Shakil Became IM, Liza WIM and Zia Moves For World Chess Championship

Great news! My playing partner and gentle younger brother-like chess friend Abu Sufian Shakil has become International Master. Liza also became Women International Master, second only after WIM Rani Hamid. Moreover, Ziaur Rahman winning the 3.2 Zonal tournament will play the next cycle for World Chess Championship representing this zone.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=179668

Shamima Akhter Liza became country's second Women International Master (WIM) after Rani Hamid, who won it in 1985, as she earned seven points from nine games in Asian Chess Zone 3.2 Championship in Sri Lanka yesterday.

Liza and Ranasinghe of Sri Lanka earned equal seven points but the latter finished top by virue of a tie breaker. Liza had earned her first WIM norm last year during Six Seasons Women's International Rating Chess in Cox's Bazar.

Apart from Liza, FIDE master Abu Sufian Shakil also earned his third and final norm of International Master from the championship as Shakil secured 6.5 points from nine matches to finish third in the men's section where GM Ziaur Rahman finished top to qualify for the World Chess Championship.

Shakil had earned his first IM norm back in 2009 from the National Chess Championship and then secured the second one from a competition in Indian state Orissa last year, according to information provided by Bangladesh Chess Federation.

http://www.prothom-alo.com/detail/date/2011-03-30/news/142789

বাংলাদেশের দাবায় একটা ভালো দিন গেল পরশু। এশিয়ান জোনাল চ্যাম্পিয়নশিপের ৩.২ অঞ্চলের খেলায় চ্যাম্পিয়ন হয়ে আগেই বিশ্বকাপ দাবায় খেলার সুযোগ মিলেছে গ্র্যান্ডমাস্টার জিয়াউর রহমান ও শামীমা আক্তারের (লিজা)। কাল পাওয়া গেল আরও একটি সুসংবাদ।
এশিয়ান জোনাল চ্যাম্পিয়নশিপে তৃতীয় হওয়া আবু সুফিয়ান (শাকিল) পেলেন আন্তর্জাতিক মাস্টারের খেতাব। এর আগে দুটো নর্ম পূরণ করা আবু সুফিয়ানের তৃতীয় নর্ম পূরণ হয়েছে শ্রীলঙ্কায়। সুফিয়ানের সঙ্গে শামীমা আক্তার হয়েছেন মহিলা আন্তর্জাতিক মাস্টার। রানী হামিদের পর দ্বিতীয় মহিলা দাবাড়ু হিসেবে এমন অর্জন শামীমার।

Ziaur Rahman Only half point behind Champion Areshchenko in 9th Parsvnath International Chess Tournament

Areshchenko clinches title in a tie-break with 9 points while GM Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh scores 8.5 points.

Top seed Ukrainian Grandmaster Alexnader Areshchenko ensured a thrilling end to the 8th Parsvnath International Chess Tournament by setting for a draw with fellow Ukrainian Grandmaster Yuriy Kuzubov in the eleventh and final round at Ludlow Castle Sports Complex here on Sunday. Areshchenko tied for the top spot along with national champion Parimarjan Negi, Yuriy Kuzubov, Austrian Grandmaster Ragger Markus and highly regarded Chinese Grandmaster Ni Hua with 9 points each but better tie break score helped Areshchenko to take the Winners trophy and pocketed a shared cash prize of 1.51 lakh rupees while Negi finished second and Kuzubov satisfied with third spot finish. Markus and Ni Hua finished fourth and fifth respectively.

In the final round encounters Negi overcame CRG Krishna while Markus defeated Grandmaster Hanens Stefansson of Iceland and Ni Hua beat former world junior champion Abhijeet Gupta to catch up with Areshchenko for the pole position.

Shri. V P Agarwal, Chairman Airport Authority of India; Shri Suneet Sachar, Vice President Parsvnath Developers; Shri Dhiraj Raghuvanshi, President Uttaranchal Chess Association give away the prizes in presence of Shri. Bharat Singh, President Delhi Chess Association.

Final Standings :-

(1) GM Alexander Areshchenko of Ukraine with 9 points
(2) GM Parimarjan Negi of India with 9 points
(3) GM Yuriy Kuzubov of Ukraine with 9 points
(4) GM Markus Ragger of Austria with 9 points
(5) GM Ni Hua of China with 9 points
(6) GM Lenic Luka of Slovenia with 8.5 points
(7) GM Mikhailo Oleksienko of Ukriane with 8.5 points
(8) GM Henrik Danielsen of Iceland with 8.5 points
(9) GM Postny Evgeny of Israel with 8.5 points
(10) IM Nabaty Tamir of Israel with 8.5 points
.....
.....
.... GM Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh with 8.5 points

Important Results Round-11 (Indians otherwise specified):- GM Yuriy Kuzubov of Ukraine (9) drew with GM Alexander Areshchenko of Ukraine (9); GM Abhijeet Gupta (8) lost to GM Ni Hua of China (9); GM Hannes Stefansson of Iceland (8) lost to GM Ragger Markus of Austria (9); GM Mikhailo Oleksienko of Ukraine (8.5) drew with GM Lenic Luka of Slovenia (8.5); Krishna C R G (8) lost to GM Parimarjan Negi (9); GM Henrik Danielsen of Iceland (8.5) drew with GM Evgeny Postny of Israel (8.5); GM Konstantin Chernyshov of Russia (8) drew with IM Karthikeyan P (8); IM Nabaty Tamir of Israel (8.5) beat Arun Karthik R (7.5); Surendran N (7.5) lost to GM Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh (8.5); Zeng Chongsheng of China (8.5) beat GM Kidambi S (7.5); GM Marat Dzhumaev of Uzbekistan (7.5) drew with IM Shyam Nikil (8)

Source: http://blog.delhichess.com/2011/01/areshchenko-clinches-title-in-tie-break.html

Move Of The Century - Ossip Bernstein vs Jose Raul Capablanca, Moscow 1914

This is the sixth game featured in Raymond Keene's book Duels Of The Mind : The Twelve Best Games of Chess.

Ashik vs Art Zhao, Round 3, Hexes 3 Round Swiss Tournament, Fremont

White: Ashik Uzzaman (Rating 1797)
Black: Art Zhao (Rating 1863)
It was a relatively easy won for me. My opponent simply surrendered to my king side attack in the middle game where I came out a piece up but exchange down. The rest of the game was a routine.

Ashik vs Rahul, 2nd Round, Hexes 3SS, Fremont

White: Rahul Mohan (Rating 1596)
Black: Ashik Uzzaman (Rating 1797)
Result: 1/2 - 1/2
This is one of the worst games I played recently. I was completely in a lost position but due to my opponent's mistake was able to equalize and draw the game. I was having a headache all through today and it only went worse during this game and I was not able to think more than a few minutes. In that sense, I am happy with the result

Ashik vs Dikr, Round 1, Hexes 3 Round Swiss Tournament, Fremont

White: Ashik Uzzaman (Rating 1797)
Black: Dikr Karagueuzian (Rating 2157)
A good game of G/60 which was ultimately drawn as I could not take advatange of my one pawn up position due to a close Rook Ending.

Salesforce.com Chess Tournament Round 4 (Final): Ashik vs Ganesh

Ganesh and I picked lunched from Oasis Grill across the street and played our fourth round and final game in 15th Floor of our 1 California building. Ganesh played quite an attacking game but I kept the edge after winning the exchange. Finally in a time pressure he found himself a piece down before resigning.

With this win (4 out of 4) I am became the champion of this tournament. Good feeling!