Representing your country at an International Chess Tournament is a big deal. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Today we shine the spotlight on 12 year Eva Ge from Sydney.
Eva was crowned U14 Girls Australian Champion in January when she traveled to Adelaide for the Australian Junior Chess Championships.
Time to ask Eva some questions!
What is your name?
My name is Eva.
What is your current rating
Sadly I don’t have one. {Eva is talking about the fact that she does not have a FIDE rating yet, but her ACF rating is 1193}
What is your age?
I’m 12.
How old were you when you started playing chess?
I was 7 when I started playing chess.
How many hours per week/day do you study/practise chess?
I studied around two hours per day in the weeks leading up to this tournament.
What is your favourite chess book/resource?
My coach; he will readily supply me with knowledge when needed.
Is this your first International Tournament?
Yes it is.
Who is your favourite player (past and present) and why?
My favourite player is Mikhail Tal, because of his aggressive play and brilliant sacrifices and combinations.
What do you think of the size of the Australian Junior Chess League?
I think it is decent sized but we could have a lot more chess players.
What has chess taught you?
Chess has taught me to persevere, to be a good sport and to think in a systematic way.
How do you think chess has helped you socially, mentally and at school?
Chess enhances concentration, improves problem solving and strategic thinking. It doesn’t directly benefit school; in fact it helps me to skip some!
How would you describe your style of play?
I guess tactical, solid, and attacking at the same time, if that makes any sense.
What is your most memorable game?
When my opponent fell straight into the Lasker trap in the Albin Counter gambit. That was really fun.
What are your goals for the future?
My current goal is to gain the WCM title.
What advice would you give Australian Junior Chess players?
Simple advice: practice lots, get a good coach and do your homework.
Representing your country at an International Chess Tournament is a big deal. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication.
Today we shine the spotlight on Brisbane based 14 years old Candidate Master Henry Slater-Jones. He has been appearing frequently on the most improved and most active player lists when the ACF ratings come out and is ranked 13th in Australia for the U14 category.
So lets have a chat to Henry and see what motivates and inspires him
What is your name?
Hello my name is Henry Slater-Jones
What is your current rating?
My international rating (FIDE rating) is 1825
What is your age?
I am 14 years old and 3 months
How old were you when you started playing chess?
I started playing chess when I was 4 years and a half years old
How many hours per week/day do you study/practise chess?
I do fourteen hours of practicing and study chess every single week
Henry being interviewed by Russian press
What is your favourite chess book/resource?
It would be the step chess books that my coach has given me to practice my tactics
Oh and my very first chess book was Chess 5334 Problems, Combinations and Games
How old were you when you became a titled player?
I became a candidate master (CM) when I was 13 years old at the 2015 Oceania Zonal in Sydney
Is this your first International Tournament?
Yes this is my first International tournament.
Who is your favourite player (past and present) and why?
My favourite player of the past is Paul Morphy, this is because he was a great tactician which made his game great to watch! Currently my favourite player is Magnus Carlsen as he can play any chess opening and play it well. I also like him because he shows all juniors if you work hard as a junior you can go far in chess
What do you think of the size of the Australian Junior Chess League?
I think the size of AUSJCL (Australian Junior Chess League) is continuing to grow which is very pleasing. With the expansion it also gives us more chance to make our own Carlsen
What has chess taught you?
Chess has taught me to be gracious when you lose and to be humble when you win; it has taught me the difference in behaviour between a boy and a man and has helped me to become one
How do you think chess has helped you socially, mentally and at school?
Chess has allowed me to get more friends, it has helped me with concentration on something for a long time and playing chess helped me get better marks at school
How would you describe your style of play
I would think I am more of a player who really likes to get avoid complications and to get a good position
What are your goals for the future?
To get a national chess title next year
What advice would you give Australian Junior Chess players
To never give up on your goals; with hard work and dedication you will always get there.
