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bu Dortmund 2008
RD DATE FREE DORTMUND GAME-OF-THE-DAY HOST
1
6/28
GM Nick de Firmian
2
6/29
GM Joel Benjamin
3
7/1
GM Ronen Har-Zvi
4
7/2
GM Joel Benjamin
5
7/4
GM Larry Christiansen
6
7/5
GM Larry Christiansen
7
7/6
GM Gregory Kaidanov

DortmundThe annual Sparkassen Chess Meeting, sponsored by the German bank of the same name, will take place from June 28th to July 6th, in the Dortmund Civic Theater.

Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik is no stranger to Dortmund being one of his favorite tournaments.  He's a big favorite to win and add to his record eight titles there, and heads the 8-player field that also includes top ten players Shakriyaz Mamedyarov, Peter Leko and Vasily Ivanchuk.   This  will be Kramnik’s first Classical outing since his failure at Corus Wijk aan Zee at the start of the year and one of his last before he attempts to wrest the title from Vishy Anand in the autumn in Bonn, Germany.

The full line-up (in rating order from the April Fide list) is: Vladimir Kramnik (Russia), Shakriyaz Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan), Peter Leko (Hungary), Vasily Ivanchuk (Ukraine), Loek van Wely (Holland), Ian Nepomniachtchi (Russia), Arkady Naiditsch (Germany), and Jan Gustafsson (Germany).

You can find the round-by-round pairings here.

The ICC Chess.FM team (though minus Macauley Peterson) will also be covering Dortmund, with host Mig Greengard being joined each round by GMs Joel Benjamin, Larry Christiansen, Nick De Firmian, Ronen Har-Zvi and Gregory Kaidanov.  Play will get underway each day at 9:00AM ET (Final round 7:00AM ET).  Our full schedule can be found here.

On ICC: fingerDortmund08

IX 'New In Chess' Trivia Contest winners

The II New in Chess Trivia Contest!
Webcast Premium The IX 'New in Chess' TRIVIA Contest!
it
Date ICC Chess.FM

ICC ICC and New in Chess present The XI 'New in Chess' Trivia Contest! Tune-in to Mig on ICC Chess.FM for our round-by-round coverage of Dortmund Chess Tournament 2008, and each round you could win a 1-year subscription to the world's best chess magazine. For more information and rules, visit our help page.
DORTMUND '08 ICC 3 months ICC 6 months NiC subscription
Round 1
LarkScout
Prognesubis
Blake
Round 2
siddhu
injoke
Lone-Tiger
Round 3
CysteicAcid
slipstream
idontthink
Round 4
numbercrunch
Bumbly
vcs

 

bu Aerosvit 2008

Is there no stopping Norwegian wunderkind Magnus Carlsen? The 17-year-old teenage ace is again in the spotlight by winning yet another big elite tournament, this time taking first place with ease at Aerosvit ahead of Vassily Ivanchuk to add to his extraordinary haul so far for the year.

Carlsen's winning surge now of all the big elite events of the first half of the year -- Corus, Morelia/Linares, the Fide Grand Prix in Baku, and now Aerosvit -- is simply remarkable. No teenager has ever performed at this high a level in the game. Not even former world champion legends such as Garry Kasparov and Bobby Fischer - Carlsen is way ahead of their teenage feats.

And the rating points Carlsen is quickly amassing makes him odds-on to topple Vishy Anand for the top spot in the world rankings before the end of the year -- and at the same time, he looks as if he's going to become only the fifth player in history (behind Kasparov, Anand, Kramnik and Topalov) to crack the 2800 barrier.

Fide only publish their rating list ever quarter and the cutoff dates for the July 1st list means Aerosvit - with Carlsen and Ivanchuk's big hike in their ratings that would have made them world # 2 & 3 - not being included. However, you can follow Carlsen's surge to the summit at Hans Arild Runde's Live Top List, which is updated minutes after tournaments are completed. The Live Top List cover all players with a current, live rating above 2700, who are now generally known as "Super-GMs".

