ESCC 2015 TWO MORE ROUNDS TO GO!

Transcription

1 ESCC 2015 TWO MORE ROUNDS TO GO! Today was a tough day for the participants of the European Schools Chess Championship 2015, as two rounds were played. For some it was a difficult task, but for Svetlen Ivanov from Bulgaria (Open U7) and Olga Melenchuk from Russia (Girls U9) it wasn t. They are the only two players in the whole Championship who managed to win all the games and keep the perfect score! In the section Girls U7 Zeynep Ruya Kaval from Turkey, Olesia Vlasova and Evelına Zavivaeva, both from Russia, share the top with 6 points. In Open U9, Suleyman Suleymanli, CM Efe Metehan Yavuz, Kursat Bugra Gokcek, M. Emin Arslan, Alperen Kanli and Ufuk Alp Adiguzel all tie with 6 points at the top of the list. In Open U11 Turkish player Can Haktan Unat leads with 6 points, while in Girls U11, Esma Doga Duran is the sole leader with 6 points.

2 In Open U13, Kanan Karayev (AZE) and Utku Cengiz Acar (TUR) share the top with 6 points. These two players will face each other tomorrow and possibly decide the champion. In Girls U13, the Turkish player Tuana Umay Cıtak is the sole leader. In Open U15, the two top players Tuna Ozates and CM Bahadir Ozen drew against th each other in the 7 round and maintained the lead. In Girls U15, the game between the Russian player WFM Alexandra Obolentseva (2213) and the Turkish player Bengu Sena Ayan ended in a draw, which favoured Obolentseva, who became the sole leader 6 points after the 7th round.

3 In Open U17, CM Siar Yaran became the sole leader after defeating CM Okan Bulgurlu in the 7th round. In Girls U17, Turkish player Buket Tandogan scored against Lala Firidunlu from Azerbaijan and grabbed the sole lead. Games are getting more crucial as the tournament is getting closer to an end. The 8th round is on schedule on 01 July 2015 at 4.00 pm with live broadcast on the Official Website

4 EUROPEAN SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIP 2015 ROUND 5 REPORT 5 rounds of the European Schools Chess Championship 2015 in Konya have finished so far. The battles are heating up, and in some groups there are still players with perfect score. In the group Open U7 Emin Ahmadov (AZE) and Svetlen Ivanov (BUL) are in the lead with 5/5. In Girls U7 the leader is Zeynep Ruya Kaval (TUR).

5 Bugra Gokcek Kursat and Beyazit Malgac Omer (TUR) gained maximum points in Open U9, while in Girls U9 Elif Keskin (TUR) and WCM Olga Melenchuk (RUS) have 5/5. Khazar Babazada (AZE) tops Open U11 group with the perfect score, the same as Cengiz Acar Utku (TUR) in Open U13 and WFM Alexandra Obolentseva (RUS) in Girls U15. Full standings after 5 rounds can be found on the Official page of the Championship

6 Yesterday was the rest day of ESCC 2015, which was reserved for the excursion to the city. The excursion had a great interest from all the participants, and it was organised by the Turkish Chess Federation. The players and the guests first paid a visit to Mevlana Museum with English, Turkish and Russian speaking guides and then enjoyed the free time in the shopping center. After the well-deserved rest, the games continue in the high speed. There will be two rounds on 30th June th round starts at am and the 7th round starts at 5.00 pm (Turkish time). Photos courtesy of Turkish Chess Federation

7 IN MEMORIAM OGANESSIAN GAGUIK

8 Chess world got very painful news that the Executive Secretary of Armenian Chess Federation Gaguik Oganessian passed away at the age of 68. Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili, President of the European Chess Union, sent a letter of condolences to Armenian Chess Federation, which we convey below. Dear friends, On behalf of the European Chess Union and myself, I express my deepest condolences to the family of Gaguik Oganessian, all relatives and friends, the whole chess community of Armenia! Thanks to the activity of Gaguik Oganessian the biggest World and European championships were organized in Armenia. He was always present in FIDE and European Congress. He did not like the loud and pompous speeches, but always subtly raised the most targeted and meaningful questions about the development of chess. He was distinguished by his friendliness and respect for all! Gaguik was repeatedly giving me valuable political and technical advices. We all regret to miss Gaguik and his smile! May he rest in peace! I grieve with you! President of the ECU, Zurab Azmaiparashvili

