QUIZ

01.01.2007 

DO YOU KNOW THE NEWEST HISTORY OF CHESS IN BULGARIA?

ANSWERS ARE COLOURED IN THIS ;)

   1.Who ruled (on highest administrative position) Bulgarian chess, when were closed and to high extent plundered the rooms and children chess schools in Sofia of CSKA, "Levski-Spartak", "Locomotive", "Academic" and National Centre for Chess information?

А) Stefan Sergiev B) Ostap Bender C) Alf from Melmack

     2. Who is the author of the last chess manual sponsored by Bulgarian Chess Federation?

А) Vesselin Topalov B) Maria Velcheva C) Simeon Stoichkov D) Georgi  Shaliafov

3. How many books “Antoaneta Stefanova 20 years and 20 days on the road to the crown” bought Bulgarian Chess Federation with promotional purpose with the 50 000 leva given by Bulgarian Telecom for Antoaneta?

А) 0 B) 10 C)100 D) 1000

4.How much costs an envelope withy an autograph of Vesselin Topalov, offered on the web site of a chess player from Dupnitza ?

А) 10 $ B) 100 $ C) 1000 $

5. Exactly a year ago Bulgaria had 5 World titles – how many pictures of the World Champions appeared on the web site of Bulgarian Chess Federation (supported by the son of the chess player from Dupnitza) for the current year?

А) 0 B) 10 C) 100 D) 1000

     6. How many times Vesselin Topalov has been a champion of Bulgaria for men?

А) 0 B) 1 C) 10

7. How many times Antoaneta Stefanova has been a champion of Bulgaria for women?

А) 0 B) 1 C) 10

8. How many grandmasters have graduated the created more than 20 years ago “Chess” specialty in National Sports Academy?

А) 0 B) 1 C) 10

      9. Which of the grandmasters, ex-champions of Bulgaria, played in the Team championship, group “B” – men and women in 2006?

(1 point for each name)

    10. The toilet is the favorite place from the game zone for taking decisions for:

А) Vladimir Kramnik B) Nikolay Velchev C) both of them

     11. How many voices in the General meeting of Bulgarian Chess Federation have Veselin Topalov, Silvio Danailov and Antoaneta Stefanova?

А) 3 B) 1 C) 0

12. Which one of the editors of “Shahmatna misal” (Chess thought) condemned Danailov and Topalov (2003) and in 11 issues did not write even a line for Antoaneta Stefanova?

А) Petko Petkov B) Nikolay Todorov C) Stefan Sergiev

13. How many are the clubs in Bulgarian Chess Federation that have not registered a player in 2006?

А) under 30 B) between 30 and 50 C) over 50

14. Which of the presidents of Bulgarian Chess Federation paid 5000 CHF fee to FIDE, so that Kiril Georgiev can play again for Bulgaria, as he earlier preferred to receive Macedonian citizenship and to play for our Western neighbour?

А) Liubomir Pavlov B) Mihail Iliev C) Vasil Bozhkov

15. In the April vacation this year Sofia was the host of individual state championships for players from 10 to 18 years. In which conditions played over 200 participants?

А) in a huge sport facility B) in a cozy hotel hall C) in classrooms in a school, where no coffee shops were open and there was none cared for the  parents and trainers.

16. How many times vice-president Silvio Danailov attended the meetings of the Executive committee of Bulgarian Chess Federation?

А) 10 B) 5 C) 0

17. Which of the administrators have received more than 20 years salary for working in Bulgarian Chess Federation?

(1 point for each name)

18. How many vacancies (with announcement in newspapers) for a job in Bulgarian Chess Federation have been published in the last 20 years?

А) 0 B) 1 C) 10

19. “Sea Horse” is:

А) traditional children tournament in Varna B) the favorite foundation of Bulgarian Chess Federation C) both

    20. "All delegates at the General Assembly are snails and bed-pans" was said by :

А) Nikolay Todorov- “Kaiser”, regarding Bulgarian Chess Federation B) Georgi Dimitorv – “Jackie”, regarding  Bulgarian Football Union C) both of them

21. Which of the municipality mayor candidates form United Democratic Forces has been for two years an arbiter in a Memorial organized and sponsored by Bulgarian Socialist Party?

