Grandmaster Maurice Ashley is a man who hardly needs an introduction to the readers of Chess Life or Chess Life Online. While he is famous today for his energetic style broadcasting events for the Saint Louis Chess Club, Ashley has been a giant of American chess for many years now. He isthe first Grandmaster of African descent, has been a successful scholastic coach, and he organized some of the most lucrative and interesting large Swiss tournaments in American history.

Maurice Ashley, US Chess Hall of Fame honoree (courtesy WCHOF)

Because his career has been so varied and spanned so much of recent chess history, we thought Maurice Ashley would be the perfect person to write our October cover article on International Master Abhimanyu Mishra, the youngest IM in the world. His story is utterly fascinating.

Ashley knocked the assignment out of the park, putting young Abhi's story into the proper context, and painting a much fuller picture of the role played by his family in his success than has been previously shown.

Our interview, recorded on September 29, 2020, tries to cover the full range of Ashley's history and accomplishments. I had a great time recording it, and I want to thank Maurice for taking an hour of his time to talk to me for this podcast.

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October Cover Stories with Chess Life: GM Maurice Ashley - uschess.org

The rediscovery of a film is seldom as fascinating a story as the film itself, but thats the case with Chess of the Wind (Shatranj-e Baad), directed by Iranian film-maker Mohammad Reza Aslani. It was only screened twice in Tehran in 1976, once to a cinema of hostile critics, and then to an empty cinema the bad reviews had done their work. The rediscovery of this film is great for me, says Aslani, now aged 76, and still living in Tehran. But it also allows audiences to view Iranian cinema from another perspective, and to discover other auteur film-makers who have been marginalised because of the complexity of their films.

Critical of the Shahs royalist government, the film also featured strong female leads and homosexuality, which didnt endear it to the Ayatollah Khomeinis regime either. In the politically tumultuous years that followed the Iranian revolution of 1979, the film was banned, and then presumed lost. Critics in Iran at the time of its release claimed the film didnt make sense, that my father was just trying to make an intellectual film, to imitate European cinema, says the directors daughter, Gita Aslani Shahrestani. But Aslani Shahrestani was determined not to let her fathers legacy languish. A writer and academic based in Paris, she was uniquely suited to the task. About seven years ago I was working on my PhD about auteur cinema in Iran, and this film was part of it, so I started to look for the film.

Having searched the international film archives without finding a copy, Aslani Shahrestani turned to her brother Amin based in Tehran to help in her investigation. Nothing could be found in the Iranian laboratories and archives either. It seemed that Chess of the Wind was lost for good. Then, browsing in a junk shop in 2014, Amin spotted a pile of film cans. On enquiring what they contained, the proprietor said he didnt know; they were simply on sale as a decorative element. Like something out of a fairy tale, on opening them Amin discovered a complete copy of his fathers long-lost film. Still banned in Iran, the print was smuggled out of the country via a private delivery service to Paris, where work began on restoring the film, overseen by Martin Scorseses non-profit organisation, The Film Foundations World Cinema Project, in association with the Cineteca di Bologna.

Chess of the Wind is a gothic family tale, following the (mis)fortunes of a paraplegic heiress played by Fakhri Khorvash, her angular face a study in controlled despair. Seeking to maintain her fragile independence, shes beset on all sides by predatory men her stepfather, his nephews, the local commissar who all seek to prise her fortune from her. Shes aided against them by her handmaiden, played by Shohreh Aghdashloo (nominated for an Oscar for her role in House of Sand and Fog). An erotic tension between mistress and maid adds spice and complexity to the proceedings.

The opulent, claustrophobic interiors are reminiscent of Persian miniatures. Theres also something of the gothic horror of Edgar Allan Poe. The influence of European cinematic masters like Pier Paolo Pasolini, Luchino Visconti and Robert Bresson is also apparent; the camera lingers on hands as they roll cigarettes, serve food, and feed gunpowder down the barrel of a gun, finding beauty in these simple actions. The sound design also stands out: wolves howl and dogs bay as they circle the house, ratcheting up the sense of menace; crows caw, jangling the nerves; heavy breathing makes the characters isolation in this haunted house increasingly oppressive. The soundtrack an early work by trailblazing female composer Sheyda Gharachedaghi takes inspiration from traditional Iranian music, and sounds like demented jazz.

Im very happy this film is finally being viewed fairly, and not through a lens that values populist cinema and propaganda

Initial reactions to the restored film have been rapturous, to the delight of its director. I was not expecting such a positive reaction, says Aslani. Of course, Im very happy this film is finally being viewed fairly, and not through a lens that values populist cinema and propaganda.

