Eric Hansen, Aman Hambleton - BIG NEWS

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  • Eric Hansen, Aman Hambleton - BIG NEWS

    As the title says, Eric and I have some big news to report!

    On August 1st, 2013 we are going to be basing ourselves in Valencia, Spain for at least a year... probably more. We have secured an apartment and will be living, playing and studying together along with our chess friend GM Robin Van Kampen from Netherlands. This move was made primarily to centralize ourselves with a closer home-base to the strong and plentiful European tournaments, leagues, and various chess opportunities.

    As some of you may know, Eric has signed on to a club in the 1st division Bundesliga (Germany), and also in the 1st division 4NCL (England). I have also agreed to terms with a 2nd division Bundesliga team and the same 1st division 4NCL club as Eric. Although we don't plan to play nearly as much as the summer (I had a period with 30 games on the FIDE update and 31 days in the month!), we will playing in the major calendar events and studying hard in the meantime.

    The opportunities in Canada are just not enough at the moment to sustain our future chess desires, so we've decided to take our ambitions seriously. We hope you will support and follow our progress abroad as we try to make a professional leap into the elite players of the world. I invite all of your thoughts, comments, opinions, and advice below. We're excited to continue to represent Canada on the global stage!


  • #2
    Re: Eric Hansen, Aman Hambleton - BIG NEWS

    That sounds like a win-win for both of you (pardon the pun). I wish you both continued success and plan to follow your adventures.
    I suggest cutting back on Red Bull and switching to wine, but that is just a personal preference... ;)
    ...Mike Pence: the Lord of the fly.

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    • #3
      Re: Eric Hansen, Aman Hambleton - BIG NEWS

      Good luck with your endeavours.

      and take two byes and come to Aurora on Saturday ;)

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      • #4
        Re: Eric Hansen, Aman Hambleton - BIG NEWS

        Hi Aman / Eric,

        This certainly is very good news for Canada Chess....Canada has not many notable Heroes in the World scene as yet ( like top ten or super GMs ). Without the Heroes to look up to, Canada chess will never be in the same league like in other countries eg Russia/China/Ukraine/US/Armenia etc....Canada right now is ranked 40 in the world ( if I am not mistaken based on the latest FIDE ranking of the GMs )

        It is certainly very hard for a chess player to survive without highly ranked in the world.....

        I wish both of you all the best in the upcoming months and I certainly will follow your progress in Europe closely.......this is definitely good news for my son as he will have someone from Canada to look up to.....

        3 Cheers for Canada Chess

        Gary Hua

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        • #5
          Re: Eric Hansen, Aman Hambleton - BIG NEWS

          Which board will you be playing? It's a major consideration for me when I play on a team.
          Gary Ruben
          CC - IA and SIM

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          • #6
            Re: Eric Hansen, Aman Hambleton - BIG NEWS

            http://canadachessnews.blogspot.hu/

            The blog will continue to cover your chess exploits as much as humanly possible.

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            • #7
              Re: Eric Hansen, Aman Hambleton - BIG NEWS

              An excellent decision. Canada has had many talented players in the past who became tourists because they dabbled in international chess. You have to immerse yourself in the international scene and that is exactly what you are doing. Congratulations.

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              • #8
                Re : Re: Eric Hansen, Aman Hambleton - BIG NEWS

                Good luck for your future tournaments! Let's hope you'll still come back to play in some tournaments :)

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                • #9
                  Re: Re : Re: Eric Hansen, Aman Hambleton - BIG NEWS

                  Great news. I hope to see you as a top twenty player in a few years. Best of luck!

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                  • #10
                    Re: Re : Re: Eric Hansen, Aman Hambleton - BIG NEWS

                    I wish you both good luck and that your study be well inspired to take you to the heights of the chess world. We are all rooting for you.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Re : Re: Eric Hansen, Aman Hambleton - BIG NEWS

                      Very exciting news!!

                      I wish both Eric and Aman the best of luck and skill with this big step!!

                      I have visited Valencia myself (stayed for two weeks at the El Saler golf resort just south of the city, near the Albufera), and it is a wonderful place. Their winters are about like Victoria in the autumn.

                      Housing prices should be cheap, as Spain is in a very bad recession.

                      Invest in Rail passes!

                      First, GM Kevin Spraggett based in Portugal, and now GM Eric Hansen and IM (likely soon GM!) in Spain! Canadian chess stars are taking over the Iberian peninsula!

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                      • #12
                        Re: Re : Re: Eric Hansen, Aman Hambleton - BIG NEWS

                        When you think about it, how many sports/games are there where world-class Canadians can get the competition level they need, while residing in Canada most of the time?
                        Hockey- Yes, if you play for one of the Canadian-based pro teams.
                        CFL football - Your best bet, with all eight teams in this country
                        Curling- also a good bet, I've read that the typical Brier/Scotties (Cdn championships) is more competitive than the World Championships
                        Basketball/Baseball/NFL- Most likely you'll be in the States.
                        Golf- Most of our top touring pros have residences in Florida or the Southwest US
                        Athletics/Aquatics/Skiing/ - top (Olympic calibre) Canadians spend most of the year training in Europe (or U.S. college), most of the big competitions are outside Canada.
                        So you see, if you're Canadian and want to compete at the world level, be prepared to enjoy some foreign environments!
                        Best of luck to Aman and Eric in their chessic endeavours!

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                        • #13
                          Re: Eric Hansen, Aman Hambleton - BIG NEWS

                          WOW!!

                          I am very proud of both of you! I will be asking the Chess'n Math Association executive to help you financially in this endeavour...this is very exciting!

                          You are great ambassadors for Canadian chess!

                          Larry Bevand
                          Executive Director
                          Chess'n Math Association

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                          • #14
                            Re: Eric Hansen, Aman Hambleton - BIG NEWS

                            My July issue of the English magazine CHESS arrived today and there on page 50, in half-inch headlines, is:

                            Hambleton Conquers Sunningdale

                            The Open

                            The Open featured a very strong field, including three GMs, three IMs and five FMs. It was won by 20 year-old Canadian IM Aman Hambleton who scored an excellent 6.5/7 for an impressive rating performance of 2783. Aman only dropped half a point to GM Keith Arkell in round 4 and defeated two of England’s top Grandmasters, Simon Williams and Mark Hebden.

                            And then it gives the ending of your game with David Eggleston.

                            I hope your move will engender many more such victories.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Eric Hansen, Aman Hambleton - BIG NEWS

                              We will miss you in Ottawa, Aman, but I am sure all of your friends and admirers at Ottawa's RA Chess Club join me in wishing you both the very best. It is a tough way to make a living these days but life at the very top can be sweet.

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