А) Dimitar Karapchanski B) Boiko Borisov C) Nikolay Velchev

25.12.2005

FAIRYTALE FOR CHRISTMAS

....Long time ago in the summer of 2005 there was a planet called Chesslandia. On this planet there was a King and Queen from a little country - Shahuria. It was the name of the country because at the love of the citizens and theirs masters to the play chess (shah). But no one knew why the Rule in Assembly in Shahuria of the wise game was kept by some dwarfs (liliputs) ?! The last had some favorite phrases, which they repeated untiringly: “The king is abroad!“, “The queen is very capricious!“, “There are no money!“ (Otherwise the budget is 2 or 3 times bigger!) When the king made a presents to the children for Christmas they loosed half or more from them and then they bought cars, flats and mobile phones, which they suit on theirs rang… A great dwarfs (liliputs) were - they mixed administration, management, judicial, media, standard rule - all in one! But in one sunny day the snow, pardon - the fear melt and the people civilized drive away the dwarfs (liliputs) to theirs home places. If this sunny day will be in summer 2006 depend from all of us… Happy Holidays!!!

01.11.2005

In the July edition of the well-known male lifestyle magazine “Playboy” (50 000 circulation) Simeon Stoichkov follows the way to the Bulgarian hegemony in chess. The article “People's sport” spreads on four pages and contains...well here are some commentaries:

•  Playmate, but also play – mate!

•  Your article expresses you more than the book does. Fascinating and true it says a lot…

•  You give a counter topic to the existing for 20 centuries proverb “when you bend - you survive”. Right – we are in the 21 century. Informative, philosophical, actual, it presents an opinion. Well done! (Thank you, Nick!)

•  I like it! (Well, since the World Champion likes it…)

•  Very well, very nice…is that true about “the comrades”? (Are you the one to ask, Radislav?)

•  Cool… check …

•  The article is good, but you should include some sexy aspect in the whole spirit of the magazine. (May be with your pictures in it?)

•  Hmm, I read this somewhere, but I did not paid attention who the author was… (Well, they censored my photo…)

•  This is the best thing about chess that I have ever read! (Thank you, Krum!)

On this world live at about 7 billion people, from which only 7 million are Bulgarians.

How then Bulgarian hegemony was established in this game combining in itself art, sport and science? At the moment the World Women Champion is Bulgarian Antoaneta Stefanova and in May the grandmaster from Russe Veselin Topalov won the M-Тel Masters in Sofia and became the player on the world.

Can the triumph be explained by the fact that probably we are among the most intelligent nations on Earth? Or the reason for this is the easy accessibility of this sport (only a squared board and 32 pieces are needed) and it being democratic and international – with the help of computers and Internet one can play with superior rivals from America or China.   

Whatever the truth is, we have a serious reason to be proud. Though, once again as a typical Bulgarian feature, we can not really be pleased with our achievements – even when they are such, that the entire world sincerely envies us.

M-Тel Masters Tournament was part of the respecting XX category and World’s strongest for 2005. The prize fund of 300 000 Euro makes it the most expensive and prestigious competition organized in Bulgaria this year.

The rules required that all the players have two games between each other – one with the white and one with the black. After the first games the results were: Kramnik and Adams “+1”, Anand and Ponomariov 50%, Topalov and Polgar “-1”. The day off apparently had a favourable effect on Vesko and in the second round he literally „ran over” his rivals. Topalov consequently won over Anand, Adams, Ponomariov and Kramink and made a draw with the only lady – the Hungarian Judit Polgar. The 30 years old Bulgarian’s game impressed with its aggression, tactical imagination and novelty in the opening interpretation. With the gathered 6.5 out of 10 points he did not leave any doubt in its supremacy.

What exactly is chess? According to Juvensio Blanco (professor and president of Venezuela Chess Federation) it is nothing but a “whole process of defining and solving of problems and applying creative thinking in situations of indeterminateness.” This game actually is a reflection of man’s everyday collisions and problems in life. Today even top players do not know if there will be a uniting cycle for the title World Champion or not, will they receive an invitation for a new Super Tournament on a place, where they have never been, and will they fall in love with a stewardess or a local beauty.

If we analyze it deeper, we may find why this game is called (and it is) eternal, although the numerous prohibitions – the last by the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Being “a rebellion against the authorities” (Arthur-Peres Reverte) – the main goal is to capture the most important piece of the rival – chess contains in its rules rarely met tolerance. Both kings do not have the right to get close to each other. And what is more – it is impossible for the king to attack the opponent’s queen! The only way to take it is….she to give herself to him. The queen is the one to attack – to declare chess and restrict, to dominate over the other prices. It is the piece on the board to draw the line of the two taboos of almost 50 century old human civilisation: Death and Sex.