ICC: Foros08
Aerosvit 2008 official site

z Gata Kamsky Interview

- Macauley Peterson

GM Gata Kamsky was at the top of a six-way tie for first at the National Open (June 5-8), part of the Las Vegas International Chess Festival. In this 8 minute interview with Chess.FM, Kamsky discusses his time in Vegas and his thoughts on the upcoming World Championship candidates match with Veselin Topalov, scheduled for November in Lvov, Ukraine.


bu MTel 2008

Despite a late rally from three-time winner Veselin Topalov, that spectacularly backfired, as he somewhat surprisingly lost in the penultimate round to back-marker Bu Xiangzhi, Vassily Ivanchuk held on for a resounding victory at the category 20 Mtel Masters in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Ivanchuk, who got off to a perfect flying start of 5/5, won his last round game in convincing style against Topalov's second Ivan Cheparinov, who threw just about everything bar the kitchen sink at the Ukrainian ace in an unsound attack. Ivanchuk's remarkable winning score of 8.5/10 gave him the title a full 1.5-points ahead of local hero Topalov. His TPR for the Mtel Masters was a stunning 2977.

As winner of the Mtel Masters, Ivanchuk now goes forward to join Levon Aronian (winner, Corus), Vishy Anand (winner, Linares), the winner of the upcoming Mexico event and two wildcards (to be decided at a later date by the GS organizers), to take part in the Grand Slam final in Bilbao, Spain, running 1-13 September.

Macauley Peterson's Video Reports
Macauley Peterson's Video Reports

Macauley Peterson's Video Reports
"Game of the Day" Videos


JOHN HENDERSON'S PHOTO GALLERY

  NAME ELO FED 1 2 3 4 5 6 PTS
1 Cheparinov, Ivan 2695 BUL   0 0 0 0 .5 .5 .5 .5 1 1 4.0
2 Ivanchuk, Vassily 2740 UKR 1 1   1 .5 1 .5 1 .5 1 .5 8.0
3 Topalov, Veselin 2767 BUL 1 1 0 .5   1 1 .5 .5 1 0 6.5
4 Aronian, Levon 2763 ARM .5 .5 0 .5 0 0   .5 0 .5 .5 3.0
5 Radjabov, Teimour 2751 AZE .5 .5 0 .5 .5 .5 .5 1   .5 1 5.5
6 Bu, Xiangzhi 2708 CHN 0 0 0 0.5 0 1 .5 .5 .5 0   3.0

Final Standings

8.0 points
  GM Ivanchuk UKR (2740)
6.5 points
  GM Topalov BUL (2780)
5.5 points
  GM Radajabov AZE (2751)
4.0 points
  GM Cheparinov BUL (2695)
3.0 points
  GM BU Xiangzhi CHN (2708)
  GM Aronian ARM (2763)


VII 'New In Chess' Trivia Contest winners

The II New in Chess Trivia Contest!
Premium The 'New in Chess' TRIVIA Contest!
it
ICC and New in Chess present The New in Chess Trivia Contest! Tune-in to Mig on ICC Chess.FM for our round-by-round coverage of MTel 2008, and each round you could win a 1-year subscription to the world's best chess magazine. For more information and rules, visit our help page.
Premium WINNERS
Round ICC 3 months ICC 6 months NiC subscription
1 Ytilitalov Default Ytilitalov
2 Four-queens slipstream Toms
3 DeathRattle PaulFranklin DukeBishop
4 Lone-Tiger Default Zenpawn
5 BadHabitMarco Bill-W BadHabitMarco
6 Zenith funnybird govtissue
7 davidk90 kurochu trandism
8 slipstream idontthink Bootylicious
9 todd eternalwarrior magd1618
10 todd chinf fremskak

 

