Saturday, May 19, 2012

2012 U.S. Women's Chess Championship

Watching the action live, it's nearly finished for the ladies.  It appears that Zatonskih and Krush are once again headed toward a play-off for the Women's title tomorrow at noon.

Updated 4:38: Krush defeated Baginskaite.

Updated 4:39:  After move 40 Tatev Abrahamyan resigned and Zatonskih also wins her game!

Play-off for those fighting chess femmes tomorrow.  Loving it!

Added May 20, 2012:

Here are the R9 results:

TableWhiteScoreRatingBlackScoreRatingResult
1IM Zatonskih, Anna6.02510WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev4.523291-0
2WFM Kats, Alena1.52137IM Goletiani, Rusudan4.523330-1
3WGM Baginskaite, Camilla2.02358IM Krush, Irina6.024570-1
4WGM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca4.52364WIM Zenyuk, Iryna3.522240-1
5FM Melekhina, Alisa3.52242WIM Ni, Viktorija4.022280-1

Here is the cross-table:

RankNameScoreM/FRatingTPRW-We123456789
1IM Zatonskih, Anna7.0F25102519+0.1611½½½1½11
2IM Krush, Irina7.0F24572523+0.741½1½1½½11
3IM Goletiani, Rusudan5.5F23332397+0.8010101½101
4WIM Ni, Viktorija5.0F22282371+1.66½001½1½½1
5WGM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca4.5F23642313-0.6001½1½01½0
6WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev4.5F23292317-0.14½10101010
7WIM Zenyuk, Iryna4.5F22242329+1.21½11½00½01
8FM Melekhina, Alisa3.5F22422247-0.02½½0½11000
9WGM Baginskaite, Camilla2.0F23582094-3.020000½0½10
10WFM Kats, Alena1.5F21372063-0.79001000½00

Victorija Ni had a wonderful tournament, finishing in clear 4th place. Not bad for a first-timer!   Goletiani was in good form, and Camilla -- what the hell happened to you?  I thought you must be fighting flu or some other nasty illness but, evidently not.  It was just a bad event for you this time around.  I think this was also Alena Kats' first trip to the U.S. championship.  She kind of got beat-up on, but that wasn't unexpected seeing as she is the lowest rated player on the list. 

I wish we had better opportunities (besides the championship) for these chess femmes to develop their playing skills here in the U.S.  I don't see us standing a snowball's chance in hell of winning a medal in the chess Olympiad later this year; there's just too much of a drop-off in talent after Zatonskih and Krush compared to the teams we know will be fielded by chess powerhouses China, Russia, and Georgia, among other countries.  It's the same old story; you're not going to get players, particularly promising female players, to go into chess as a full-time profession when they can't make a decent living at it.  There are no Rex Sinquefields stepping forward to subsidize any of them.  Instead, we've got Nakamura.  Oh geez.

Soooooo, today is the play-off for the actual title of U.S. Women's Champion between Zatonskih and Krush.  Hmmmm, haven't we seen this action before...  It's warm here, over 80 F already and just about 10 a.m., must be even worse down in St. Louis - I'm going to look at the weather forecast, for thunderstorms (big ones with lots of lightning and building-shaking booms) must be anticipated in St. Louis...  Euuuuwwww!  84 F right now in St. Louis with a sticky 62 dewpoint. Even worse than here, and I am definitely contemplating shutting down the house and turning on the AC.  Lots of warm moist air is hovering over St. Louis and, indeed, being pumped upward throughout the middle section of the country, and that always means there is a chance for severe storms to bloom.  Those of you in St. Louis may see your skies echoing the stormy battle OTB starting at noon today between Zatonskih and Krush.

I'm sticking with my prediction that Zatonskih will retain her title.  We'll see what kind of prognosticator I am.  Ha! 

Friday, May 18, 2012

Candidates for Europe's Oldest Art Work

From The Smithsonian online:

May 16, 2012

The Top Four Candidates for Europe’s Oldest Work of Art


In 1940, a group of teenagers discovered the paintings of bison, bulls and horses adorning the walls of France’s Lascaux Cave. Roughly 17,000 years old, the paintings are Europe’s most famous cave art, but hardly the oldest. This week archaeologists announced finding in another cave in France art dating to about 37,000 years ago, making it a candidate for Europe’s most ancient artwork. Here’s a look at the new discovery and the other top contenders for the title of Europe’s oldest work of art.

