News...

12.05.2009 STARTED SUPER GM TOURNAMENT IN SOFIA

21.02.2009 GUINNESS RECORD

Former Juniour World Champion and many-time Bulgarian national player GM Kiril Georgiev break the world's record in a simultaneous exhibition against 360 players from all Sofia's chess clubs and schools!

VLADIMIR PETROV DEFEAT THE GM AFTER MORE OF 11 OURS GAME

SOFIA'S SCHOOLS TOURNAMENT 2008 IN PHOTOS

AGAIN WE WERE THE CO-ORGANIZERS ;)

M-TEL MASTERS 2008

Enjoy - THE tournament was opened!

THE OUR TRAINER IN ART SPORT TALENT PLAMENA ANDREEVA ASSISTED AT VESELIN TOPALOV IN SHOW GAME BEFORE THE BEGINNING! 

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THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS - PLOVDIV 2008

EKATERINA LAHNO (UKR) AND SERGEI TIVIAKOV (NED) ! WE ARE EXPECTING THE SPECIAL REPORT IN NEW IN CHESS FROM SIMEON STOICHKOV - WHAT'S IN A NAME (1. SERGEI TIVIAKOV 2. SERGEI MOVSESIAN 3. SERGEY VOLKOV ;)

ANTOANETA STEFANOVA - QUEEN OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN PLOVDIV

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22.06.2007

HOW CHESS IMITATES LIFE…Really..?

  I was inspired to write this material by what happens recently in chess space and in particular around me – as a chess pedagogue, author and promoter – and by the provoking title of Garry Kasparov’s last best seller as well.

  Example 1: Do you search for the truth in life in the same way as the “Sofia rules” require and your level on the chess board?

  I asked this question to the M-tel Masters participants in 2006 and.... a little later I realized that I am a correspondent of New In Chess :) Masters were not charmed, neither was the PR director, who after Toplaov’s answer, lead to another question without giving the other players а chance to speak. One of the reasons to ask exactly  this was that until now I have my player’s and arbiter’s rights suspended by the Bulgarian Chess Federation, because of running an Internet forum in which “were written insulting statements, regarding the present and former Executive Bodies of the Federation” and it resulted in obstructing official’s work?!?!

  These penalties were announced on the sly – without a previous declaration of such a topic in the meeting of the Executive committee, without any information or talk, without proven guilt?!?! A year later friends of mine (chess players) tactfully told me that they did not know about my web site and what was going on in the Federation. My attempts to change the status quo – to be taken financial assets on Topalov’s and Stefanova’s back and on behalf of children and the real non-organizing of events and  transparent realization of projects were parried with phrases such as: “Everyone makes mistakes….You have good income – why do you care? Really – why do I care? It is interesting that when they were aware about my photographer’s profile (where, believe me, there are beautiful creations and women :) suddenly their interest towards me became stronger. And to someone’s phone numbers, of course, but then I reminded the chess masters of the king who can not attack someone else’s lady - the only way to take it is for her to give herself…And in this way unnoticeably we go to

  Example 2: The Beauty tortures chess players.

  With this title and this picture was published one of the freshest reviews in Bulgarian press for “Twelve moons”.

  Yet there is not a united scientific conception for the origin of chess and we have no other choice but to draw inspiration on the legends. I accepted such a metamorphosis as a plot of my last creation - “Twelve moons”. It appeared that the pictures in it distract the attention of all those people working hard over the problems and studies. Let’s hope (thanks to this as well) that at least a little light was thrown over the answer of the question: “How one plays successfully at a tournament – with one’s better half or without? Unfortunately I received Jesuitical answers to that question too; when I approached part of the players at M-tel Masters 2005…..the choice of the topic was required by my accreditation as a Playboy Bulgaria correspondent. Distraction is useful – I say it on the basis of pedagogical experience and… because I recently read a material of my colleague Y. Vassilev about the pretender’s matches in Elista, from where we understood that Grishchuk never read his contract, according to which he is supposed to attend the obligatory press conferences after the end of the games!?

  Right away I remembered Karpov’s words in an interview, where he said that “it is very easy for the chess world to be ruled – most of the players know each other for ages, but behave as if they meet for the first time.” Do the reasons for this lie in the nature of the game – being introvert, it requires from you to hide your intentions from your rival, in the rule to play “against each other” or come from the fact that most players have not spent a single day at work among other people and recently in large numbers they follow Fisher’s example and leave school very early, acquiring common knowledge under individual schedules?

