AusJCL Johns-Putra JETS 2011_Applicants_Applications now closed

I have now received all applications for Johns-Putra JETS 2011 which were either handed or posted to GM Rogers as well as those sent by email to GM Rogers or myself. The list below contains the names of all applicants for Johns-Putra JETS 2011 in my possession. Please check the list to see if your child's application has been received.

There is a slight delay this year due to overseas travel of both the Grandmaster and myself in Jan-Feb. Since we are very close to the release of the ACF March ratings, I wait until after the 1st March before preparing the relevant and requisite information for the Panel of Selectors. I am aiming to finalise selection by mid-March.

Here is the final list of applicants (54 in total) for the Johns-Putra JETS 2011 (in no particular order):


(1) Matthew Pyper
(2) Michael Chan
(3) Zachary Loh
(4) ZhiLin GUO (f)
(5) ZhiXin GUO (m)
(6) Jamie Fay
(7) Leteisha Simmonds
(8) Emily Lim
(9) Miranda Webb Liddle
(10) Joel Lee
(11) Alex MacAdam
(12) Nicole Chin
(13) Chloe Chin
(14) Clarise Koh
(15) Cedric Koh
(16) Emma Guo
(17) Jamie-Lee Guo
(18) George Karassoulos
(19) George Carolin-Unkovich
(20) Anton Smirnov
(21) Callum Gray
(22) David Cannon
(23) Michael Joseph KETHRO
(24) Glen Qi
(25) Caroline Shan
(26) Grace Shan
(27) Thumula Gamage
(28) Tomson Qin
(29) Ethan Derwent
(30) Hannah Derwent
(31) Daniel Lapitan
(32) Bill Yuan
(33) Ege Girgin
(34) Baris Girgin
(35) Joshua Devarajh
(36) Kyle Gibson
(37) Tom Slater-Jones
(38) Eddie Han (SeongHun)
(39) Denny Han (JungHo)
(40) Savithri Narenthran
(41) Janaki Narenthran
(42) Karl Zelesco
(43) Veda Mitra
(44) Ryan O’Rourke
(45) Joanne Mason
(46) Stuart Mason
(47) Harry Hughes
(48) Alanna Chew Lee
(49) Max Chew Lee
(50) Jack Puccini
(51) Martin Jack
(52) Finley Dale
(53) Ari Dale
(54) Justin Tan

PLAY LIKE A GIRL! TACTICS BY 9 QUEENS

Here is one for all the grrrrlszzz! out there.



From Mongoose Press:

Play Like A Girl!, the first book of its kind, is a collection of tactical positions from the world’s best women chessplayers. Profiled players range from Hungary’s Judit Polgar, the best woman chessplayer in history, to Abby Marshall, the teenager who became the first American girl to win the Denker High School Tournament of Champions.
Chess lovers of all levels can enjoy the puzzles, as the difficulty goes all the way from one-move killer blows to deep, complex combinations. The crushing tactics in this book show that “playing like a girl” is something to aspire to!

When you purchase Play Like a Girl!, you\'re also helping charity. All author royalties go to the Tucson-based non-profit organization, 9Queens. The book is edited by two-time U.S. Women\'s Champion Jennifer Shahade, a co-founder of 9Queens.

And from the editor, Jennifer Shahade:

My new book, Play Like a Girl! Tactics by 9 Queens has arrived. The book is filled with chess puzzles and combinations, all executed by female players and is a perfect “prequel” to my first book, Chess Bitch: Women in the Ultimate Intellectual Sport. All the author royalties go to 9 Queens initiatives to bring chess to inner-city youth and girls. Find out more on the Mongoose Press homepage and look for more details coming soon.

And see here for more photos.

GM Daniel Stellwagen speaks ......

Here is a link to an interview with young Dutch GM Daniel Stellwagen conducted by Alina L'ami. It is especially interesting for some Australian chess juniors as Daniel is presently engaged in his PhD studies in chemistry at Utrecht University. Some excerpts:

Alina: Have you ever had doubts which one to choose, chess or chemistry?
Daniel: I briefly considered life as a chess professional when I finished high school, but I didn't want to specialize so early on in my life. Instead, I went to university to expand my horizons. For a while I combined both chess life and my chemistry studies, trying to divide my time equally between both subjects. At the moment my priorities have shifted toward my chemistry work, since a PhD project obviously requires much time than undergraduate studies. In any case, whenever I find time, I like to fill it up with chess.

