Chess to build bridges

Read about Watu Kobese, a South African chess champion and Fide trainer and now also author of chess books. Kobese is taking the game and his book on a roadshow to promote chess. Click on the image for a larger view in order to read the complete article.

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Dresden Games

If you click on the logo, you will get taken to the official site of Dresden and the “Live” image will take you straight to the “live”-games-link. On this link you can play through games played in round 8. Players from the SA team and also GM’s like Boris Gelfand, Magnus Carlsen, Ivan Cheparinov, Alexei Shirov, Topalov, Yelena Dembo, Nigel Short, Peter Leko, etc. The link will open in a new window. You can now play through two games, I will add more soon when I’ve got more time!
Please click HERE to play through the game of Kamsky and Ivanchuck and a few other players in round 11, the final round on chess.com. The link will open in a new window.
http://chessaleeinlondon.blogspot.com/2008/11/dresden-olympiad-2008.html

On this next link you can play through games of round 6. The SA-team games plus games of Kramnik and Ivanchuk. The link will also open in a new window.

http://chessaleeinlondon.blogspot.com/2008/11/south-africa-dresden-and-round-6.html

See more chess graphics and results of the SA-team on this link which will open in a new window.

https://chessaleeinlondon.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/dresden-chess-olympiad-2008/

GM Eduardo Iturrizaga..Watu Kobese’s opponent in round 9

More games to play through will be added soon, also games of about 15 GM’s. So, keep watching this space!

Statistics of Eduardo

Statistics of Watu

Watu Kobese..image: chessaol

Melissa Greeff Image: chessaol.wordpress.com

Melissa: Statistics…Melissa has a personal score of 6.5 so far at the Olympiad, a score not many other females could equal in this tournament. Well done to Melissa!

Results of the ladies after round 10…you can see Melissa having 7 out of 9…she didn’t play in round 5.

Please click HERE to play through the game of Melissa Greeff in round 9 played on the 22nd November at the Chess Olympiad 2008. Links in this post will all open in new windows.

Please click HERE to play through Watu Kobese’s game played in round 9.

Please click HERE to play through the game of Kenny Solomon played in round 9.

Please click HERE to play through the game of Carmen de Jager in round 9.

Please click HERE to play through the game of Anzel Solomons played in round 9.

Please click HERE to play through the game of Daniel Cawdery played in round 9 vs Jose Sequera Paolini of Venezuela.

Melissa Greeff round 10 move 27

Dresden round 10 Melissa Greeff  end position…1/2

Round 10 move list: Melissa Greeff, see the last move with the chess graphics

Dresden round 10: Results of the ladies – SA vs Scotland

Image: chessaol.wordpress.com

Kenny’s game – 1/2

Dresden round 10: Results of the men’s team

Dresden round 11: Results of the SA Ladies against UAE…3-1..well done ladies!

SA ladies on the left..image: chessaol.wordpress.com

Dresden round 11 Results of the SA men against IPCA (International Chess Organisation for Physically Disabled)…3-1..well done boys!

SA men on the right..image: chessaol.wordpress.com

The Gaprindashvili Cup – click on the image for a clear view, or follow this link: The link will open in a new window.

http://chessforall.co.za/tournaments/tourreps/olympiad_dresden/newsitems.php?page=newsitems/olym_dres_n10.html 

 

Dresden top 10 Africa countries…South Africa is second in the Africa-group image: chessforall.co.za

Dresden: Top 20 countries: Gaprindashvilicup

Dresden rankings: SA ranked in position no 58

Dresden final standings: Top 20 countries after round 11 – click on the image for a clear view. South Africa is in position 56.

Dresden Top 10 Women: Image: chess.com

Countries represented at Dresden

Please click HERE to play through the game of Cheparinov in round 9.

Please click HERE to play through the game of Radjabov in round 9.
more games of the masters to follow a bit later!

Radjabov: Image: Official site of Dresden

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Dresden-Chess Olympiad 2008

Chess Games of Round 8: South African chess players as well as: Magnus Carlsen, Boris Gelfand, Ivan Cheparinov, Topalov, Radjabov, Yelena Dembo and a few more GrandMaster-games to play through on my blogger-blog, please click on the link here and it will open in a new window.

http://chessaleeinlondon.blogspot.com/2008/11/dresden-olympiad-2008.html

Click on the logo and you will be taken to the Official site and the “live” link will take you straight away to the live-games! Both links will open in a new page.

