Tweet
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).
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).
Comment