Chess VIP evening in “MARUSYA”
Everything was devoted to the World of Chess this evening…
All the guests of the evening have received a rare chance not only to become the spectators and fans but also to fight with the great maestro, the 12th Chess King Mr. Anatoly Evgenyevitch Karpov, who played simul chess on the 19 boards.
The politicians, the businessmen, the stars of the theatre, cinema and showbiz have become the rivals of the Anatoly Karpov – this evening they were just fans of the most intellectual game in the World – a Chess.
For the best player of the simul the general sponsor - International Watch Company – presents a special prize: Swiss watch IWC Spitfire Mark XVI.
Frankly speaking, the idea of holding the chess evenings of this kind is not new – so, four years ago the VIP-simul chess of the same kind was played by Mr. Vladimir Kramnik in the elite restaurant “Gallery” and three years ago Mr. Anatoly Karpov himself had played the multy-board chess in the restaurant “Aist” which is the part of the leading Russian restaurateur Arkady Novikov’s empire.
The special appeal in that evening was the concept of not once-only held the VIP-event but the idea of including it into the “World Chess Tour” qualifying tournaments (the project director is the International Grandmaster, FIDE Trainer, Deputy Chairman of the Russian State University of Physical Education, Sport and Tourism Igor Glek; more details www.chess-events.org) thus becoming the event in the WCT list of the largest chess tournaments on the planet.
On April 29th the intellectual evening devoted to the time-honoured game was held in Moscow restaurant «Marusya» located in the historical detached house of the 19th century Maecenas‘ Peter Smirnov.
Just for one day the restaurant had become the real battlefield – the 12th World Chess Champion, the Grandmaster Anatoly Karpov played multy-board chess with nineteen players – the stars of the theatre, showbiz, cinema, famous politicians and businessmen. The event had been held by the support of the chess organization “World Chess Tour” and become the first VIP-stage of a new world-wide project “World Chess Tour 2009/10” (the project director is the International Grandmaster, FIDE Trainer, Deputy Chairman of the Chess Chair by Russian State University of Physical Education, Sport and Tourism Mr. Igor Glek; more details on www.chess-events.org). In accordance with the concept of the event the VIP-Chess tournaments are called to gather not just the famous Moscow politicians, businessmen and stars but to unite the intellectual elite of the country. Regular tournaments, making these VIP-competitions the part of the Qualifier events of the annual final of the “World Chess Tour” including most of the largest chess tournaments on the planet. It will draw a public response, attract more and more participants and fans and since then the number of those who prefer intellectual development and chess to idle time-spending will become more.
For the best player of the simul as well as for the Anatoly Karpov himself the general sponsor - Swiss company “International Watch Company” (IWC) presented their super watch as a special prizes: IWC Portuguese Chronograph and IWC Spitfire Mark XVI. The anchorperson of the event was the famous TV and radio presenter International Women Grandmaster - Elmira Mirzoyeva (NTV+, Radio “Mayak”) who had given comments for the spectators and guests of the restaurant. At the same time the near held VIP-blitz tournament was presented by the press attach? of the Moscow Chess Federation Women International Master Maria Fominykh and International Arbiter Edward Dubov. Four of the games the chess fans all around the World could watch on-line.
All the participants, spectators and guests could taste “non-stop” the water “Perrier” and whisky “Maccalan”. Besides the players of the simul had got the gifts from the sponsors among which were also “Russian Chess House” (www.chessm.ru, the director of this large chess shop in Moscow is Murad Amannazrov).
