The 1st Women's World Team Championship took place in Ekaterinburg (Russia) from 19th-30th May, with participation of 10 national teams from four continents. The list included Vera Menchik Cup holders Ukraine, as well as multiple gold medal winners China. All in all the event drew 17 GMs, 23 IMs and 4 FMs. Top rated teams were China (2455), Georgia (2454), Russia (2449) and Ukraine (2444). Most of World's top players arrived to Ekaterinburg, although some major teams (USA, Hungary) did not appear.

Chine were so dominant that they came beyond anyone else's reach in a race for gold still with last round to go. They edged Russia by full 6½ points, while Ukraine grabbed gold at 22½ points. Second seeds Georgia finished at disappointing fourth.


Not only did the Chinese win every match but one, but they won most of them heavily including three 4-0's against Botswana, Poland, and, somewhat incredibly, Russia.

Playing on board two below Zhao Xue, 13-year-old Hou Yifan made 7½/9 to take gold medal at board 2. Other individual medal winners were Zhao Xue, Inna Gaponenko (Ukraine), Ekaterina Kovalevskaya (Russia - she also won best rating performance prize) and Marta Przezdziecka of Poland.

See championship's official home page
See championship's home page at olimpbase.org

Szeged is a cozy city of 163,000 inhabitants situated in northern Hungary. It is mainly famous among the chess community from being birthplace of famous Hungarian player Geza Maroczy. Early May it hosted the 26th edition of annual Mitropa Cup - the friendly team tournament for Central European nations (a.o. France, Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Austria). The event was held separately for 10 men's teams in a four board round robin contest as well as for 10 women's doubles. The head organizer was Zsolt Korpics and the chief arbiter was respected WGM Zsuzsa Veroci.

The events drew 10 GMs and number of other titled players. The competition was extremely tough in both tournaments and the winners emerged in the last possible moments. France took the win in the men's competition ahead of disappointed Italy and Germany, last year's winners Hungary came barely 7th, even though they were top seeded having the home field advantage in pocket too.

In 4th edition of women's event Hungary managed to break all-time Slovenia's dominance to take their premier triumph ahead of the Slovenians and Slovakia. The top four teams finished within one game point making it closest Mitropa Cup competition ever. Germany, second in 2006, came one before last.

There was a surprise on the last day. The honorary guest was famous Hungarian athlete Katalin Kovacs, 21 times canoeing world champion. In 2008 the Mitropa Cup will arrive to Italy.

See official home page of the 2007 Mitropa Cup in Szeged

See detailed info & results from men's event from olimpbase.org
See detailed info & results from women's event from olimpbase.org

See olimpbase.org Mitropa Cup home page

It's been more than 20 years since the premier edition of the World Team Championship took off in Lucerne in 1985. The USSR team, led by the World Champion GM Karpov won in style ahead of Hungary and England. So far as much as six editions took place held in four year cycles. This invitation-only event, open for continental champions as well as top teams from preceding Olympiad, soon became prestigious and well-renowned tournament to attract many World's top players and drawing attention of the chess community, although it was never ever even close to the popularity and prestige of that earned by the Olympiads in its 80-year long history.

So far there was no separate competition for women, though women teams appeared twice in the history of the World Team Championship: Georgia in 1997 and China in 2005.

According to the resolutions written in the chapter D.III.08 of the FIDE Handbook the commencment of the Women's World Team Championship was scheduled in 2007. The www.fide.com website provides the latest news on the topic. The event is to take place from 19th to 30th May, 2007 in Ekaterinburg, Russia, the capital of Ural region. The venue will be the Atrium Palace Hotel.

There will be 10 teams participating, but which exactly, is still not clear. According to the FIDE handbook the following ten teams are eligible to participate:
a) the four continental champions of: Europe, Asia, Africa and The Americas
b) the top five teams from previous Olympiad
c) the host nation

If one of top five teams from the Olympiad have already qualified through a continental championship, then their place is taken by the following team in the respective continental championship.