   Example 3: Why the opponent’s king cannot be captured?

  This was my question at the first press-conference of the Super Tournament this year in Sofia. Masters were not able to react and this was immediately caught by the colleague from www.chesspro.ru. “The questions, asked by the journalists, could really perplex the chess professionals. For example: When did you first ask yourself: why is it not possible to capture the king in chess?” 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. The King is the piece that opens the process of identification, discovering the possibility of strong confirmation of personality. Nowadays we see 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. Historical studies show that chess rules are subject to changes despite the conservative character of the game. One of it is the prohibition to capture the opponent’s king – reflection of “civilized way of waging war”, if such can exist! The aspiration for cultivation of society, for observing the rules of mutual respect is undoubtedly a step ahead.

  Life’s main function is reproduction and it seems to me (luckily) there is no risk for chess to displace it soon, but it cannot prevent chess from creating a cultural environment with clear rules and fair and honest relations between people who in one or other way are enthralled by the ancient game...

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THE BIG CHESS SHOW STARTED WITH BULGARIAN SUCCESS

http://www.coruschess.com/

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 17.09.2006

VESELIN TOPALOV VS. VLADIMIR KRAMNIK IN WORLD CHESS TITLE GAME! 

Only after a few days in Elista – the capital of the autonomy Russian Republic Kalmikia.

How did it come to this match- a question that leads after oneself a dozen of other different kind of questions.  And maybe they all touch the most exciting one for us- Bulgarians – who is going to win?

I will try to analyze it from sport and technical as well as from political and economical point of view. Let me start with some pre-history. The first game Topalov-Kramnik is in 1989 during the World Championship in Aguadilia (Puerto Rico) in which Vesko from the position in power makes draw game – with a point and a half lead in the position one round before the end and with two pawns more.

In this year for the first time another nation wins more golden medals than the representatives of the USSR –this is Bulgaria! However what follows is a successful take-over and the Bulgarian Chess Federation (BCF) is headed by the graduate of the High Party School in Moscow – Stefan Sergiev, who for an year manages to close the Children Chess Schools in Sofia in the clubs CSKA, Levski, Locomotive and National Centre for Chess Information!?

The same person exactly 3 years ago (issue 9/2003) wrote on the first page of privatized by him magazine “Shahmatna missal” (“Chess thought”) – “…it is high time to end once and for all the Danailov saga in Bulgarian chess and to stop being slaves to single names’s successes..” You may say: what is the connection of this to the game?

It is that this match is patronized by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and is organized thanks to his cooperation (including financial assistance, of course). A few days ago to report how the preparation is going he accepted an audience of his vice-premier Alexander Zhukov, who is also a president of the Russian Chess Federation and Kirsan Iliumjinov – President of Kalmikia and FIDE (World Chess Federation).  

The Bulgarian side, apart from Vesko and his headquarters, will be presented also by… Stefan Sergiev – President of Bulgarian Chess Federation. Maybe now and maybe after the end of the game Silvio Danailov’s (Topalov’s manager) words will be understood: “World Chess Title is a political question”.

K. Iliumjinov’s unwarranted decision to announce such a game after the Match-tournament in San-Louise, where Vesko won the title, shows the model of working of FIDE and the present level of organization of chess. It is more or less like 100 years ago in the time of Steinitz and Lasker. Everyone who has a generous sponsor behind one’s back can challenge the World Champion for a game?!

Isn’t it strange that the looser of this match will gain as much as the winner and it is twice more money than the Bulgarian won last year in Argentina?! The guaranteed prize fund is 1 000 000 $ - as much as Brazil took recently after winning the World League in volleyball.

The money has been guaranteed without loudly announced sponsors, without income form selling tickets and TV rights, without being in the accounts of FIDE from previous activity – I think it is needless to comment. The balance between the two masters by now according to the database - is 19 victories for the Russian, 34 draws (35 with this from 1989) and only 9 successes for our champion (including all games from 1993 till now).

