time control. Two games are being played every day, prize fund is 1500 Euros.

Update: Milos Perunovic won the tiebreaks and Serbian Championship. Congratulations!


September 21st:
GM Branko Damljanovic - GM Mihajlo Stojanovic 0.5-1.5



September 22nd:
GM Milos Perunovic - GM Branko Damljanovic 1.5-0.5

September 23rd:
GM Mihajlo Stojanovic - GM Milos Perunovic 0-2

Stojanovic, Perunovic and Damljanovic

Lleyton Hewitt: "It will be tough"

Davis Cup tie match Serbia-Australia will be played over the weekend in front of 20.000 audience in Belgrade Arena. Hyatt Hotel emptied entire three floors, even if nobody asked for, in order to provide the best possible conditions for Australian team.

"Serbia is favorite because of their good form and Novak Djokovic is probably hoping to win doubles and both singles", Lleyton Hewitt said, "It will be tough, but we had good preparation and we hope to win".

Videos from Mexico

I read somewhere that around 100 journalists from all over the world are accredited to follow World chess championship in Mexico and some of them took a long journey to make videos. We have messages from Peter Doggers and GM Robert Fontaine:


Dear editors,

ChessVibes is in Mexico! The first videos have been published, with images of the start of round 5, the post-mortem Leko-Kramnik and all the press conferences. Enjoy them at

http://www.chessvibes.com/?lp_lang_pref=en&p=1238

Best regards,

Peter Doggers
Editor-in-chief,
ChessVibes


Dear chess fans,

Check out the latest videos, photos and reports at the World Chess championship in Mexico at http://www.europe-echecs.com. We provide daily also some interviews with the players on video. Some TV journal in 4 languages (French, English, Spanish and Russian) are available at the end of each day made by GMS!

I hope you'll enjoy it.
Robert Fontaine (GM)


No tournament with Anand can be played without Vijay Kumar and his camera. Check the LiveTeleShows.

Central Serbia Team Competitions - Round 2

First Division Central Serbia

Round 2
Novi Pazar: Ina Dizajn - Jasenica 3:3
Uzice: Sloboda - Trepca 2:4
Sabac: Sabacki SK - Metalac 3.5:2.5
Petrovac: Sloga - Zadrugar 3:3
Pozarevac: Pozarevacki SK - Progres 3:3
Nis: Nis - Smederevski SK 3.5:2.5


Second Division Central Serbia

Western Group, Round 2
Priboj: FAP - Uzice 3:3
Pozega: Pozega - Veteran 5.5:0.5
Ub: Ub - Ribnica 3.5:2.5
Velika Plana: Morava - Spartak 4.5-1.5
Lipnicki Sor: Sloga - Borac 4.5:1.5
Nova Varos: Zlatar - Priko 1.5:4.5

Eastern Group, Round 2
Leskovac: Glubocica - Zeleni Vrh 2.5:3.5
Nis: PTT Telekom - Celin Kamen 3:3
Prokuplje: Toplicanin - Jastrebac 3:3
Branicevo: Branicevo - MMM 3:3
Kostolac: Rudar - Kablovi 1.5:4.5
Paracin: SFS Borac - Bor 3:3


League Central Serbia

Zone North, Round 2
Vladimirci: Vladimirci - Melamin 3.5:2.5
Kragujevac: Vodovod - Karadjordje 4.5:1.5
Batocina: Strazevica - Knic 2.5:3.5
Arandjelovac: Arandjelovacki SK - Krusik 4:2
Lajkovac: Lajkovac - Loznica 4:2
Ljubovija: Drina - Valjevski SK 2005 1:5

Zone West, Round 2
Aleksandrovac: Zupa - Temnic 4:2
Tutin: Tutin - Dragacevo 4:2
Lucani: Mladost - Mladost (S) 3:3
Zlatibor: Zlatibor Cigota - Bajina Basta 3:3
Krusevac: 14. Oktobar - Prva Petoletka 1.5:4.5
Kraljevo: Zeleznicar - Svojbor 2.5:3.5

Zone East, Round 2
Pozarevac: Mladi Radnik - Radnicki 3.5:2.5
Knjazevac: Knjazevac - Ozren 2.5:3.5
Kladovo: Djerdap - Hemicar 3:3
Bor: Bakar - Timok 4.5:1.5
Milosevo: Milosevac - Majdanpek 1:5
Paracin: Paracin - Vojvoda Milenko 4.5:1.5

