Turkish Isbank Chess League

The Turkish Isbank Chess League is taking place from July 10th to July 22nd, 2012, at the Konya Rixos Hotel.

The Turkish Team Championship was inaugurated in 1995. In 2004, it changed the name to Super League, but after the Turkish Isbank assumed sponsorship in 2006, the name was changed once again to the present Turkish Isbank Chess League.

This year, nearly 300 players from 14 clubs participate in the event. 37 Grandmasters and 87 titled players are present.

The playing hall

In the first round the defending champion from 2011, Istanbul Egitim Chess Club Aquamatch, lost to Besiktas Jimnastik Club with 7:3 score. The only player from Aquamatch who succeeded to win was Judit Polgar.

The strongest woman in the world defeated Rauf Mamedov playing with white and later shared her thoughts on facebook: “For a start, it is always great to have a win!…Black made his final mistake with 34…Bc6 in the time trouble, and I grabbed my chance and did not let it go!”

The “tail-ends” of Mersin Ezgi Chess Club and Besiktas Jimnastik Club proved to be very strong as their players from 6th to 10th board scored 5:0 and contributed to the victories of their respective teams.

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov - Michael Adams

There were no draws in the match between Adana Truva Chess Club and Antalya Deniz Gençlik Sport Club which finished in favor of Adana Truva with 7:3.

Anand confirmed for London chess classic

Fresh from yet another successful title defence, World Champion Viswanathan Anand, of India, became the first player to sign-up to play in the 4th London Chess Classic, at Kensington Olympia, 1-10 December, 2012.

It is no secret that London is one of Anand’s favourite cities, and this will be his third successive appearance in the tournament.

For well over a decade now, Anand has been among the world’s top five players, and the first Indian to earn the grandmaster title. He played in his first World Championship match back in 1995 in New York, losing to Garry Kasparov.

In May, he beat challenger Boris Gelfand in Moscow to clinch his fifth world championship title. He has also won the Chess Oscar (Player of the Year award) 6 times.

Viswanathan Anand

Anand is also something of a national hero in India, where in 2007 he won the Padma Vibhushan award, one of India’s most prestigious civilian awards, ahead of several prominent sporting superstars, such as cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.

He has become a great ambassador for the game and his country, with his high-profile success over the 64 squares seeing India developing rapidly from a backward chess nation into one of the strongest in the world.

Invitations for the 4th London Chess Classic have gone out to World Champion Vishy Anand, World No.1 Magnus Carlsen, defending champion Vladimir Kramnik, Levon Aronian, Hikaru Nakamura, Judit Polgar, Michael Adams,Luke McShane and Gawain Jones.

Judit Polgar Vs Yifan Hou

Judit Polgar

The long expected Judit Polgar – Yifan Hou match has now been now officially announced. It will take place in China September 26th – October 2nd, 2012. The organization plans for 4 classical games and 4 rapid games.

The match announcement comes only a month after their game at the Gibraltar Chess Festival where Yifan Hou won the direct encounter with white and went on to share first place, only to lose in the rapid tiebreak against Short.

The Judit Polgar – Yifan Hou match will be at a perfect moment, as Judit is at her highest moment for the last 3 years with ELO 2709, while Yifan Hou is at a virtual ELO 2650, the highest of her career.

Source:Chessdom.com