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This year's World Blitz Chess Championship will be held at Almaty, Kazakhstan. The event, which will be held on 7th and 8th November, will be a 16 player round robin. Participants list Amin Bassem (Egypt) Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan) Krishnan Sasikiran (India) Gata Kamsky (USA) Alexander Morozevich (Russia) Lenier Dominguez Perez (Cuba) Rafael Vaganian (Armenia) Sergey Rublevsky (Russia) Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan) Vlad Tkachiev (France) Peter Svidler (Russia) Alexander Grischuk (Russia) Boris Gelfand (Israel) Judit Polgar (Hungary) Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine) Murtas Kazhgaleev (Kazakhstan) Chess legend Anatoly Karpov will give a simultaneous exhibition. The simul will be against local talent. Kirsan Illyumzhinov is also expected to grace the occasion. A stamp is being issued to celebrate the IV World Blitz Chess Championship.

The rating favorites won through to the Quarterfinal stage of Cap D'Agde. It's amazing how ratings play a part even in rapid games, nay, even blitz games. Karpov beat 14 year old Hou Yifan to advance to the knock out stage. Update: Karpov beat Caruana to advance to the Semi-finals. The young teen put up stiff resistance and the regular rapid games ended at 1-1 with a win each. Karpov, who is playing a gruelling schedule (yesterday's tie-break games against Yifan and today's games) beat back Caruana challenge in the 3 minutes+2 seconds increment games. Radjabov suffered a tragic loss to Ivanchuk in the Quarterfinals. More details about it after this game. So, Radjabov had a won position with his Queen for Rook and Bishop. But Ivanchuk defended tenaciously to draw the game. Radjabov lost the next two blitz games probably out of the shock of the "silly" draw in a winning position. What a pity! 1/2-1/2 Quarter finals Carlsen vs Xianghzhi Caruana vs Karpov 3.5 - 2...

Anatoly Karpov was today denied a chance to visit Garry Kasparov in jail. Kasparov will be released on Thursday but it was a noble gesture by one ex-world champion towards another. Karpov openly agreed that he does not believe in Kasparov's political ideology, but that doesn't mean he can't be human enough. It is nice to see Karpov in the limelight these days. He is playing again and also doing something for social causes. Using one's clout never harmed anyone. Especially if it can benefit another by at least getting attention. Wonder what would have transpired between them if they had really met ! Gruenfeld or the Slav ? :-)