The variety of chosen openings is huge and includes almost all classic beginnings. This year both avoided meetings – last month Kramnik won the tournament in Dortmund and earlier showed best result on first board during the Olympic Games in Torino; in 2006 Topalov played in Vajk-aan-Zee, Linares-Moerlia, Monaco and won M-tel Masters with which occupied first place in the World Rang List with 2813 ELO with one point more than Kasparov. The Russian, apart from playing home, has the advantage of experience in games against Kasparov and Leko. I hope to prove as a bad astrologist, but Libra (the game will be played under the sign of this constellation) tips the balance to return of the World Title in Russia…  

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16.05.2006

Topalov - Journalists 12:0

30.01.2006

Hello!

Topalov's success in Wijk aan Zee (Congratulations!) is not news that could surprise anyone.The precedent took place in this beautiful house (in which train three teams from Sofia, apart from the fact that very suspicious-looking guys find shelter there, gamble, drink alcohol and sleep on the tables.), bequeathed to the chess players in Bulgaria by the First Official champion- Georgi Geshev.

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It took place on 20.01.2006 and was announced on 26.01.2006. The Board of BCF (Bulgarian Chess Federation) “deprives Simeon Stoichkov of his arbiter rights for 2 years , because of spreading insulting and defaming information that lowers BCF's reputation.” The Forum of www . chess - bg . org (the one and only in Bulgaria ) is mentioned and the article in www.chessbase.com from 13.01.2006 (No comment!) . It is a precedent, because such topic was not previously set for discussion in the Agenda, the Discipline commission was not informed and the concerned side was not listened to. “The Managing Committee takes “Art Sport Talent Foundation” away from BFC”, because of disparity with The Law for the Physical Education and Sport.” Is it really so, there are competent organs to say. Envy and malice never rest and the truth and liberty of own opinion can wait. Yes, but no, not on our site.

“Nothing is that difficult to tell people as truth.” Volter

13.01.2006

Interview with Veselin Topalov

In the Bulgarian Playboy Magazine December 2005

The world chess champion on superstition, the burden of being world champion and the future of the immortal game.

Playboy: Vesko, which is the best and which is the worst thing about being a world chess champion?

Topalov: The most beautiful thing is when you see the happiness in the people's eyes. And the worst is that you haven't any free time.

Playboy: Which is the most absurd rumour you have heard about yourself?

Topalov: That I am married to a Spanish woman, and that my sponsor will be Hristo Stoichkov.

Playboy: Why is superstition is so wide-spread in your work? Tell me something about that.

Topalov: Maybe in this way it is easier for people to excuse their failures. It also boosts their self-confidence. I am not a fatalist, but at the World Championship in Argentina Nigel Short, the English chess player, brought to me luck when he had meals at our table.

Playboy: Which are your favorite openings for white and why?

Topalov: I will answer only this: the most unpleasant ones for the opponent.

Playboy: What about your favorite defence with black?

Topalov: The Sicilian Defence, because it gives chances to win with black.

Playboy: Which is your favorite piece on the board and why?

Topalov: All of them. They are just like my children, and I take care of them. I haven't got a favorite piece.

Playboy: Karpov or Kasparov?

Topalov: Kasparov – my playing style is similar to his.

Playboy: Who is the strongest chess player you had played against?

Topalov: Him. Kasparov.

Interview with Veselin Topalov in the Christmas issue of Playboy Bulgaria

Playboy: And who is the strongest chess player you hadn't played against?

Topalov: Bobby Fisher. I am hoping to play against him, even though we are different generation in chess.

Playboy: Which is your most shameful failure until now?

Topalov: There isn't any.

Playboy: Do you play some of the others kinds of chess –“Scandinavian” and “Reverse chess”?

Topalov: Yes, I have played the two options in my childhood. Now I do not play them any more.

Playboy: How did you explain the Bulgarian phenomenon in the world chess? Maybe, because the chess is one of the cheapest and accessible sports for the mass?

Topalov in Bulgaria after winning the World Championship

Topalov: We have unbelievable individuals and schools with chess tradition.

Playboy: What is your vision? Are there any possibilities for changes and additions in the chess rules to make the game more attractive for the mass media?

Topalov: These anti-draw rules which were implemented at the M-tel Masters by Silvio Danialov made the games more interesting and attractive for the public.

Playboy: Who is the most beautiful town where you played?

Topalov: Las Vegas – undoubtedly.

Playboy: What would be your job, if you were not chess player?

