6/1/25 Update

This week’s update is short and focused on current events rather than what occurred the past few weeks.

• The big tournament going on right now is Norway Chess. There is both an Open and a Women’s section. As is normal for Norway Chess it includes many of the top players in a double Round Robin format with classical time controls. This tournament is using an interesting format – if the classical game is a draw the same players contest an Armageddon Game (10 min. W vs. 7 min B) with another draw being considered a win for Black in the standings. The surprise thus far  that the World Champion, Gukesh, lost his first two games. Round 1 was against Carlsen.

Players in the Men’s group: Carlsen, Gukesh, Nakamura, Caruana, Erigaisi, and Yi.

Players in the Women’s group: Ju, Lei, Koneru, Muzychuk (A.), Vaishali, and Khademalsharieh.

Norway Chess - Frontpage

• For those who are “Old vs. Young” fans starting today is a match (G/10 + 3, just 2 games) between multi-time World Champion and living legend Vishy Anand vs. Faustino Oro. This second name might be unfamiliar but he became the world’s youngest IM at age 10 (recently this record may have been broken) and has been dubbed “The Messi of Chess” as he is from Argentina.  Not sure to what level, but the ads I’ve seen indicate that Maestro Andrea Bocelli will host – the event is being held in Italy. While writing this I realized the games are ongoing and the result is that it was 2-0 in favor of Vishy.

Clash of Generations: Vishy Anand vs Faustino Oro • Game 2 • lichess.org

• Checking the June chess birthday’s:

1: Khalifman – 1999 FIDE World Champion

2: Bronstein – Top player and “Zurich 1953” author

3: Morozevich

5: Korchnoi

6: Karpov

9: Cramling

10: Judit Polgar

13: Anand

15: Carlsen

19: Kasparov

21: Chiburdanidze

23: Spassky