Alina: Are you considering to come back as a professional chess player?
Daniel: I hope to first get my PhD, so if I will decide to come back to chess full time, it won't happen in the next few years. I simply enjoy my life more when I do other things besides chess. Anyway, it would have been, practically speaking, more appropriate to decide upon a chess career a few years ago, to be able to reach the very top.

Alina: If you could start all over again, what would you choose between chemistry and chess?
Daniel: Difficult to say, I have more experience as a chess player but it's nice to do them both and experience as much as possible. It brings you a nice perspective.

Alina: What do you miss most from chess, besides playing?
Daniel: The tournament atmosphere, seeing my friends, it's a really pleasant life. that's why it's a pity that I don't have so much time to play anymore. Of course, I am a bit more relaxed now with chess because I am less concerned. We know that when we lose a game, it's not good for your inner peace; the more serious you are on chess, the more disturbed you get with bad results.
Now I am much easier on myself, it's not the end of the world if I lose a game and my life is more pleasant. So, I do miss the nice atmosphere but not the soul crushing defeats which sometimes appear:)

Alina: A final chess advice?
Daniel: When things go wrong in a game, many players don't enjoy it anymore and, as a consequence, they no longer make an effort to fight. They should be aware of the following fact: for the better side, for the player with a winning position, it's extremely annoying to face a tough defence. It's so frustrating that you cannot easily turn your advantage into victory that, quite often, a winning position changes into a lost one. Keep fighting and be as resilient as possible!

And comparing chess and chemistry:

Alina: Which one is more difficult: chess or chemistry?
Daniel: Difficult to say because they are different from each other; but if I have to choose one...I'd say chemistry is more difficult because it is a much bigger field. On the other hand, chess is a very competitive game, you have to beat someone, you have to train hard and there are a lot of emotions, stress and pressure involved. In chemistry, you also have the competitive element, because you have to publish your work, you have to come up with better ideas than other people, but you don't have to face and fight against somebody. This is what makes chess a difficult game.

Alina L'ami nee Motoc on ......

This is a blog on a blog, specifically the blog of WGM Alina L'ami. I guess I am lazy!!! BUT there are really some useful things said on the blog ...... So this is a blog on a guide to another blog ......

Australians may be familiar with Alina L'ami nee Motoc as a chess player as she was here in this part of the world playing in the 2009 Queenstown Classic. As her name implies, she is married to Dutch GM Erwin L'ami. She has her own blog and she has posted some very interesting blogs on chess and playing chess as a professional or semi-professional or as a serious amateur. I guess coming through as part of a power-chess couple, her thoughts are quite instructive and useful. I thought Australian juniors will benefit from these. I have included links below to the blogs specifically helpful to tournament chess players. But you can also check out her chess jokes and cartoons, brief interviews with international chess juniors (such as Anish Giri) as well chess-themed cooking.

Also coming very strongly through her blog is her constant emphasis on solving chess puzzles, whether tactical, endgame or middlegame or otherwise.

I still get a lot of messages on facebook where people ask me how to improve their chess strength.
The biggest secret of all secrets is: work, work, work and...when you really feel like throwing the pieces out of the window, work just a little bit more:) Besides, you will always have my chess psychology articles, under the label: Boost your career and some exercises.
Talking about work, here you have 3 more endgame studies, with the domination theme, one of my favourite. Soon you will start recognizing the patterns and successfully use them in your games! But, very important also, solving studies will improve you creativity, imagination and...it's fun:)

She has also blogged on these puzzles. Check it out (click on Studies in the labels menu to the right).

Boost your career blogs:

Dealing with Stress and Life-balance - The Chess Wheel: see here.

Sports psychology: see here.

Critical mental skill - concentration: see here.

Memory and improvement: see here.

Failure: see here.

Dealing with stress of travelling to chess tournaments: see here. Those ex-juniors taking a gap year from University and playing chess overseas in Asia and Europe may wish to read this.

On the Women World Championship Finals between GM Hou YiFan and Ruan LuFei: see here. Alina analyses the last of the classical game where Hou YiFan needed to only draw to become Women World Champion.

