The JR Chess Report (April 2): Russian Team Championships Underway in Dagomys

[Jack Rabbit]

Russian Team Championships begin



The 17th annual Russian Team Championships began yesterday in Dagomys, about 30 kilometers from Sochi, the chosen site for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

The tournament is again split into three leagues: the Premiere League is the elite group, featuring the top teams and playing like reigning Russian national champion Alexander Grischuk, Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk and newly-crowned Eurpoean champion Ian Nepomniachtchi. The Higher League is the next highest group, consisting largely of weaker grandmasters and international masters. The Women's League is on par with the Higher League, featuring reigning such players as reigning world women's champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, former women's world champion Antoaneta Stefanova and the winner of the women's prize at this year's Gibraltar Chess Festival, Natalia Zhukhova.

In the Premeire League after two rounds, the St. Petersburg Chess Federation, Yurga of Khanty-Mansiysk and Moscow 64 have perfect scores. In the Women's League, Giprorechtrans of Moscow sets the pace with 3 match points out of a possible four.

The tournament runs through April 13.


Philadelphia Open underway

The first annual Philadelphia Open Tournament, organized by the Continental Chess Association to replace the Foxwoods Open after the Foxwoods Resort and Casino warned of lodging rate hikes, began Wednesday night.

With the fourth round in progress, Gata Kamsky leads with 4 points after defeateing Robert Hungaski.

The schedule consists of a punishing two rounds a day and will be completed Sunday. Round 5 begins at 7 pm EDT (4 pm PDT) and be viewed on Monroi.com, although it appears sign up is necessary. I've had my log in there for several years and have never received any spam as a result.


No Featured Games on the JRCR this week

Since there were no major chess tournaments on which to report from the end of the Amber Rapid/Blind a week ago today and the start of the two tournaments above, there will be no featured games on the JRCR this week.

However, my staff and I are preparing a number of games from past world championship matches as a run up to the Anand-Topalov title match in Sofia, which begins April 23.


Calendar

Dubai Open 4-14 April.

Bundesliga 0910, Rounds 14-15 (season finale), Erfurt, Eppingen, Bremen, Baden Baden. 10-11 April.

Asian Championships, Subic Bay (The Philippines) April 20-30.

Women's Grand Prix, Nalchik 23 April-6 May.

Anand-Topalov Match for the World Title, Sofia 23 April-10 May.

Bosna 2010, Sarajevo 5-14 May.

Grand Prix, Astrakhan (Russia) 9-25 May.

US Championship, St. Louis 13-25 May.

Chicago Open 27-31 May.

Women's Grand Prix, Jermuk 23 June-6 July.

World Open, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania 29 June-5 July.

Women's Grand Prix, Ulan Bator (Mongolia) 29 July-12 August.

World Junior Championships, Chotowa Czarna (Poland) 2-17 August.

Mainz Chess Classic 6-8 August. The world economic crisis reduces the festival to three days in 2010, with the rapid open and simultaneous exhibitions by Vishy Anand and Alexandra Kosteniuk being the only featured events.

Chess Olympiad, Khanty Mansiysk 19 September-4 October.

Pan-American Women's Championship, São Paulo 10-21 October.

European Club Cup, Plovdiv 16-24 October.

Women's Grand Prix, Vina del Mar (Chile) 27 October-9 November.

World Youth Championships, Halidiki (Greece) 19-31 October.

FIDE Women's Knock Out (Women's World Championship), Turkey 2-25 December.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. Update (Sunday Night): Four US GMs share top spot in Philly

American grandmasters Gata Kamsky, 15-year-old Ray Robson, Alex Stripunsky and Sergey Kudrin shared first place in the inaugural edition of the Philadelphia Open, completed earlier today, with 7 points each in nine rounds.

Kamsky, a former world championship contender, and Stripunsky led the tounament most of the way and entered the final round tied for first with 6½ points apiece. Kamsky drew his game with veteran GM Jaan Ehlvest while Stripunsky drew his game with former US national champion Alex Shabalov. Meanwhile, young Robson and Kudrin were among several player tied for third with 6 points each and the only two to win their games and join Kamsky and Stripunsky in first place. Robson won his game from Nick deFirmian, best known as the editor in recent years of Modern Chess Openings, now in its 15th edition, while Kudrin defeated IM Sam Shankland of Berkeley, California.

The top scoring foreigners of the tournament were Amon Simutowe of Zambia, the only grandmaster ever to hail from sub-Saharan Africa, and Mark Paragua of the Philippines. They scored 6½ points each. Iryna Zenyuk of Pennsylvania was the top scoring woman with 5½ points.

One hundred twenty-seven player took part in the Philadelphia Open.