Topalov: I don't know… Maybe I'd be pilot in civil aviation (with smile).

Playboy: Which other sport do you watch closely? Do you have favorite sportsmen?

Topalov: Soccer, tennis. But I don't have any concrete favorites in these sports.

Playboy: Tell me more about your life in Spain – how you lives there, what is your preference in entertainment?

Girls and chess in Playboy Bulgaria

Topalov: I live normal. I prefer if people don't recognise me on the streets. For that reason I chose the little students' town of Salamanca. There I feel good and have a chance to prepare in peace and quiet. I like to meet with friends and go to the disco…

Playboy: We know – you are very sober. Are they times when you want to get drunk and think about nothing?

Topalov: I have hardly ever been drunk, and this is problem. There were cases when I am really exhausted and I wanted to drink.

Playboy: Who is the biggest playboy amongst the grandmasters in the world today?

Topalov: Argentinean Miguel Quinteros, but he is not so successful as a chess player.

Playboy: When you in Spain and feel nostalgia for Bulgaria, about what you remember – some favorite places here?

Topalov: Maybe Sofia, the garden in front of the National Theatre. That's where chess lovers gather.

Translated by Simeon Stoichkov

Simeon Stoichkov (30) was born in Sofia. He learnt to play chess at the age of five and went on to be a Candidate Master. In 2002 he graduated with excellence in Nationally Sports Academy in Sofia. The subject: “Metamorphosis of Chess in Eastern Cultures”. In 2001 he participated in the creation of Chess in School Magazine (published by the Bulgarian Chess Federation). In the same year he was one of the trainers who prepared the Sofia team that won Gold at the School Olympiad in Regio Emiglia. In 2000-2003 Stoichkov was a director of the Chess School at the National Palace of Children, and was one of the initiators of the Children's Olympiad “Sport against drugs”. Since 2001 he has conducted chess education in elite schools in Sofia. In 2004 Simeon initiated the Art Sport Talent Foundation and is its President. In the same year, together with GM Vladimir Georgiev, he wrote the book “Antoaneta Stefanova – 20 years and 20 days on the road to the crown”.

Simeon with Antoaneta Stefanova

Chess in Schools in Bulgaria

source: http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=2862

01.12.2005

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? His impressions on the events that followed the great successes shares Simeon Stoichkov – the man with the camera in the below photos:

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24.10.2005. Meeting and first steps on home land for the new World Champion. Smiles, photos, flowers, questions and many presents and joyful.

25.10.2005. Topalov's surprise for President of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov – bishop that make last move against Kasimjanov. Observing the tradition to change gifts.

Silvio Danailov and Veselin Topalov with their awards. The Honorary Sign of President of Republic.

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The new world champion had meetings with the President and the Prime-Minister Sergei Stanishev of Bulgaria in one day. These visits also attended the President of FIDE Kirsan Iliumjinov, who flew to Sofia especially for this event.

Topalov's team on their way to the Parliament. The greatest manager Silvio Danailov, Jivko Ginchev (PR) and Ivan Cheparinov – the new hope of Bulgarian chess. No matter how absurd it sounds, it is a fact that Bulgarian Chess Federation did not give a dime for the preparation and the participations of its best player for the last 5 years!

Veselin Topalov accepts greetings from Vesela Lecheva - President of National Agency of Youth and Sports. Later he was awarded a brand new Volvo S40.

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The talented Plamena Andreeva (19) from Dobrich is the last woman (and the only one Bulgarian) to win against Veselin Topalov on 31.01.2004 at the seance in Hilton Hotel in Sofia. Toplaov has always been a good example for the children and never misses opportunities to follow his mission of popularizing the chess game.

10.11.2005. Museum of Bulgarian Posts a new stamp was validated with World Women Champion Antoaneta Stefanova on it. The first sports-woman honorary with this pleasure – precedent for Bulgaria.

On 29.11.2004 took place the presentation of the first biographical book about the World Women Champion “Antoaneta Stefanova 20 years and 20 days on the road to the crown”. The main character accepts congratulations between the two authors GM Vladimir Georgiev (on the right) and me - Simeon Stoichkov.

Greetings from Sofia with the next photos!

The National Palace of the Culture.

The hart of Sofia in early morning – on left Central Universal Shop and Government, in front Nationally Assembly, in right Presidency.

And in the evening… The life is go on…

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