bu FIDE Grand Prix
Cross Table
  Player Rtg Fed 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Total
1 Inarkiev Ernesto 2684 RUS * 1 0 1/2 1/2 0 0 1 0 1/2 1 1/2 0 0 5
2 Mamedyarov Shakhriyar 2752 AZE 0 * 1 1/2 1/2 0 1 1 1/2 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 1/2 7.5
3 Carlsen Magnus 2765 NOR 1 0 * 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1 1 1/2 1/2 1/2 8
4 Gashimov Vugar 2679 AZE 1/2 1/2 1/2 * 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 1/2 1 1 8
5 Radjabov Teimour 2751 AZE 1/2 1/2 0 1/2 * 0 1/2 0 1/2 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 1 6
6 Cheparinov Ivan 2695 BUL 1 1 1/2 1/2 1 * 1/2 0 0 0 0 0 1/2 1/2 5.5
7 Karjakin Sergey 2732 UKR 1 0 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 * 1/2 1/2 1 1/2 0 0 1/2 6
8 Navara David 2672 CZE 0 0 1/2 1/2 1 1 1/2 * 0 0 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 5.5
9 Grischuk Alexander 2716 RUS 1 1/2 1/2 0 1/2 1 1/2 1 * 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 7.5
10 Adams Michael 2729 ENG 1/2 1/2 0 1/2 1/2 1 0 1 1/2 * 1/2 1/2 1 0 6.5
11 Bacrot Etienne 2705 FRA 0 0 0 1/2 0 1 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 * 1/2 1/2 1/2 5
12 Wang Yue 2689 CHN 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1 1 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 * 1 1/2 8
13 Svidler Peter 2746 RUS 1 1/2 1/2 0 1/2 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 0 1/2 0 * 1 6.5
14 Kamsky Gata 2726 USA 1 1/2 1/2 0 0 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 0 * 6


bu New at ICC Chess.FM

GM Ronen Har-Zvi "New Ideas in the Petroff Defence"

Ronen

The Petroff Defence (sometimes called the Russian Defence, and named after Russia's Alexander Petrov, 1794-1867) is considered as one of Black’s most reliable and solid methods of meeting the king’s pawn opening. It is easy to play and an excellent choice for someone looking for an alternative to the Scotch Opening, the Italian Game and the ‘Spanish torture’ of the Ruy Lopez.

Until a few years ago, the Petroff was an opening that was favored by only a few top Grandmasters, including Anatoly Karpov and Artur Yusupov. However, the last few years have seen a dramatic rise in its popularity, and it now provides battlefields for many top clashes of the modern elite players, including Anand, Kramnik, Leko, Topalov, and Shirov. And in the latest of his "New Ideas in..." series, GM Ronen Har-Zvi, takes a closer look under the microscope at the solid Petroff.

Preview Watch (members only) Part 1
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NM Dan Heisman "Improve Your Chess"

Heisman

National Master Dan Heisman is a name that is synonymous with excellence in chess coaching and teaching.

Over the years, Dan has produced many winning students and scholastic teams - and now he can help you, too! In this series of five instructional videos for ICC Chess.FM, Dan brings you his innovative teaching methods on how to play better chess - and all packed with sound advice from the maestro himself.

Watch the videos here. new

IM Alex Lenderman "The Caro-Kann Defense, Advance Variation"

Caro-Kann Defense, Advance Variation

IM Alex Lenderman shows how to play the Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann Defense.

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GM Ronen Har-Zvi "New Ideas in the Marshall Attack"

Ronen

One of the world’s first Grandmasters of chess, America’s Frank J. Marshall (1877-1944), left behind a lasting legacy to the chess world with his revered gambit against the Ruy Lopez – the Marshall Attack with 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Be7 6 Re1 b5 7 Bb3 0-0 8 c3 d5!

The Marshall Attack is one of the most important openings in the history of chess and is still deployed with regularity at super Grandmaster level. In current theory the ideas and strategies of both approaches are studied in-depth, and nowadays experts have come to the conclusion that White has no clear superiority in the main theoretical lines. And in the latest of his "New Ideas in..." series, GM Ronen Har-Zvi, takes a closer look under the microscope at Marshall's revolutionary idea.

Preview Watch (members only) Part 1
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GM Ronen Har-Zvi "New Ideas in the Slav and Semi-Slav Defences"

Ronen

In a series of opening videos for ICC Chess.FM, GM Ronen Har-Zvi investigates the latest developments and trends that will keep you up-to-date in the rock-solid Slav and Semi-Slav Defences. Sneak FREE preview of the last video.

This content is for members only. Subscribe to ICC today!

Play Part 1
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Pete Tamburro "The Sizzling Scandinavian"

Tamburro

New! The Scandinavian Defense (or Centre Counter) has risen in a relatively short time from being a theoretical backwater to a fully-blown main line opening. Its change in name to the Scandinavian came in the mid-1980s with its rehabilitation at top level by Denmark's Bent Larsen. And its rise since then has been nothing short of meteoric, even being used with great effect by Vishy Anand in his unsuccessful 1995 world title match against Garry Kasparov.