It has been an incredible event, well organised with extremely helpful volunteers who were ready to assist us where ever we needed.
Received amazing gift from Baku Olympiad organisers
And the level of chess played was amazing! Not only by the Superstars like Magnus Carlsen, Wesley So and many many others, but also by the juniors.
Over the last 14 days we have been giving you an insight into the young minds of players from around the world. Some with very high goals for the futures and others that were enjoying the opportunity to represent their country.
At a tournament there are always opportunities to win, to score high and to go home with a trophy or title. And the juniors that we featured have certainly exceeded expectations!
So for our final wrap up – How did they go? If you want to read their interview, just click on their image!
Candidate Master Haridify Milento Ralison
CM Haridify Ralison from Madagascar hoped to get his FM title this tournament and it came to the very last round! But he succeeded; with 6.5/10 he obtained his FIDE Master title!
FIDE Master Fy Antenaine Rakotomaharo
Unfortunately 5/9 was not enough for FM Fy Rakotomaharo to get his IM norm this tournament. But playing on board 1 for your country certainly adds the extra pressure! He is off to the World Youth in Khanty-Mansiysk next week and we hope to see him there achieve his goals!
Maung Maung from Myanmar
With two rounds to spare Maung Maung from Myanmar obtained his FIDE Master title with a score of 6/9! Congratulations Maung Maung, we look forward to follow your journey in chess!
15 year old Segan and 17 year old Gabriela from Barbados
Competition was strong for Gabriela and Segan from Barbados, but these cheerful girls enjoyed their first Olympiad and we are sure we will see them again on the world stage!
IM Anton Smirnov from Australia
Our very own Australian Superstar obtained his double GM norm with a round to spare! With a total score of 8.5/10 he remains undefeated at the two Olympiad’s he has played. Anton also came fifth in the list of top board 4 players. Anton is without doubt going to be featured in the Australian Open team for many more years to come!
Ieong Seok Hin from Macau
Ieong Seak Hin from Macau played like a legend and with a final score of 4.5/9 he can be extremely proud of his efforts!
Kathie Librelato from Brazil
18 year old Kathie from Brazil got her Candidate Master title with a final score of 4.5/8! Great effort as she has faced some very strong opponents!
GM Murali Karthikeyan
17 year old Grandmaster Murali from India scored 2/2 at this Olympiad, contributing wonderfully to his team, allowing them top win Gold in Category A! [Teams are divided into 5 categories based on their combined rating, India was in the top category]
Nadia Braganza from New Zealand
10 year old Nadia Braganza from New Zealand ended her Olympiad journey with 4/9, which for such a young player is an incredible feat! Certainly something she can be extremely proud of! We hope to see Nadia play in Australia soon and give our aussies a run for their money!
Tagir Taalaibekov from Kyrgyzstan
It was a delight to catch up regularly during the Olympiad with Tagir from Kyrgyzstan. Having played a GM, two IM’s and a CM he had some strong competition this Olympiad and a final score of 3/7 is nothing to be ashamed of! Well done Tagir!
Michaelides Konstantinos from Cyprus
Michaelides from Cyprus, may not have had the tournament he had hoped for, but playing against two GM’s, and IM and three FM’s is always a great opportunity for learning! We are certain Michaelides will have a very bright future in chess and will most certainly feature on the world stage more often!
14 year old FM Abdulla and 16 year old FM Nail from Azerbaijan
And finally we finish with the boys from Azerbaijan. Nail finished with 5.5/9 and Abdulla 6/10. Abdulla also now has a running rating of 2317, which is enough to grant him his IM title! But most incredibly, the entire Azerbaijan team finished first in their rating category, securing Gold and an incredible opportunity to stand on the podium at the Closing ceremony!
Azerbaijani team scoring Gold in Category C. Photo courtesy of Baku Olympiad FB pageCatching up with the boys outside after the closing ceremony
We hope you have enjoyed our blogs and we are looking forward to continuing our stories as we travel to tournaments, both within South Australia, Nationally and Internationally!
