2012 World Mind Games (Beijing, China)
The 2012 World Minds Sports Games in progress in Beijing, China. This unique tournament will feature five sports including bridge, go, draughts, xiangqi (Chinese chess) and international chess. This tournament features an number of top players in each of these mind sports competing in different categories. For chess, it will be rapid, blitz and blindfold.
SCHEDULE
Wednesday 12th December 2012 OPENING CEREMONY
Thursday 13th December 2012 Rest Day
Friday 14th December 2012 15:00 – Rounds 1-3 Rapid Chess
Saturday 15th December 2012 15:00 – Rounds 4-7 Rapid Chess
Sunday 16th December 2012 15:00 – Rounds 1-15 Blitz Chess
Monday 17th December 2012 15:00 – Rounds 16-30 Blitz Chess
Tuesday 18th December 2012 15:00 – Rounds 1-4 Blindfold Chess
Wednesday 19th December 2012 15:00 – Rounds 5-7 Blindfold Chess
Thursday 20th December 2012 DEPARTURE
Some of the chess players headlining this event are: Levon Aronian (Armenia), Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan), Sergey Karjakin (Russia), Hikaru Nakamura (USA) and Alexander Morozevich (Russia). For the women Hou Yifan (China), Anna Muzychuk (Slovenia), Koneru Humpy (India), Zhao Xue (China) and Kateryna Lahno (Ukraine).
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Medal winners from Rapid (L-R): Hikaru Nakamura (USA), silver; Laurent Fressinet (France) – gold; Alexander Grischuk (Russia) – bronze. Photo courtesy of https://www.worldmindgames.net/en/photos/.
ResultsMenWomen(Rapid, Blitz, Blindfold)
GamesMenWomenCoverageOfficial: https://www.worldmindgames.net/en/ |
(Coverage of Go, Draughts, Xiangqi)
(Coverage of Draughts, Bridge, Xiangqi, Go)
Check the draughts action 05:20-09:09 between GM Jean Marc Ndjofang (Cameroon) – GM Alexander Baljakin (Netherlands), 1/2-1/2.
1st day of Rapid Chess (2:45:27-3:28:55)
Report: https://sportaccord2012.fide.com/en/main-page/1-news-en/195-report-of-the-day-1-of-rapid
Photos: https://sportaccord2012.fide.com/images/stories/gallery/Day1%20rapid/index.html
2nd day of Rapid Chess (2:30:22-3:17:17)
Report: https://sportaccord2012.fide.com/en/main-page/1-news-en/197-report-of-the-day-2-of-rapid
Photos: https://sportaccord2012.fide.com/images/stories/gallery/Day%202%20rapid/index.html#
MEN
GOLD- Laurent Fressinet (France)
SILVER- Hikaru Nakamura (USA)
BRONZE – Alexander Grischuk (Russia)
WOMEN
GOLD – Kateryna Lahno (Ukraine)
SILVER – Hou Yifan (China)
BRONZE – Humpy Koneru (India)
PGN Games (Men, Women)
1st day of Blitz Chess (00:00:00-00:45:05)
(00:00:52-00:08:42)
Report: https://sportaccord2012.fide.com/en/main-page/1-news-en/198-report-of-the-day-1-of-blitz
Photos: https://sportaccord2012.fide.com/images/stories/gallery/Day%203%20blitz/index.html
Very interesting concept with the internet go player (six dan) getting a chance to play Michael Redmond (nine dan). Here is an article on Redmond…
Link: https://www.usgo.org/news/2010/06/michael-redmond-on-studying-improving-your-game-and-how-the-pros-train/
Even though I like chess better than draughts, I have come to appreciate that it is a wonderful game.
Draughts is a fascinating mind sport. Once I found out about the Man vs. Machine match with GM Diaga Samb of Senegal, I started doing research. I had heard of former World Champion Baba Sy of Senegal, but only from a vague reference from Charles Covington. I then went on the FMJD discussion board and started discussing African players and everyone was so helpful… even to a chess person. Now I am interested in GM Jean-Marc Djofang of Cameroon, the African Champion. He is about #32 in the world and not the top-rated African player, but is considered an elite player and Africa’s best.
GM Jean-Marc Djofang (Cameroon)
GM Jean-Marc Djofang breaking a simul record in 2008.
Here is the link to the discussion on Baba Sy (pronounced “see”). You will see my comments throughout. There are eight pages.
2nd day of Blitz Chess (01:59:44-02:34:53)
MEN
GOLD- Sergey Karjakin (Russia)
SILVER- Hikaru Nakamura (USA)
BRONZE – Shahkriyar Mamadyarov (Azerbaijan)
WOMEN
GOLD – Alexandra Kosteniuk (Russia)
SILVER – Anna Muzychuk (Slovenia)
BRONZE – Elisabeth Paehtz (Germany)
PGN Games (Men, Women)
Report: https://sportaccord2012.fide.com/en/main-page/1-news-en/199-day-2-blitz
Photos: https://sportaccord2012.fide.com/images/stories/gallery/Day%204%20blitz/index.html
I am wondering why shogi is not a part of the mind games? Perhaps they believe it is too much like chess.
Lesson on Shogi!
Here is my interview with Yoshiharu Habu at the World Open.
1st day of Blindfold Chess (00:00:38-00:30:46)
There have been a number of blunders in the blindfold today. In Mamedyarov-Aronian, white puts a rook enprise. In Humpy-Kosteniuk, black put a bishop on c1 as if to trade bishops, but the white bishop was on b2 already. White simply played Rxc1. In Zatonskih-Stefanova, black left a rook hanging.
Maybe they should chose another discipline like Fischer 960. I believe the quality would be much better. Blindfold is so difficult after having played so many rounds of chess (i.e., rapid and blitz)
Report: https://sportaccord2012.fide.com/en/main-page/1-news-en/200-report-of-the-day-1-of-blindfold
Photos: https://sportaccord2012.fide.com/images/stories/gallery/Day%205%20blindfold/index.html
My contention was correct. I only looked at a few games that had finished quickly, but the report provides more insight into the fatigue of the players during blindfold.
https://www.worldmindgames.net/en/news/?idContent=16765
I was watching the draughts match between Chizov and Schwarzman and the commentators made a comment about a combination which would have given Schwarzman a winning position. They were referring to 41…22-27! instead of the blunder 41…21-27? Both of these players are former World Champions and Schwarzman was also a champion in 8×8 form of draughts. Apparently, he shouldn’t have missed it.
To be honest, I couldn’t see the combination, but this description was given…
I see it now! 🙂
Report: https://sportaccord2012.fide.com/en/main-page/1-news-en/201-report-of-the-day-2-of-blindfold
Photos: https://sportaccord2012.fide.com/images/stories/gallery/Day%206%20blindfold/index.html
MEN
GOLD- Levon Aronian (Armenia)
SILVER- Hikaru Nakamura (USA)
BRONZE – Shahkriyar Mamadyarov (Azerbaijan)
WOMEN
GOLD – Hou Yifan (China)
SILVER – Viktorija Cmilyte (Lithuania)
BRONZE – Anna Zatonskih (USA)
PGN Games (Men, Women)
GM Hikaru Nakamura wins three silver medals in rapid, blitz and blindfold!
2nd day of Blindfold Chess (00:05:11-00:18:51 & 01:51:28-01:59:50)
Beautiful combination in the draughts at 03:29:38 by Matrena Nogovitsyna of Russia!
Spotted Ron “Suki” King of Barbados at the Mind Sports playing 8×8. I did an article on him some time ago.
Link: https://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2008/10/17/ron-suki-the-real-checker-king/