Please click HERE to see more results of games played in round 1 and round 2. The link will open in a new window. Please click HERE to see lots of South African Chess player-pics and to see the results of rounds 3-6. At the bottom of this post you will find a link to play through games of round 5, where South Africa played Luxembourg.

On this link…see their games of round 6 and you can play through their games interactively. Also, the games of Kramnik and Ivanchuk (my favourite) of round 6 can be found on this link. The page will open in a new link.

http://chessaleeinlondon.blogspot.com/2008/11/south-africa-dresden-and-round-6.html

Schedule: Dresden

From L-R: Anzel Solomons, Melissa Greeff, Jenine Ellappin, Carmen de Jager, Monique Sischy

LtoR: Watu Kobese, Kenny Solomon, Henry Steel, Daniel Cawdery, Johannes Mabusela

Dresden Olympiad 2008 Round 7

Ladies team against Guatemala and the mens team against the Faroe Islands

Results: See the chess graphics

Dresden round 7: Anzel Solomons move 14…0-1

Dresden round 7:  Melissa Greeff move 12…1-0

Dresden round 7 Carmen de Jager  move 18..1-0

Dresden round 7 Monique Sischy move 7…0-1

Dresden round 7 Watu Kobese move 11…1-0

Dresden round 7 Kenny Solomon move 18…1-0

Dresden round 7 Daniel Cawdery move 14…1/2

Dresden round 7 Johannes Mabusela move 17…0-1

Round 8: South Africa vs Cyprus: Mens team

Round 8: South Africa vs Bosnia Herzegovina: Ladies team

Dresden round 8 Watu Kobese…1-0

Dresden round 8 Kenny Solomon…0-1

Dresden round 8 Henry Steel…1-0

Dresden round 8 Johannes Mabusela…1/2

Dresden round 8 Anzel Solomons …0-1

Dresden round 8 Melissa Greeff move 19

Dresden round 8 Melissa Greeff…0-1

Dresden round 8 Jenine Ellappen …0-1

Dresden round 8 Monique Sischy…1-0

Results: rounds 5-9 South African ladies’ team…Round 9 was played today, Saturday 22nd November. Click on the image for a clear view.

 

Results: rounds 5-9 South African men’s team. Round 9 was played today, 22nd November. Click on the image for a clear view.

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South Africa at Dresden 2008

Please click HERE to see more results of games played in round 1 and round 2. The link will open in a new window. At the bottom of this post you will find a link to play through games of round 5, where South Africa played Luxembourg.

On this link you can play through games played in round 6. The link will open in a new window.

http://chessaleeinlondon.blogspot.com/2008/11/south-africa-dresden-and-round-6.html

 

Click on the top image/logo to access the official site of Dresen 2008, it will open in a new window and on the “live” image for the live games.

 

South African players: Men

South African players: Ladies

Dresden Schedule

The South African women’s team at Dresden

All images in this post: HERE the official chess blog of Chess SA. The link will open in a new window.

Carmen de Jager

Monique Sischy

Melissa Greeff

Jenine Ellappen

Anzel Solomons

Henry Steel

Watu Kobese

Please click HERE to play through a game of Watu Kobese against Jennifer Shahade played in Philadelphia in June 1998. The game was Kobese’s.

Kenny Solomon

Johannes Mabusela

Daniel Cawdery

Some of the round 3 results- click on images for  larger view

Melissa Greeff round 3 move 39 …0-1

Melissa Greeff round 3 move list

 

Daniel Cawdery round 3 end position 1/2

Daniel Cawdery round 3 move list

Monique Sischy round 3 end position 0-1

Monique Sischy round 3 move list

Round 4  16 Nov women’s team against Norway and men’s team against Pakistan

Melissa round 4 move 18

Jenine round 4 move 17

Anzel round 4 move 17

Monique round 4 move 17

Daniel round 4 move 17

Henry round 4 move 14

Kenny round 4 move 12

Johannes round 4 move 12

 

South Africa vs Pakistan Images from players: chesssaol.wordpress.com

South African Ladies’ team vs Latvia

Results of the ladies’ team after round 4

Results of the men’s team after round 4

Round 5 results: South Africa vs Luxembourg 17th November 2008

Henry Steel vs Jeitz Christian Dresden round 5…1-0

Mietek Bakalarz vs Kenny Solomon Dresden round 5 …0-1

Pierre Gengler vs Johannes Mabusela Dresden round 5…1/2

Watu Kobese vs Fred Berend Dresden round 5…1-0

Watu Kobese round 5 move list

Kaydanovich vs Monique Sischy Dresden round 5…0-1

Round 5 Monique Sischy move list

Anzel Solomons vs Gelina Melnik Dresden round 5 …1-0
Please click HERE to play interactively through the games of round 5. The link will open in a new window.