9 LEADERS EMERGE AT ESCC 2015 IN KONYA In the youngest category, Open U7, the Azerbaijani player Emin Ahmadov, The Bulgarian player Svetlen Ivanov and the Turkish player Kerem Erten remain undefeated after 4 rounds. In Girls U7 category, Zeynep Ruya Kaval (TUR) and Olesia Vlasova (RUS) are leading with the perfect score. In the category Open U9, 4 players are tied with 4/4 at the top of the list. In Girls U9 category, Elif Keskin (TUR), Klean Shuqja (ALB) and WCM Olga Melenchuk (RUS) lead with 4 points. In Open U11, Vugar Manafov (AZE), Doruk Karaoglan (TUR) and Khazar Babazada (AZE) are leading, with maximum score. In Girls U11, Yildirim Ceren (TUR) is the sole leader with 4 points.

10 In Open U13, Cengiz Acar Utku is the only player with 4 points. Utku is followed by 7 players with 3.5 points. In section Girls U13, there are no players with the perfect score. Turkish players Hayrun Nisa Sahin, Yaren Naz Yorgun and Aytaj Heydarova from Azerbaijan share the first place with 3.5 points. The similar situation is in the category Open U15, were 5 players tie with 3.5 points. Azerbaijani Said Rafili and the Turkish players Yigit Pektaş, CM Bahadir Ozen, Tuna Ozates and Hakki Berat Dalgar are in the joint lead. In Girls U15, WFM Alexandra Obolentseva (RUS) is the sole leader with 4 points.

11 In Open U17 category, the Turkish players Anil Berk Erdogan, Tibet Kagan Ozgur and Onur Tasci scored 3.5 points and share the first place. In Girls U17, WCM Burcu Melis Temel, Sevval Dogan, Buket Tandogan and Irmak Dai, scored 3 points. The 5th round of the Championship starts is on schedule on 28th June 2015 at 4.00 pm (Turkish time). Live games, results, photos and more at the Official Website

12 EUROPEAN SCHOOLS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP STARTED European Schools Chess Championship 2015 started in Konya/Turkey.

13 Before the first round, on 25th June the brief opening ceremony took place, with the participations of the President of Turkish Chess Federation, Mrs. Gülkiz Tulay, the President of the International School Chess Union and Secretary of the ECU Educational Commission, Mr. Alexander Kostyev, the Deputy Rector of Konya Selçuk University, Prof. Dr. Musa Özcan, the Dean of Konya Selçuk University Faculty of Sports, Prof. Dr. Nizamettin Çiftçi, and many other important officials. Mrs. Tulay stated it was an honour and fulfilment for the Turkish Chess

14 Federation to host such an event. She wished luck to all the participants to struggle in this tournament where peace and friendship will meet together. After several speeches made by the officials, the first round of the Championship started with the symbolic move made by the President of the Turkish Chess Federation. 666 players from Russia, Azerbaijan, England, Bulgaria, Denmark, Romania, Albania, Finland, Georgia, Moldova, Spain and Turkey will be fighting in 12 different categories throughout the next 9 days. The Championship is organized by the Turkish Chess Federation under the auspices of the European Chess Union. It is taking place in Konya/Turkey, 24 June to 3rd July, th

15 There are 140 games that can be followed live on the Official Website

16 AUSTRIA AND HUNGARY WIN MITROPA CUP 2015 The teams of Austria in the Open section, and Hungary in Women section are the winners of Mitropa Cup 2015, which was held in Mayrhofen/Austria, June, The host Austria triumphed despite the loss in the final round of against Croatia, thanks to the good games shown during the whole tournament. Second place went to Slovakia with 13 match points, and Germany came third with 12 points. 34th Mitropacup 2015 Open Section Final Standings In Women section there were two teams who finished the tournament undefeated the winner Hungary, and the runner-up Italy. Hungary clinched gold with 16 match points (7 wins and 2 draws), while Italy came second with 14 match points (5 wins and 4 draws).