What I want to point out is that there are two bad habits out there that kill confidence:
1. Setting unrealistic expectations: strict or high expectations can undermine and suck the life out of confidence!
2. Letting self-doubt run wild: pessimism and/or perfectionism might be the cause in derailing performance.

Another big problem is that we tend to live either in the past (What a stupid move I did yesterday...Why couldn't I make just a simple draw?!), either in the future (I must win! I have to win! How great it would be to win!), and only occasionally in the present. And then again...the real winner is the one who stands up after falling (see my post on Motivated by Fear of Failure?).
[......]Tiebreak time! Great for the public but a hell for the players. They are both tired, stressed and yet, they have to play rapid games, maybe blitz and, who knows, maybe even Armageddon! All on Christmas Eve!
Chess is not a game for weak-hearted people...

Is it worth playing chess?! A blog on the positives and negatives of playing chess. Read it and use it as a review of the reasons why you play chess. Read it to become aware of the "dark" side of chess.

Goal Setting. A blog on the mechanics and psychology of setting goals.

Goal setting is not just about identifying what you want to achieve but also how you will achieve it (process goals) and measure that achievement (performance goals). Goals must be set according to the age, stage of development, confidence, ability and motivation of the individual. Beginners require very short term, easily achieved goals to boost their self-confidence, whereas the experienced individual need more challenging, yet realistic goals.

And lastly, my favourite blog thus far: Chess in Paintings. Lately I have been absorbed in abstract painting and I have been dabbling in it. Might even consider entering a competition of two. So this blog on painting styles and chess was great. For those who like painting and chess as well, there is another blog which regularly talks on the same: The Streatham & Brixton Chess Blog and its series on Chess in Art.

GM Efstratios Grivas lectures ...... Lecture II

Getting to Know Ourselves
By GM Efstratios Grivas

It is essential to become acquainted with ourselves chesswise so as to be able to identify and codify the assets and weaknesses of our chess personality. Many trainers and trainees have asked me how this can be done properly. Well, as when you ‘feel the pain’ you make the necessary examinations to identify the problem, the same you should do with your chess!

But how can this be done? Our basic source shall be the recent games we have played so far. We must re-examine this valuable and important material (yes, you should write down all your games!) and produce an 'X-ray' image of our chess-self. This examination must include all three parts of the game, opening, middlegame and endgame, for each of our games.

Starting with the opening, we shall fill up two charts, one for the white and one for the black pieces. These charts will provide very clear-cut information about ourselves (provided of course that we do this work with strong self-criticism) and will show how well we understand the openings we have chosen or, in the bottom line, whether these openings really suit our style (difference between opening outcome and game result). The bigger the sample, the more accurate the conclusions (it is advisable to twice photocopy the following – one for white / one for black).

Now it is best to click here to go to Chessbase for the charts used by GM Grivas. [I am too lazy to re-create the charts. :)] He propose creating analytical charts of openings, middlegame and endgames.
[......]

After completing this work we will have a much clearer picture of both our weaknesses and our strengths. It is recommended to repeat this process at frequent intervals, provided of course that we have gathered enough material from recent games. In this way we can evaluate our improvement or discover other hidden aspects of ourselves.

GM Efstratios Grivas lectures ...... Lecture I

Courtesy of Chessbase and GM Efstratios Grivas, here are two lectures (here and here) by GM Efstratios Grivas. Here is Chessbase's little blurb on GM Grivas:

Efstratios Grivas is a grandmaster and highly experienced chess trainer and chess author.

He lives in Athens, and he is also a FIDE Senior Trainer (Secretary of the FIDE Trainers' Commission), an International FIDE Chess Arbiter and an International FIDE Chess Organizer. He has represented his country on a great many occasions, winning the fourth position in the World Junior Championship 1985, an individual gold medal at the 1989 European Team Championship and an individual silver medal at the 1998 Olympiad.

In 2010 he was awarded the worldwide highly important FIDE TRG Awards – the Boleslavsky Medal (best author) for 2009.

His personal website is here.