If the hosts were one of top five teams at the Olympiad or, from any reason, one of these teams withdraws, then the following team from the Olympiad is eligible to participate. This is valid for all of the continental championships respectively.

According to the above, the following pool of teams should arrive at Ekaterinburg:

- The home team: Russia

- The top teams from the Turin 2006 Olympiad: Ukraine (1), China (3), USA (4), Hungary (5), Georgia (6) � Russia (2) already qualified as the host nation

- European Team Champions: Poland � from 2005 Euro Championship in Gothenburg
- Asian Team Champions: Vietnam � from 2005 Asian Championship in Esfahan
- Panamerican Team Champions: vacant (there is no Women's Panamerican Team Championship)
- African Team Champions: Algeria � from 2003 African Championship in Lagos

However, the sources aren't unanimous while listing the expected line-ups. Algeria is not included in most of the sources while Cuba are listed instead. Hungary are omitted by some and replaced by the Netherlands (7th in Turin). Even Armenia (8th in Turin) is provided as the participant by some sources including www.fide.com. Time will tell. We will update the news as soon as more reliable info will be available.

The contest will be run on an all-play-all basis; each team shall play one match against every other team. The time limit is 40 moves in 90 minutes, then 30 minutes for the rest of the game. An increment of 30 seconds per move, starting from move one, will be added after each move. Teams are composed of 4 players and one reserve. A hand-made cup from Ural stone will be handed to the winning team.

The final placement will be decided by the following criteria:
a) match points
b) game points
c) direct result
d) board count (a.k.a. the Berlin system, wins on higher boards are preferred)
e) rapid tie-break

History of Men's World Team Championship at OlimpBase

Information at www.fide.com
Information from Ekaterinburg info site (in Russian)
Information from Ural region info site (in Russian)

The Kazakh city of Pavlodar took their third ever Asian Cities Championship for the Dubai Cup as they convincingly won the 15th edition of this biennial competition.

The event was organized by the Iranian Chess Federation from 1st to 9th March in Teheran, the capital of Iran. The head referee was IA Casto Abundo. Eighteen teams from twelve countries competed in the 9 round Swiss. Pavlodar scored 30 points followed by runner-up Tagaytay (Philippines) with 26p and Tehran Saipa with 25 points for third. The event drew 88 players, including 10 GMs and 2 WGMs. Top rated player was GM Evgeny Vladimirov - 2616 Elo.

More info and games to be added soon.

Final results:

rk seed  team          fed  gms  +   =   -   pts    Buch    MP
 1   1  Pavlodar       KAZ   9   8   0   1   30,0   179,5   16
 2   2  Tagaytay       PHI   9   7   2   0   26,0   185,0   16
 3   3  Saipa          IRI   9   6   2   1   25,0   184,0   14
 4   5  Rahahan        IRI   9   5   2   2   23,0   178,0   12
 5   4  Shanghai       CHN   9   5   1   3   21,5   187,0   11
 6   6  Tidewater      IRI   9   5   0   4   21,5   170,0   10
 7   7  Damescaus      SYR   9   3   2   4   17,5   160,5    8
 8  15  Banvan-Tehran  IRI   9   4   2   3   17,5   146,5   10
 9  16  Dubai          UAE   9   2   4   3   16,5   133,0    8
10  11  Sulimania      IRQ   9   3   2   4   16,0   157,5    8
11  12  Calicut        IND   9   4   1   4   15,5   168,5    9
12   8  Lahore         PAK   9   3   1   5   15,5   153,0    7
13  13  Amman          JOR   9   2   3   4   15,0   166,0    7
14  14  Sharjah        UAE   9   3   1   5   15,0   155,0    7
15   9  Aleppo         SYR   9   4   1   4   15,0   148,0    9
16  17  Colombo        SRI   9   3   0   6   15,0   145,0    6
17  10  Erbil          IRQ   9   1   2   6   12,0   155,0    4
18  18  Jerusalem      PLE   9   0   0   9    6,5   144,5    0

See tournament home page
See statistics from chess-results.com
See past results of the Dubai Cup

Although the Asian Games date back to 1951, where the premier edition took place in India, it is only recently when chess was recognized as a full-right member of the games. There were two individual rapid tournaments scheduled separately for men and women along with a mixed team tournament with classical time control.

