My opponent just got 65 years younger!

For more information, please contact:
Mike Wilmering
Communications Specialist
Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis

Robson Replaces Korchnoi for Match Play in St. Louis

Nakamura vs. Ponomariov, Finegold vs. Robson: May 16-25

ST. LOUIS, May 12 -- GM Viktor Korchnoi, who was originally scheduled to take on GM Ben Finegold in a 10-game match, has been forced to withdraw due to health concerns. Organizers said the ailment was not serious in nature, but that it impaired Korchnoi's ability to travel internationally. GM Ray Robson will fill Korchnoi's legendary shoes.

The CCSCSL will also host a 10-game match (six classical, four rapid) between St. Louis Grandmaster (GM) Hikaru Nakamura, ranked No. 7 in the world, and GM Ruslan Ponomariov, ranked No. 11 in the world, May 16-25. Nakamura moved up to No. 7 on the live list after GM Veselin Topalov's rating tumbled following his Candidates Match loss to GM Gata Kamsky.

The players will take part in a live, virtual press conference at 10 a.m. CDT on May 16. Journalists and fans from all over the world can log onto livestream.com/uschess to submit questions to the players and watch their answers streamed live online.

Robson, 16, became the youngest grandmaster in U.S. history in 2009 when he was just 14. He had a solid performance at this year's U.S. Championship finishing third in his round-robin field of eight, just a half point shy of qualifying for the finals.

"My opponent just got 65 years younger!" joked Finegold.

Who will win the match?

Who will win the match?
	R. Ponomariov
	H. Nakamura

Who will win the match?
	V. Korchnoi
	B. Finegold

Ponomariov vs Nakamura / Korchnoi vs Finegold

Nakamura, Korchnoi Headline International Match Play in St. Louis

Nakamura vs. Ponomariov, Korchnoi vs. Finegold: May 16-25

ST. LOUIS, May 2 -- For the first time ever, St. Louis will host an international chess match featuring the top players in the world. Be there to witness a living legend and one in the making.

The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis will host a 10-game match (six classical, four rapid) between St. Louis Grandmaster (GM) Hikaru Nakamura, ranked No. 8 in the world, and GM Ruslan Ponomariov, ranked No. 11 in the world, May 16-25.

Legendary GM Viktor Korchnoi also will take on the Chess Club’s Resident GM Ben Finegold in a 10-game match.

The players will take part in a live, virtual press conference at 10 a.m. CDT on May 16. Journalists and fans from all over the world can log onto livestream.com to submit questions to the players and watch their answers streamed live online. More details including the specific Livestream channel will be available soon.

The 23-year-old Nakamura, who declined his invitation to the 2011 U.S. Championship, recently moved up to No. 8 in the world on the top rating list by FIDE, the World Chess Federation. His international rating of 2774 is the second-highest rating ever attained by an American, second only to GM Bobby Fischer’s rating of 2785. Nakamura’s first six classical games against Ponomariov will be FIDE rated, and Nakamura can break Fischer’s record with a +3 score, which would make him the highest-rated American ever. (A +3 score, for example, can be attained by winning three games and drawing (or tying) three; or losing one, winning four and drawing one.)

Since moving into the top 10 in the world, Nakamura said he has shifted his focus to prepare for the world's best to make a run at the next World Championship cycle, which will begin in two years.

Korchnoi, 80, is the oldest active player on the tournament circuit and a 10-time candidate for the World Championship. He is also a four-time USSR Champion and winner of the 2006 World Senior Chess Championship.

"It's a real honor to take on Viktor [Korchnoi]," Finegold said. "He's a living legend."

Round one of the 10-game matches will take place at 1 p.m. CDT on May 17.

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Karpov wins match 5-1

Anatoly Karpov wins the match against Miroslav Miljkovic
Six-games match on 3rd and 4th December in Niš, Serbia
Chessdom.com

Former World Champion Anatoly Karpov continued the series of speed-chess events with a six-games match against IM Miroslav Miljkovic (elo 2506), which was played on 3rd and 4th December in Niš, Serbia.

The playing venue was in the Niš City Hall and the Mayor Miloš Simonović opened the match. The City of Niš sponsored the match, the Niš Chess Union was the technical organizer, and TV Bell Amie broadcasted the games live with 4 cameras and expert commentary by IM Zeljko Djukic and Serbian 2009 women champion Sandra Djukic.

Four games were played with the time control of 25 min+10 sec per player while the remaining two were blitz with 5 min+2 sec per player. Anatoly Karpov won the match with the convincing 5-1, but credit is due to Miljkovic who forced complications in several equal games.

The City Hall was packed with visitors, for the event which was recognized as one of the main cultural happenings of the season.

