Apocalyptic Musings

Caruana and Yip Repeat as Open and Women's US Chess Champions  Caruana has now tied Bobby Fischer's record of winning four consecutive US Chess Championships.  Carissa Yip has now won three consecutive US Women's Chess Championships.  Caruana's 7th round win over Hans Moke Niemann was likely the brilliancy of the tournament.  Final Standings: The Niemann vs Caruana Round 7 Game with Fritz Analysis

Undated Photo provided by the St. Louis Chess Club GM Daniel Naroditsky Passes at 29 Years Old  Multiple chess outlets are reporting the death of GM Daniel Naroditsky days mere before his 30th birthday on November 9th. Naroditsky's passing was announced by his family giving no cause of death. A likeable and respected young grandmaster, he will be missed by many. Naroditsky's passing was unexpected, shocking many within the world-wide chess community. An informative article about Daniel was published today in The Guardian and can be found at the following link.  Guardian Article on Naroditsky Passing  

 Chess Has Returned to Cobleigh Library Informal chess has been welcomed back to Cobleigh Public Library in Lyndonville, Vermont. Players ranging in age from 11 to 83 meet each Thursday from 5 PM until 8 PM in the library's main reading room.  All ability levels are welcome. The emphasis is on having fun and building community.  Upcoming Events Basic Chess Class: Four weekly classes coving the basics of playing chess from how the pieces move, checkmate and stalemate, opening as White, Defending and Black, middlegame and endgame basics. The class is fully subscribed at present.  The classes begin on Thursday, October 30th from 4:30 PM until 5:15 PM continuing each Thursday through November 20th.  Unrated Blitz Tournament: The first of what is hoped will be a monthly, unrated G-5, four round Swiss style tournament will be held on November 6th in Cobleigh's main reading room.  Registration is free with donations accepted to benefit Cobleigh Library.  Regi...

Alex Relyea Is Playing the Final Round Alex at The Portsmouth Open Many here in Vermont and New England know FIDE International Arbiter and chess promoter Alex Relyea having played in tournaments organized and officiated by Alex along with his wife Nita Patel.  Sadly, Alex is now in hospice care and is not expected to live much longer. Nita tells me that he is at peace and being visited by family.  Alex has struggled since his 20's (he's now in his 40's) with diabetes that was problematic to control. His struggle became increasingly difficult and tiring over the years.  He was facing the prospect of another debilitating infection in an extremity and has opted to enter palliative hospice care.   Alex's presence in Vermont chess will be missed.  In the time that I have been living in Lyndonville, VT since 2014, Alex has promoted the Burlington Open (2015), Lyndonville Quick (2016), Danville Open (2017), Vermont Open (2017) and the St. Johnsbury Open (202...

Another of the Old Guard Has Passed On Olaffson vs. Fischer, Bled Yugoslavia 1961 Grandmaster Fridrik Olaffson of Iceland has passed from this plane. He died last Friday after a short illness just two months after reaching his 90th birthday. Olaffson first rose to chess prominence at Hastings 1955-1956 where he shared first place with then Soviet Grandmaster Viktor Korchnoi. At the peak of his chess career, he defeated a young Bobby Fischer on two occasions playing with the White pieces.  Olaffson went on to become President of FIDE.  He was also Secretary General of the Icelandic Parliament. Presented here is his first win against Fischer. Olaffson vs Fischer, 1-0, Interzonal, Yugoslavia 1958 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. d4 Bb4 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 c5 8. e3 Nc6 9. Rc1 c4 10. Be2 Be6 11. O-O O-O 12. Nd2 Be7 13. b3 g5 14. Bg3 Ba3 15. Rc2 Nb4 16. bxc4 Nxc2 17. Qxc2 dxc4 18. Nb5 Bb4 19. Nc7 Bxd2 20. Nxe6 fxe6 21. Bxc4 Qe8 22. Qxd2 Ne4 23. Qd3 Nxg3 24. hxg3 Rf6 2...

Grandmaster Hans Niemann Points to Structural Problems Plaguing US Chess Have Years of Billionaire Rex Sinquefield's Money Helped or Hindered US Chess Development? Hans Niemann notes the lack of systemic support for the development of a sustained level of talent development in US Chess.  The "mercenary" approach Niemann refers to is likely a reference to Sinquefield's paying huge chess federation transfer fees and stipend support for top US grandmasters such as Fabio Caruana and Levon Aronian and others.  More on Niemann's criticism can be found here:  Niemann Article

 R.I.P. Boris Spassky.  Chess has lost a giant who was also a sportsperson who resisted the political pressures of the KGB to declare a victory by default against Bobby Fischer in Iceland, 1972.  https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/feb/28/boris-spassky-obituary