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Today is 50th birthday of GM Vassily Ivanchuk, true Chess Wizard and Genius. Born on 18th of March 1969 in Kopychyntsi town (Ternopil region, Ukraine) Grandmaster (1988) 4-times Chess Olympiad winner: twice – as a member of USSR-team (1988, 1990), twice – as a member of Team Ukraine (2004, 2010) 2-times World Champion: as a member of USSR-team (1989), as a member of Team Ukraine (2001) World Champion in Blitz (2007), World Champion in Rapid (2016), European Champion (2004). In 2008 – Rating #1 in the World (2791) Chess-players about Vassily Ivanchuk: GM Emil Sutovsky: Who is the best ever chessplayer in the world? Obviously, Vassily Ivanchuk in a good shape! GM Alexander Khalifman: Vasya – it`s a Galaxy! As a personality he is very close to Fischer. Everything outside chess he perceives as an obstacle. I adore his genious! GM Nikita Vityugov: Why do we love Ivanchuk? To my mind – for his devotion to Chess as an Art! GM Garry Kasparov, 13th World Champion: Congrats to the Great Vassily on winning the World Rapid! He surprised me many times at the board; now he’s teaching a whole new generation. Vassily Ivanchuk won Linares was 21 years ago. The first time he won, Magnus Carlsen was not yet born. Grey Ukrainian Eagle! My native Team Ukraine hosts a big event (Tournament of the Year-2019) – Vassily Ivanchuk Cup. It will take place on Saturday, 23th of March at 19-00 GMT (Note – just after Archibaldchess-8) Swiss, 10 rounds, Blitz 3+2 https://www.chess.com/live#t=1048171 I am delighted to participate in the event as a player, as an organizer and as a jury-member. More than 100 players of Team Ukraine will perform, among them at least 20 are titled players. As a prize – a newly published book Two Universes of Vassily Ivanchuk (2019, in Ukrainian, by Myron Kozak) with Genuine autograph of GM Ivanchuk Photos of Vassily Ivanchuk given by his family Games of Genius Prizes will be given to: - Top-5 Winners of the Tournament - Best Games Authors Best games of the tournament are determined by Experts Jury (among them – member of Archibaldchess) Expert Jury: GM Vladimir Okhotnik @kintoho (Uzhgorod, Ukraine) (trainer of Vassily Ivanchuk in Junior Team of Ukraine in 1980-s) GM Mikhail Golubev @Mikhail_Golubev (Odessa, Ukraine) (team-mate of Vassily Ivanchuk in Junior Team of Ukraine in 1980-s) GM Eldar Gasanov @ElGasanov (Kharkiv, Ukraine) IM Vladimir Grabinsky, honoured trainer of Ukraine (Lviv, Ukraine) IM Alexey Palekha @rainspistols, superadmin of Team Ukraine (Kyiv, Ukraine) IM Valery Grinev @enakievo, trainer (Kyiv, Ukraine) IM Pavel Sevostianov @IMcoach, trainer (Kyiv, Ukraine) IM Alexey Maly @supernotar (Kyiv, Ukraine) Evgeniy Murkenshtein @mksn_undead, admin of Team Ukraine (Linz, Austria) Tómas Veigar Sigurðarson, @lakituba Superadmin of Team Iceland (Akureyri, Iceland) Neil Blackburn @simaginfan, top-blogger of chess.com (Great Britain) Kamalakanta Nieves @Kamalakanta top-blogger of chess.com (Puerto Rico) FM Michele Coto @michechess89 top-blogger of chess.com (Cuba) Outstanding Games of GM Vassily Ivanchuk Ivanchuk - Karjakin http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1487929 Ivanchuk – Csom (Yerevan, 1989) http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1060109 Ivanchuk – Shirov (Wijk aan Zee, 1996) http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1060750 Ivanchuk - Jobava http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1594902 Ivanchuk – Kasparov (1991, Linares) http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1060207 Ivanchuk – Kasparov (1994, Amsterdam) http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1017843 Topalov - Ivanchuk (Linares,1999) http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1406152 Ivanchuk – Gelfand (Amber,2010) http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1578590 Ivanchuk – Morozevich (Amsterdam,1996) http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1060718 Ivanchuk – Van Wely (Amber,2006) http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1401024 Ivanchuk – Aronian (2006) http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1410144

After the first tournament (Archibaldchess Blitz Cup-1, 02/02/2019):