It is well known that a man, who does not fear death and has solved one’s sexual problems, practically is uncontrollable and unreachable. Understanding this sacral truth masters prefer quickly to change their queens and in this way to agree a draw in 75% of the games between them :).

Asked what ha attracted him in chess the Hungarian Layos Portys (World Title pretender in the seventies and eighties) explains: “The possibility to stand up for the freedom of my thoughts. “ To the question: “Isn’t it boring for a young pretty lady playing chess, even with men?” Antoaneta Stefanova replies: “For me it is boring washing dishes and watching „soap operas” on TV, while the washing-machine is on. I am totally independent since fifteen years of age; my life is in my hands and I do with it what I like.” We believe her!

If the queen is the strongest piece in the game, the king is the most important. Accidentally or not – the move that officially opened the M-tel Masters Tournament was the last professional move in “extra terrestrial” Garry Kasparov’s career. It was played namely with the king a moment before Vesko’s victory over him was announced on March, 9th in Linares.  It is the piece, corresponding to the process of identification, discovering the possibility for strong recognition of individuality. Look what can achieve the mighty ego in combination with genius: legendary Robert Fisher sued USA for 200 000 000 $ moral damage and failed to effectuate profits and Kasparov announced his resignation from chess to concentrate his efforts in his campaign against Putin at the coming presidential elections in Russia. Such challenges a la Don Kichot are result exactly of consisting in chess objective and unsusceptible to any political discrimination, criteria for truth and justice.

In chess time is linear – i.e. we begin with a full set of pieces and slowly, little by little they disappear off the board. However Bulgarian successes on world stage are not linear, they are rather cyclic – in periods of at about 15 years.  Our first serious success is in 1959 when Bulgarian team becomes World Student Champion. The merit goes to Nikola Padevski, Georgi Tringov, Liuben Popov, Ilia Dimitrov and Nikolay Radev. In 1974 female national team wins a bronze medal on the Olympics in Medelin and men share 3-4 place at the Olympics in Nice. It is 1989 when we witness a real furore on the World Championship for children and youths – four world titles – Antoaneta Stefanova until 10 years of age (11 victories in 11 games), Veselin Topalov until 14, Katrin Aladjova until 18 (second gold for her after Rio Gallegos in 1987 – until 16) and Vasil Spasov until 20! The good results of Maya Cohen (3^rd place), Evgeni Yanev (2-4 place), Alexander Delchev (5^th place) at that moment are seen almost as failure. But what happens only a year later: in 1990 are closed the Children Chess Schools in the clubs CSKA, Levski, Locomotive and the comrades responsible for this act until today are on key positions in Bulgarian Chess Federation.

The past 2004 (again 15 years later) is the most successful in Bulgarian chess history till now. Antoaneta Stefanova became a World Women Champion and Veselin Toplavo won bronze in Men Championship with which he reached 3^rd place in World Ranking List. On the Olympics at the Balearic Isles Evgeni Ermenkov conquered the gold at first board (though under the flag of Palestine), Vladimir Georgiev – Antoaneta’s personal second in Elista – won the silver at third board but…for the team of Macedonia. Maria Velcheva also became second in Women Championship at fourth board and brought a silver medal to her Fatherland. 

In order our review of Bulgarian chess achievements to be true and full we have to pay attention to the “non-cyclic” bronze medals - men from the Olympics in Lugano in 1968 (team: Milko Bobocov, Georgi Tringov, Nikola Padevski, Atanas Kolarov, Ivan Radulov, Peicho Peev), silver medal s- women from the Olympics in Thessaloniki in 1984 (Margarita Voiska, Rumiana Boiadjieva, Pavlina Angelova, Stefka Savova), Antoaneta’s European Title for women in Varna, her second place in Turkey in the World Cup Tournament  in 2002, World Titles for youths of Kiril Georgiev in Belfor (1983) and for students of Dimitar Trifonov in Odessa (1990), gold in 1994 from European Youths Championship until 20 years for Silvia Aleksieva and Maria Velcheva in 1995.

Compared to colossuses such as Russia, USA, China, India and Great Britain all this seems more than amazing. The question is to what extent it is a result and reflection of some Bulgarian national dignities or is it entirely a fruit of talent and individual efforts, whose triumph none typical Bulgarian feature has managed to spoil...

Playboy, July 2005

The article is illustrated with a title, called “National sport”, portrait pictures of Topalov and Stefanova (plus a short presentation of them – THE LEADERS), squares with the Final Ranking of M-Тel Masters 2005 and Vesko’s most important rankings in other tournaments.

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