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When Eric and Aman announced that they were moving to Spain to see where they how far they could go in the International arena, the Chess'n Math Association, Canada"s National Scholatistic Chess Organization (www.chess-math.org), gave each of them $2,000 to help them out.
Recently Eric contacted us and offered, as they say in French..."un retour de l'ascenceur".
In English I guess...it translates to...you helped me...and now I want to return the favour :).
On Saturday April 19, Eric will give us an overview of his adventures over the last 9 months followed by a 20 board simultaneous. Those who want to play and be a part of the presentation, will have to register in advance at Strategy Games in Montreal. The cost is $20. Those who simply want to hear Eric tell us about his adventures...the cost is $10. The whole thing starts at 1:30pm on April 19 at 3423 St. Denis on the 4th floor. $10 more for those who show up at the door, subject to availability.
The money raised from this event will help pay for the Canadian Chess Challenge in Winnipeg this year.
From Wikipedia:
Eric Hansen (chess player)From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eric Hansen, 2010
Full name Eric Hansen
Country Canada
Born (1992-05-24) May 24, 1992 (age 21)
Irvine, California, USA
Title Grandmaster
FIDE rating 2587 (March 2014)
(No. 44 in the world in the September 2012 FIDE Junior world Ranking.[1] Also see FIDE World Rankings)
Peak rating 2584 (August 2013)
Eric Hansen (born May 24, 1992) is a Canadian-American chess grandmaster. In September 2012, he clinched his final Grandmaster (GM) norm at the 2012 Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey.[2][3] He was officially recognized with the title of GM on January 19–20, 2013 by the first FIDE presidential board (PB) that assembled in Tsakhkadzor, Armenia.[4] Hansen previously achieved the International Master (IM) title after the 3rd quarter FIDE PB meeting that convened July 24–25, 2010 in Tromso, Norway, and the FIDE Master (FM) title two years prior in 2008.[5]
Contents [hide]
1 Biography
2 Chess career
3 2011 World Cup
4 2012 World Junior Chess Championship
5 2012 Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, achieving grandmastership
6 On-line chess
7 References
8 External links
Biography[edit]Eric Hansen was born in the United States but grew up in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He holds dual citizenship.
Chess career[edit]Hansen began playing chess in grade school at the age of nine. By the age of 15, in 2008, Hansen became the youngest-ever Alberta Champion, and earned the FM title that year. He repeated as Alberta champion in 2009, 2011 and 2013.
In 2011, IM Hansen tied for first place in the Canadian Zonal Championship with a score of 7½/9, but lost a two-game playoff to GM Bator Sambuev.[6] He won the 2012 Canadian Open Chess Championship, held in Victoria, British Columbia in July; Hansen scored 7½/9.[7] Hansen attended the University of Texas at Dallas for one year beginning in September 2011[8] on chess scholarship, representing the school in intercollegiate tournaments, including the Pan American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship; UTD won the 2011 PanAms. He is taking a break from his studies to focus on chess full-time in the immediate future,[9] and will make his European base in Valencia, Spain beginning in the autumn of 2013.[10]
2011 World Cup[edit]Hansen represented Canada at the 2011 World Cup, for which he automatically qualified, from his 2011 Canadian Closed tie for first with GM Sambuev.[11][12] At the World Cup, Hansen played Grandmaster Vugar Gashimov, losing both games. In a September 4, 2012 video interview at the Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Hansen reflected on his 2011 World Cup experience: "I got paired against Gashimov and he killed me," he said. "It was a good experience because I realized I wasn't serious enough to be competing with these guys. I'm more serious now ... it was good for motivating me."[13]
2012 World Junior Chess Championship[edit]In August, 2012, Hansen tied for 5th–10th places in the World Junior Chess Championship, held in Athens, Greece. He scored 9/13, achieving the best-ever finish by a Canadian in this event;[14] the previous best had been FM Vinny Puri's tie for 8th place in 1988. At the Isthmia Open tournament at Vrachati, which began a few days later, Hansen scored his first GM norm, with a tie for 1st–3rd places.[15]