Training by GM & FST Efstratios Grivas
Schedule – Hamburg, 22.01.2011

10:30-10:50
Physical and Psychological Factors; Getting to know Ourselves
11:00-11:50
Building a Repertoire; Chess Literature
12:00-12:50
Activity of Bishops and Knights
Break
14:00-14:50
The Backward Pawn
15:00-15:50
The Art of Exchanges
16:00-16:50
The Golden Rules of the Endgame; How to Think in Endgames

The aim of this series of lectures is to enable participants to teach young and gifted players in schools and chess clubs, and to educate trainers and chess teachers not only in their own countries but also on an international basis.

The material started to develop in early 2004 and was used Grivas' personal training sessions, where he developed a system based on serious sport (chess is treated like a sport) and chess material (focusing on middlegame and endgame). In 2005 this material was first printed in Greek, in a series of training books called ‘Skakistiki Proponisi’ (six volumes, 680 pages). It then appeared in an improved version in an English series ‘Chess College’ (Gambit 2006, three volumes, translator Sotiris Logothetis) and ‘Practical Endgame Play’ (Everyman 2008). It was also translated (in another improved version) into Turkish in 2009. Finally a further improved version appeared in the latest FIDE book for training the trainers called ‘Syllabus’ (FIDE 2010, proofer Andrew Martin).

"I use this material to make my students understand that health and other sport assets are valuable for a chess player's improvement, and not just never-end analysis in openings," says Stratos (as his friends call him). "For example in Turkey, where I am working on my program, all my trainees exercise some physical activity in accordance with their chess education." Since middle of 2006, when he started training youthful Turkish talents, three players have made their grandmaster norms and two more are close to this goal. And a number of IMs have also arisen in the process.

In the meantime Grivas, Adrian Mikhalchishin, Alexander Beliavsky and Georg Mohr are cooperating to produce a total training system, which will appear in 30 books (around 3,000 pages) based on the idea of full training in the middle and endgame. The work is being edited by the Turkish Chess Federation (which has the rights) and for the moment it is printed only in the Turkish language. The project started in early 2010 and it will be completed in 2012.

Trainers (and players) all over the world can use the series presented on the ChessBase news page freely. Any question can be addressed directly to the author: GrivasEfs (at) yahoo.co.uk.

Lecture 1
Physical and Psychological Factors

Which physical and psychological assets are necessary for a successful chess career? Well, in the next pages we will be well informed on various subjects concerning a healthy sportsman’s life.

Chess Assets

On the basis of relevant research conducted since the beginning of the previous century, these assets are split in two main categories, innate and attainable.

Innate Chess Assets

1. Self-control
2. Ability to think on subjects
3. Intense mental activity
4. Obedience of will
5. Proper distribution of attention
6. Perception of position dynamics
7. Combinative creative skill

Attainable Chess Assets

1. Good health condition
2. Strong nerves
3. Perception of data conveyed by our senses
4. Objective thought-process
5. Powerful memory
6. High mental level
7. Self-confidence
8. Control of emotional urges
9. Feeling for the position (combination of thought and emotions)

The innate assets can be further enhanced and developed, but the attainable ones are purely a matter of education. Endless work and systematic training in order to improve our personal traits and the 'required assets' is essential for our overall chess improvement and the climb up to the highest title; that of grandmaster.

Naturally, without the help of a specialized trainer or advisor, the trainee finds it difficult to understand or try to improve the above-mentioned assets. After all, these assets are exclusively related to chess and have no direct bearing on our other interests. For example, 'powerful special memory' may refer exclusively to chess-related matters (data), as opposed to other matters; naturally, the opposite is also possible. Each of us is unique.

Health Sports

Chess-players tend to grossly ignore the proper state of their health, consequently being in serious danger of suffering heart problems due to the combination of lack of physical training and daily stress stemming from preparation for and participation in competitions. Therefore, workout or sport activities in general is essential, not only to protect our precious health but also to ensure better results over a longer period of time.

Man's first kinetic activity, walking, does not require any specialized equipment, can take place everywhere and brings several dividends. It is one of the simplest methods of aerobic training, improving cardiac and respiratory functionality, and our physical condition in general. A routine of half an hour of walking and two hours at the gym can turn our biological clock six to eight years back. At the same time, it contributes to proper maintenance of weight and forestalls obesity. Finally, it helps reduce the amount of bad cholesterol (LDL) in our body. Research conducted by American universities has proven that this activity improves memory and mental focus, while the production of endorphins (substances that reduce physical and emotional pain, as well as creating euphoria) reaches extremely high levels.