Keep up the good work everyone! We love seeing you all play chess!
David and Sabrina Koetsier
Australian and Indian press reporting on the Olympiad. Chess Truly Connects Us!
As organiser of the Olympiad, Azerbaijan was granted 3 teams in the Open division and 3 teams in the Women’s division. And instead of putting three adult teams in the mix, they are showing what a fantastic supportive chess nation they are by providing the opportunity to their juniors to play. Both their women’s and open third teams are comprised of young players!
So it was only logical that we have been trying to get an interview with the ‘Small Tigers’, the 3rd Azerbaijani Open team that consists of 15 year old Vugar Asadli with a rating of 2406, 16 year old Nail Bashirli with a rating of 2387, 14 year old Abdulla Gadimbayli with a rating of 2294, 13 year old Muradli Mahammad with a rating of 2331 and 16 year old Parviz Gasimov with a rating of 2323. They are a true inspiration to junior chess to be representing their country at this Olympiad.
Today, after speaking to their captain GM Azer Mirzoev, we were given the go-ahead and with the assistance from the volunteer Azerbaijani translators that are available, we sat down with 16 year old Nail and 14 year old Abdulla.
Nail is the 2nd ranked player U16 in Azerbaijan and Abdulla is the 2nd ranked player U14. Both have played in the U16 Olympiad this year in Slovakia, but did not cross paths with the Australians behind the boards.
16 year old FM Nail Bashirli
Chesslife: How old were you when you started playing chess?
Nail: I started when I was 10 years old and was taught by my aunty.
Abdulla: I started at the age of 5 and was taught by my father and brother, over time I have continued using a chess coach and going regurlarly to the chess club.
Chesslife: How much chess do you study per day?
Nail: I practise chess every day around 4-5 hours
Abdulla: I study chess every day around 5-6 hours
FM Abdulla Gadimbayli
Chesslife: What kind of material do you use to study?
Nail: Aagard’s books or Dvoretsky’s end game book
Abdulla: …and material of course that our teacher gives us. Chesslife: What is your favourite book?
Nail: I don’t know what my favourite book is, but my first book was Karpovs Best games
Abdulla: Easy! 100 games by Bobby Fischer
Chesslife: How old were you when you obtained your first norm and where are you at with obtaining your IM norm?
Nail: I have obtained all 3 norms for my IM so I will be an International Master soon. I obtained my FIDE Master title in February 2015 in Prague.
Abdulla: I have obtained my 3 norms for IM, but my rating is just a little too low. Hopefully this tournament will bring it up and allow me to obtain my International Master title. I got my FIDE Master title in 2010 at the World Youth Chess Championships in 2010 when I played in the U8 category.
Click on the board below for an analysis of Abdulla against Vladimir Klasan from Serbia
Chesslife: Is this your first Olympiad and what was your first International Tournament?
Nail: This is my first open Olympiad, but I have just finished in the U16 Olympiad in Slovakia. My first international tournament was in 2010 in Bulgaria.
Abdullla: This is also my first Open Olympiad and played overseas for the first time at the World Youth Chess Championships in 2008 in Vietnam.
Bobby Fischer
Chesslife: Who is your favourite chess player?
Abdulla immediately pipes up – that is easy! Bobby Fischer! I love his playing style.
Nail: My favourite chess player is Lasker. His amazing tactical work is to be admired
Lasker
Chesslife: How would you describe the junior chess league in Azerbaijan?
Nail: Very good, there are rapid tournaments every week. There are around 6-7 chess schools in Baku.
Abdulla: It is also getting bigger and many good players are coming along.
Chesslife: We have been told your team is called ‘The Small Tigers’ Who came up with that?
Nail: That was our team captain!
Abdulla: And the 3rd Azerbaijani girls teams is called the angels!
Chesslife: What is your most memorable game?