Against 1 e4, the Scandinavian is hugely popular at club level because Black gains a minor psychological victory by setting the agenda from the off with 1..d5! And in his new ICC Chess.FM series on the Scandinavian, Pete Tamburro explores the 2...Qxd5 lines in five videos (and with a two volume set to come later on 2 ..Nf6) that will take you through all the key themes and strategies required for Black to play this popular, and easy-to-play opening with confidence - and sizzling success!

Part 1 is free for everybody. To watch the rest sign up for membership!

Play Part 1 (FREE!)
Play Part 2 (Members only)
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IM Alex Lenderman "Endgame for Beginners"

Endings for Beginners

IM Alex Lenderman provides a two-part, introductory lecture about chess endings. Follow along as he annotates moves upon the board for play-by-play action.

Part 1 Watch (members only) Free preview
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GM Ronen Har-Zvi "Winter Blunderland"

Ronen Winter Blunderland

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening, In the lane, snow is glistening. A beautiful sight, We're happy tonight. Walking in a winter....blunderland?? The festive fun starts here on ICC with a special two part holiday show from GM Ronen Har-Zvi.

We're all prone to blunders - even the greats such as Capablanca, Alekhine, Fischer, Kasparov, Karpov and Kramnik. But with a dash of seasonal spirit, Ronen explores famous blunders from some of the top players in the game, explaining why we make them and what we can do to prevent them.

Non-preview content is for members only. If you're not a member, you can sign up for membership here.

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John Watson "Chess Talk"

John Watson Show

Tune-in for Chess Talk with IM John Watson on ICC Chess.FM. John's weekly 60+ minute show will feature an interview with leading chess personalities. All shows run on demand for members after airing.

This week (Tue., 1 July), joining IM John Watson on Chess Talk is author,  tournament director and President of the Marshall Chess Club, Frank Brady.

Frank was the Founding Editor of Chess Life magazine and is famed for writing Profile of a Prodigy, the biography of Bobby Fischer - the film rights to which he sold to HBO, who are currently in-fliming with Brady as consultant to the movie due for screening early next year.

Apart from his passion for chess, Frank Brady is the Chairman of the Department of Mass Communications, Journalism, Television and Film at St. John's University, New York.  He was elected and serves as an active voting member of the British Academy of Film and Television Art and has written popular mainstream biographies of the Hollywood A-list, such as Oscar winners Barbra Streisand and Orson Welles

Previews are free for all to watch. To listen to the full shows, sign up for membership!

Preview   Watch (members-only) GM Alexei Shirov 07.24.07
Preview   Watch (members-only) GM Nigel Short 09.18.07
Preview   Watch (members-only) GM Jan Timman 10.09.07
Preview   Watch (members-only) GM Hikaru Nakamura 12.04.07
Preview   Watch (members-only) Dirk Jan Ten Geuzendam 12.25.07
Preview   Watch (members-only) GM Graham Burgess 01.01.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) GM Peter Wells 01.08.08
Watch (FREE for non-members) Jeroen van den Berg 01.15.08
Watch (FREE for non-members) GM Andy Soltis 01.20.08 (Fischer Tribute)
Preview   Watch (members-only) Hanon Russell 02.05.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) IM David Levy 02.12.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) GM John Emms 02.19.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) NM Ron Gross 02.26.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) IM Jeremy Silman 03.04.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) GM Joel Benjamin 03.11.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) IM Jeroen Bosch 03.18.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) Calvin Olson 04.01.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) FM Bill Goichberg 04.08.08
Watch (FREE for non-members) Jorge Sammour-Hasbun 04.15.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) Bill Hook 04.22.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) FM Jonathan Berry 04.29.08
Watch (FREE for non-members) Macauley Peterson 05.06.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) GM Simen Agdestein 05.13.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) GM Fabiano Caruana 05.20.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) GM Lev Alburt 05.27.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) Gregory Kaidanov 06.03.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) Pete Tamburro 06.17.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) Genna Sosonko 06.24.08
Preview   Watch (members-only) Frank Brady 07.01.08


Attack with LarryC

Attack with LarryC

Attack With LarryC! A weekly 30 min+ show on Wednesdays at 3:00pm EST (and available on-demand thereafter for members), featuring three-time U.S. Champion Larry Christiansen, one of the most dangerous and respected attacking players of his generation.