Training time-frame

Another topic that must be addressed is the 'time-frame' of training in relation to the scale of our mental activities, and how we are able to attain maximum performance in it. Science almost unanimously accepts the following categorization of people:

1. Larks: their mental processes are most efficient during the first half of the day, falling off during the second half. Approximately 25% of the world's population belongs in this category.
2. Owls: their mental processes are most efficient during the second half of the day and especially during the evening hours. They usually go to sleep late and wake up accordingly late. Approximately 30% of the world's population belongs in this category.
3. Arrhythmics: for these people mental processes do not display any special ups and downs during the day or night. Approximately 45% of the world's population, the largest part, belongs to this category.

In practice, all top chess-players belong to the 'Owls' category! The explanation is simple and is directly related to the standard time-frame of chess competitions, which mostly take place during the second half of the day. Therefore, the chess-player 'must' place himself in this category (as far as possible) and adapt his training schedule accordingly.

But of course, if it is not easy to be adjusted in this ‘new’ time-frame, solutions exist. One of the most ‘used’ one for chess-players who are fundamentally larks is to take a nap in-between lunch and play, usually for 1 to 1½ hour. Then the mind is fresh again and ready to fight!

Nutrition

Another important topic is the chess-player's nutritional habits. In general he should not deviate from his customary diet as regards the type and quantity of food he consumes (no exertions!), as each organism has different needs and habits.

What can chessplayers do in order to improve and/or maintain healthy habits? Some very simple rules to be followed by young people are: proper lifestyle, proper sleeping patterns, consumption (in logical portions) of a variety of vegetables, fruits and natural fibres, along with one's favourite dishes involving fish, beef, chicken, ham and turkey. In other words, a healthy diet based on a variety of food, based on a weekly schedule. Soy milk, filtered water, tea (especially black or green), coffee, dairy products (such as butter, milk, eggs and cheese) should be rarely consumed within each week.

In our times, one dish rarely contains sufficient amounts of vitamins and minerals. Normally, a specialized food shop can provide a nutritional supplement to meet one's specific needs. Although these supplements are costly, just consider how much harm an illness or sickness can do to your game. So, a question is been borne by all the above: what is the best diet for a chess-player, a sportsman? According to Rebecca Scritchfield (among others), following a healthy diet can be a key method of preventing heart disease. We can highlight five heart-healthy foods that can literally save our health. We recognize that these are not the only five foods that protect our heart, but they stand out as star performers and great additions to any diet.

1. Garlic: This herb is ideal for heart health. Numerous studies have shown the potential benefits of regular garlic consumption on blood pressure, platelet aggregation, serum triglyceride level, and cholesterol levels – all of which keep our heart performing. Garlic also makes a great seasoning for food so we can greatly reduce salt.
2. Salmon: Make the swap from a saturated fat burger to a salmon fillet. While some saturated fat is fine, a little goes a long way. The average cheeseburger has more than half a day worth of the artery clogging fat, which will increase our risk for a heart attack. Conversely, salmon lowers that risk thanks to heart healthy fats. Omega-3s can prevent erratic heart rhythms, reduce likelihood of blood clots inside arteries, improve the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol, and prevent cholesterol from becoming damaged, at which point it clogs arteries. Also, a combination of Omega-3 (fish oils), Omega-6 (borage oil) and Omega-9 (olive oil) looks excellent!
3. Berries and Cherries: Props must be given to nature’s candy. These sweet treats are high in polyphenols, which prevent cell damage that creates unhealthy blood vessels and heart. During the winter we can opt for frozen berries. Try thawing a bag of frozen strawberries in the refrigerator. Then, add unsweetened, steel-cut oatmeal with the berries their juice and your heart will say thanks with each beat.
4. Quinoa: Often mistaken as a grain, this tiny sprouted seed is an excellent source of magnesium, the mineral that relaxes blood vessels. Low dietary levels of magnesium lead to some scary health issues like increased rates of hypertension, ischemic heart disease and heart arrhythmias. Quinoa cooks quickly and makes great leftovers. Toss with grilled veggies and roasted chicken for a delicious one-pot dinner, or try the Red Curry Quinoa recipe.
5. Hot Cocoa: Hot cocoa is brimming with antioxidants – two-times more than red wine and three times more than green tea. The cool temperatures are no match for a mug of hot cocoa. A tip: since hot chocolate mixes are full of sugar, use 100% cocoa and combine with a teaspoon of sugar. Plus you'll sweeten with the natural sugars in the milk.

