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It is 75 years ago that Max Euwe became the 5th World Champion by beating Alexander Alekhine in a tensely contested match. Honouring a request of the Dutch Chess Federation, FIDE has recognized Euwe's achievement and aptly declared 2010 'Euwe year'. Undoubtedly FIDE also wished to honour the achievements of the Dutchman in his capacity as 3rd President of the World Chess Federation. It was under Euwe's presidency (1970-1978) that FIDE expanded considerably; today it has a worldwide membership of 169 countries. In the Netherlands the Max Euwe Foundation will organize a number of events in 2010 to celebrate its eponymous hero. The heart of the Foundation is the Chess Centre in Amsterdam which has its domicile on the Max Euwe Square (close to the Donner Bridge). It was in the Chess Centre that Hans Bouwmeester lectured on Max Euwe in January this year. At present the ‘Max Euwe Challenge' takes place in the Café Batavia close to Amsterdam Central Station. The round robin presents young Dutch talents with the opportunity to play for title norms. Further activities for the young are training sessions by Yasser Seirawan, Mark Dvoretsky and Lubomir Ftacnik; while in May several training matches of 4 games will take place between talented Dutch youngsters and experienced grandmasters. The month of June will see a 'square festival' promoting chess to the general public. The Euwe year will end in December with the opening of a new exhibition on Max Euwe in the Chess Centre, and the presentation of a new book on Max Euwe. ' For more information on the Max Euwe Centre see: http://www.maxeuwe.nl/en/index.html

FIDE and Organizing Committee of Khanty-Mansiysk would like to bring to federation's attention some important facts and dates regarding the coming Olympiad and FIDE Congress. Please note that this is preliminary information. The official invitation will be sent to federations on April 20th according to the Olympiad Regulations. 1. Dates of the Olympiad – 19.09.2010 - 20.09.2010 (Arrival) – 04.10.2010 (Departure) 2. Dates of the Congress – 23.09.2010 (Arrival) – 04. 10. 2010 (Departure) 3. Deadline for registration for teams and Congress participants is May 20th. Registration should be made electronically only, according to the instructions which will be a part of the official invitation. 4. The OC is announcing the details for the <strong>charters</strong> to the Olympiad: (Full information about charter flights will be included in the official invitation). According the current plan, charters will take place on September 19th from the following venues: <strong>Dubai, Milan, Moscow, Munich and Prague</strong>. Teams and other participants (Congress people, accompanying people) who want to take advantage of the proposed charters will be asked to indicate their preferred venue. OC will do its utmost to meet all requirements. However, no guarantee is given until all registrations are known. Charters are free of charge for all participants (5 players + captain for each team) who will be only charged for airport taxes (60 USD for each passenger). The prices of the charters with full information about it will be included in the official invitation. 5. <strong>Accommodation</strong> – Each team is entitled (according to FIDE Olympiad Regulations) to 2 single rooms and 2 double rooms. Delegates will stay free of charge. Prices of the hotels and full information about it will be included in the official invitation. Prices for teams who would like to upgrade their rooms to single will be also included in the official invitation. OC will try to meet all upgrading requirements. However, due to the limited number of rooms there is no guarantee for this until all requests are known. 6. <strong>Visas</strong>– After the final registration, an original invitation for the purpose of visa will be sent. Then it is necessary to appeal to the Russian Embassy with these original invitations. Those that submit names with registration in May will receive invitations immediately. If any person needs an invitation earlier, please, address to the Organizing Committee to get additional information to e-mail: ugra-chess@ugra-chess.ru 7. On June 1st, OC will issue invoices to all federations: a. For all accommodation requirements (upgrading, additional people) in Euro. b. For charters (airport tax for registrating teams, full fare for others) in USD. Federations will be asked to make the relevant payment to FIDE accounts no later than <strong>July 1st</strong> if they wish to ensure their accommodation and their seats in the charters. 8. Final compositions of teams + captains should be sent, also electronically, no later than <strong>July 15th</strong> and in case not all names were given before May 20th should include all details for visas purposes according to the list which will be included into the official invitation. Please note – These dates/deadlines were approved by FIDE Presidential Board, and should be, like all other deadlines, strictly respected. 9. Towards the end of July / middle August OC will send to Federations and publish in Olympiad and FIDE web site a full list of composition of all charter flights and details about allocations of teams and delegates to hotels. <strong>FIDE and OC wish all participating people and teams a successful and fruitful event.</strong> View the full article