2012 Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, achieving grandmastership[edit]Hansen represented Canada on board 4 at the 2012 Chess Olympiad, held in Istanbul, Turkey (August–September, 2012); this was his first Olympiad. Hansen, the youngest player on the team, made the best Canadian score of 7.5/10, boosting his FIDE rating by 25 points, cresting 2500 (the minimum for a GM title), and checked off his final GM norm in the process. He also made the best performance rating in the event by a player who was not already a Grandmaster. Hansen's current FIDE rating is 2502.[16] Since Hansen scored one previous GM norm, he will soon formally receive the title from FIDE.[17] He will become the first Grandmaster from Alberta. Hansen is also the second-youngest Canadian to attain the title of Grandmaster, after Mark Bluvshtein, who reached it at age 16 in 2004. However, Hansen is the youngest Canadian who was trained primarily in Canada to become a Grandmaster; Bluvshtein had the benefits of highly advanced Israeli youth chess training systems before immigrating to Canada in 1999 at age 11, and was virtually of national master strength at that age. Bluvshtein earned a 2200 rating in Canada within a few months of arriving there.[18]
Hansen qualified for the 2013 World Cup, to be held in Norway, by finishing in equal first-fifth places, with 8.5/11, at Mar del Plata 2012, the Americas Cup, held in October, and then advancing by playoff. With only four qualifying places available, Hansen finished fourth in the resulting round-robin quick-games playoff to advance.[19] Hansen won the 2012 Panama Open, with 8.5/9.[20]
Hansen kept his great form going into 2013 with a tie for 1st-8th places at the very large Cappelle-la-Grande Open in France, with a score of 7/9.[21]
As defending champion, Hansen tied for first place in mid-July in the 2013 Canadian Open in Ottawa with English GM Nigel Short, with both scoring unbeaten 7.5/9.[22]
On-line chess[edit]Hansen has been known to be a very strong blitz and bullet player not only over-the-board, but on-line, as well. He has been spotted playing at all the major online chess servers: Internet Chess Club (ICC), Chess.com, ChessCube, and PlayChess.com. For most of 2011, Hansen was recognized as the highest-rated player on ChessCube.com with a 3000 rating.[23] By April 2012, he was recognized as the highest-rated bullet player on Chess.com. He subsequently qualified for and accepted Chess.com's Death-Match 4 against then-IM Conrad Holt, who had the highest-rated blitz rating. Interestingly, the two were living in the same dorm building on the University of Texas at Dallas campus.[24] The two were tied 4-4 after the first 8 rounds of 5 minute 1 second increment blitz games. In the second round of 3 minute 1 second increment blitz games, Holt pulled ahead 5.5-3.5, and eventually won 15-11.[25]
Larry Bevand
Executive Director
Chess"n Math Association
Recently Eric contacted us and offered, as they say in French..."un retour de l'ascenceur".
In English I guess...it translates to...you helped me...and now I want to return the favour :).
On Saturday April 19, Eric will give us an overview of his adventures over the last 9 months followed by a 20 board simultaneous. Those who want to play and be a part of the presentation, will have to register in advance at Strategy Games in Montreal. The cost is $20. Those who simply want to hear Eric tell us about his adventures...the cost is $10. The whole thing starts at 1:30pm on April 19 at 3423 St. Denis on the 4th floor. $10 more for those who show up at the door, subject to availability.
The money raised from this event will help pay for the Canadian Chess Challenge in Winnipeg this year.
From Wikipedia:
Eric Hansen (chess player)From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eric Hansen, 2010
Full name Eric Hansen
Country Canada
Born (1992-05-24) May 24, 1992 (age 21)
Irvine, California, USA
Title Grandmaster
FIDE rating 2587 (March 2014)
(No. 44 in the world in the September 2012 FIDE Junior world Ranking.[1] Also see FIDE World Rankings)
Peak rating 2584 (August 2013)
Eric Hansen (born May 24, 1992) is a Canadian-American chess grandmaster. In September 2012, he clinched his final Grandmaster (GM) norm at the 2012 Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey.[2][3] He was officially recognized with the title of GM on January 19–20, 2013 by the first FIDE presidential board (PB) that assembled in Tsakhkadzor, Armenia.[4] Hansen previously achieved the International Master (IM) title after the 3rd quarter FIDE PB meeting that convened July 24–25, 2010 in Tromso, Norway, and the FIDE Master (FM) title two years prior in 2008.[5]
Contents [hide]
1 Biography
2 Chess career
3 2011 World Cup
4 2012 World Junior Chess Championship
5 2012 Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, achieving grandmastership
6 On-line chess
7 References
8 External links
Biography[edit]Eric Hansen was born in the United States but grew up in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He holds dual citizenship.
Chess career[edit]Hansen began playing chess in grade school at the age of nine. By the age of 15, in 2008, Hansen became the youngest-ever Alberta Champion, and earned the FM title that year. He repeated as Alberta champion in 2009, 2011 and 2013.