Special attention must be paid to the fact that many chess-players mistakenly support the concept of the 'empty stomach' during competitions. Consumption of food should take place 60-90 minutes before the start of play, as this time ensures the possibility of adequate absorption of the food, consequently providing the brain with 'fuel'. During the game one may consume small amounts of caffeine (1-2 cups of coffee or tea) as well as chocolate, which is quickly absorbed by our metabolism (in 2-3 minutes); this does not mean that any other light food is less useful. It is self-evident that alcohol is strictly forbidden.

Conclusion

You may be wondering how all this is related to your chess. But think about it. When you feel healthy, full of life and in spiritual upheaval, the four main emotional attributes of self-confidence, experience, concentration and adaptability strongly come to the fore. When your body and mind are in perfect shape, so will your chess.

AusJCL Application Procedure for Selection for 2011 International events [Updated]

Dear All Chess Juniors and Chess Parents,

I inform that applications for selection to represent Australian Chess at International events in 2011 will be accepted beginning today. There are two deadlines for close of applications due to the scheduling of the events.

(1) If you intend to apply for selection to the following events:

30 April–8 May World Schools Individual Championship Krakow, Poland;
14-22 May Asian Youth Championships (U\8 to U\18) Subic Bay, the Philippines;
1-11 June Asian Junior Championships (U\20) Colombo, Sri Lanka
12-21 June ASEAN+ Age Group Championships (U/8 – U/20) Tarakan, Indonesia
24 June–4 July Commonwealth Championships (Open and Junior) Johannesburg, South Africa;

the Deadline is end of day on 15th March 2011.

(2) For the rest of the international events on the Calendar (see here), the Deadline is end of day on 2nd May 2011 [UPDATED].

Applications to be made via the AusJCL website, see here. Please note that ALL PARENTS and JUNIORS have to read and agree to the contents of the Advice page on AusJCL website in making the application. This applies to all notwithstanding you have previously apply to represent Australian chess.

For further information on application and ACF regulations, see here.

2011 Calendar of National Junior Chess Events

Here is an updated version of 2011 Australian Junior Chess League Calendar_National prepared by GM Ian Rogers, Vice-President AusJCL:

21-25 April Doeberl Cup Canberra

27 April- 1 May Sydney International Open

28-29 May Adelaide Education Expo

20 June ACT Junior Championships U/12

27 June – 1 July Queensland Junior Championships, Gold Coast

2-3 July Victorian Junior Championships U/10 and U/12

4-9 July Johns-Putra JETS Camp, Melbourne

11-14 July Victorian Junior Championships U/14, U/16 and U/18

10-15 July NSW Junior Championships

14-15 July SA Junior Championship U/12 – U/18

28-30 September ACT Junior Championships U/18

29-30 September NSW Girls Championship U/18, U/12

5-7 October City of Sydney Junior Championships U/18, U/15, U/12

6-7 October Adelaide Junior Championships U/12 – U/18

30-31 October ACT Championships U/14

[14-22 January 2012 Australian Junior Championships]

2011 Calendar of International Junior Chess

Here is an updated version of 2011 Australian Junior Chess League Calendar_International prepared by GM Ian Rogers, Vice-President AusJCL:

3-9 April Kuala Lumpur Open, Malaysia

11-17 April Thailand Open
http://bangkokchess.com/archives/813

30 April – 8 May World Schools Individual Championship Krakow, Poland http://www.wscc2011.pl/en

14-22 May Asian Youth Championships (U\8 to U\18) Subic Bay, the Philippines http://www.fide.com/images/stories/NEWS_2011/tournament_news/Asian_Youth_CC_2011/Asian_Youth_2011_Invitation.pdf

1-11 June Asian Junior Championships (U\20) Colombo, Sri Lanka

12-21 June ASEAN+ Age Group Ch. (U/8 – U/20) Tarakan, Indonesia
http://www.fide.com/images/stories/FIDE_Calendar_2011/Asian_events/ASEAN_Age_Group_Championships_2011_reg.pdf