Larry is a feared competitor and attacker who authored two popular books that showcase his aggressive style: Storming the Barricades and Rocking the Ramparts. And each week on his show, Larry will feature various attacking motifs and themes and showing you how best to play for mate.

Latest Video Preview   Latest Video for Members   Library Archive for Members


Boris Alterman's Gambit Guide

Boris Alterman

Israeli GM Boris Alterman is best known as a leading chess advisor for the multi-title winning chess software program (Deep) Junior, where he specialized in developing its opening book.

Boris Alterman's Gambit Guide on ICC investigates gambits old and new and show that, while some may not be actively played on the grandmaster circuit these days, they are all exciting to play and at the same time instructive as they teach us all about natural development of the pieces and tactics in chess.

In a new multi-part video series, GM Boris Alterman explores the Benko Gambit (1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 b5). Black's counterplay is very durable compared to many other gambits, in that the queenside pressure can last well into the endgame.

The idea to sacrifice a pawn with ...b5 and ...a6 was an old favorite of Czech master Karel Opocensky in the mid-1930s. Then, the original name of the opening was the Volga Gambit - named after the Volga River - after an article about 3...b5!? by B. Argunow that appeared in the magazine Schachmaty in USSR of 1946.

But it soon shot to fame and near universal club-level adoption at the end of the 1960s after its eponym, Pal Benko, honed and developed the gambit into a potent attacking weapon for black on the back of many big U.S. Swiss victories during this period.

Danish Gambit Part 1: Preview   Video for Members
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Two Knights Defence, Fried Liver Attack Part 1: Preview   Video for Members
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Two Knights Defence, Traxler Counter-attack Part 1: Preview   Video for Members
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Special Linares Show

Special Linares Show

GM Ronen Har-Zvi presents a special show on the Linares tournament, its history and its most exciting games.

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bu Weekly Shows

Chess Talk Webcast Tuesdays "Chess Talk" Hora 21:00 Eastern Time
USA Tune-in for The John Watson Chess Talk Show on ICC Chess.FM every Tuesday at 21:00 Eastern Time.

Each week, John's 60+ minute show will be reviewing all the latest titles and discussing books with his guests.

Preview of latest Show Watch latest show (members-only)


Attack with LarryC Webcast Wednesdays "Attack with LarryC" Hora 15:00 Eastern Time
USA New at ICC Chess.FM - Attack With LarryC! A weekly 30 min+ show on Wednesdays at 3:00pm Eastern Time (and available on-demand thereafter for members), featuring three-time U.S. Champion Larry Christiansen, one of the most dangerous and respected attacking players of his generation.

Larry is a feared competitor and attacker who authored two popular books that showcase his aggressive style: Storming the Barricades and Rocking the Ramparts. Each week on his show, Larry features various attacking motifs and themes and showing you how best to play for mate. The library of these shows is now available here for members.


Dan Heisman - Chess.FM show Webcast Thursdays "Ask the Renaissance Man" Hora 21:00 Eastern Time
USA Hosted by NM Dan Heisman "Ask the Renaissance Man" is a Q&A show. You send in the questions and Dan provides the answers. Questions on tournament rules, opening play, chess books, chess politics, current events, and more! Tune-in to the show every Thursday at 21:00 EST. This show is available for 7-days for FREE.

Game of the Week Webcast Fridays "Game of the Week " Hora 15:00 Eastern Time
USA New to ICC Chess.FM! Three-time U.S. Champion GM Joel Benjamin starts his new weekly show every Friday at 15:00 Server Time. Joel is regarded by many as one of the best commentators and analysts' we have in the game today, and each Friday he will be giving us his insight and spin with his selection of Game of the Week. By popular demand and requests from members, ALL of Joel Benjamin's GOTW videos will be available now 24/7 by clicking here for his library site archiving all shows. Enjoy!

India Saturday Webcast Saturdays "ICC Chess.FM India Saturday Show" Hora 08:30 Eastern Time | 19:00 IST
India ICC Chess.FM India Saturday Show begins at 7.00 p.m IST.