Dear friends, You are welcome to share your interesting games played in Archibaldchess Blitz Cup, ideally – with your comments. Personally I would mention my curious defeat from IM @bazar-wokzal (Nikolai Vlassov) https://www.chess.com/live/game/3426860053 I was not very shocked with his first move 1.g2-g4!? – I played a lot of games with my friend and our club-mate FM @Orest_Vovk (one of the world`s leading expert in Grob's Attack) But then a difference in class of two players was felt. Nikolai Vlassov is a strong and experienced IM, participant of World Blitz&Rapid Championship (where he was close to draw with Magnus) But I am only a modest Candidate Master of former USSR. Nevertheless, I enjoyed a final position and burst of laughing when checkmated. The joke is that in my calculation after 29.e6-e7 I planned 29….Kxf7 (!!!) – as white Queen was pinned (!!!) But even without this blunder, after 21.e4! I was completely lost – white pawn avalanche just smashing Black`s miserable position.

On Sunday, 3rd of March we had a special chess event in Kyiv, Ukraine a couple members of our club participated. FM Alexey Kosikov is one of the most respected Ukrainian chess trainers, who brought up 13 (!) GMs and more than 20 (!) IMs and FMS. Besides Ukraine, his students were from Russia, India and China. Alexey Ivanovich also published a couple of books: To celebrate Teacher`s Jubilee, Kyiv Chess Federation organized Elite Blitz-tournament among his best students. Place for even was Center of Modern Art M-17 in Kiyv https://m17.kiev.ua/ In superfinal there were 8 players – 6 grandmasters and 2 international masters. GM Alexander Zubov @alexander_zubov – the strongest Ukrainian blitzer, who has recently beaten Magnus Carlsen in Rapid (World Championship in Saint-Petersburg) GM Vladimir Baklan @bakki78 – bronze Olympic medalist-2000, World Champion-2001 as a member of Ukrainian national Team Now – trainer of Ukrainian national Team Our club members (playing White) @Supernotar IM Alexey Maly @zajka-molotok WGM Julia Osmak, silver Olympic medalist-2018 Epic grandmasters battle: GM Vadim Malakhatko vs GM Alexander Zubov Young generation tastes spirit of Great Game Crazy position on the Board I was studying in one group with young candidate masters and future grandmasters: Vladimir Baklan, Vadim Malakhatko, Spartak Vysochin In 1989 Alexey Ivanovich kicked me out from the group for a bad sportsmanship Nevertheless, after 30 years Teacher could recognize me In tension fight GM Alexander Zubov won the tournament and gave an interview to Ukrainian TV channel Group photo:

Today (19th of February) is a birthday of legendary chess player David Ionovich Bronstein (1924-2006) Grandmaster (1950), Champion of USSR (1948, 1949), 4-times Olympic Champion (1952, 1954, 1956 і 1958). Bronstein is one of the greatest players not to have won the World Championship - he tied the 1951 world championship match 12–12 with Mikhail Botvinnik, the reigning champion. His life and career is linked with following places: Kyiv (Ukraine) – where he started to play chess and reached a level of Master Tbilisi (Georgia) - where he lived during World War II Moscow (Russia) – where he became a Grandmaster and World`s famous chess player and writer Minsk (Belarus) – where he spent his last years and died David Bronstein is widely considered as link in chain between two world champions and tactical genious - Alexander Alekhine and Mikhail Tal Bronstein was a true revolutionary and innovator of chess: He was first who offered to replace classic chess (with postponing game after 40 moves) by Blitz and Rapid He was an inventor of chess digital clock (with a function of incremental) He was an inventor of 960-chess (not a Bobby Fisher- !) Even modern streaming (commenting your chess game to spectators while playing) – it was also an idea of Bronstein! Probably the most popular chess writer ever. Millions of people started playing chess and loved the game for entire life thanks to his great books: International Tournament of Grandmasters 200 attacking games Wonderful and frantic World of Chess Manual of Chess Wizard`s Pupil David versus Goliaht Photos: Books by David Bronstein from my collection This one 200 attacking games is with genuine autograph of David Bronstein When on the 5th of December, 2006 David Ionovich died, this sad news was commented on chess forums like: «Soul of Chess has gone»…. Great Games of David Bronstein: This miniature was played by 16-years old David when he still lived in Kyiv Efimov – Bronstein (1946) Three games below – are a classic of King`s Indian Before it was considered as “Wrong Opening” David Bronstein gave it quality check on top-level, his brilliant victories amazed the whole chess world. Pakhman – Bronstein (1946) Zita Bronstein(1946) Reshevsky – Bronstein (1953) This victory was decisive in challengers superfinal, so it gave a right to Bronstein to play a match for World Champion`s Title versus Mikhail Botvinnik Boleslavsky– Bronstein (1950) The best game of 1951 world championship match. White attack and killing shot 37.Bg3!! are amazing Bronstein – Botvinnik (1951) This game is called “King David” – fierce attack started with intuitive sac 14.Bxh6!! by Bronstein versus another chess heavyweight. That is why Bronstein was considered as predecessor of Mikhail Tal Bronstein – Keres (1955) Could somebody else crush Efim Geller in 20 moves? Feel aesthetic ecstasy after 20.Qg6!! Bronstein –Geller (1961) What about beating Chess King Boris Spassky in 17 moves? After 17….Nxf5 – Clean ckeckmate on the board 18.c2-c4#!! Bravo! Bronstein – Spassky (1961) Brilliant combination – 24….Rxa3!! Mikenas – Bronstein (1965) 23-years old Ljubomir Ljubojevich was called “Serbian Tal” That moment he was a leader of interzonal tournament with 6 of 7 But was unfortunate to learn masterclass from Elder Wizard Bronstein – Ljuboevich (1973) At the age of 72, Bronstein could crush a strong Grandmaster in a manner as if he was 50 years younger Bronstein – Lputian (1996) The last masterpiece of Great Chess Magician Bronstein – Vedder (1997)

