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Chess In the Media

Chess Fan Makes Move on Russia's Kasparov (Reuters)

A man claiming to be a fan hit retired chess champion Garry Kasparov over the head with a chessboard the grandmaster had just autographed for him, Kasparov said on Saturday.

Kasparov, who announced last month he was retiring from competition chess to concentrate on politics, said the attack may have been linked to his criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

As he struck the 41-year-old world number one player, Kasparov's attacker shouted: "I loved you as a chess player but you left to take up politics," Russia's Interfax news agency said, citing witnesses.

Barrington fourth-grader wins high school chess tourney (Barrington Times)

For some kids, video games are the ruling obsession, but for Barrington fourth-grader Stuart Finney, chess is king.

Stuart, 10, a Barrington resident and native of Australia, rolled through the competition at the Rhode Island Scholastic State Chess Championship, grabbing first place in the high school division. On his way to the title, he knocked off competition seven and eight years older.

In Florida, where the Finney family lived for a few years before moving to Rhode Island, Stuart won the first tournament he ever entered, in the K-3 division. He no longer plays children in his own age category. Several months ago, Stuart tied for second place at the Boston University Open, against adults. The age can be set aside, chess players are rated depending on ability.

Teaching the joy of chess (Brockton Enterprise)

Courtland Priest, 6, of Stoughton has one facet of chess down cold — confidence.

"I'm a very good chess player," a serious-faced Priest said in the middle of a game with his mother, Elisa Blanchard.

"For a beginner," Blanchard was quick to add.

Do you know of an interesting, humorous, or unique chess story published online? E-mail us at newsletter@uschess.org.