Top Ten International Chess News Stories of 2017

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  • Top Ten International Chess News Stories of 2017

    Top Ten International Chess News Stories of 2017

    December 23, 2017

    To mirror Neil’s Top Chess Stories in Canada for 2017, here is the list from Mike Klein of chess.com on the Top Ten International Chess News Stories of 2017

    https://www.chess.com/article/view/t...tories-of-2017

    10. Underdog wins U.S. Women’s Championship Shortly After Loss

    WGM Sabina Folsor won the title with 8.0/11 less than three months after the loss of her mother, IM Cristina Folsor.

    9. FIDE’s Struggles

    FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov resigned only to announce he’d run for president in 2018 after all. In October, a majority of the FIDE executive board then asked him not to.

    8. Controversial Ending to the Canadian Championship

    GM Bator Sambuev had the queen that was needed when Nikolay Nortisyn tried to promote to an upside-down rook.

    7. Inaugural Pro Chess League Crowns First Champions

    The St. louis Arch Bishops became the first champions of the Professional Online Rapid (PRO) League

    6. “Love Wins”

    Magnus Carlsen brought his girlfriend to the Isle of Man International and won clear first.

    GM Levon Aronian married longtime girlfriend WIM Arianne Caolli. The wedding came just after wins at the ST. Louis Rapid and Blitz and his World Cup title and being co-winner of the FIDE Grand Prix in Mallorca, Spain

    5. Recurring Frustration of the World Champion

    Magnus took exception to the wording of Maurice Ashley at an Paris GCT interview about his game not being smooth enough.

    Magnus and Maurice again – after losing to Ian Nepomniachtchi, Maurice tried to adjust Carlsen’s collar and the champ “hit” his hand away.

    4. Hou Yifan’s Odd Pairings

    In Gibraltar in February, GM Hou Yifan threw her final game in five moves because she had been paired with seven women out of the first nine games.

    Later in the year in the Isle of Man tournament, she began the event by playing four consecutive women.

    3. Precipitous Rise of AlphaZero

    Googles AlphaZero beat Stockfish with 28 wins and no losses in 100 games after learning and constantly improving its game in just four hours.

    2. Wardrobe Issues Negatively Affect Two Top Players

    GM Anton Kovalyov was called a gypsy by chief organizer Zurab Azmaiparashvili and exited the World Cup.

    The Iranian Chess Federation barred IM Dorsa Derakhshani for not wearing a hijab, so she enrolled in St. Louis University and switched her federation to the U.S.

    1. Return of Garry Kasparov to Competitive Chess

    After a 12-year hiatus from rated chess, G Garry Kasparov came out of retirement in August to play in the St. Louis Rapid and Blitz. He scored 9/18 in blitz and said this was a “one and done” situation.

    _________

    Comments – Peter Svidler, in a recent interview, said that Kasparov in actual fact didn’t return to chess – he played in a couple of exhibition events.

    Svidler’s 8th win of the Russian title should make the list.

    Several people commenting on the above list said that the fact that the notorious ChessBrah beard can finally be trimmed must make the top 10.

    The new logo for the World Chess Championship 2018 might also be worthy of inclusion on the list (by some).

  • #2
    Re: Top Ten International Chess News Stories of 2017

    Top Ten International Chess News Stories of 2017

    December 31, 2017

    Proposed additions to the list:

    1) Inarkievgate

    An incident at the FIDE World Blitz Championship in Round 1, when Russian GM Inarkiev, in a losing position against world champion Magnus Carlsen, made an illegal move and then claimed victory when Carlsen replied because, said Inarkiev, Carlsen's move was illegal! Eventually, the arbiter decided they should continue the game from before Inarkiev's illegal move, but the Russian GM stuck to his unreasonable demand, did not play and was forfeited.

    2) Anand takes World Rapid Title

    He won the title at the age of 48, beating Ivanchuk’s record of winning it at 47. He had been criticized as too old and tired to continue to play at the top level.

    In fact, the top-ten players among the world’s top fifteen were in action. His rating performance was 2874. In the fifteen games he played he did not lose once! He won six, drew nine and beat WC Carlsen in the process.

    ________

    I am not sure which two I would remove from the Top Ten list to insert these – probably 6. “Love Wins” and 1. Return of Garry Kasparov to Competition.

    Any other additions or subtractions?

    FIDE awarding the World Rapid and Blitz to Saudi Arabia and the exclusion of Israel might be another.
    Last edited by Wayne Komer; Sunday, 31st December, 2017, 09:04 PM.

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