Zone South, Round 1
Nis: Svitanja - Centar 3.5:2.5
Nis: Ekonomist - Caribrod 3.5:2.5
Trupale: Radnicki - Jastrebac 3:3
Vlasotince: Vlasotince - Vranje 3.5:2.5
Leskovac: Aljehin - Besa 3.5:2.5
Vucje: Vucje - Kondiva 1.5:4.5


Delayed 1st round match in Zone West:
Aleksandrovac: Zupa - 14. Oktobar 3:3

World Chess Championship has started

The first round ended a bit too quick...

Alexander Morozevich - Levon Aronian draw
Vishwanathan Anand - Boris Gelfand draw
Vladimir Kramnik - Peter Svidler draw
Alexander Grischuk - Peter Leko draw

Round 2 pairings:
Peter Svidler - Peter Leko
Vladimir Kramnik - Alexander Morozevich
Boris Gelfand - Alexander Grischuk
Levon Aronian - Vishwanathan Anand


Video/commentary/analysis:
ChessVibes on tour
The Week In Chess
WCC Mexico live on Chessdom
ChessOk with GM Shipov


See also Mexico City WCC PR

Davis Cup: Serbia vs Australia

John Fitzgerald, Captain of the Australian team, has announced his lineup for the incoming Davis Cup tie match against Serbia. They will feature former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt (21st in the ATP Rankings), Peter Luczak (91st), Chris Guccione (95th), doubles specialist Paul Hanley and young guns Alun Jones and Greg Jones.

Serbia will be represented by Novak Djokovic, Janko Tipsarevic, Nenad Zimonjic, Viktor Troicki i Arsenije Zlatanovic. The match will take place on 21-23 September in already sold-out Belgrade Arena. The hall is accepting 20.000 viewers and Serbia chose clay as court surface.



Novak Djokovic and his family have invited 50 children from Kosovo and Metohija enclaves to be their guests during the Davis Cup tie between Australia and Serbia in Belgrade (21-23 September). Those kids are leaving in extremely hard conditions, under constant threat, and weekend in Belgrade will surely be important highlight in their life.


Day 1 update:
Novak Djokovic - Peter Luczak 3-0 (6:1, 6:4, 6:2)
Janko Tipsarevic - Lleyton Hewitt 2:3 (2:6, 6:3, 6:4, 1:6, 1:6)

Lleyton praised Janko and atmosphere in the "Arena". Djokovic asked audience for stronger support. Clay court is in awful condition, big minus.

Day 2 update:
Nenad Zimonjic/Novak Djokovic - Paul Hanley/Lleyton Hewitt 3-1 (3:6, 6:4, 6:3, 6:2)

Day 3 update:
Novak Djokovic - Chris Guccione 3:0 (6:3, 7:6, 7:6)

Serbia qualified for the World Group! Lleyton Hewitt had stomach flu and had to skip the match. Janko Tipsarevic was scheduled to play Peter Luczak in the 5th match, but since there is no need to chase the score, he might be replaced not to worsen the rib muscle injury.

Boris Pasanski - Peter Luczak 2:1 (4:6, 6:3, 6:1)

5th match is played on two won sets. Boris was very happy with his win, even if everything was decided before. We understand that Belgrade Arena saw the third-largest attendance in the Davis Cup's 108-year history. Australia took the record 28 trophies, but now is relegated from the World Group. We do hope they'll quickly bounce back.

IV Torneio Internacional de Guimarães

Associação de Xadrez do Distrito de Braga organized the 4th Guimaraes International on 4-9 September. 113 players competed during 7 rounds and prize fund was 2200 Euros.


The standings:
1-3. FM Romain Picard (2309 FRA), Henrique Castro (2186 POR) and WFM Ariana Pintor (2084 POR) 6.0/7
4-6. Jose Carlos Pena Torres (2131 ESP), Carlos Novais (1947 POR) and Rui Jorge Rodrigues Trindade (2014 POR) 5.5/7, followed by a bulk of players with 5.0 points

Tournament website

Karlovy Vary videos

ChessVibes was busy filming videos in Karlovy Vary. Check out the press conference and interview with Jan Timman.