Results: Ladies Round 6 South Africa vs Egypt

Results: Men Round 6 South Africa vs Italy

 

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Chess Olympiad Dresden 2008

 

 

Click on the top image/logo to access the official site of Dresen 2008, it will open in a new window and on the “live” image for the live games.
Click HERE for round 1 live games. The link will open in a new window. Then click on the country and it will take you to a window where you can click on “live”. There is a separate link to the Women’s section.

Please click on THIS LINK to see more images of the South African team at Dresden and for more results. The link will open in a new window.

„There is an incredible treasure of all kinds in this beautiful place” wrote Goethe about Dresden. Today Saxony’s state capital has rebuilt its glamorous position step by step. Dresden as cultural metropole is a worldwide center of attraction – and a strong location for economy and science. Dresden’s microelectronics cluster (ZMD, AMD, Infineon), Fraunhofer Institutes, the Max-Planck Institutes, the Technical University and the College of Arts represent an environment offering a mentality which is also determining for chess. Thus, Dresden is, for example, City of Science 2006.

Intelligence has here been at home already very early. 1083 the Bohemian daughter of a king, Judith, brought along a precious chess game as dowry to Saxony. Therewith, Dresden’s match as a chess city was begun. Alone since 1991 210 international and national relevant chess events could be experienced. Stars like Anatoly Karpov or Garry Kasparov are in Dresden oftentimes. Even the castling is close by to relax.

Elena Winkelmann is one of Germany’s greatest chess talents. Here she is playing in front of the emblem of the EURO 2007 and the Chess Olympiad, the Crown Gate of the Zwinger.

A dignified framework: the venue of the Olympiad 2008 in the ICD Dresden is located directly on the river banks on the old side of the city. Church of our Lady, Semper Opera, Castle, Bruhl’s Terrace – the famous baroque ensemble is only a few steps away. And every visitor right away feels the special flair of hospitality and love for cultural engagement in the whole city. Read on the Official Site more about Dresden.

Image: Dresden2008

Please click HERE to access the official site where you can locate your country to view the players/teams that will take part. The links in this post will all open in a new window.Please click HERE to read about Jennifer Shahade’s visit to South Africa and you can see images from her and her visit.

Simen Agdestein, Norwegian Grandmaster toured South Africa during March and said SA has great chess talent, the problem South Africans face…is the fact that they are far from Europe to play tournaments! You can see his image in this post where he played chess in a restaurant in South Africa.

Kenny Solomon

Carmen de Jager, Anzel Solomons and Monique Sischy

Melissa Greeff

Image chessbase :Henry Steel

Image: chessbase:Jenine Elappen, Anzel Solomons, Melissa Greeff

South African players

Image: Chessbase..Dresden Chess 2008…map with details

1. Congress Center Dresden (Playing Hall)
2. Hotel Maritim Hotel
3. Westin Bellevue
4. Museum Japanese Palais
5. Art‘otel
6. Freiberger Arena (Opening Ceremony)

Dresden: Schedule…Info: Chessbase

Image: spotlightgermany.com

Watu Kobese….Image: farm1.static.flickr.com/5/4967409_aa51644369

Please click HERE to play through a game of Watu Kobese against Jennifer Shahade played in Philadelphia in June 1998. The game was Kobese’s.

Chess Art…a display at Dresden 2008 – Image: http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com

Image: dresden2008

Grootmeester Simen Agdestein van Noorweë speel ‘n potjie informele skaak in ‘n restaurant in Pretoria. Sy hoed is ‘n aandenking van Suid-Afrika. Foto: Waldo Swiegers

SA hét talent, sê skaak-grootmeester Mar 03 2008 01:21:33:830AM  – (SA)  
Neels Jackson

Suid-Afrika se skaakspelers is erg ondergegradeer.