Even the rehearsal of the Victory’s Parad (planned on 9th May which is a Victory Day in Russia meaning a 2nd World War of course) which was the reason that many central streets of the Russia’s capital were cordoned off although had not let to visit the chess evening but had not decrease the star rating of the event. Among the participants of the simul – the composer Vladimir Dashkevitch, the violinist Dmitry Kogan, the singers Marina Lizorkina (the group “Serebro”) and Andrew Semashko (The group “Igra slov”), the State Duma deputy Mikhail Grishankov, the owner of the company “Roseli Group” Roman Lipetsky, the presidents of the regional chess federations – Mikhail Roman (Bryansk) and Dmitry Shakhov (Pskov), the Editor-in-chief of the Russia chess magazine «64» Mark Glukhovsky. In the blitztournament you could see such persons like the famous cinema regisseur and State Duma deputate Stanislav Govorukhin (everybody in Russia knows his cult movie “It’s impossible to change the meeting place” with legendary Russian poet, singer and acteur of the 20th century Vladimir Vysotsky as a main star), the businessman and the publisher of the Russian chess magazine “64” Igor Burshtein, the Grandmasters – Yan Nepomnyatschy who is the main hope of the Chess Russia, Igor Berditchevsky (who is also the restaurateur), Dmitry Andreykin, Yana Melnikova etc.
Among the numerous fans and guests of the evening there were the distinguished gymnast, many times Olympiad Champion Alexey Nemow with his wife Marina, VIP-columnist Bozhena Rinska, Alexander Yudin, TV-presenter Yana Churikova (she came to support her husband Dennis Lazarev who himself played in the simul), and many-many others VIPs.
So after three hours of the show the super honorary result of the draw had been achieved by the two of the players: the first Deputy Chairman of Russian State Parliament Security Committee Mikhail Grishankov who received the general prize – the Swiss watch and … seven-years-old Moscow champion Olya Minko!
Among the player who had put up serious resistance to the ex-champion it should be made special mention of the composer Vladimir Dashkevitch, the both regional chess presidents – Mikhail Roman and Dmitry Shakhov, the editor-in-chief of “64” (at the moment only chess magazine in Russia) Mark Glukhovsky… Actually, there is nothing extraordinary because every mentioned player has quite high chess level – at least the 1st national category or even more – the national title of a Master Candidate. But the long resistance of the popular singer Marina Lizorkina (her musical group “Serebro” was presented once on the most important musical competition in the World, namely “Eurovideo”), who has during all game very good draw chances and gave up only in the deep Rooks Endgame, was sure something that not to expect!
As a result of the evening the right to play in the Qualifier tournaments to the SUPERFINAL of the “World Chess Tour” on October 5th 2010 was won by: Mikhail Grishankov and Stanislav Govorukhin (the VIP-Qualifier tournament);
European champion Yan Nepomnyatschy and Moscow seven-years-old Girls Champion Olga Minko (the Qualifier tournament).
It’s very likely that just the one of the most active members of the Russian Parliament (which is called in Russia State Duma) Mr.Grishankov became a best VIP-player, especially because his activity against corruption and business pressing in Russia. So far, just some months ego the State Duma made a decision which was supported by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, about contraction against business pressing and for the rights of the businessmen.
(on the Photo 1): Mikhail Grishankov, the Chairman of the Anti-corruption Committee of State Duma (Russian parlament), Yana Yakovleva, Chairman of “Business – solidarity” (non-commercial organization which is fighting for the rights of businessmen, against corruption etc.; Yana was 7 months in the in Knast prison because of the faked charges. There she had written her book “Non-electronical mails” .After her win through the casual process and consequent discharge she created a “Business – solidarity” - non-commercial organization, one of its Board members is Mikhail Grishankov (well-known person as a just fighter for human rights), the Head of the Moscow’s office of “ Helsinki Group” Mrs. Ludmila Alekseeva, the Director of Russian Economical Search Institute Mr. Evgeny Yasin etc.) , with co-organizer of the VIP-evening GM Igor Glek: speaking about Chess… and the human right of the businessmen – That topic is very actual for GM Igor Glek who was one of the creators of Association of Chess Professionals (ACP) in 2003 taking during many years some positions on the ACP Board, such as General Secretary in 2008/09 and trying to into life the slogan: the Intellectuals and Innovators of all countries should be united!
You can see photos on http://www.chess-events.org/ru_RU/vip-chess-photo.html и www.marusya-restaurant.ru !
The live broadcast on www.russiachess.org/online
