Khanty Mansiysk, Russia - Israeli Wins Chess World Cup |
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gelfaKhanty Mansiysk, Russia - Israeli chess star Boris Gelfand recorded one of the highest achievements in the history of Israeli chess on Monday, by winning first place in the Chess World Cup.
Gelfand beat 28-year-old Ruslan Ponomariov of Ukraine, a former chess world champion, in the final match on Monday.
At the end of a 12-match duel, Gelfand had beat his rival in four matches, Ponomariov had won two matches, and four matches ended in a draw, making the end score 7:5 for Gelfand.
The competition was held in the oil-rich Russian city of Khanty Mansiysk. At the end of the match, Gelfand received the trophy with the Israeli national anthem, Hatikva, playing in the background.
Gelfand’s new title as Chess World Cup holder is the third most prestigious in the world of chess. The most esteemed title is World Chess Champion, and is following by deputy World Chess Champion.
Monday’s victory secured Gelfand’s place in next year’s World Chess Championship. The championship will open with the world’s top eight chess player, except for the current world chess champion.
The winner of the eight will face off with the champion and attempt to strip him of his title.
Gelfand’s two assistants, chess players Alexander Khozman and Maxim Rodshtein, accompanied the grandmaster in Russia on Monday. Khozman said temperatures in the Siberian city reached 30 degrees Celsius below zero.
The great victory kept the team warm, but according to Khozman, Gelfand did not show any signs of excitement after he defeated Ponomariov, “since he was confident in his victory all throughout the duel.”
Enthusiastic soccer fan
The 41-year-old Gelfand was born in Minsk, Belarus. He started playing chess at the age of five and won the USSR’s youth chess championship at the age of 17, and the European youth chess championship two years later.
At his peak in 1992, he was ranked the world’s third best chess player, after chess legends Gary Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov. Gelfand is currently ranked sixth in the world, and has won over 30 major championships.
He holds the title “International Grandmaster”, and has represented three different countries in the Chess Olympiad: The USSR, Belarus and Israel.
Gelfand only participated in the Israeli chess championship once, and won.
The new champion is an enthusiastic soccer fan who supports FC Barcelona. He resides in Rishon Lezion with his wife Maya who is a journalist, and the couple has a daughter.
He will be returning to his family on Tuesday after an exhausting month of competitions abroad, and will surely receive the royal treatment upon his return home.
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Read Comments (14) — Post Yours »
1
Dec 15, 2009 at 01:34 PM Pashuteh Yid Says:Report as Inappropriate
Er ken gut lernen!
2
Dec 15, 2009 at 01:39 PM Punch Says:Report as Inappropriate
what a pitty he didn't put his head into torah. we would have had a great scholar, which this generation is lacking. instead he waisted his brain and time on chess and olem hazeh.
at least he stayed out of trouble
3
Dec 15, 2009 at 02:15 PM מהפך פשטא Says:Report as Inappropriate
Please note that the having the skill to be a brilliant Chess player doesn't necessarily translate itself onto other areas, even Math. There were Math giants, whose Chess playing skill was merely average.
4
Dec 15, 2009 at 02:28 PM jancsi Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ what a pitty he didn't put his head into torah. we would have had a great scholar, which this generation is lacking. instead he waisted his brain and time on chess and olem hazeh.
at least he stayed out of trouble ”
what a pity that you think like this maybee if you would put youre head into more everyday matters then into fantisizing youre life away and waisting youre mind on writing shtissem here instead you waisted youre brain away di shoite that you are chess is even allowed to be played on shabbas thats how honored it is by rabbis and all frimer yidden
5
Dec 15, 2009 at 02:33 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
Super Jew!!!!
6
Dec 15, 2009 at 03:19 PM shlomo zalman Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ what a pitty he didn't put his head into torah. we would have had a great scholar, which this generation is lacking. instead he waisted his brain and time on chess and olem hazeh.
at least he stayed out of trouble ”
We are all thankful that you didn't put your head into torah either. It would have been a waste (not waist, you illiterate) for your pea brain to be in the bes medrash. I hope that at least you are also staying out of trouble.
7
Dec 15, 2009 at 03:57 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
Once A Vilno Gaon was on a trip in a Jewish shtetle, and kids were running after him screaming Vilner, Vilner. Goan turned around and said, Do wilst zain a Vilner? Nor wil! Do you want to become like me, just put more efforts. Many of us could become like Vilner Gaon in Torah or like Boris in chess, had we put more efforts into it! The success formula is 10% of talent and 90% of efforts!
8
Dec 15, 2009 at 04:18 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ Super Jew!!!! ”
:) "Suppah Jew!!!" indeed...
9
Dec 15, 2009 at 04:54 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ what a pity that you think like this maybee if you would put youre head into more everyday matters then into fantisizing youre life away and waisting youre mind on writing shtissem here instead you waisted youre brain away di shoite that you are chess is even allowed to be played on shabbas thats how honored it is by rabbis and all frimer yidden ”
eating potato chips is also allowed on shabbos.... soooo???
10
Dec 15, 2009 at 05:03 PM Dreidel winner Says:Report as Inappropriate
For sure the Chess World 'Yidishe' Cup!
11
Dec 15, 2009 at 05:33 PM knowitall Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ Once A Vilno Gaon was on a trip in a Jewish shtetle, and kids were running after him screaming Vilner, Vilner. Goan turned around and said, Do wilst zain a Vilner? Nor wil! Do you want to become like me, just put more efforts. Many of us could become like Vilner Gaon in Torah or like Boris in chess, had we put more efforts into it! The success formula is 10% of talent and 90% of efforts! ”
You are dead wrong and it is that attitude that turns people off. The vast majority of people cannot become a Vilna Gaon. They try to be a Vilna Gaon and when they finally realize they won't, they totally give up and feel depressed.
The attitude should be that you should become that the best that "you" can become.
12
Dec 15, 2009 at 08:28 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ what a pitty he didn't put his head into torah. we would have had a great scholar, which this generation is lacking. instead he waisted his brain and time on chess and olem hazeh.
at least he stayed out of trouble ”
I find it so so sad how us frum jews can always find a way to be cynical of anything and everything.
why don't we first just worry about doing everything WE can to be great in torah before we worry about what the jewish chess players are doing...
13
Dec 16, 2009 at 07:11 AM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ You are dead wrong and it is that attitude that turns people off. The vast majority of people cannot become a Vilna Gaon. They try to be a Vilna Gaon and when they finally realize they won't, they totally give up and feel depressed.
The attitude should be that you should become that the best that "you" can become. ”
If you do not work hard you become nobody and end up nowhere and will never become “best that "you" can become”, then for sure you will feel depressed!
14
Jan 04, 2010 at 07:21 AM mr Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ Please note that the having the skill to be a brilliant Chess player doesn't necessarily translate itself onto other areas, even Math. There were Math giants, whose Chess playing skill was merely average. ”
Boris was great in Math. His high school Math teacher was very proud of having him in her class, predicting his brilliant future in chess and/or science. Long retired since then, she keeps putting together a collection of paper clips about him. Although, Boris had to endure enough hardship too facing some other "teachers" at the same time, but that's another story all together. Molodetz, Borya, Mazeltov!