Kasparov beats the World

The online game between world number one, Garry Kasparov, and the World at Microsoft's Gaming Zone ended on Friday, 22 October when The World Team chose to resign after Kasparov's 62.g6-g7. 

Even though the rules for this particular contest stated that the game had to be played out to either checkmate or stalemate, Microsoft decided to accept The World Team's resignation. 

I think it's safe to assume that the recent chaos surrounding this historic event was the motivating factor here (see my article of October 22). It was also obvious that Kasparov would soon be able to make a new queen, giving him an overwhelming material advantage. 

Kasparov's analysis of the final position (mate in 25!) has now been made available at the game site: http://www.zone.com/kasparov/endgame.asp


VAM
Hoogeveen, The Netherlands
(Link: http://www.hoogeveen.nl/vam-chess)
Home favourite Jan Timman had to share the honours with Judit Polgar at the VAM Invitational, after losing to tail-ender Darmen Sadvakasov in the sixth and final round. 

Judit Polgar caught the Dutchman at the finish-line by making a draw with the white pieces against former World Champion Anatoly Karpov.

Final standings: 
1-2. Jan Timman, The Netherlands and Judit Polgar, Hungary 3.5 
3. Anatoly Karpov, Russia 3 
4. Darmen Sadvakasov, Kazakhstan 2.

Read more here:


World's Youngest Grandmaster record beaten again

13-year-old Bu Xiangzhi of China is reported to have scored his third and final GM-norm at the Quingdao Daily Cup, which finished October 23rd in Quingdao. This will make him the youngest Grandmaster in the history of the game, if his title is approved by FIDE.

Read more here.

News in Briefs and game downloads:

Ladies vs Veterans
(Link: http://chess.lostcity.nl/marbella/ ) 

The annual "Ladies vs Veterans" match is currently underway in Marbella, Spain. After three rounds, the Veterans, headed by former World Championship Challenger Victor Korchnoi, lead by 9-6.


Fritz vs. Germany

(Link: http://www.fritzgegendeutschland.de/ )

Fritz 6, arguably the strongest chess playing program in the world, is currently taking on the German Internet-community in an online chess match. 

The German Team, coached by Grandmaster Rainer Knaak, Anette Borik and Elisabeth Pähtz, has the white pieces. 

The moves so far: 
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 cxd4.


Leko defeats Bunzmann

(Link: http://www.wichern-open.de )

Hungary's Peter Leko scored a convincing 4-2 victory against German teen star Dimitri Bunzmann in an exhibition match in Hamburg.

Denmark
(Link: http://www.skak.get2net.dk )
Alexei Fedorov takes care of business at the g2net-Cup in Aars.
 

Team Events

The world's strongest national team competition, the German Bundesliga, is now underway. 
Current standings and games at: http://www.schach-daniel.com/Bundesliga/bundesliga.html

Scandinavia's strongest league, Sweden's Elitserien, is also in progress. The first three rounds were played in Malmö last weekend. 
Standings and games at: 
http://www.limhamnssk.m.se/elit/2000/ 

- Einar Gausel