The Jermuk 2009 Tigran Petrosian Grand Prix is underway. Early leaders of the fifth leg of the six tournament series are GMs Aronian, Cheparinov, and Leko with 2 points out of 3. Games are tense and exciting and can be followed live at: http://jermuk2009.fide.com/tournament-games.html and with GM Tigran Petrosian's live commentary at:http://jermuk2009.fide.com/games-commentary.html. Games start at 15:00 local time (GMT+4). For more information including daily round reports, photos, videos and more please visit the tournament website at http://jermuk2009.fide.com. View the full article

FIDE is pleased to announce that following the visit of FIDE President, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov to Jermuk, Armenia it was agreed with the President of the Republic of Armenia and President of Armenian Chess Federation, Serge Sargissian, that Armenia will organise one of the Women Grand Prix tournaments in 2010. The President of Armenia also announced that the representative for Armenia in the series will be IM Lilit Mrktchian. On the following day, FIDE President was please to announce that the Republic of Kabardino Balkaria in Russia will also organise one of the Women Grand Prix which now completes all tournaments. The nominated player is WGM Baira Kovanova. The first tournament in the series was held in Istanbul, Turkey in March 2009 and the next event is being organised in Nanjing, China between September 27th and October 9th 2009.

Peter Leko: I don't have any special secrets or rituals. Maybe everyone likes to do something. The main ritual is to check the analysis of the opening variation before the game. Boris Gelfand: I have no rituals, but before the game I listen to music to get ready for the game. As a rule the music is quite different, depending on the mood. Levon Aronian: I also have music rituals. As a rule I prefer jazz. Peter Svidler: I have rituals and I have a good answer for this question: I won't tell you. When I was very young, music helped me to get ready for a good game. Recently I have returned to this practice but it didn't influence my play. Sometimes a lot depends on the way you spent the day. Vassily Ivanchuk: It can't be called a superstition, you just need to be in optimal state, and music and a walk in the open air help to get into this state. Etien Bacrot: I'm quite superstitious. One of the signs is that I don't shave when everything goes well. It's one of the details. And it works as long as it works. Evgeny Alekseev: Sometimes I try to write with a lucky pen at tournaments. So you take a pen, if you have success in tournaments you continue to use it, if not you change it. Everything goes well here for the time being so I don't change the pen. Vladimir Akopian: Chess players are apt to superstitions. Many of them are attentive to the clothes. If they lose they put these clothes away. If the game is successful they go on playing the tournament in the same clothes. Some care about the pen. If the tournament is successful with one pen they write with it, if not they change it. I also care about clothes and pens. This tournament was not successful for me at the beginning, so I put away the suit I played in. Now I'm playing in other clothes. And it works for the time being. Pavel Eljanov: Many people have their superstitions. Chess players often care about the lucky pen. As for me I don't have any omens and superstitions. I use nothing but regime and training methods. Alexander Grischuk: I don't shave at playing days, either before or after games. I always wait for the day off. Gata Kamsky: The situation with omens and superstition in chess is as difficult as in other sports. For example: I haven't put on my tie today. The pen is of great importance. One more omen is that one mustn't change his dinner table and also should keep one regime and repeat everything thoroughly. View the full article