Some didn't like it

Spanish newspaper "Marca" and some of their readers were unhappy, to put it mild, about Novak Djokovic impersonations of Rafael Nadal. A number of insulting comments towards Novak and Serbia in general have been posted, but there were few normal people seeing it as it is - funny and refreshing. Rafa and Nole are actually good friends, Rafael came to Belgrade for Novak's birthday party earlier this year.

Maria Sharapova showed how silly was their attitude. She was "victim" of the same show that featured Nadal, yet she took place in the Novak's supporters section during the finals. "She said she's going to kill me", Novak joked, "Of course she accepted it in the right way. Of course she found it funny. Not offended". Boo Marca!

Robert De Niro and his wife watched Novak's last two matches from the same section. They even participated in the cheering decoration by wearing the appropriate t-shirts. During the semifinal, box formed Serbian flag with red, blue and white shirts, with De Niro in white line.

While we are on the subject, Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic were appointed UNICEF Godwill Ambassadors.

Central Serbia Team Competitions

The Serbian Premier League ended 10 days ago, and now it's time for Belgrade, Vojvodina and Central Serbia to launch their competitions. Here are the results from Central Serbia matches played over the weekend. Winner of the First Division will qualify for Premier League etc



First Division Central Serbia

Round 1
Gornji Milanovac: Metalac - Ina Dizajn 3:3
Sabac: Sabacki SK - Sloboda 2.5:3.5
Smederevska Palanka: Jasenica - Trepca 4:2
Nis: Nis - Sloga 4.5:1.5
Smederevo: Smederevski SK - Pozarevacki SK 5:1
Pirot: Progres - Zadrugar 2:4


Second Division Central Serbia

Western Group, Round 1
Pozega: Pozega - Zlatar 6:0
Lipnicki Sor: Sloga - Ub 3:3
Cacak: Borac - Morava 1.5:4.5
Ljig: Spartak - Ribnica 2.5:3.5
Krusevac: Veteran - FAP 1.5:4.5
Uzice: Uzice - Priko 3:3

Eastern Group, Round 1
Prokuplje: Toplicanin - Glubocica 3:3
Blace: Jastrebac - PTT Telekom 3:3
Donja Studena: Celin Kamen - Zeleni Vrh 4.5:1.5
Paracin: SFS Borac - Branicevo 4.5:1.5
Bor: Bor - Rudar 4:2
Jagodina: Kablovi - MMM 2.5:3.5


League Central Serbia

Zone North, Round 1
Loznica: Loznica - Melamin 3:3
Arandjelovac: Arandjelovacki SK - Vodovod 2.5-3.5
Valjevo: Krusik - Strazevica 1.5:4.5
Knic: Knic - Karadjordje 3.5:2.5
Ljubovija: Drina - Vladimirci 2.5-3.5
Valjevo: Valjevski SK 2005 - Lajkovac 5-1

Zone West, Round 1
Aleksandrovac: Zupa - 14. Oktobar postponed
Cajetina: Zlatibor Cigota - Tutin 3.5:2.5
Bajina Basta: Bajina Basta - Mladost 4:2
Sjenica: Mladost - Dragacevo 4.5:1.5
Varvarin: Temnic - Zeleznicar 1.5:4.5
Novi Pazar: Svojbor - Prva Petoletka 1.5:4.5

Zone East, Round 1
Klicevac: Vojvoda Milenko - Mladi Radnik 2:4
Bor: Bakar - Knjazevac 3:3
Zajecar: Timok - Djerdap 2:4
Negotin: Hemicar - Ozren 2.5:3.5
Paracin: Paracin - Milosevac 2.5:3.5
Cuprija: Radnicki - Majdanpek 1:5

Zone South, Round 1
Trupale: Radnicki - Svitanja 2.5:3.5
Nis: Jastrebac - Ekonomist 3.5:2.5
Dimitrovgrad: Caribrod - Centar 3:3
Vucje: Vucje - Vlasotince 0.5:5.5
Zbevac: Kondiva - Aljehin 3:3
Bujanovac: Besa - Vranje 2.5:3.5

15th Internacional Ciudad de Albacete

The tournament was held on 2-7 September in Hotel Universidad de Albacete, Spain. Russian GM Vladimir Burmakin won his 2nd tournament this month. There were 108 participants, first prize was 1800 Euros.


