 Topalov
Topped at MTel?
We're heading for a dramatic final
weekend to the MTel Masters in Sofia, Bulgaria, with only a
half point separating Vassily Ivanchuk and Veselin Topalov at
the top with just two rounds left to play.
 It's
been a story of two halves to this tournament so far: Ivanchuk
starting with a hot streak of five wins before going lukewarm
with three draws, and three-time winner Topalov playing
catch-up to stay in touch with the leader.
The big showdown between the two in
round seven ended in a gritty hard-fought draw, as both tried
their best to land a decisive knockout blow on each other -
Topalov to fight his way back into contention for a fourth
successive title, Ivanchuk to be assured of the title. The
result left the door open for local hero Topalov - famed for
his steely nerve and ending tournaments strongly - to stage a
late rally to put maximum pressure on Ivanchuk, who has a past
history of choking at the decisive moment.
ICC Chess.FM will be bringing you all
the action when it happens, as it happens in the closing
rounds with live commentary from Mig Greengard and GM Nick
de Firmian. Special grandmaster guests joining us live on
the show from Sofia so far have included Veselin Topalov,
Genna Sosonko and Boris Spassky! We'll also have
the NIC Trivia Contest (where each day ICC members can win a
12 month subscription to New
In Chess magazine), GOTD and Macauley Peterson
videos direct from the M-Tel Masters in Sofia, and a new daily
picture
gallery from John Henderson.
Check out the GOTD
calendar and ICC finger notes finger
Mtel08 for the full schedule, photos and videos. The
official tournament site is http://www.mtelmasters.com.
Macauley
Peterson's Video Reports
| ROUND |
DATE |
GAME OF DAY VIDEO |
HOST |
|
1
|
5/8/08
|
|
GM Joel Benjamin
|
|
2
|
5/9/08
|
|
GM Larry Christiansen
|
|
3
|
5/10/08
|
|
GM Larry Christiansen
|
|
4
|
5/11/08
|
|
GM Ronen Har-Zvi
|
|
5
|
5/12/08
|
|
GM Ronen Har-Zvi
|
|
6
|
5/14/08
|
|
GM Joel Benjamin
|
|
7
|
5/15/08
|
|
GM Joel Benjamin
|
|
8
|
5/16/08
|
|
GM Larry Christiansen
|
| JOHN HENDERSON'S PHOTO GALLERY |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
NAME |
ELO |
FED |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
PTS |
| 1 |
Cheparinov, Ivan |
2695 |
BUL |
|
0 |
0 0 |
.5 .5 |
.5 |
1 1 |
3.5 |
| 2 |
Ivanchuk, Vassily |
2740 |
UKR |
1 |
|
1 .5 |
1 |
1 .5 |
1 .5 |
6.5 |
| 3 |
Topalov, Veselin |
2767 |
BUL |
1 1 |
0 .5 |
|
1 1 |
.5 |
1 |
6 |
| 4 |
Aronian, Levon |
2763 |
ARM |
.5 .5 |
0 |
0 0 |
|
.5 0 |
.5 |
2 |
| 5 |
Radjabov, Teimour |
2751 |
AZE |
.5 |
0 .5 |
.5 |
.5 1 |
|
.5 1 |
4.5 |
| 6 |
Bu, Xiangzhi |
2708 |
CHN |
0 0 |
0 0.5 |
0 |
.5 |
.5 0 |
|
1.5 |
|
Are
You A Member of the USCF?
In a new sponsorship deal with the
United States Chess Federation, ALL current members of the
USCF will qualify for a free 6-month membership! For new
WCL members, simply check the USCF Member box and enter
your USCF membership number and PIN on the WCL
registration page. If you're already registered with
WCL, go to your
account page and use the USCF link at the bottom.
WCL is the new sponsor of the USCF's
2008 Grand Prix and 2008 Junior Grand Prix. We're providing
prize funds of $20,000 and $7,500, respectively, and will
also be running Online Grand Prix events all year, beginning
in April, open only to USCF members. So what are you waiting
for? Sign up now for your FREE 6 month membership to World
Chess Live and start winning those Grand Prix points!
So what are you waiting for? Come join
the growing USCF community at WCL and take part in all the
activities.
|
Mondays: GM Ronen Har-Zvi "New Ideas
in the Marshall Attack"
 |
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.
|
Click here for a free
5 minute preview of Ronen's latest video. To listen to the
full videos, sign
up for membership!
Tuesdays: Chess Talk with IM John Watson
 Tune-in
for Chess Talk with IM John Watson on ICC Chess.FM. John's
weekly 60+ minute show (members only) will feature an
interview with leading chess personalities. All shows run on
demand for members after airing.