24 June – 4 July Commonwealth Championships (Open and Junior) Johannesburg, South Africa
http://www.chessa.co.za/tournament_websites/CWCC2011/index.html

1-16 August World Junior Championships (U\20) Chennai, India
http://www.indianchessfed.org/

12-23 August FISU University Olympiad Shenzen, China http://www.fisu.net/medias/fichiers/Participation_Forms.pdf

23 October - 1 November World U/16 Olympiad Sanliurfa, Turkey

12 Nov – 22 November World Youth Championships (U\8 – U\18)
Caldas Novas, Goias, Brazil

Asian Youth Chess Championships Subic, Philippines – 14th to 22nd May 2011

National Chess Federation of the Philippines
Manila, 1 February 2011

We are pleased to invite your federation to participate in the Asian Youth Championships which will be held from 14th to 22nd May 2011 in Subic Freeport, Olongapo City, Philippines. Participants may compete in the U-8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 Age-Groups for Girls and Open.

Click here for pdf of Invitation and Regulations.

Change of Venue for 2011 World Youth Chess Championships

The venue for the 2011 WYCC (17th-27th November 2011), originally slated to be held in Rio de Janeiro, has been changed to Caldas Novas, state of Goiás, Brazil.

Fide's press release:

The World Youth Chess Championship will be held in Caldas Novas, state of Goiás, Brazil from 17 to 27 of November. The original venue of Rio de Janeiro had to be changed due to many building works in the city and alterations to the hotels in preparation for the World Soccer Cup in 2014 and Summer Olympics 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.

Caldas Novas is one of the largest hydrothermal resorts in the world with natural hot water. The temperature of the water varies between 34 and 57 °C. Another attraction of Caldas Novas is Ecotourism, since the city is located near the Corumbá River and the Serra de Caldas where there is a natural park - Parque Estadual de Caldas Novas. In the surrounding area there is a lake - Lago de Piratininga - with boiling water; a reservoir called Lago de Corumbá of 64 square kilometers; and another river - the Rio Quente - which has natural warm water.

The official website with all the information of the tournament will be release at 00:00 on 25th of February

The new venue was approved at the Presidential Board meeting in Antalya, Turkey.

Chess Player on TV ...... in Ukraine!

I thought I will show this. Can you imagine the current Australian young stars, GM Zhao ZongYuan or GM David Smerdon or GM-elect George Xie or, the evergreen GM Daryl Johansen appearing on Australian national TV?

It is all in Ukianian and Russian ......

Of course the video isn’t in English, and in fact switches freely between Ukrainian (spoken by Ivanchuk and the presenter) and Russian (spoken by almost everyone else). Still, Ivanchuk fans will certainly find something to enjoy. A few points:

* The studio guests include Ivanchuk’s teammates Pavel Eljanov and Alexander Moiseenko, and team captain, Leonid Tymoshenko. There are also clips of Eljanov’s wife, and Ruslan Ponomariov’s father being interviewed.
* On the incident after the Wesley So match mentioned in the interview above – Ivanchuk says he couldn’t remember saying he wanted to quit chess. Tymoshenko, however, says that Ivanchuk did say that but that when he returned to Lviv, and saw his own chess set and familiar faces, “he returned to us again” – which got a round of applause from the studio audience!
* Don’t miss Ivanchuk at 5:57 doing his shopping at a market in Lviv. At 40:23 he’s by a church talking about how many of his novelties were thought up while listening to prayers (and you can guess what he’s wondering when he gestures to the heavens!).
[Colin McGourty aka Mr Chess in Translation (the link is to a translation of an interview with GM Ivanchuk which is also good for reading, especially if you are a fan of "Chucky". Cannot believe that he is actually younger than me ......).]

[Extract from interview on Magnus Carlsen and tip on success in chess from Ivanchuk:

But he also wins! A very important aspect of Carlsen’s success is his resilience after defeats. Of course, like any chess player he prefers winning, but if something like that happens then he quickly gets out of that “groggy” state, to use the boxing terminology. (Translator’s note: Ivanchuk uses the English word.) That doesn’t go so well for me.