Dís die mening van mnr. Simen Agdestein, Noorweegse grootmeester, wat die naweek saam met ’n groep van sy skaakleerlinge in Suid-Afrika aangekom het om deur die land te toer. Hulle speel die naweek ook in ’n internasionaal gegradeerde toernooi by die Hoërskool Waterkloof in Pretoria.

Agdestein sê as Suid-Afrika nie so ver van Europa was nie en meer van sy spelers kon gereeld aan internasionale toernooie deelneem, sou die land al verskeie grootmeesters opgelewer het.

Hy was op sy dag die wêreld se no. 16-speler, maar hy lê hom nou toe op skaakafrigting by ’n Noorweegse sportskool. Hy is een van nege Noorweegse grootmeesters.

Dat hy ook ander talente het, blyk daaruit dat hy sy land agt keer as doelskieter van die nasionale sokkerspan verteenwoordig het.

Hy het ook aan die Noorweegse weergawe van Strictly come dancing deelgeneem, maar sê hy het vroeg uitgeval weens ’n swak ronde met die tango.

Die sportskool waar hy skaakafrigting doen, het ’n samewerkingsooreenkoms met die Hoërskool Waterkloof se skaaksentrum gesluit. Die Noorweërs se besoek is deel van dié ooreenkoms.

Skaak help kinders volgens hom nie net met hul verstandelike ontwikkeling nie. Dit verryk ook hul lewe deurdat hulle mense op ’n ander manier leer ken.

Hy bestempel dit as ’n geson-de aktiwiteit – baie beter as rekenaarspeletjies, wat hy as “ silly ” bestempel.

http://www.news24.com/Beeld/Suid-Afrika/0,,3-975_2280944,00.html.

Image: Wikipedia..The symbol of the 6th Olympiad held in 1935 in Warshaw by J Steifer.

Birth of the Olympiad
The first Olympiad was unofficial. For the 1924 Olympics an attempt was made to include chess in the Olympics Games but this failed because of problems with distinguishing between amateur and professional players.While the 1924 Summer Olympics was taking place in Paris, the 1st unofficial Chess Olympiad also took place in Paris. FIDE was formed on Sunday, July 20, 1924, the closing day of the 1st unofficial Chess Olympiad. FIDE organised the first Official Olympiad in 1927 which took place in London.The Olympiads were occasionally held annually and at irregular intervals until World War II; since 1950 they have been held regularly every two years.

Read more about the history of the Chess Olympiad on this link which will open in a new window.

Image: Wikipedia
Bobby Fischer’s score card from his round 3 game during the Chess Olympiad in 1970…he played against Miguel Najdorf in Warshaw.

Children in Nepal playing chess!   Image: susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2008/11/picture-of-the-day-global-chess.html

Dresden Opening Ceremony images

Dresden Opening Ceremony

Results: Round 1

Dresden round 1: South Africa’s Woman’s team against Tunisia

 

Results round 1: Hong Kong vs South Africa

Dresden round 1: England vs Turkey

Round 2 results – games played on Friday 14th November 2008

Melissa Greeff Round 2 move 19

Melissa Greeff Round 2 draw

Melissa Greef Round 2 move list – 1/2

Monique Sischy  Round 2 move 14 – 1/2

 

Watu Kobese round 2 move 20

Watu Kobese Round 2 Dresden end position and move list – 1/2

Jenine Ellappen round 2

Jenine Ellappen Round 2 move list – 1-0

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Only in South Africa…

Image: http://gsport.co.za

I think this is brilliant! Just think how the children can keep themself busy playing chess during breaks! and you will get more children interested in the game! As you can see from these images, these stands can be placed anywhere! I think these people deserve a 10/10 for this idea. See more info on this site: http://www.ramlodi.co.za/

There is little doubt that a development plan that benefits all the parties involved, is a development plan that is bound to succeed, and Mind Sports SA believes its development plan backed by Ramlodi Outdoor Advertising can put together an exciting and dynamic programme, where everyone wins.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) is an affiliate of the South African Confederation of Sport and Olympic Committee, and is responsible for the good governance and promotion of Historical figure games (also known as wargames), Board games (such as Diplomacy, Checkers, Draughts, Morabaraba, etc), and Computer games (whether they are played on ‘cell phones, Sony® PSP’s, personal computers or similar).

The programme is based on open-air game stands at schools, which receive a monthly payment while the game stand is sponsored, and MSSA is focussed on ensuring that the games played in an ever increasing number of schools.