GM Murtas Kazhgaleyev of Kazakhstan won men's event with 7½ points out of 9, ahead of Dao Thien Hai of Vietnam and Bu Xiangzi of China (see full results). GM Humpy easily won women's contest a fraction ahead of Zhao Xue and clear 2 points in front of Chen Zhu of, yes, Qatar (see women's results).

The top two seeded teams were India and China, far ahead the rest of the field, the top four rated players, however, were within four Elo points as Sasikiran, 2675, the top seed, was followed by Harikrishna (India) 2674, Kasimdzhanov 2672 and Bu 2671. India earned easy win stepping from one victory to another. A decisive step was made on day five as they beat runners-up China 3-0. Despite of Indian slip-up the Chinese came second, five points behind the winners. Iran took surprise bronze wiping out hosts Qatar 3-0 on the last round to deny Qataris medal dreams.

Best individual results were achieved by Indian players Sasikiran (board #1) and Humpy (women's board) - 8/9 each. Merganto of Indonesia was winner at board #2 with 7/9.

See Doha 2006 event coverage at olimpbase.org (info, stats & games)

Read more about the Asian Games

The Asian Games information can be found in Minor Tournaments folder inside FRIENDLY TEAM EVENTS directory.

FIDE regrets to announce the death of Grandmaster David Bronstein in Minsk, Belarus on 5 December 2006.

David Ionovich Bronstein was born 19 February 1924 in Bila Tserkva, near Kyiv, Ukraine.

The Champion of Ukraine (1939), of Moscow (1946), of USSR (1948 and 1949). The winner of the first Interzonal tournament (1948) and the first Candidates Tournament in Budapest (1950)

He drew the challenge match for the title of world champion by a score of 12-12 with Mikhail Botvinnik, the reigning champion (1951).

He represented USSR at the Olympiads of 1952, 1954, 1956 and 1958, winning board prizes at each of them. See Bronstein's overall Olympic record.

David Bronstein also wrote a number of chess books and articles. Many of them like Zurich International Chess Tournament 1953, The Modern Chess Self Tutor, 200 Open Games became bestsellers.

He was one of the strongest chess players in the world. His games demonstrated a high degree of creativity, fantasy, tactical ingenuity, and surprise.

/ from fide.com /

Eventually we have done what so many readers were hoping to see. Today we are proud to announce that the almost complete history of the Women's Olympiads is available at olimpbase.org. It took a lot of effort and dozens of chess enthusiasts contributed to this unique deed.

So far only a pruned version is available. There are no reviews, game selections, photos, names haven't been standarized etc. There are temporary, incomplete and unofficial all-time statistics available here.

Some notable achievements:
* MOST OLYMPIADS: 15 - Nieves Garcia (Spain) and Jana Bellin (England/Czechoslovakia). Germany are the only team to participate in all 22 Olympiads
* BIGGEST GAP BETWEEN FIRST AND LAST APPEARANCE: 40 years - Jana Bellin (from 1966 till 2006)
* MOST POINTS: 118 - Maia Chiburdanidze
* MOST WINS: 94 - Nona Gaprindashvili
* MOST GAMES WITHOUT A LOSS: 56 - Susan Polgar (at 4 different Olympiads)
* BEST OVERALL PERCENTAGE: 92% - Alla Kushnir (from 25 games)
* BEST INDIVIDUAL SCORE: 12/12 - Ketevan Arakhamia in 1990
* MOST TEAM MEDALS: 12 - Nona Gaprindashvili (11 gold and 1 silver)
* GOOD AND BAD LUCK: Israel won in 1976 but came no better than 7th on other occasions. Romania came second five times but never won gold. In 1974 they actually came first, but lost play-off vs USSR.

