Press release - July, 24 (english)

"LORD NOVGOROD THE GREAT - 96"
Press release - July, 24

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Very profitable that the chess fans want to know the answer to the question: Who, out of the world champions, has been to the Novgorod land for the longest period of time - sixteen days in August 94 and twelve in May and June 95 - he was twice winner of our tournament, the thirteenth world champions according to the version of FIDE and the first-according to the version of PCA. Garry Kasparov was highly impressed by the visit to the ancient town on the Volkhov river. He confessed that the Novgorod hospitality exceeded his expectations and was as warm as, to say, only Caucasion or earstern one.

At the same time Garry satisfied his numerous fans of Novgorod by his play. The first super tournament, where he shared the main prize, came to the history of the world chess by the fact that the average rating of its participants stepped behind 2700 - marking in the ELO scale. It corresponded to the 19th category of FIDE.

In 1995 Garri Kasparov became the only winner of the super tournament which entered the new serial "Grand Prix Classic" organized by PCA.

The former twelvth champion Anatoly Karpov had been to the town of Borovichi and knew it very well. He happened to be the youngest among the participants of RSFSR championship. The jury had to make a special bench for the 10th year's old player who was not even able to see the moves on the chess-board. But nevertherless the (beginner) was not lost and gained five points (three wins, four draws and two losses). He fulfilled the norm of the first adult sport category competing with 55 participants. And it was at the age of 10. The country didn't have the youngest first category sportsman.

The eighth world champion Michael Tal has been to the Novgorod land several times. He has been to Novgorod twice in the middle of eighties.

Here he has played a simultaneous play and met his fans. Besides, in 1987 he visited Valdai and Borovichi and in 1991 Michael Tal went to Staraya Russa where he was awarded with the special title of the Hohored guest of the traditional chess festival dedicated to the memory of F.M.Dostoevskyi.

The sixth world champion Michael Botvinnik in 1929 being the first-year student of the Leningrad Polytechnical Institute, passed the military practice in Krechivitsy which is in the close vicinity from Novgorod. On the first chess board the future world champion played against the experienced master V.Sozin (wrote in his book Michael Moiseevich). It finished in draws. But the play came into the collection of the best ones created by the partiach of the Soviet chess.

These curious historical facts were given to us by the candidates to the masters of sport Igor Nalesniy and Eguard Egorov from Novgorod.

Let's hope that this publication will be continued. We are sure that among the participants of the tournament "Lord Novgorod the Great" there were and there will be quite a few candidates to the world chess crown.

Curiosities:
It seems that the funny story connected with the lack of knowledge of the Russian geography in what Novgorod: - in Lord Novgorod the Great or in the Lower Novgorod - the super tournament takes place for the third time, is to be continued...

For how many times the world was informed but again: The popular "Europe Plus" informed its listeners that "in the cradle of the Russian State, in the capital of ancient Rus, in the famous Lower Novgorod, the international Chess Super Tournament "Lord Novgorod the Great" has started its work. But we should note that the popular radio channel corrected its mistake thanks to the collegues of the radio station "Europe Plus Novgorod". To be honest, two years ago this bad mistake was made practically by all means of mass media.

Espicially the TV showed its ignorance in the knowledge of geography and domestic history. Only St.Petersburg "5th chanel" was on exception.

This summer there was only one slip (mistake). Let's hope that it was the last one because our tournament was recognized not only in this country but abroad. Though in the very beginning not many people believed in the success of this event and two years ago Novgorod was compared with New Vasjuki. But nothing in common was found. "Lord Novgorod the Great" reached outstanding achievements during the last three years: twice the average rating of its participants - in 1994 and 1996 - exceeded the 2700th marking.

The tournament was awaided with the 19th category, nowadays the highest one according to the FIDE classification.

Due to the last year mistake made by the means of mass media, the brother of Vladimir Kramnik - Eugene went to the different Novgorod and missed the inauguration of the tournament. He happened to be the first and the last "victim" of the misunderstanding. But all the rest participants and the guests had a clear idea where "Lord Novgorod the Great" had its permanent registion.