The Morabaraba game stand, which has been used to develop strong mathematical skills. The programme’s official rollout has been aided by the Tshwane University of Technology, which has sponsored a number of game stands being distributed to schools, beginning at Pretoria West High, where a delighted Headmistress Rita Coetzee took delivery of the first two stands.
As soon as the stands were positioned in the quad, learners descended en masse to the game stands and began to play. Only when the bell rang signifying the end of break did the learners leave the stands.

Steven Kekana of Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) was also delighted with the response of the learners to the game stands, as the game of Morabaraba is well known to have a strong linear mathematical background, and has previously been used by Tshwane University of Technology to identify learners who have strong mathematical skills.

Additional stands will be set up at schools in Benoni, Johannesburg, Witbank, Nelspruit, Attridgeville, and Mamelodi within the month.

Source: http://gsport.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1681&Itemid=52

Images: ramlodi.co.za…IM Watu Kobese…The “Lion” of South Africa (right)

http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping

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Watu Kobese vs Rian Cox

Watu Kobese IM (South Africa)..Image: farm1.static.flickr.com

This is a news article about Watu playing chess on the 29th June in Pretoria in a simul to raise money for the Ramlodi chess festival in July. A Grade 7-student (u/14) checkmated him in a game! Rian Cox is also a Springbok Chess player.
Read more about the RAMLODI Chess Festival here and you can visit the Official site here …
On THIS LINK you can play through his games on Chessgames.

On THIS LINK you can read about the Chess simultaneous on the Kolonnade Centre’s site.

Skaakkampioen kom toe ’n Ermeloër teë
Jun 29 2008 06:13:41:670PM – (SA)

Mnr. Watu Kobese, Suid-Afrika se skaakmeester met die hoogste gradering tans, het Pretorianers – 40 van hulle – eergister by die Kolonnade-inkopiesentrum in Pretoria die stryd aangesê.

’n Oorlogsveld van 40 skaakborde is staangemaak terwyl Kobese opponente begin lok het.

“Ek glo skaak kry nie genoeg erkenning in Suid-Afrika nie. Selfs die onderwysdepartement moet verstaan dat skaak help met jou leerwerk en kognitiewe denke,” het die skaakfoendi gesê.

“ ’n Skaakbord het ’n X- en Y-as wanneer ’n mens byvoorbeeld aan wiskunde dink. Skaak is baie goedkoop en jy het geen spasie nodig daarvoor nie. Skaak is vir my soos musiek en kuns. Dis ’n intellektuele plesier. Dit leer jou ook om jou opponent te respekteer.

“Daar word gemeen dat skaak jou sosiale karakter weerspieël. Ek is ’n baie aggressiewe onkompromistiese speler. ’n Mens moet skaakfiks wees. Sodra jy slaplê, verlaag jou sin vir gevaar. ’n Rede vir my sukses is die vermoë om vinnig variasies te bereken op die skaakbord.

Soos ek aanstap van een opponent na die volgende, hou ek my moeilike opponente in gedagte en werk solank aan daardie skuiwe in my kop. Ek vrees Russiese spelers die meeste. Hulle leer skaak van vroeg af op skool.”

Terwyl die tuisopponente peinsend die skaakbord voor hulle bestudeer, stap Kobese al skuiwende van een spel na die volgende. “Skaak laat jou verder dink,” vertel Werner Buys (10) van Rayton. “Skaak is werklik fun en dit gee ’n mens kans om jou tyd ordentlik te bestee.”

En toe kom die groot gif in die klein botteltjie. Uit die 47 skaakspele wat Kobese gespeel het, was een spel ’n probleem.

’n Gr. 7-leerling van Ermelo en ’n o.14 junior skaak-Springbok, Rian Cox, vertel: “Ek het my ruiter vir twee van Watu se pionne opgeoffer, dit alles om Watu se koning oop te kry. En in die 21ste skuif was dit skaakmat.”

Hannah Kneen–8jr — van Johannesburg hou die volgende skuif van mnr. Watu Kobese, ‘n skaakmeester, dop. ‘n Geldinsameling is die naweek by die Kolonnade-inkopiesentrum in Pretoria gehou vir die Ramlodi-skaakfees wat op 18 Julie in Pretoria begin. Foto: Leon Botha

Source: http://www.news24.com/Beeld/Suid-Afrika/0,,3-975_2349020,00.html

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