]

On the same related subject matter, it is no-brainer why chess is popular in Armenia and why GM Levon Aronian, Armenia's top player and current World No 3, is a national hero/idol in that country. Check this out at Chessdom: The President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, was reelected as President of Armenian Chess Federation.

Combining Chess and University studies

Seeing as the 2011 University semesters/terms/sessions are about to begin in Australia and we have out usual bunch of just finished-High School students about to embark on their tertiary education, it is time to ask the question: Can you combine uni studies with chess? Most students will answer, probably not. There are a few high profile uni students who have maintained a presence in chess, participating in a few crucial tournaments while at uni. I can think of Dr Jason Chan (completed a doctorate while playing chess), Michael Morris (finished a Masters degree and about to embark on a PhD). Others have opted for a gap year such as Max Illingworth.

Do write and let me know of any stories and others ......

But here is one from the USA, Anna Ginzburg, Columbia senior:

How do you balance chess with the academic rigors of an Ivy League education?

The truth is it’s not easy. [......] As a senior majoring in economics and political science having to write an 80+ page senior thesis, I was swamped. Not to mention, that I was recruiting for finance jobs for after graduation, and I would literally spend 20 hours a week on networking events, applications, and interviews. The job hunt went well, and I am very happy to have found a job I really like, but there is no way I could have balanced chess with all that going on.

Any advice?

I found it difficult to offer senior wisdom about how to best fit chess into his life. One strategy, however, that I did find really helpful throughout my time at Columbia, is to treat chess as you would a class. So for instance, if you pretend that you have “chess class” every Monday from 6-8pm and treat it as an actual class—meaning don’t cut class and focus when you’re there, you’re bound to actually dedicate some time to chess, rather than saying, “I’ll just study chess when I find time.” Another approach is to find a classmate on campus that is of a similar rating, and play against them for fun. If both players are serious about improving, then the competitiveness of the matches should inspire them to work harder. One really important attitude to stray away from, however, is making excuses along the lines of “I’ll have more time next semester, I’ll work harder then” because as you take more and more upper level classes, you have to be prepared to dedicate more time to them.

AusJCL and 2012 Putra-Johns JETS_Call for Applications

2011 AusJCL Johns-Putra Australian Junior Elite Training Squad (JETS)

GM Ian Rogers will have announced and distributed the application forms for the 2011 AusJCL Johns-Putra Australian Junior Elite Training Squad (JETS) during the recent Australian Juniors. For those who did not participate in the Australian Juniors and who would like to attend JETS (having met the criteria as stated below), please complete Form below and return as instructed.


Application form for the Australia Junior Chess League’s 2011 JETS Training Squad sponsored by Johns-Putra Ltd.

The Australian Junior Chess League is pleased to invite applications from talented Australian juniors (U/18) for the national junior training squad.

The JETS Squad is Australia's premier development squad, aimed at encouraging and challenging the next generation of Australian champions. Applicants are judged by enthusiasm and commitment as well as rating, with priority for applicants aged 14 and under.
30 players will be selected, including at least 10 players of each gender.
Eligibility for the Squad will require participation in at least one of the national Open (Sydney) or Junior (Billanook) Championships in January 2011. (A very small number of exceptions may be made in extenuating circumstances.)
The 30 selected members of the 2011 JETS Squad should commit to attend the national junior training camp, most likely in Melbourne from July 4-9, where they will receive free coaching by Grandmasters and International Masters plus compete in a training tournament and a Grandmaster simultaneous exhibition.
Additional half or full day mini-camps, free for JETS Squad members, may be held in other major cities, usually in conjunction with a Grand Prix weekend tournament.
In the first half of the year, JETS Squad members will occasionally be set homework.

Applicant Details
Name …………………………………….
Address …………………………………….
Telephone number (Home) ……………………………………
Telephone number (Mob) ……………………………………
Email address ……………………………………
Birth date …………………………….
Latest ACF/FIDE Ratings ..…………………………………
Additional Comments (Optional, 200 words or less)

Note: Members residing in the host city of the JETS camp may be requested to provide billeting for an interstate guest during the camp in July.
Name and email address of parent …………………….

I give permission for my child to apply for the 2011 JETS Squad
Name:
Signature:
………………….

Please return to GM Ian Rogers by post to PO Box 130, Allawah, NSW 2218, or email to GMIanRogers@gmail.com at latest by February 14.