10.01.2006 ALEXANDER KENTLER. CROSSROADS

26.12.2005

It is rather inconvenient to sum up the year while the Russian Superfinal is still underway. So nowadays we can limit ourselves and just say that this year presented chess fans with the round-robin world championship in San Luis and Topalov's unexpected victory in it, expected (but not in Russian Khanty Mansiysk) World Cup and Aronian's victory in it, the pinnacle of desires, the restoration of the House of Chess Players on the Gogolevsky boulevard, the victory of Russians in the world team championship that was achieved from a very complicated situation, which is especially pleasant... The negative events are Kasparov's withdrawal from chess as well as Kramnik's decline, absence of our compatriots on the top places of the most important tournaments, the failure in the European team championship, and the absence of Russian Carlsens.

I am glad to inform you that year 2006 is unique for chess community: it is overwhelmingly full of anniversaries and memorable days.

Let us begin with the subsequent thing: we will congratulate two chess veterans, legendary Andor Lilienthal and Petersburg GM Nikolay Novotelnov with 95th anniversary. Both chess players are of the same age with M.M.Botvinnik, after whom the House of Chess Players was named. As everyone remembers, the Kramnik-Kasparov match was played in honor of 90th anniversary of M.M.Botvinnik in the Tower Hall of the House of Unions. Since that rather scandalous event, there were no great Botvinnik Memorials. The organization of an outstanding annual competition seems to be far more important than sponsoring FIDE's World Cup and coming women's world championship (which also takes place in Russia); such tournaments in case they are organized and become a tradition, can greatly assist the development of Russian chess.

Let me notice that it would be nice to celebrate the centenary of the first world champion Vera Menchik, the Moscow born. She was born on February 16th, 1906. It is a good reason to organize a big women's tournament.

The 85th anniversary of the ex-world champion Vassily Vassilyevich Smyslov (March, 24th) will be met with enthusiasm by hundreds of his fans. They will be glad to congratulate an outstanding chess player! Karpov has a semi-jubilee also: he will be 55 on the 23rd of May. Maybe he will become the FIDE President by that time?

The 9th of November is Mikhail Tal's 70th anniversary. He was a genius, and it does not matter where he was born. The tournaments devoted to him are good for paying special attention to creativity. It would be possible to find such a format that reveals the new genii. It also concerns Paul Keres (January, 7th is his 90th anniversary).

Maybe a few people know that the first work about chess, a true hymn of it, named "The Moral of Chess" was written by Benjamin Franklin, who was born 300 years ago, on the 17th of January 1706. He invented a lightning rod also. And the first day of the New Year is the 200th anniversary of Lionel Kieseritzky, the coauthor of the legendary game, one of the strongest players of 19th century and the editor of Regence magazine. There are several dates, connected with Russian chess: 150th anniversary of S.Alapin (the 7th of November), 120th anniversary of A.Nimzovitch (the same day!), the centenary of V.Panov (the 1st of November), the 80th anniversary of A.Suetin (the 16th of November).

There will be the jubilees of the number of magnificent chess players. Let me begin with famous women: the 30th of March is the 80th anniversary of L.Volpert, the 3rd of May is the 65th anniversary of N.Gaprindashvili, the 11th of October is A.Kushnir's 65th anniversary. It does not matter where they live now! We wish them to be healthy.

Let us not forget the Petersburgers (the 7th of February is M.Taimanov's 80th anniversary, and 23rd of March is V.Korchnoi's 75th anniversary) and our colleague (26th of August is A.Roshal's 70th anniversary).

The list is not full at all; I have noted only a few notable dates. We will publish the list of the dates of Petersburg chess on our site.

It seems very important not to forget those who devoted their life to the art of chess, to congratulate colleagues with birthdays and anniversaries, to increase the number of competitions devoted to such dates, to preserve and strengthen the chess tradition in Russia.

Happy New Year!