17 The third place went to the team of Slovakia with 11 match points, and better tiebreaks than Germany, who also scored 11 points. 12th Mitropacup 2015 Women Section Final Standings This year the organizer of the Mitropa Cup 2015 was the Austrian Chess Federation, and the official venue was Congress Zillertal in Mayrhofen. In both sections the following federations took part: Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland.

18 Each delegation consisted of 4 players + a reserve player in Open section, and 2 players + one reserve player in Women section. Both tournaments were played as Round Robin ones, with time control of 90 minutes for 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes to finish the game with 30 seconds increment for each move starting from one. All the games were broadcast live on the official website, and the organizers provided live commentary in cooperation with ChessBase. Official Website History of Mitropa Cup The Chess-Mitropacup was invented by the Austrian International Arbiter Gertrude Wagner. She and her husband organized many tournaments. Gertrude Wagner and Karl Wagner were known as the only married couple of arbiters. Together with Kurt Jungwirth, the president of the Austrian Chess Federation, they did many big improvements for chess in Austria and some international too. The Idea to the Mitropacup came from Gertrude Wagner. She wanted to create a tournament for teams in the middle of Europe like it was usual in soccer. Jungwirth realized the prospects of this idea and said: Ok, let s organize a mitropacup. The first Mitropacup was held 1976 in Innsbruck. Germany, Austria, Jugoslavia, Switzerland, Italy and Luxembourg were pariticipating. Austria and Yugoslavia with two teams. Germany won this first tournament. The next twenty Mitropacups were organized by Gertrude Wagner. Till 2004 Jugoslavia won 7 tournaments, Germany 6, Hungary 3, 2 wins go to France, Croatia and Slovenia. Austria was successful in 1977.

19 10 Federations participate actually in the Mitropacup and share the organization the Mitropacup comes back home and was held in Steinfeld/Neubrunn in Austria. A new era started in the history of this big tournament. The 24th Mitropacup was organized the first time for men and women.

20 ECU PRESS STATEMENT Due to many press releases and articles in mass media, which involve and tarnish European Chess Union name in tournaments, transactions and contracts, European Chess Union by Board decision makes the following press statement: The official ECU tournament calendar is published each year by the ECU Secretariat and includes European Championships organized annually according the ECU Statutes and regulations. Paragraphs B.1.2 and B.1.3 of the ECU Tournament Rules provide the following: All ECU (European) Chess Federations shall have the right to participate in the European Individual and Team Competitions, irrespective of gender or age. All players participating in the European Individual and Team Championships must be entitled by birth, citizenship or naturalization to represent their Federation. It is well known to All European Chess Federations and players that in European Championships entitled to participate are players belonging to the European Federations or to clubs belonging to European federations (for European Club Cup only). The invitations for European official Championships are approved, then published and sent to the European Federations only by the ECU Secretariat according to the ECU Tournament Regulations. Regarding the ECU tournament Calendar 2014, this was circulated to the National federations by the CL1/ ( and the same calendar was published and remained till the end of the year on the ECU site (older and new version). The older version of ECU site had also a draft calendar for any other tournament that any federation can upload the information for promotion of the tournaments. European Chess Union supports all chess tournaments in Europe but its official calendar is the one published annually.

21 There are several press references about, transactions, unknown to ECU, between Bulgarian Chess Federation and the European Chess Union. ECU clarifies the following: 1. European Chess Union is not a commercial company and does not make contracts for renting or selling chess boards, pieces or clocks or software for jamming mobiles. The invoices shown in the press and concern such commercial actions neither are booked in the ECU files nor the money transactions (referring to dates on 2011 and 2012) reached at any time the only ECU Bank account in Switzerland. 2. European Chess Union had no money transaction with the Bulgarian Chess Federation or any other organisation or any individual related to the chess tournaments organized in Albena (01-09 June 2014) and Golden Sands 2014 (10-18 June 2014). 3. European Chess Union fees paid annually by the National federations are defined by the general tournament regulations ( and regard participants entry fees, deposits fees, bid fees, and license fees. These amounts are included in the annual budget and the annual closing and auditing and are available to all National federation members during the annual General Assembly. 4. European Chess Union will co-operate with any official authority and will provide additional information to any official investigation. European Chess Union has informed, since May 8th, the Bulgarian Chess Federation for reported unusual transactions asking for clarifications and cross checking between both organizations. 5. European Chess Union is today registered in the European Union transparency server and the basic information for the organization is available to the public. = The total final income for year 2014 was euros in the same level with years 2011, 2012, and European Chess Union reserves its right to move against any organization or individual who defame and damage the European Chess Union involving it in