Up-to-date gaps (please help!!):
- Emmen 1957: all games but 40 are not available
- Skopje 1972: some games and results are not available
- Medellin 1974: games and results from preliminary group 5 are not available
- La Valletta 1980: titles and ELOs are not available
- Thessaloniki 1988: titles are not available
- Moscow 1994: titles are not available
- all-time stats are just provisional
- players' names have not been standarized yet

The 2006 edition of the European Club Cup is over and it is time to take a loot back through history of this competition. Recent times we have intensified efforts to do thorough research on this exacting task.

Unfortunately, not only plenty of important data is missing (see what is missing, maybe you can fill in the gaps?), but we are facing major difficulties while working on standarization of team names.

This is why you are cordially asked to help us correct our list. Below you will find list of all teams ever registered in the ECC competitions sorted by country. You are asked to take a look at your country and check the following:
1. Team names may tend to double, as clubs merge, use sponsor names, etc... Duped names must be merged into one.
2. Some clubs tend to use sponsor names rather than those written in the statutes. Sponsor names should be pointed as not original.
3. Team name should consist of a proper name and a city name, unless a city name is the only one used by a club. Missing city/club names must be filled. Also, spelling has to be checked.

As for now, we have prepared *provisional* all-time medal tables available for both men's and women's competition.

Please post your replies either as comments or via e-mail.
Thank you!


ALB: Studenti Tirana, Partizani Tirana, Butrinti Sarandë

ARM: Yerevan City, Dinamo Hayastan, Bank King Yerevan, MIKA Yerevan

AUT: Union Ansfelden, SC Traun 1967, SC Die Klagenfurter, Merkur Versicherung Graz, Styria Graz, ESV Austria Graz, Admiral Sparkasse Fürstenfeld, Inter Salzburg, Sparkasse Schwarzach, Sparkasse Gleisdorf, SV Tschaturanga Vienna, Margareten Winterthur Vienna, Austria Vienna, Melk Wachau, SK Voest Linz, SK Hohenems, SK Jenbach, SV Ranshofen, ASVÖ Wulkaprodersdorf, Carinthia CC

BEL: KSK 47 Eynatten, Koninklijke Antwerpse OSK, KGS Ruy Lopez Gent, Lustige Vrijpion Leuven, Boey Temse, Rochade Eupen-Kelmis, Cercle Royal Brussels, Cercle Royal de Liege, OSK Tessenderlo, Anderlecht Brussels, CRE Charleroi, Antwerp

BIH: Željezničar Sarajevo, Bosna Sarajevo, Napredak Sarajevo, ŠK Slavija Sarajevo, ŠK Kiseljak, Glasinac Sokolac, Zrinjski Mostar, Boksit Milici, ŠK Bihac, ŠK Široki Brijeg, ŠK Obudovac

BLR: Vesnianka Minsk, Kalijschik Soligorsk, VCH Vitebsk

BUL: Slavia Sofia, CSKA Sofia, Lokomotiv Plovdiv

CRO: Zrinjevac Zagreb, Mladosc Novogradnja Zagreb, Mravince-Dalmacijacement, Slavonska Banka Đakovo, ŠK Pula, ŠK Kastav, Drava Mursa Osijek, Borovo-Vukovar '91, ŠK Belišće-Metalis, Lucija Rijeka

CZE: TJ TŽ Třinec, Baník Havířov, DP Mládí Prague, Dům armády Prague, Holdia DP Prague, Vyšehrad Prague, Bohemians Prague, ŠK Pardubice, A64 MILO Olomouc, Banik CSA Karvina, Univerzita Brno, Slavia Hradec Králové

DEN: SK1968 Aarhus, Helsinge SK, Nordre SK, Gistrup Skakforening, Bronshoj Skakforening, SK34 Nykøbing F, Espergærde SK, Kampklubben Copenhagen, Frederiksberg SF, Vejlby-Risskov SK

ENG: Barbican London, King's Head London, Bristol Chess Club, Invicta Knights Maidstone, Slough Chess Club, Guildford Chess Club, Cambridge University, Hilsmark Kingfisher, Wood Green London, Streatham & Brixton London, Rugby Chess Club

