The recently published articles <a href="https://en.chessbase.com/post/never-ending-saga-of-moroccan-chess">"The Never Ending Saga of Moroccan Chess, Part 1"</a> and <a href="https://en.chessbase.com/post/never-ending-saga-of-moroccan-chess-part-ii"> "Part 2"</a> described the sorry state of Moroccan chess and the unfortunate end of the International Prix Mohammed VI tournament, where the winners did not receive their prizes. This bizarre end of the tournament overshadowed the success of the young Latvian GM Paulius Pultinevicius, who won the event convincingly. | Photo: Paulius Pultinevicius after winning the Riga Technical University Open 2022 | Photo: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rtuopen">RTU Open Facebook</a>.
Well, stand your butt up then." "You stand your butt up, big guy." That actual exchange from an actual recent Senate hearing may have been less than edifying, but it did get us thinking about the stark decline in that ultimate in mano a mano chess, the challenge match between two consenting chessplayers.
Last year GM Yuri Averbakh turned 100 and set a world record. He became the oldest ever grandmaster in chess history. Sadly, he passed away in May. Averbakh led a rich and extraordinary life that he narrated himself in his autobiography, “Centre-stage and Behind the Scenes”. In the series here, our columnist draws on this important work and also explains much that was left unsaid. | Photo: Averbakh playing Kasparov (B. Dolmatovsky via <a href="https://dgriffinchess.wordpress.com/">Douglas Griffin’s website</a>)
While there were a few upsets on individual boards at the open section of the European Club Cup, none of the big teams gave up match points in Monday’s second round, with Magnus Carlsen making his debut for Norway’s Offerspill. In the women’s section, on the other hand, top seeds Monte Carlo drew Centar Asseco See, the seventh seeds from North Macedonia. Stavroula Tsolakidou beat Mariya Muzychuk with black on the top board. | Photo: Gerd Densing
The FIDE World Cup is taking place in Baku. We decided to do a short tour of the Azerbaijani capital before the important event commenced. After reading a lot about must-see places in Baku and getting info from the locals, Icherisheher (Old City) seemed to be the perfect place to venture. In a little over three hours, I visited The Palace of Shirvanshahs, the award-winning Miniature Book Museum, Maiden Tower and Nizami Street. Let us have a look at what piqued my interest on a day when I walked 16230 steps my longest walk of the year! | Photos: Shahid Ahmed