Robin Baker, head curator of the BFI National Archive, who programmed the film in this years BFI London film festival, says, I think this film will have an impact on the world film canon its ambition on so many different levels is extraordinary. It has a resonance far beyond an Iranian cinema niche. I found it genuinely shocking at times. I think it will confound so many peoples expectations not only of the cinema, but also of the culture of Iran. I can confidently say that audiences wont have seen anything quite like this, no matter what their taste in cinema.

Sadly, Aslanis film-making career was a casualty of Irans political upheavals. Before Chess of the Wind, which he directed aged 33, Aslani had made two short films: a documentary (Hassanlou Cup, 1964), and a wry political allegory critical of the Shahs government (The Quail, 1969). Hed also directed the first season of a television series (Samak Ayyar, 1974) that was roundly criticised for its idiosyncratic, uncommercial style. Afterwards, he remained in Iran, continuing to work within the Iranian film industry. Hes since made more than 10 documentaries, an experimental piece (Tehran, A Conceptual Art in 2011) and another feature film, The Green Fire (2008), but his output has been severely curtailed both practically and conceptually by his situation. Yet he still has plans.

I hope to make another feature, says Aslani. Ive had a script for 10 years, but because Ive been labelled uncommercial and unentertaining in Iran, nobody wants to risk producing it. Its a historical film about one of the greatest Iranian poets, and the style of the film again recalls Persian miniatures, western painting and the cinema of Visconti and Bresson.

Meanwhile, Chess of the Wind is a reminder of his talent, and acts as a touching tribute by Gita Aslani Shahrestani to her fathers legacy. When he saw the restoration he said it was like seeing a therapist, that it reminded him why hed wanted to be a film-maker in the first place, says Aslani Shahrestani. He was really happy. He regrets nothing. He said the film was like a baby hed lost, and now theyre reunited.

Chess of the Wind is available for free on the BFI Player from 1013 October as part of the London film festival.

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'Audiences wont have seen anything like this': how Iranian film Chess of the Wind was reborn - The Guardian

This is the first of a two-part piece examining the Lakers-Rockets chess match, the tactics the Lakers employed to win the series and how Houston can counter this moving forward.

To the casual NBA fan or even the more engaged, in-tune one the name eljko Obradovi might not exactly roll off the tongue.

And before you say anything, no, Obradovi isnt the next best prospect to come out of Europe or hasnt featured on Sam Vecenies draft board hes 60 years young. But hisname carries a ton of weight both in the NBA and overseas particularly more so abroad.

Obradovi is perhaps the most decorated European coach of all time, garnering 63 distinctions in a career that spans over three decades. In his time manning the sidelines for esteemed foreign clubs such asPanathinaikos,Fenerbahe, and Real Madrid, Obradovi won 11 EuroLeague championships, made 18...

Read the rest here:
Hit traps and peel switches: The two chess moves that ended a Rockets era - The Athletic

Altibox Norway Chess today announced thatthis years event will be held in Stavanger, Norway from October 5-16. Thepreviously announced 10-player field has been cut to six, but with MagnusCarlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Levon Aronian, Anish Giri, Alireza Firouzja and AryanTari in action the event aims to be the first undisputed super-tournament to beheld in person since lockdowns began in March.

It was announcedin March that Altibox Norway Chess would be postponed from June untilOctober due to the coronavirus situation. With that still so unpredictableany scheduling for such events is an act of faith, but the organisers believeit can go ahead. Their press release includes:

Firsttop-tournament post corona! The world as we know it has changed and people all over the world are facingchallenging times. Sport events of all types have been cancelled as we togetherhave been distancing ourselves to avoid the spread of the virus. For chess,this has been the case as well, where tournaments all over the world have beencancelled. However, chess online has grown exponentially during this period astournaments and other chess events have been organized online. This hascertainly been positive for chess, as it is a perfect sport to follow online!

The time for chess across the physicalboard is back!

Back in March a 10-player field wasannounced, but since then five players have dropped out Ding Liren, IanNepomniachtchi, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Wesley So and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov.One has been added, however - the worlds top junior, 17-year-old AlirezaFirouzja. The 6-player field consists of players who all have Europeanpassports or residency:

Since the Candidates Tournament had to bestopped halfway through, elite chess has moved online, most notably with the MagnusCarlsen Chess Tour that is just reaching a thrilling conclusion. With thefirst wave of the virus over in most European countries over-the-board chess isgradually coming back, however, with the BielChess Festival the first to witness a group of international top playerscompete at a common venue.

