The FIDE April rating list is just out. If you have a FIDE rating you
could find it at http://www.auschess.org.au//oceania/oce0204.htm.
Fide world Cup in Dubai: 32 players top players in the world, excluding Gary
Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik, were selected to play in this tournament.
The tournament almost did not go ahead after the prize fund was reduced from
$500,000 American dollars to $240,000. Peter Leko from Hungary was the
winner.
Chess and business
Eleven-year-old British schoolboy David Howell played the world chess champion
Vladimir Kramnik in a 'blitz' match sponsored by Einstein Group PLC. Games
took place in London on the 1st of March.
David drew one game and lost three. A great achievement!
The following information was taken from
http://www.chess.co.uk/einstein/press.html.
For those who are new to this aspect of chess may find this interesting!
Einstein Reveals Game Plan
Einstein Group plc, the international multi media group is now on
course for an exciting future in game and education based media, having today,
25 January 2002, purchased Intellectual Leisure Ltd which owns some of the assets
previously held by BGN plc.
The deal gives Einstein Group a five-year contract with World Chess Champion,
Vladimir Kramnik; all contracts/arrangements relating to the proposed ‘Brains
in Bahrain’ (Man v Machine) tournament; all contracts relating to the Dortmund
qualifying rounds of the Chess World Championships and all contracts/arrangements
relating to the proposed Chess World Championships in 2003. Intellectual
Leisure Ltd will now be a subsidiary of Einstein Group plc.
Steve Timmins, CEO, Einstein Group, says “This deal offers enormous potential
for Einstein Group, giving the brand an unbeatable edge over any other educational
based, digital TV channel rivals. Indeed, there are two major areas of
synergy between Einstein Group’s digital science and technology TV channel,
einstein.tv, and Intellectual Leisure Ltd: einstein.tv provides a television
platform for World Championship chess matches, enhancing the potential for sponsorship
funding and subscriptions. Intellectual Leisure Ltd provides Einstein
with intellectual property, sports rights, high profile content and an intellectual
gaming future.
Timmins adds: “There is an almost exact demographic, intellectual and editorial
fit between einstein.tv and the world of chess which will offer distinct distribution
and territorial advantages. Indeed, news of the potential relationship
has been met with much enthusiasm in countries worldwide who are already in
negotiations to have einstein.tv’s science and technology programming.
In terms of education, chess has proven intellectual benefits for young people
and the highest growth in chess playing is being seen both on the Internet and
in schools.”
Vladimir Kramnik, World Chess Champion, says of the deal: “We have never
seen such a combination between World Chess and a multi media company.
This could lift chess into another dimension. As the World Champion I
am sure that Einstein Group was very clever in making this move. The company
discovered a real niche in the market and hopefully this deal will bring the
wonderful and intellectual game of chess to everyone, in particular, kids.”
It is estimated that there are in excess of two hundred million chess players
worldwide and other games such as Go, Chinese Chess, Shogi, Backgammon and Checkers
have in excess of 100m lifelong players worldwide.
World Chess Championships: The next World Chess Championship will
be held in 2003. The venue has yet to be confirmed. Eight of the world’s
best players have been invited to participate in the Candidates’ tournament
in Dortmund (Germany), in July 2002. The winner of this tournament will
be the Challenger in the World Chess Championship final in 2003, playing Vladimir
Kramnik. Some $500,000 of sponsorship has already been secured for this
event.
Man v Machine Competition: For the first time since Garry Kasparov
spectacularly lost to IBM’s Deep Blue in 1997 the World Champion Vladimir Kramnik
will play the world’s best chess program, Deep Fritz, for a $1m prize fund.
The “Brains in Bahrain” tournament will take place in October 2002, in the Meridien
Hotel, Bahrain, under the patronage of the Emir of Bahrain and Bahrain Government
Youth and Sports Organisation.
Einstein Group plc, founded in 1999, is an international multi-media group.
It floated on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM), of the London Stock Exchange
in March 2000. It includes Einstein Consulting which offers external clients
a wide range of strategic and “hands on” consultancy services in the areas of
channel management, production technology, marketing & PR, and new media business
development. Einstein Entertainment Ltd, the programme division of Einstein
Group plc, produces output for the UK and overseas.
By early 2002, einstein.tv (Sky Digital channel 576 ) is expected to have
rolled out across 15 European territories in three languages, including the
Benelux countries, Scandinavia and Central & Eastern Europe. It currently
transmits across the UK, Germany and Switzerland.
On a global scale, discussions are underway for a roll out into North and
South America, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. Einstein.tv’s
corporate identity has won several design awards and the brand was chosen to
represent the best of British design and innovation at the Great Expectations
Exhibition in New York organised by the Design Council.
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