From press release
For the first time in Israel’s chess history, an Israeli player – Yehuda Gruenfeld – has been chosen to play on the first board for the I.C.S.C. World All Stars Deaf Team at the coming 39th F.I.D.E. Chess Olympiad. This premier worldwide chess event will be staged from 19th September to 4th October 2010 in the city of Khanty Mansiysk, the Russian Federation.
See brief background and photos of Yehuda Gruenfeld from
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yehuda_Gruenfeld
public.fotki.com/SZ-PhotoStyle/2010/the-deaf-israel/img-7496sz-photostyle.html
public.fotki.com/SZ-PhotoStyle/from-portugal-1/day-5-7/p6060088.html
Yehuda Gruenfeld is currently the world’s Number One chess player among the deaf with his FIDE ELO Rating of 2466 points. See
web.tiscalinet.it/webwew/Fide0710.htm
The I.C.S.C., which is an acronym for the International Committee of Silent Chess, is responsible for promoting of the game of chess among the deaf and hard of hearing people in the world.
The I.C.S.C. has recently announced the final composition of its two separate teams for the Khanty Mansiysk event:
I.C.S.C. Men’s World All Stars Deaf Team
1. GM Gruenfeld Yehuda – Israel
2. IM Collutiis Duilio – Italy
3. Klasan Vladimir – Serbia
4. IM Salov Sergey – Germany
5. Parfenov Pavel – Russia
Team Captain: Cehic Goran – Croatia
I.C.S.C. Ladies’ World All Stars Deaf Team
1. WIM Baklanova Tatiana – Ukraine
2. WCM Mucha Annegret Ulrike – Germany
3. WFM Ryvova Anna – Czech Republic
4. WIM Gerasimova Olga – Russia
5. Myronenko Natalya – Ukraine
Team Captain: Nazarova Olga – Italy.
According to the Organizing Committee of the 39th F.I.D.E. Olympiad, men’s and women’s teams from approximately 170 different countries plus the three special teams – the I.C.S.C.World All Stars Deaf Team, I.B.C.A. ( International Blind Chess Association ) Team and I.P.C.A. ( International Physically Disabled Chess Association ) Team, are anticipated to compete at the coming event.
At the last 38th F.I.D.E. Olympiad held in Dresden, Germany, about 2,169 chess players representing 156 teams from 152 countries vied for the top honors. In the men’s division, Armenia came out first, Israel – second and the USA – third. The I.C.S.C. World All Stars Deaf Team finished a respectable 79th place. Among the women, the top three spots were won by Georgia, Ukraine and the USA, respectively. The I.C.S.C. Ladies Team placed 71st out of 111 participating teams.
“I must say that Rafael Pinchas, the popular and respected chairman of the Israel Deaf Chess Council, is the one who opened for me to the real world of the deaf people. It is a big honor for me to play on the first board for the I.C.S.C. team. Previously I participated at the F.I.D.E. Olympiads 6 times under the flag of my country of Israel. Now, I hope I will perform well at Khanty-Mansiysk and bring important points for my I.C.S.C. team,” said Yehuda Gruenfeld, a resident of Mevasseret Zion and Captain of Team Israel at the recent Deaf Chess Olympiad held in Estoril, Portugal. See a photo which features the three persons: Rafael Pinchas, the newly-elected I.C.S.C. Secretary General, Sergey Salov, a Jewish 2010 World Champion in Blitz Chess from Germany, and Yehuda Gruenfeld
public.fotki.com/SZ-PhotoStyle/from-portugal-1/ef89/p6130357.html
For additional information about the I.C.S.C., the 38th F.I.D.E. Olympiad results and coming event in Khanty Mansiysk, please review
web.tiscalinet.it/icsc_w/general.htm
web.tiscalinet.it/dresden08/pageDresden.html
www.ugra-chess.com/