Regulations of the Archibaldchess Blitz Cup:1. Organizers:"Archibaldchess" Ltd. (organized 5 live tournaments with totalprize fund 150000 Euro for the past year) provides the guaranteed payment of the prize fund to the winners.2. Playing zone:"Chess.com", Club "Archibaldchess" (a player needs to join this club to follow the news and additional information regarding the tournament) https://www.chess.com/club/archibaldchessAt the time mentioned in the "Schedule" (see below) a player must 1) log in the Chess.com, 2) find the tournament with the name "Archibaldchess Blitz Cup" in the list of tournaments and 3) join it (better do it beforehand otherwise You risk to miss the last train - the game will start automatically.3. Tournament:8 weekly (regular) and 1 final tournament, time control - 3+0,9 rounds, Swiss system.4. Who can play: - Players with current classic Elo rating under 2500, whoregister in our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Archibaldchess and make arepost of each regular and a final event on their facebook page.- Players need to have their real names open (e.g., Ivan_Ivanov, John_Smith) in the account and have at least 50+ games played with 3+0 time control, otherwise he/she will be considered suspicious for cheating. The spelling of the player's name should match his/her name in the FIDE rating list.- To play in the final tournament and get a prize You need to play at least 6 regulars and complete all the abovementioned demands of the organizers.5. Entry fee:Free to all players with the required abovementioned criteria.6. Prizes:The prize fund of the 8 regulars is 200$, which is distributed as follows:1. 50$2. 40$3. 25$4. 20$5. 15$6. 10$7. 10$8. 10$9. 10$10. 10$The prizes of the final tournament are doubled, as compared to the regular ( 1st - 100$, 2nd - 80$ and so on to the 10th - 20$).All the payments for the prize-winners who fulfilled the demands for participation and out of cheating reports will be made directly after the final tournament to the their accounts (bank account, virtual money account).7. Anticheating measures:There will be created an appealing committee (further - "AC") in the face of:GM Sergey Beshukov (RUS) - head of the "Archibaldchess"GM Kirill Bryzgalin (RUS) - manager of the "Archibaldchess"IM Sergiy Zavgorodniy (UKR) - coordinator of the Archibaldchess blitz Cup.The "AC" will review the cases of unfair play and cheating. The "AC" leaves itself a right to ban a player found guilty with cheating and in case he/she takes a prize to give it to the next person according to the final table.8. Schedule of tournament:All the tournaments will start at 19:00 p.m. (+2 GMT)1. 2nd February2. 9th February 3. 16th February4. 23rd February5. 2nd March6. 9th March7. 16th March8. 23rd March9. 30th March (Final)9. Pairings and final standings are made and defined automatically by the "Chess.com".