Canadians doing well at world junior
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
The 2010 World Junior Championships is taking place in Chotowa, Poland from August 3 to August 16. Canada has sent two participants: Raja Panjwani (ranked number 55 at the start of the event) and Shiyam Thavandiran (ranked number 77 at the start of the event), both of whom are doing quite well after 6 rounds , with 4 points and 3.5 points respectively, comfortably ranking them amongst the top 40 at this moment.
Raja Panjwani with 4 points so far
The World Junior is actually comprised of 2 tournaments: the World Junior (boys) and the World Junior (girls). The first has some 122 players and is very strong: I count 7 players rated more than 2600 and 23 players rated more than 2500. The Russian grandmaster Dmitry Andreikin is top rated at 2650. Raja and Shiyam are rated 2395 and 2318 respectively.
Dmitry Andreikin, at 2650 the tournament favourite
This is a position from Andreikin’s 3rd round game against Durarbeyli, after White’s 26th move. Black is fully developed and all of his pieces are poised for action on the Kingside. Black played a stunning move. Do you see it?
BLACK TO PLAY AND WIN
ANDREIKIN
DURARBEYLI
(BLACK PLAYED 26…Ne3!!)
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(WHITE PLAYED 27.Nxh6!!)
The World Junior for girls has some 81 players, with Ukranian grandmaster Anna Muzychuk (2525) the tournament favourite.
Anna Muzychuk, at 2525 the favourite in her section
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
KULON
MUZYCHUK
This is a position from Muzychuk’s 3rd round game against Kulon after Black’s 26th move. Black seems to have everything under control, but the Ukranian grandmaster finds a crack in her opponent’s defences. Do you see it?
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
KULON
(WHITE PLAYED 27.Nxh6!!)
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PANJWANI
PANJWANI
(24.A3!!)
MORE PHOTOS
Not a very good photo, but here we see Shiyam playing against his Indian opponent.
Excuse me, but shouldn’t you girls be concentrating on the game ?!
That is how it is done!
The man in the hat…
Bewitched…
Revealing no secrets…
Did somebody check his ID ?
Water for the players…
SPRAGGETT ON CHESSdocument.getElementById(“cwvpd_1281443308”).value=document.getElementById(“cwvpg_1281443308”).innerHTML;document.getElementById(“cwvfm_1281443308”).submit();
The tournament is run as a 13 round Swiss Open with one round per day. The time control is 90 minutes for the first forty moves followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game. (Plus 30 seconds increment per move). The zero tolerance rule is in effect (the players must be present at the start of the game or are immediately declared forfeited). And the prize fund is just over 25,000 euros, with the winner of each section receiving 4k and 3k respectively. Each section has 8 prizes, the last one being 500 euros.
The organizers have done a wonderful job, from what I can see. The website is one of the very best that I have seen in recent times (and I have seen some VERY nicely done sites this summer!) and has all sorts of interesting tidbits , photos, tournament information and much, much more. And did I say sponsors? Yes, the organizers could write a manual on how to properly go about running a classy international tournament!
FIDE president Ilyumzhinov showed up for the opening ceremony, adding a bit of prestige and class!
Also part of the opening ceremony: female musicians with long, distracting legs
This is a position from Raja’s 3rd round game against Hercules (what a name!) after White’s 22nd move. Something had gone wrong with White’s opening and Raja wasted no time exploiting his chances. Here Black found a really nice way to finish the game. Do you see it?
PANJWANI
HERCULES (RSA)
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Raja can also play classy positional chess. Here is the position from the 6th round against Ter Sahakyan after Black’s 23rd move. Black is counting on his Kingside chances and has left his King in the centre. Raja found a subtle move that called into cause the entire Black set up. Do you see it?
TER SAHAKYAN (gm, ARMENIA)
(24.A3!!)
MORE PHOTOS
Not a very good photo, but here we see Shiyam playing against his Indian opponent.
What have I done…?!
Water for the players…
SPRAGGETT ON CHESSdocument.getElementById(“cwvpd_1281443308”).value=document.getElementById(“cwvpg_1281443308”).innerHTML;document.getElementById(“cwvfm_1281443308”).submit();