Athens, 24 April 2009 BIDDING PROCEDURE FOR THE FIDE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH ANAND - TOPALOV 2010 1.The FIDE Presidential Board, during its meeting in Istanbul 7-8 March 2009, decided to open a bidding procedure for the FIDE World Championship Match 2010 (FWCM 2010) between the current World Champion GM V. Anand (India) and Challenger GM V. Topalov (Bulgaria). 2.Each bid shall contain the following particulars as minimum:- a) Proposed exact dates of the event in April 2010. Proposed tournament venue. c) Proposed prize fund for the players (minimum 1,000,000 euros & should be offered net of any applicable taxes). d) The contribution to FIDE (net of any applicable taxes and not less than 20% of the prize money) as stipulated in Article 13.2 as well as the financial obligations stated in Article 14 of the Rules & Regulations of the FIDE World Championship Match 2010 e) Commitment to cover all the other financial obligations to FIDE, in accordance with the Rules & Regulations of the FIDE World Championship Match 2010 f) Commitment to cover all organizational costs, in accordance with the match regulations. g) Category of official hotel (minimum 4- stars), and name if possible, with special room rates including meals. h) A statement that the applicant accepts the regulations of the match without any reservations. i) An invitation for at least (two) members of the FIDE Commission for World Chess Championships and Olympiads to inspect the proposed venue and examine the other conditions, with all travel/hotel expenses paid by the bidder. j) The applicant's name, signatures and authentication. 3.In order for a proposed bid to be considered, it should be accompanied by a 8-month term bank guarantee covering the amount of prize fund (minimum 1,000,000 euros), the FIDE contribution (20% over and above the prize fund), 5% for WCO budget and 5% for the commercial rights and 32,500 euros covering stipends of Principals as described in article 14.4 of the match regulations. This guarantee should be from a bank that FIDE bankers, UBS of Switzerland, are able to confirm as acceptable. Alternatively to the above paragraph, a bidder can deposit in FIDE's bank account the amount of 100,000 euros by the deadline of 30 September 2009 (refundable if the bid is rejected), another 60% of the prize fund by 30 November 2009 and the balance by 21 January 2010. 4. A bid is considered to be valid if it is accompanied with a non-refundable Bid Fee of 2,000 euros payable to FIDE. 5.No bidder can propose a sponsor which shall be in conflict with the regulations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). 6.The bids, including all original documents and particulars, shall arrive by registered post to the FIDE Secretariat, post address: 9 Syggrou Ave., 11743 Athens - Greece. The bidding process will close on 30 September 2009, 13:00 GMT. 7.When the deadline has expired, the FIDE President or his representative shall open the received envelopes in order to assess the bids. FIDE will inform any bidding parties of the results of the process by 9 October 2009 the latest. 8.FIDE reserves the right not to award any bid, however favourable. Released by the FIDE Secretariat - 24 April 2009 Please download Regualtions for the FIDE World Championship Match (FWCM) 2010. And Bidding procedure document . (PDF) from the link below: View the full article

Following the publication of the new Rating Regulations which will come into effect from 1 July 2009, concerns have been raised by several players and organisers. During the 10-day working visit of Deputy President Georgios Makropoulos in Singapore with General Secretary Ignatius Leong, the following points were noted and recommended: 1. That especially for major high-level competitions, organisers normally would have an invitation list of players based on their ratings at the time of consideration and invitation. Organisers normally would have a contract with the invited players sometimes as long as one year in advance. Some players would have agreed to participate based on the ratings of the other invited players. The dynamic K=20 factor could have a major effect on the ratings of the invited players one year later. 2. The rating lists are used to seed players for the world championship cycle -Candidates Tournament, World Cup etc... The radical change in the K-factor is a major concern especially among the top players. It was regretted that parallel lists were not calculated before the decision to adopt the new K-factors. 3. The radical change in the K-factor for players rated under 2400 is also a serious concern as this could lead to an inflation for norm categories and title purposes. The potential inflation among players under 2400 will also cause a ripple effect as more players move upwards and cross the level of 2400. A study and review on the title regulations would be necessary as a result of the new K-factor - the rating scales may have to be increased. 4. Qualification Commission Chairman & FIDE Rating Administrator Mikko Markkula will produce a parallel list which uses the new K-factors (30 & 20) for tournament reports submitted from the rating lists starting 1 April 2008 till 1 July 2009. FIDE will publish 2 lists for 1 July 2009 - the normal list based on the K-factors being unchanged (25, 15 & 10) and a parallel list (known as the K-List) using the K-factors (30 & 20). The K-List will not be used but only as a comparison. 5. Until 1 July 2010, FIDE shall continue to publish 2 lists using the different K-factors. FIDE shall then review the 2 lists after 1 July 2010 - based on the recommendations of the Qualification Commission. FIDE would then decide whether to extend the trials, abort or to adopt the new K-factors with effect from 1 July 2011 as The Rating List. Existing K New K Less than 30 games 25 30 30 or more games but Rating below 2400 15 30 Reaching Rating 2400 and thereafter remains or goes below 10 20 Georgios Makropoulos Ignatius Leong FIDE Deputy President FIDE General Secretary Approved by: Kirsan Ilyumzhinov FIDE President Please download the Rating Regulations - The K-Factor in PDF format from the link below: View the full article