CHINA’S NATIONAL TEAM WON FIRST INTERNATIONAL CHESS INTERNET-TOURNAMENT

RIA Novosti, Russia
Dec 24 2004

YEREVAN, December 24 (RIA Novosti) – The national team of China won
the world’s first international chess Internet-tournament devoted to
the 75th birthday anniversary of ninth world chess champion Tigran
Petrosian (1929-1984).

The national teams of Russia, Armenia and France participated in the
tournament along with the host team.

China’s squad took first place with 14 points and received $20,000
for the victory.

The team of France consisting of Joel Lautier, Laurent Fressinet,
Christian Bauer and Alexander Nataf scored 13 points and took second
place, receiving $15,000 of prize money.

The team of Russia which included Pyotr Svidler, Alexei Dreyev,

Alexander Khalifman and Vadim Zvyagintsev also scored 13 points
but ceded to the French according to the additional indicators. The
Russians’ prize money is $12,000.

Armenia’s squad, composed of Levon Aronian, Smbat Lputian, Gabriel
Sarkisian and Artashes Minasian, failed to achieve a success, scored
only 8 points, and took the last place. The Armenians received $8,000.

The tournament was held in two rounds – every entrant played with
one opponent with White and Black. Every participating country
was represented by one arbiter picked by the Armenian side as the
organizer.

On the tournament’s web site chess lovers all over the world could
watch the matches online. The contents of the web site are in five
languages – Armenian, Russian, French, Chinese and English. Around
$80,000 was spent on holding the tournament which was organized by
Armenia’s chess academy and the Chess Federation of Armenia.

Tigran Petrosian, having emerged victorious in the challengers’
tournament in 1962, won the right to play a match for the world
title against Mikhail Botvinnik, defeated him 12.5 – 9.5 in 1963,
and won the world title. “The practical benefit of Petrosian’s style,
based on the original and refined comprehension of the position,
lies in the fact that, as he gained experience, hebecame increasingly
dangerous to his partners, and his supremacy in understanding the
position – a permanently operating but not fortuitous factor – had to
manifest itself some day,” defeated Botvinnik commented on Petrosian’s
performance. In 1966 Petrosian defended his champion title winning
the championship match against Boris Spassky 12.5 – 11.5. Petrosian’s
play was distinguished not only by profound positional ideas but also
by high tactical skill.

In 1969 Petrosian lost the match for the world champion title to
Boris Spassky 10.5 – 12.5.