ESP: Tiendas UPI, CA Reverté Albox, Club de Ajedrez Valencia, Villa de Teror, Penya Escacs Barcelona, Vulca Barcelona, UGA Barcelona, Caja Insular Canarias, CIA Las Palmas, Schweppes Madrid, Gros Xake Taldea

EST: Kaissa Narva, MK Vabaettur, Pärnu MK, Reval Sport Tallin, Paide MK

FIN: Matinkylän SK, Jönsuun SK, Helsinki SK, Jyväs-Shakki Jyväskylä, SK Taraus, Etelä-Vantaa Shakki, SK Gaia, Taraus Tampere, Fischer Helsinki, SK Matynkylä Espoo, Gambiitti Helsinki

FRA: NAO Paris, CEMC Monaco, Clichy Echecs 92, Nancy Est Echecs, Philidor Mulhouse, Montpellier Echecs, Lyon-Oyonnax, Belfort Echecs, CE Strasbourg, La Dame Blanche Auxerre, Vandoeuvre Echecs, Cannes Echecs

GEO: NTN Tbilisi, I&A Tbilisi, Tbilisi City, Merani Tbilisi, Egrisi Senaki, Energy-Investi Sakartvelo

GER: Solingen SG, SFR Neukölln 03, SV Empor Berlin, SF Berlin, Werder Bremen, TV Tegernsee, SC Leipzig-Gohlis, SC Stadthagen, Dresdner SC 1898, Hamburger SK, Bayern Munich, SG Köln-Porz, SC 1868 Bamberg, Elberfelder SG 1851 Wuppertal, SC Baden Oos, SK Turm Emsdetten, Krefelder SK Turm 1851, USV Halle

GRE: Kydon SC Blue Star Ferries Chania, Peristeri Athens, Chess Academy of DEI Northern Greece, OAA Heraklion, Enosis Thessaloniki, Kallithea Athens, Shakistikos Onillos Patron, Heliopolis

HUN: Csuti Zalaegerszeg, Torokves, Miskolci SSC, Honved Budapest, Spartacus Budapest, MTK Budapest

IRL: Douglas Chess Club, Galway Chess Club, Ennis Chess Club, Dublin Chess Club, Collegians Dublin, Phibsboro Chess Club, RVH Chess Club Belfast, Crumlin Dublin, North Belfast Chess Club, Bray Chess Club, Dumdrum Chess Club, Kilkenny Chess Club, Belfast Chess Club

ISL: Reykjavik CC, Hellir Reykjavik, Haukar CC, Akureyri CC, Gardabaer CC, Tre CC

ISR: Herzlia Chess Club, Beer Sheva Chess Club, Bikurel Haitim Czerniak Tel Aviv, ASA Shlomo Har-Zvi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv University, Hapoel Rishon Lezion, Ashdod City Club, Elitzur Petah Tikva, TSV Haifa, Hapoel Cellcom Kfar Saba, Maccabi Afek

ITA: ASA Penne, CS Surya, CS Marostica, ARS Roma, GSB Roma, ATC Roma, Bancoroma Roma, Cavit Trento, SS Milanese, Obiettivo Risarcimento Padova

KOS: KSH Prishtina, KSH Minatori Mitrovicë, KSH Drita Therandë, KSH Istogu

LAT: TSI Riga, VEF Riga, Baltika Liepāja, Daugavpils Riga

LTU: NSEL30 Vilnius, Caissa Vilnius, Vilnius Chess School, Margiris Kaunas, Vezge Radviliškis, Širvinta Vilkaviškis, Bokštas Plungė

LUX: CE Dudelange, Gambit Bonnevoie, CE De Sprenger Echternach, CE Le Cavalier Differdange, CE Réimech

MDA: Victoria-Gaz Chişinău, Rimmon Chişinău, Ulim Chişinău, Rezina-Gaz Chişinău

MKD: SK Alkaloid Skopje, Kisela Voda Skopje, Stefa Balto Struga

MNC: CE Monte Carlo

MNE: Buducnost Podgorica, Montenegrobanka Podgorica, ŠK Podgorica

NED: Leerdams SG, De Variant Breda, HMC Calder, Volmac Rotterdam, Hilversum SG, SV Eindhoven, Stukkenjagers Tilburg