Nail: I like the one I played in round 9 against Daniel Colindras from Honduras.
Abdulla: When I won with Black in 21 moves in Vietnam against Nguyen Anh Khoi.
Click on the board below for a review of Abdulla’s most memorable game at the World Youth Championships in 2010
Chesslife: What has chess taught you?
Nail: To be patient and not to go too fast.
Abdulla: Yes all of that and that it has increased my concentration.
Chesslife: What are your goals for the future?
Nail: To become a Grandmaster in the next 1-2 years. I will need to be playing in every possible Open I can find.
Abdulla: Yes I would like that too, but will need to work on my rating first and maybe try and find a new coach and work very hard.
Click on the board below for an analysis of the game between Nail against Daniel Colindres from Honduras.
Chesslife: What is your advice to Australian Junior Chess players?
Nail: In order to be succcesful in chess you need to work very hard and every day.
Abdulla: Agreed! And work on material with weight to ensure you improve.
Our blog about juniors at the Olympiad would just not be complete without our very own Australian Superstar 15 year old Anton Smirnov! After round 10 he is still undefeated and has obtained 2 GM norms. With a rating of 2482 he is currently the top U16 player in Australia and also the 3rd ranked U16 player across Asia! He is also currently the 8th U16 player in the world! (source FIDE website).
Once he completed his analysis with his oponent Bogdan Bocinovic from Croatia and playing for the International Chess Committee for the Deaf (ICCD) he took the time to sit down with us so we could ask him some questions.
Chesslife: For those that may not be aware – How old are you?
Anton: I am 15 years old.
Chesslife: What age did you start playing chess?
Anton: My father started teaching me when I was 4 years old, but that did not work. I just wanted to move the pieces and did not understand the rules. When I was four and a half he tried again, but this time using the Chessbase program ‘Fritz and Chesster’. This programs uses fairytales and stories to teach very young people the rules of chess.
Chesslife: How many hours per day or per week do you study?
Anton: I don’t know. I study every day, but don’t keep track of how much time I spend. I meet with my coach via Skype twice a week for 2 hours.
Chesslife: What was your first chess book?
Anton: I used to have a small tactics manual wiith around 1000 problems that I enjoyed very much.
Click in the board below for a review of the game between Anton and Aryan Tari from Norway
Chesslife: How old were you when you obtained your first title?
Anton: When I was 12 years old in 2013 I obtained my FM title. This was at a zonal in Fiji and in fact my live rating reached the required level at the same time as I reached my norm. It all came together at the same time.
Chesslife: What was your first international tournament?
Anton: That was the World Youth Chess Championship in 2007 in Turkey. I played in the U8 category.
In this tournament Anton did not have a FIDE rating yet and played among 16 (!) other Australian comrades, among which are Emma Guo (U12 girls) and Alexandra Jule (U18 girls), who are currently playing in the Womens Olympiad team.
Chesslife: How have you socially or mentally benefitted from chess?
Anton: I’m not so sure if it helped me socially, I guess it gave me many friends around the world. But my memory power has certainly increased as well as my problem solving and concentration.
Click on the board below for a review of the game between Anton and Evandro Barbosa from Brazil in Round 6
Chesslife: How do you describe you style of play?
Anton: I like to think I play pretty universal. I like tactical more, but also play a little positionally. I prefer more tactical games.
Chesslife: What has been your most memorable game this Olympiad?
Anton: I thought the game I won against GM Ante Brkic, rated 2584, pretty nice.
Click on the board below for an analysis of the game between Anton and Mateusz Bartel from Poland.
Chesslife: What are you goals for the future?
Anton: To get my GM norm of course! I don’t know what I would like to do after that.
Chesslife: What advice would you give to Australian Junior Chess players?
Anton: Play lots of tournaments and study a lot. Oh and have a coach, that is important too.
Click on the board below for a game between Anton and Bogdan Bozinovic from Croatia
