Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I wish you dreams come true for the coming 2009!

Curious Game

The traditional Groningen open is in progress at the moment. Many interesting games are played already. Here is a curious miniature from Round 1:
Biedekoepper,Robert - Van Oosterom,Chiel [A65]
Schaakfestival Groningen 2008 (1.20)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0–0 6.Bg5 c5 7.d5 e6 8.Nge2 exd5 9.cxd5 a6 10.a4 Nbd7 11.g4 Re8 12.Ng3

12...Nxe4! 13.Bxd8 Nxc3+ 14.Qe2 Nxe2 15.Bxe2 Bxb2 0–1

Test Yourself 11

Unexpected Stalemate

1.b7 Rf8 [1...Bf5+ 2.Kc3!] 2.b8Q Bf5+ 3.Be4 Bxe4+ 4.Kc1 Rxb8 Stalemate
Zakhodiakin

GM Kiril Georgiev to break a Guinness Record

Former Juniour World Champion and many-time Bulgarian national player GM Kiril Georgiev will ty to break the world´s record in a simultaneous exhibition against 450 players! The freshly founded chess club Levski ìs organizing the event, and already received an official registration from the Guinness official center in London.The event will take place in Sofia, on 21 February 2009 when another important event- the semi-final match for the WCC between Veselin Topalov and Gata Kamsky will be on his most interesting part.