Nerja Caves (possibly about 43,000 years ago): In February, José Luis Sanchidrián of Spain’s University of Cordoba declared he had found paintings of seals on stalactites in southern Spain’s Nerja Caves. The paintings themselves have not yet been dated. But if they match the age of charcoal found nearby, then the art might be 43,500 to 42,3000 years old, New Scientist reported. That would make the Nerja Cave art the oldest known in Europe—and the most sophisticated art created by Neanderthals, the hominids that lived in this part of Spain some 40,000 years ago.

Abri Castanet (about 37,000 years ago): In 2007, among the rubble from a collapsed rock shelter at the Abri Castanet site in southwestern France just six miles from Lascaux, archaeologists found an engraved chunk of rock. The engravings on the 4-foot-by-3-foot slab, once part of the rock shelter’s ceiling, depict female genitalia and part of an animal. With the help of radiocarbon dating, Randall White of New York University and colleagues estimate the art was made sometime between 36,940 and 36,510 years ago by the Aurignacians, the modern humans who lived in Europe at this time. The researchers reported their findings this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Venus of Hohle Fels (35,000-40,000 years ago): In Nature in 2009, Nicholas Conrad of Germany’s University of Tübingen described the discovery of a 2-inch figurine carved from a mammoth tusk. The tiny sculpture was recovered from Hohle Fels cave in southern Germany’s Swabian Jura mountain range. The figure depicts a woman with large, exaggerated breasts, buttocks and genitalia. Radiocarbon dated to at least 35,000 years ago, it is the earliest known Venus figurine. Also in the Swabian Jura, archaeologists have found the Lion Man of Hohlenstein Stadel, an ivory sculpture dated to roughly 30,000 years ago.

Chauvet Cave (about 30,000 years ago): Discovered in 1994, Chauvet Cave’s paintings stand out among Europe’s cave art for their subject matter. In addition to depicting animals that Stone Age people hunted, such as horses and cattle, the wall art shows predators like cave bears, lions and rhinos. The cave’s paintings are exceptionally well preserved because tourists—and the damaging microbes they bring—aren’t allowed inside. But you can still enjoy the breathtaking art by taking a virtual tour of the cave or watching Werner Herzog’s 2011 documentary Cave of Forgotten Dreams.
Posted By: Erin Wayman

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Queens, Queens and More Queens...

Queens were all over the news today:

Disco Queen Donna Summer Dies at Age 63
Tampa Bay Times
May 17, 2012

I danced away many a Friday and Saturday night at Victor's (one of the premiere pick-up joints in its hey-day) to Donna Summer's songs back in my 20s.  Gosh, she was so beautiful.



Queen of Bollywood Aishwarya Ray Called "Fat" After Birth of Child
U.S. Magazine
May 17, 2012

She's not losing the weight she gained during her first pregnancy (daughter born November, 2011) fast enough for some assholes.




From one very out of touch queen (of Spain) to one very in touch queen (of the British Commonwealth) - F(orget) U!
AFP
May 17, 2012
Queen snubs Queen's Jubilee Celebration Invitation
Queen Sofia looks sour; Queen Elizabeth II looks pretty in pink :)
Obviously planned that way, this photo is from the BBC, after all...

Queen of Controversy, Jane Fonda, Glam at 74
May 17, 2012
I didn't look like this when I was a smoking hot 21 year old!  Geez Louise, what does this woman drink -- I want some!

And she's 74?  What?  Seems like yesterday I was watching Barbarella at the movie theatre trying desperately to appear nonchalant as I watched the shennigans on the screen!  LOL!  Tame stuff now but back then - wow, near blew my hair out by its roots!

2012 U.S. Women's Chess Championship

Zatonskih v. Krush, R7. From U.S. Chesschamps.com.
Zatonskih continues to lead by a narrow margin.  The pairings have done her no favors, she has white in R9 against Abrahamyan.  I expect her to win - that is to say, she should win, given the relative difference in ELO and the advantage of white over black; I cannot imagine Abrahamyan rolling over so I expect a tough, intense game. 