22 unknown transactions, contracts and any action that is not made by ECU. We ask all media, which published such information referring to the European Chess Union, to publish the present statement. Attached is the ECU Calendar 2014 as sent by CL and published in ECU site. Annex7_CL12014_ECU_Calendar Press Release_22June-2-15 EUROPEAN SCHOOL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP STARTS IN 2 DAYS The European School Chess Championship 2015 starts in 2 days in Konya/Turkey. The event will be held in the Rixos Konya Hotel from 24th June until 3rd July. The organizer of the Championship is Turkish Chess Federation under the auspices of the European Chess Union. The Championship is organized in 12 different categories: U7, U9, U11, U13, U15 and U17, Girls and Boys separately. The tournament will be played according to the Swiss System in 9 rounds, with time control 90 minutes for 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game + 30 seconds increment per

23 move, starting from move one. 692 players have registered so far. Technical meeting is scheduled for 24th June at 9.00 pm, and the first round starts on 25th June at 4.00 pm (Turkish time). Organizer has prepared the side events for coaches, accompanying persons and all other interested players, such as Blitz tournament for coaches and accompanying persons; Seminar for FIDE Arbiters and Seminar for FIDE Trainers. More information on the Official Website European School 2015_inv ECU BOARD MEETING BUCHAREST REPORT IN The Board meeting of the European Chess Union was held this weekend, June, in the capital of Romania the city of Bucharest. The ECU Board meeting concluded with important decisions, which will be communicated by the next ECU Circular Letter.

24 Mr. Azmaipairashvili and the ECU Deputy President, Mr. Ion Dobronauteanu had a number of meetings in Bucharest on the occasion of the ECU Board Meeting. The first meeting was with the Minister of Education, Prof. Sorin Campeanu. Prof. Campeanu stated that he is a chess fan and he looks to extend the introduction of chess on schools for the 5-8 classes. Followed the meeting with the Deputy Minister of Sports Ministry, Mrs. Carmen Tocala, who expressed her appreciation in regards to the Romanian chess and the government will to support the organisation of the international sport events in Romania.

25 The meetings of 1st day concluded with the Rector of National Sports University from Bucharest, Prof. Viorel Cojocaru, on the occasion of signing the cooperation protocol between Romanian Chess Federation and the University regarding professional qualification and training for teachers, students and chess trainers, with the following practical goals: for organizing master classes for graduated teachers, for introducing a 1 semester chess course during university studies and introducing the chess especially for chess trainers with secondary education in the Trainers School.

26 During his stay in Bucharest, the ECU President Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili met the President of the Romanian Parliament, Mr. Valeriu Zgonea and together with the President of the Romanian Chess Federation, Mr. Sorin-Avram Iakoban opened the Romanian Team Rapid Cup.

27 ECU BOARD MEETING The ECU Board Meeting will take place this week on June, in the city of Bucharest, after the kind invitation of the Romanian Chess Federation. The meeting will take place in RIN Grand Hotel in Bucharest. ECU Board agenda includes administrative matters, tournaments reports, proposals for the tournaments regulations, the preparation of the 1 st ECU Congress & Commissions meetings, requests from National chess Federations,

28 the progress and the proposed joined projects with the European Union & new partnerships. The ECU Board will also discuss the recent references in international press, which involve and tarnish the European Chess Union name in unusual transactions and contracts that the ECU is not aware of. The official program of the ECU President Zurab Azmaiparashvili and the ECU Board includes meetings with the Romanian Minister of Education, the Deputy Minister of Sports, a visit to the Romanian Parliament and the opening of Bucharest School Chess Championship. Press Release_10Jun15