In 2011, IM Hansen tied for first place in the Canadian Zonal Championship with a score of 7½/9, but lost a two-game playoff to GM Bator Sambuev.[6] He won the 2012 Canadian Open Chess Championship, held in Victoria, British Columbia in July; Hansen scored 7½/9.[7] Hansen attended the University of Texas at Dallas for one year beginning in September 2011[8] on chess scholarship, representing the school in intercollegiate tournaments, including the Pan American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship; UTD won the 2011 PanAms. He is taking a break from his studies to focus on chess full-time in the immediate future,[9] and will make his European base in Valencia, Spain beginning in the autumn of 2013.[10]
2011 World Cup[edit]Hansen represented Canada at the 2011 World Cup, for which he automatically qualified, from his 2011 Canadian Closed tie for first with GM Sambuev.[11][12] At the World Cup, Hansen played Grandmaster Vugar Gashimov, losing both games. In a September 4, 2012 video interview at the Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Hansen reflected on his 2011 World Cup experience: "I got paired against Gashimov and he killed me," he said. "It was a good experience because I realized I wasn't serious enough to be competing with these guys. I'm more serious now ... it was good for motivating me."[13]
2012 World Junior Chess Championship[edit]In August, 2012, Hansen tied for 5th–10th places in the World Junior Chess Championship, held in Athens, Greece. He scored 9/13, achieving the best-ever finish by a Canadian in this event;[14] the previous best had been FM Vinny Puri's tie for 8th place in 1988. At the Isthmia Open tournament at Vrachati, which began a few days later, Hansen scored his first GM norm, with a tie for 1st–3rd places.[15]
2012 Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, achieving grandmastership[edit]Hansen represented Canada on board 4 at the 2012 Chess Olympiad, held in Istanbul, Turkey (August–September, 2012); this was his first Olympiad. Hansen, the youngest player on the team, made the best Canadian score of 7.5/10, boosting his FIDE rating by 25 points, cresting 2500 (the minimum for a GM title), and checked off his final GM norm in the process. He also made the best performance rating in the event by a player who was not already a Grandmaster. Hansen's current FIDE rating is 2502.[16] Since Hansen scored one previous GM norm, he will soon formally receive the title from FIDE.[17] He will become the first Grandmaster from Alberta. Hansen is also the second-youngest Canadian to attain the title of Grandmaster, after Mark Bluvshtein, who reached it at age 16 in 2004. However, Hansen is the youngest Canadian who was trained primarily in Canada to become a Grandmaster; Bluvshtein had the benefits of highly advanced Israeli youth chess training systems before immigrating to Canada in 1999 at age 11, and was virtually of national master strength at that age. Bluvshtein earned a 2200 rating in Canada within a few months of arriving there.[18]
Hansen qualified for the 2013 World Cup, to be held in Norway, by finishing in equal first-fifth places, with 8.5/11, at Mar del Plata 2012, the Americas Cup, held in October, and then advancing by playoff. With only four qualifying places available, Hansen finished fourth in the resulting round-robin quick-games playoff to advance.[19] Hansen won the 2012 Panama Open, with 8.5/9.[20]
Hansen kept his great form going into 2013 with a tie for 1st-8th places at the very large Cappelle-la-Grande Open in France, with a score of 7/9.[21]
As defending champion, Hansen tied for first place in mid-July in the 2013 Canadian Open in Ottawa with English GM Nigel Short, with both scoring unbeaten 7.5/9.[22]
On-line chess[edit]Hansen has been known to be a very strong blitz and bullet player not only over-the-board, but on-line, as well. He has been spotted playing at all the major online chess servers: Internet Chess Club (ICC), Chess.com, ChessCube, and PlayChess.com. For most of 2011, Hansen was recognized as the highest-rated player on ChessCube.com with a 3000 rating.[23] By April 2012, he was recognized as the highest-rated bullet player on Chess.com. He subsequently qualified for and accepted Chess.com's Death-Match 4 against then-IM Conrad Holt, who had the highest-rated blitz rating. Interestingly, the two were living in the same dorm building on the University of Texas at Dallas campus.[24] The two were tied 4-4 after the first 8 rounds of 5 minute 1 second increment blitz games. In the second round of 3 minute 1 second increment blitz games, Holt pulled ahead 5.5-3.5, and eventually won 15-11.[25]
Larry Bevand
Executive Director
Chess"n Math Association
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