Results R8:

TableWhiteScoreRatingBlackScoreRatingResult
1WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev3.52329FM Melekhina, Alisa3.522421-0
2WIM Ni, Viktorija3.52228WGM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca4.02364½-½
3WIM Zenyuk, Iryna3.52224WGM Baginskaite, Camilla1.023580-1
4IM Krush, Irina5.02457WFM Kats, Alena1.521371-0
5IM Goletiani, Rusudan4.52333IM Zatonskih, Anna5.025100-1

Standings after R8:

RankNameScoreM/FRatingTPRW-We12345678
1IM Zatonskih, Anna6.0F25102489-0.1011½½½1½1
2IM Krush, Irina6.0F24572489+0.381½1½1½½1
3WGM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca4.5F23642367+0.0901½1½01½
4IM Goletiani, Rusudan4.5F23332382+0.5510101½10
5WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev4.5F23292336+0.12½1010101
6WIM Ni, Viktorija4.0F22282339+1.14½001½1½½
7FM Melekhina, Alisa3.5F22422296+0.50½½0½1100
8WIM Zenyuk, Iryna3.5F22242281+0.52½11½00½0
9WGM Baginskaite, Camilla2.0F23582103-2.660000½0½1
10WFM Kats, Alena1.5F21372085-0.54001000½0

Pairings for R9 (will be on Saturday - tomorrow is a rest day for the ladies):

TableWhiteScoreRatingBlackScoreRatingResult
1IM Zatonskih, Anna6.02510WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev4.52329
2WFM Kats, Alena1.52137IM Goletiani, Rusudan4.52333
3WGM Baginskaite, Camilla2.02358IM Krush, Irina6.02457
4WGM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca4.52364WIM Zenyuk, Iryna3.52224
5FM Melekhina, Alisa3.52242WIM Ni, Viktorija4.02228

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

My apologies for not getting these final standings to you sooner in the Women's "standard chess" division.  It was a Battle Royale between Mary Ann Gomez of India and Irine Kharisma Sukandar of Indonesia right down to the end:

Rk. Name Rtg FED 1.Rd 2.Rd 3.Rd 4.Rd 5.Rd 6.Rd 7.Rd 8.Rd 9.Rd Pts.  TB1 TB2 TB3
1 WGM Sukandar Irine Kharisma  2288 INA  32w1   5w1   3b1  20b1   6w½  15b1   4w½   2b0   8w1 7 0 2413 48
2 WGM Gomes Mary Ann  2378 IND  33b½  26w1  11b0  24w1   7b1  18b1   6w1   1w1   3b0 6.5 0 2358 43
3 WGM Tan Zhongyi  2430 CHN  27w1   7b1   1w0  25w½   8b½  22b1  11w1   4b½   2w1 6.5 0 2342 45
4 WGM Ding Yixin  2353 CHN  26b½  35w1  24b1   6w½   5b1  11w½   1b½   3w½   7b1 6.5 0 2339 45
5 Wang Jue  2364 CHN  34w1   1b0  27w1  16b1   4w0  23b1  13b1   8w½   9b1 6.5 0 2313 43
6 GM Zhao Xue  2549 CHN  16w1  13b½  22w1   4b½   1b½  25w1   2b0  12b1  15w½ 6 0 2358 45
7 WGM Le Thanh Tu  2313 VIE  38b1   3w0  31b1  17w½   2w0  30b1  18w1  23b1   4w0 5.5 0 2356 41
8 IM Karavade Eesha  2353 IND  28w1  21b1  20w0  29b½   3w½  16b1  15w1   5b½   1b0 5.5 0 2340 44
9 WGM Padmini Rout  2345 IND  24w½  22b0  19w1  23b0  14w1  34b1  26w1  11b1   5w0 5.5 0 2263 39
10 WGM Guo Qi  2360 CHN  21w0  28b1  14w0  41b½  37w1  27b1  12w0  30b1  23w1 5.5 0 2221 34
11 WGM Nguyen Thi Thanh An  2301 VIE  39b1  17w½   2w1  15b½  20w1   4b½   3b0   9w0  14b½ 5 0 2387 45
12 WIM Nakhbayeva Guliskhan  2309 KAZ  37w1  15b0  34w1  18b0  29w1  17b½  10b1   6w0  16b½ 5 0 2379 39
13 IM Mohota Nisha  2321 IND  36w1   6w½  17b½  14b1  15w0  20b1   5w0  16w½  19b½ 5 0 2368 43
14 WIM Yanjindulam Dulamsuren  2214 MGL  17b0  39w1  10b1  13w0   9b0  40w1  20w1  15b½  11w½ 5 0 2362 39
15 IM Munguntuul Batkhuyag  2451 MGL  29b1  12w1  25b½  11w½  13b1   1w0   8b0  14w½   6b½ 5 0 2354 43
16 WFM Zhai Mo  2248 CHN   6b0  36w1  40b1   5w0  33b1   8w0  29w1  13b½  12w½ 5 0 2335 39
17 WGM Pham Le Thao Nguyen  2390 VIE  14w1  11b½  13w½   7b½  23w0  12w½  22b½  27b1  18w½ 5 0 2326 40
18 IM Tania Sachdev  2417 IND  31b0  30w1  32b1  12w1  25b½   2w0   7b0  28w1  17b½ 5 0 2308 37
19 Ni Shiqun  2157 CHN  25w0  23b½   9b0  36w½  38b1  31w½  33b1  22w1  13w½ 5 0 2299 34
20 WGM Batchimeg Tuvshintugs  2363 MGL  30b1  31w1   8b1   1w0  11b0  13w0  14b0  32w1  26b1 5 0 2270 39
21 WFM Medina Warda Aulia  2172 INA  10b1   8w0  29b0  31w0  40b½  32w½  38b1  33w1  25b1 5 0 2260 31
22 WIM Muminova Nafisa  2338 UZB  35b½   9w1   6b0  33w½  31b1   3w0  17w½  19b0  30w1 4.5 0 2334 38
23 WGM Swathi Ghate  2286 IND  40b0  19w½  26b1   9w1  17b1   5w0  25b1   7w0  10b0 4.5 0 2326 41
24 Pratyusha Bodda  2123 IND   9b½  33w1   4w0   2b0  34w0  37b1  27w0 -1  31b1 4.5 0 2277 37
25 WGM Hoang Thi Bao Tram  2356 VIE  19b1  40w1  15w½   3b½  18w½   6b0  23w0  26b½  21w0 4 0 2352 41
26 WIM Nguyen Quynh Anh  2129 VIE   4w½   2b0  23w0  35b1  41w1  29b1   9b0  25w½  20w0 4 0 2331 39
27 WIM Hoang Thi Nhu Y  2238 VIE   3b0  38w1   5b0  32w1  30b½  10w0  24b1  17w0  28b½ 4 0 2285 38
28 WIM Vo Thi Kim Phung  2155 VIE   8b0  10w0  39b1  30w0  36b1  33w½  34w1  18b0  27w½ 4 0 2276 34
29 WIM Le Kieu Thien Kim  2239 VIE  15w0  37b1  21w1   8w½  12b0  26w0  16b0  36b½  38w1 4 0 2253 36
30 WIM Pham Bich Ngoc  2176 VIE  20w0  18b0  38w1  28b1  27w½   7w0  31b1  10w0  22b0 3.5 0 2324 37
31 WIM Nguyen Thi Mai Hung  2237 VIE  18w1  20b0   7w0  21b1  22w0  19b½  30w0  40b1  24w0 3.5 0 2277 38
32 Pham Thi Thu Hoai  1956 VIE   1b0 -1  18w0  27b0  35w½  21b½  41w1  20b0  34w½ 3.5 0 2253 36
33 WGM Kiran Manisha Mohanty  2208 IND   2w½  24b0  35w1  22b½  16w0  28b½  19w0  21b0 -1 3.5 0 2224 37
34 WIM Sihite Chelsie Monica  2181 INA   5b0  41w1  12b0  40w½  24b1   9w0  28b0  35w½  32b½ 3.5 0 2195 34
35 WFM Dewi Aa Citra  2112 INA  22w½   4b0  33b0  26w0  32b½ -1  40w½  34b½  36w½ 3.5 0 2182 31
36 WFM Enkhtuul Altanulzii  2108 MGL  13b0  16b0  37w½  19b½  28w0  41b½  39w1  29w½  35b½ 3.5 0 2177 32
37 Jelsen Yemi  2007 INA  12b0  29w0  36b½  39w1  10b0  24w0 -1  38b0  41w1 3.5 0 2172 30
38 Ngo Thi Kim Tuyen  2070 VIE   7w0  27b0  30b0 -1  19w0  39b1  21w0  37w1  29b0 3 1 2186 33
39 WFM Ton Nu Hong An  1997 VIE  11w0  14b0  28w0  37b0 -1  38w0  36b0  41b1  40w1 3 0 2089 28
40 Virda Rizka Aulia  1769 INA  23w1  25b0  16w0  34b½  21w½  14b0  35b½  31w0  39b0 2.5 0 2242 34
41 Otorbaeva Nuriza  1740 KGZ 0  34b0 -1  10w½  26b0  36w½  32b0  39w0  37b0 2 0 2130 27
You find all details to this tournament under  http://chess-results.com/tnr70398.aspx?lan=1
Chess-Tournament-Results-Server: Chess-Results
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