This week (Tue., 13 May), joining IM
John Watson on Chess Talk is Norwegian grandmaster Simen
Agdestein. Apart from being a seven-time Norwegian chess
champion and Olympiad star, Simen is one of those unique
talents who had a dual international career as a professional
soccer player, playing at top level for club and country
before being forced to retire early from the game due to a
serious knee injury.
Simen was also the first chess coach for
Norwegian prodigy Magnus Carlsen and wrote the book on his
path to becoming the world's youngest GM, entitled Wonderboy.
He now works at a top sports academy in Norway, where he
teaches chess and football.
Find below a selection of free 5-minute
previews of the latest shows. To listen to the full shows,
sign
up for membership!
Wednesdays: Attack with LarryC!
 New
at ICC Chess.FM - Attack With LarryC! A
weekly 30 min+ show on Wednesdays at 15:00 EDT
(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.
Click "Play
Video" for a free 5 minute preview of Larry's latest
video. By popular demand from members, we are now archiving
previous Attack
with LarryC shows. This video is just one of the many
benefits of being a full member of ICC - so, sign
up for membership!
Thursdays: Ask the Renaissance Man
 |
|
Tune-in for "Ask the Renaissance
Man" with National Master Dan Heisman
every Thursday at 21:00 EDT. You send in the questions
and Dan provides the answers every week on his Q&A
show. Questions on tournament rules, opening play,
chess books, chess politics, current events, and more!
Click
"Play Video" for a free 5 minute preview of Dan's
latest show. To listen to the full show, sign
up for membership!
|
Thursdays: Boris Alterman's Gambit Guide
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.
Fridays: GM Joel Benjamin "Game
of the Week"
 Three-time
U.S. Champion GM Joel Benjamin starts his
weekly show every Friday at 15:00 Server Time. Click "Play
Video" for a free 5 minute preview of Joel's latest
show. To listen to the full show, sign
up for membership!
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.
This not-to-be-missed weekly video
series is exclusive for ICC members only -- so if you want
to get ahead of the game, get ready to tune-in! By popular
demand and requests from members, ALL
of Joel Benjamin's GOTW videos are available. Enjoy!
|
From London to Elista - Bareev & Levitov
 The
Inside Story of the World Chess Championship Matches
that Vladimir Kramnik Won Against Garry Kasparov,
Peter Leko and Veselin Topalov.
Part 1: Overthrow of a Colossus,
London 2000
Part 2: Photo Finish in Brissago 2004
Part 3: Big Brother in Chess City, Elista 2006
A remarkable story of Kramnik's
battles by his second, Evgeny Bareev. From London
to Elista, it gives a fascinating look behind the
scenes of top-level chess. It provides superb analysis
of all the games by Bareev, and it does much more.
400 pages
Price $34.95
- 
Buy
now!
222 Opening Traps after 1.e4 - Muller & Knaak
 Every chess player has gone through the
experience of a game coming to an end before it even really began. The reason
for the wwuick loss is normally an opening trap, which to the victim look quite
‘normal’ moves – a piece is developed, something is captured, or a threat is set
up and parried. The reply, for the most part an unusual one and therefore
totally unexpected, then almost inevitably leads to a rapid win for the
‘trapper’. The two internationally recognised Grandmaster authors – Rainer Knaak
is considered an expert on the openings, and Karsten Müller on the endgame.
162 pages - soft cover
Price $29.95
-
Buy
now!
|
|
|
|
Modern Chess Openings, 15th Edition - Nick De Firmian
 Modern
Chess Openings is the best and most trusted tool for
serious chess players on the market. First published
over a half-century ago, this is a completely revised
and updated edition of the book that has been the
standard English language reference on chess openings.
An invaluable resource for club and tournament players,
it now includes information on recent matches and
the most up-to-date theory on chess openings.
Modern Chess Openings is ideal
for intermediate players ready to elevate their game
to the next level or International Grandmasters who
want to stay on top of recent chess innovations.
768 Pages, soft cover
Price $29.95
-
Buy
now!
Attacking Manual 1 - GM Jacob Aagaard
 Jacob
explains the rules of attack (the exploitation of
a dynamic advantage) in an accessible and entertaining
style. This groundbreaking work is well balanced between
easily understandable examples, exercises and deep
analysis. Five years in the making, this book will
surely not disappoint. Volume 1 deals with bringing
all the pieces into the action, momentum, colour schemes,
strongest/weakest points and evolution/revolution.
Book 2 is due for release in August 2008.
Large-format, 264 pages, soft
cover
Price $34.95
-
Buy
now!
|
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