The standings:
1. GM Burmakin Vladimir (RUS 2581) 8.0
2-4. FM Perez Mitjans Orelvis (CUB 2412), GM Movsziszian Karen (ARM 2534) and GM Hernandez Carmenates Holden (CUB 2544) 7.0
5-9. GM Lazarev Vladimir (RUS 2498), IM Minzer Claudio Javier (ARG 2410), IM Vassallo Mauricio (ESP 2387), IM Guliev Logman (AZE 2454) and Llavador Moron Juan Jose (ESP 2194) 6.5
10-20. GM Khamrakulov Ibragim S (ESP 2592), GM Babaev Rashad (AZE 2488), FM Vitor Antonio (POR 2373), IM Castellanos Rodriguez Renier (CHI 2471), GM Rivas Pastor Manuel (ESP 2510), FM Valmana Canto Jaime (ESP 2346), Picazo Lopez Juan Antonio (ESP 2198), Fernandez Barrera Victor (ESP 2204), IM Granero Roca Antonio (ESP 2348), IM Saldano Horacio (ESP 2451) and IM Guerra Bastida Diego (ESP 2370) 6.0 etc

Novak Djokovic Superstar

This one is funny

Many websites and blogs have reported about the decisions of the FIDE Ethics Commission, but most of the attention was given to Veselin Topalov and Nigel Short case.

Case 1/06 was "Dimitrije Bjelica" (Complaint of Mr. Ali Nihat Yazici), and some of my favorite characters were involved. Accusation was:
- Writing various e-mails from November 2005 till July 2006, addressed both to Mr. Ali Nihat Yazici, President of the Turkish Chess Federation, and to other people and institutions, in particular to the editors of some newspapers, to have insulted and defamed Mr. Ali Nihat Yazici, damaging his honour and reputation and the reputation of the Turkish Chess Federation, calling Mr. Ali Nihat Yazici "a small dictator as Campomanes and small pawns of FIDE", "a slave of mafia from FIDE", using other insulting and damaging words and accusing him of "corruption".
- Writing these e-mails to have defamed FIDE institutions and some FIDE officers, in particular Mr. Florencio Campomanes, Mr. Boris Kutin and Mr. Vladimir Sahotic.
Facts that could constitute a violation of par. 2.2.4, 2.2.10, 2.2.11 of the FIDE Code of Ethics.

Explanation: Mr. Dimitrije Bjelica is a very appreciated person in the world of chess, both as a chess organiser and as a chess author. Of course, this does not authorize him to injure or discredit the reputation of other people, but has to be considered in his favour, as his not young age. (ha ha ha)

Punishment: The EC rules that
- in the part concerning an alleged damage to FIDE and to Mr. Florencio Campomanes, Mr. Boris Kutin and Mr. Vladimir Sahotic’s reputation, the complaint filed by Mr. Ali Nihat Yazici is not admissible nor receivable and the charge concerning the violation of art. 2.2.10 of the FIDE Code of Ethics has to be dismissed;
- Mr. Dimitrije Bjelica violated art. 2.2.4 and 2.2.11 of the FIDE Code of Ethics;
- Mr. Dimitrije Bjelica is sanctioned with a reprimand.


Download full judgement

Corus 2008

Corus, Group A:

GM Viswanathan Anand IND
GM Vassily Ivanchuk UKR
GM Vladimir Kramnik RUS
GM Veselin Topalov BUL
GM Peter Leko HUN
GM Shakhryar Mamedyarov AZE
GM Teymour Radjabov AZE
GM Levon Aronian ARM
GM Boris Gelfand ISR
GM Michael Adams ENG
GM Magnus Carlsen NOR
GM Judit Polgar HUN
GM Pavel Eljanov UKR
GM Loek Van Wely NED


Tournament website
Chessdom live coverage

Beauty Chess

Serbian team championship ended yesterday at Zlatibor and Radnicki from Rudovci won women's premier league. A couple of motivating photos.

Sandra Djukic earned WGM norm


WGM Maria Velcheva


Lena Miladinovic


WFM Marija Urosevic


IM Anna Ushenina


WFM Ljilja Drljevic


IM Inna Gaponenko


WIM Andjelija Stojanovic


Thanks to Serbia Chess Federation and Chessdom Index