China wins Women’s Asian Nations Cup

By Errol Tiwari On In Chess with Errol |

20131117chessChina has won the women’s event in the Asian Nations Cup championship tournament that is currently being held in Tabriz, Iran. India placed second and the Iran A team, third. The host country, Iran, was allowed to field two teams so as to avoid an uneven number of teams. In the final round of the women’s tournament, China beat Kazakhstan 4-0 to take the gold and amass the full number of points without dropping a game.

The men’s competition is continuing, and again China is going for the gold. They are tied with India on the same number of points, but are ahead in the crucial tie-break system. China has scored more wins and fewer draws than India. Earlier in the tournament India defeated China, but then ran into a brickwall with Iran A and drew their match. That result tied the score with China. The huge match Friday is China v Iran A which will determine the winner of the men’s section and qualify the winning team for participation in the World Championships.

Iran A and China observe the traditional collective handshake before the beginning of their team encounter at the Women’s 2014 Asian Nations Chess Cup in Tabriz, Iran. The championship tournament ended on Friday. The Chinese team is FIDE higher ranked than the Iranians and thereby defeated their opponents, but only after their Board Four capitulated, thus giving the Chinese victory. The three top Iranian boards had held the powerhouse Chinese team to tame draws. In the photograph, the Chinese [right] are wearing similar headdresses much to the delight of their hosts, which one commentator considered “a very kind act.’’
Iran A and China observe the traditional collective handshake before the beginning of their team encounter at the Women’s 2014 Asian Nations Chess Cup in Tabriz, Iran. The championship tournament ended on Friday. The Chinese team is FIDE higher ranked than the Iranians and thereby defeated their opponents, but only after their Board Four capitulated, thus giving the Chinese victory. The three top Iranian boards had held the powerhouse Chinese team to tame draws. In the photograph, the Chinese [right] are wearing similar headdresses much to the delight of their hosts, which one commentator considered “a very kind act.’’
Former world chess champion Vishy Anand visited Corsica, France, recently where he played a small exhibition match as part of a children’s chess festival that numbered over 600 young, eager chess enthusiasts. Anand enthralled the young players with his accessible demeanour, and entertained their many requests. Corsica boasts over 6000 chess players from a population of 310,000. Anand is scheduled to clash with the current world champion Magnus Carlsen in a return World Championship match this November. In the photo, children oppose each other at the chess festival.
Former world chess champion Vishy Anand visited Corsica, France, recently where he played a small exhibition match as part of a children’s chess festival that numbered over 600 young, eager chess enthusiasts. Anand enthralled the young players with his accessible demeanour, and entertained their many requests. Corsica boasts over 6000 chess players from a population of 310,000. Anand is scheduled to clash with the current world champion Magnus Carlsen in a return World Championship match this November. In the photo, children oppose each other at the chess festival.

Meanwhile, Vishy Anand faced two strong International Masters during a visit to Corsica recently, where he attended a children’s chess festival. Anand defeated one IM 2-0 and the other 1½ to ½. During his visit, Anand was described as the “Benjamin Button” of chess by the press, meaning that he seemed to improve with age because he won the last Candidates match in a breeze and qualified as a challenger for the World Championship match. Anand said that he felt relaxed during the tournament.