NOR: Oslo Schakselskap, Asker SK, Randaberg SK

POL: Polonia Warsaw, Stilon Gorzów Wlkp., Piast Słupsk, Miedź Legnica, Pocztowiec Poznań, PTSz Płock, Polfa Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Legion Warsaw, Maraton Warsaw, Hugart Rybnik

POR: Boavista Porto, NX Faro, Diana Évora , AX Porto, TLP Lizbon, AX Lisbon

ROM: AS RAT Bucharest, Energo-Constructorul Bucharest, Politehnica Bucharest, Universitatea Bucharest, AS Venus, IT Bucharest, AEM-Luxten Timişoara

RUS: Vektor Novosibirsk, Elara Cheboksary, South Ural Chelyabinsk, Ural Chelyabinsk, Kadyr Chelyabinsk, Poliot Chelyabinsk, Khorda Chelyabinsk, Shishmate-Mechel Chelyabinsk, Khimik Belorechensk, Gazovik Tyumen, Max Ven Ekaterinburg, Lokomotiv Moscow, CSKA Moscow, Tigran Petrosian Moscow, Trud Moscow, Burevestink Moscow, Tomsk-400, Siberia Tomsk, Universitet Maykop, TPS Saransk, Ladya Azov, Alisa Kazan, Ladya Kazan, Norilsky Nikel Norilsk, Ekonomist Saratov, Ural Sverdlovsk region, AVS Krasnoturinsk, FINEK St. Petersburg, Mikhail Chigorin St. Petersburg, Platina Krasnoyarsk

SCO: Paisley YMCA Renfrew, Edinburgh Chess Club, Wandering Dragons, Glasgow University, Dundee Chess Club, Castlemilk Glasgow

SLO: Triglav Krško, Piramida Maribor, Radenska-Pomgrad Murska Sobota, Iskra Ljubljana, ŠK Nova Gorica

SRB: Radonja Bojović Nikšić, Goša Smederevska Palanka, Jedinstvo Stara Pazova, Radnički Niš, Agrouniverzal Belgrade, Partizan Belgrade, Crvena Zvezda Belgrade, Industrija Motora Rakovica Belgrade, RAD Belgrade, BAS Belgrade, ŠK Jugovice Kac, SZ Rafinerija Novi Sad

SVK: Corpora Lipovec, Bestex Nové Zámky, Hydina Košice, Lokomotiv Trnava, Tatran Prešov, Radegast Dunaj Bratislava, Elai Bratislava, Slovan Bratislava

SUI: SG Biel-Bienne, CE Geneve, Niederrohrdorf, Allschwil SG, CE Geneve, Zytglogge Bern, SG Zürich, SF Reichenstein, SV Wollishofen

SWE: SK Rockaden Stockholm, Limhamns SK Malmö, Sollentuna SK, SS Manhem Gothenburg, Skara SS, Wasa SK Stockholm, Lund ASK, Kristallen SK Stockholm

TUR: Eczacıbaşı Istanbul, Konya Yapispor, TED Ankara Kolejliler SK, Marmaris SC, Istanbul Teknik Üniversitesi SK, Oyak Sigorta-SGM Istanbul, Antalya Çallı SK

UKR: Karpaty Galychyna, Law Academy Kharkov, ShK Alexander Momot, Danko Donbass Donetsk, Garant Donbass Donetsk, Autozaz Zaporozhe, Avangard Kyiv, Grandmaster School Kyiv, Rudenko School Kherson, Empils Rostov na Donu

WLS: Bridgend Chess Club, Cwmbran Chess Club, Cardiff Chess Club, Pontypool Chess Club, Nidum Liberals Chess Club, Monmouth Minnows Chess Club, Abergavenny Chess Club, Rhyddings Swansea, University Colege