Karpov crushes opponent in match

Meč od 6 (šest) partija: 4 partije: 25 min. + 10 sek. po igraču, 2 partije: 5 min. + 2 sek. po igraču.

Former World Champion Anatoly Karpov completely crushed his opponent, IM Miroslav Milijkovic, after 4 (of 6) games. The rapid chess (25' + 10" inc) score now stands att 3.5 - 0.5 with 2 blitz games (5' + 2" inc) remaining.

Official website: http://www.gss-nis.com/gss/index.html

Karpov takes day 1 match lead

Karpov won with White and drew with Black. He is leading 1.5 - 0.5 with 2 more rapid games and 2 blitz games to play.

Karpov, Anatoly (2619) - Miljkovic, Miroslav (2506)
Rapid Chess Nis, Serbia (1), 2010.12.03

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bg4 5.h3 Bxf3 6.Qxf3 e6 7.Bd3 Nbd7 8.O-O Bd6 9.Nc3 O-O 10.Rd1 Re8 11.Qe2 Qe7 12.Bd2 a6 13.Be1 Rac8 14.Rac1 dxc4 15.Bxc4 c5 16.dxc5 Bxc5 17.Bb3 Nb6 18.Qf3 Red8 19.Ne4 Rxd1 20.Rxd1 Nbd5 21.Nxc5 Qxc5 22.e4 Ne7 23.Bc3 Qg5 24.Bxf6 Qxf6 25.Qxf6 gxf6 26.Rd7 Nc6 27.Rxb7 Na5 28.Rb4 Nxb3 29.Rxb3 Rc2 30.f3 Kg7 31.Kh2 a5 32.a3 a4 33.Rb5 e5 34.h4 Rd2 35.Kh3 Rf2 36.Rb6 Kg6 37.Rb7 Kg7 38.h5 Rd2 39.g3 Rc2 40.Kg4 Rf2 41.Rb4 Rc2 42.f4 exf4 43.gxf4 Rg2+ 44.Kf5 h6 45.Rb6 Rh2 46.Rxf6 Rxb2 47.Ra6 Rh2 48.Kg4 Rg2+ 49.Kh3 Re2 50.Rxa4 Re1 51.Kg2 Re3 52.Kf2 Rh3 53.Ra5 Rb3 54.Kg2 Re3 55.e5 f6 56.Ra7+ Kf8 57.exf6 Re6 58.f7 Re3 59.a4 Ra3 60.a5 Kg7 61.a6 Kf8 62.Kf2 Kg7 63.Ke2 Kf8 64.Kd2 Ra5 65.Ke3 Ra4 66.Kd3 Kg7 67.Kc3 Kf8 68.Kb3 Ra1 69.Kc4 Ra5 70.Kb4 Ra1 71.Kc5 Rc1+ 72.Kd6 Rb1 1-0

Click here to replay game 1.

Official website: http://www.gss-nis.com/gss/index.html

Anatoly Karpov - Miroslav Miljkovic

Anatoly Karpov - Miroslav Miljkovic Match
3rd and 4th December in Niš, Serbia (schedule slightly changed)

Former World Champion Anatoly Karpov continues the series of rapid events with a six-games match against IM Miroslav Miljkovic (elo 2506) on 3rd and 4th December in Niš, Serbia.

The playing venue will be in the Niš City Hall and the Mayor Miloš Simonović will make the ceremonial move. The City of Niš is sponsoring the match and Niš Chess Union is the technical organizer.

Four games will be played with the time control of 25 min+10 sec per player while the remaining two will be blitz with 5 min+2 sec per player (schedule bellow). The games will be broadcasted on the internet and TV Bell Amie will cover the match live.

Schedule

3rd December
17:30 - Press conference in the City Hall
18:15 - 1st rapid game
19:40 - 2nd rapid game

4th December
15:00 - 3rd rapid game
16:30 - 4th rapid game
18:00 - 1st blitz game
18:20 - 2nd blitz game
18:40 - Closing ceremony

Niš (pronounced Nish, Roman: Naisus) is the largest city in southern Serbia and the third-largest city in the country (after Belgrade and Novi Sad). According to the data from May 2009, Niš has 253,077 inhabitants. The city covers an area of about 597 square kilometres, including the urban area, the Niška Banja spa and 68 suburbs.

It is one of the oldest cities in the Balkans, and has from ancient times been considered a gateway between the East and the West. Niš is also notable as the birthplace of Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman Emperor and the founder of Constantinople, as well as two other Roman emperors, Constantius III and Justin I.

In 2013 the city will host the Ecumenical Assembly of Christian Churches, in honour to 1700 years of Constantine's Edict of Milan.