Altibox Norway Chess, with four of theworlds Top 10 and the hottest junior, is a different prospect.Cutting the field to six players means its now going to be a 10-round doubleround-robin, but the twist of Armageddon after each classical draw remains. Thescoring system will be:

The tournament will be broadcastlive with commentary and video of the players on chess24 and Norwegian TV.

See also:

See the article here:
Norway Chess to be 1st over-the-board super-tournament since March - chess24

The report presents a thorough overview of the competitive landscape of the global Chess Market and the detailed business profiles of the markets notable players. Threats and weaknesses of leading companies are measured by the analysts in the report by using industry-standard tools such as Porters five force analysis and SWOT analysis. The Chess Market report covers all key parameters such as product innovation, market strategy for leading companies, Chess market share, revenue generation, the latest research and development and market expert perspectives.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted lives and is challenging the business landscape globally. Pre and Post COVID-19 market outlook is covered in this report. This is the most recent report, covering the current economic situation after the COVID-19 outbreak. It highlights the recent market trends, growth in the past decade, and upcoming opportunities in front of the business. The research methods and tools used to analyze the studies are both primary and secondary research. The study further presents details on the funds initiated by different organizations, and industries.

Some of top players influencing the Global Chess market:

The House of Staunton, ChessSUA, CNCHESS, ChessBaron, Shri Ganesh (India) International, Chessncrafts, Chessbazaar.com, Official Staunton, ABC-CHESS.com, Yiwu Linsai.

Global Chess Market Segmentation:

On the Basis of Type:Wooden ChessGlass ChessPlastic Chess

On the Basis of Application:Indoor SportsIndoor EntertainmentOther

Regions Covered in the Global Chess Market: The Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries and Egypt) North America (the United States, Mexico, and Canada) South America (Brazil etc.) Europe (Turkey, Germany, Russia UK, Italy, France, etc.) Asia-Pacific (Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Australia)

It helps to examine the different key factors, such as prices and manufacturing base of several industries. Different attributes of working methods are analyzed by considering the different regions, such as North America, Latin America, Japan, China, and India. The research methodologies are used to estimate the workflow. It focuses on the market segmentations, to identify the prospects, distributers and consumers, to enlarge the industries rapidly. Different verticals are considered while analyzing the leading key players of Chess market. Finally, it focuses on drivers and opportunities, which are the pillar of business development.

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Report Content Overview:

-Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the market based on segmentation involving both economic as well as non-economic factors

-Provision of market value (USD Billion) data for each segment and sub-segment

Indicates the region and segment that is expected to witness the fastest growth as well as to dominate the market

-Analysis by geography highlighting the consumption of the product/service in the region as well as indicating the factors that are affecting the market within each region

-Competitive landscape which incorporates the market ranking of the major players, along with new service/product launches, partnerships, business expansions and acquisitions in the past five years of companies profiled

-Extensive company profiles comprising of company overview, company insights, product benchmarking and SWOT analysis for the major market players

-The current as well as the future market outlook of the industry with respect to recent developments (which involve growth opportunities and drivers as well as challenges and restraints of both emerging as well as developed regions

-Includes an in-depth analysis of the market of various perspectives through Porters five forces analysis

-Provides insight into the market through Value Chain

-Market dynamics scenario, along with growth opportunities of the market in the years to come

Advanced Technologies, Trends, In-Depth Analysis, Regional Demand, Growth Strategy, Company Profiled Players

Regionally, this market has been inspected across various regions such as North America, Latin America, Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Europe on the basis of productivity and manufacturing base. Some significant key players have been profiled in this research report to get an overview and strategies carried out by them. Degree of competition has been given by analyzing the global Chess market at domestic as well as a global platform. This global Chess market has been examined through industry analysis techniques such as SWOT and Porters five techniques.

Table of Content (TOC):

Chapter 1 Introduction and Overview

Chapter 2 Industry Cost Structure and Economic Impact

Chapter 3 Rising Trends and New Technologies with Major key players

Chapter 4 Global Chess Market Analysis, Trends, Growth Factor

Chapter 5 Chess Market Application and Business with Potential Analysis

Chapter 6 Global Chess Market Segment, Type, Application

Chapter 7 Global Chess Market Analysis (by Application, Type, End User)

Chapter 8 Major Key Vendors Analysis of Chess Market

Chapter 9 Development Trend of Analysis

Chapter 10 Conclusion

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Chess Market COVID-19 Impacts to 2020-2027 | The House of Staunton, ChessSUA, CNCHESS, ChessBaron - Scientect