Ferguson reveals secrets of success

September 11, 2013

By Richard Jolly

Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has outlined eight key principles that underpinned his successful managerial career.

• Freedom of Trafford for Fergie
• Greatest Managers: Sir Alex Ferguson

Ferguson, who retired in the summer after winning 49 trophies, revealed the theories behind his management in interviews with the Harvard Business School.

Ferguson’s blueprint is published in October’s Harvard Business Review, and his eight core beliefs are:

1. Start with the foundation

Ferguson: “From the moment I got to Manchester United, I thought of only one thing: building a football club. I wanted to build right from the bottom.”

2. Dare to rebuild your team

Ferguson: “I believe that the cycle of a successful team lasts maybe four years and then some change is needed. So we tried to visualise the team three or four years ahead and make decisions accordingly. Because I was at United for such a long time, I could afford to plan ahead.”

3. Set high standards and hold everyone to them

Ferguson: “Everything we did was about maintaining the standards we had set as a football club -- this applied to all my team building, my team preparation, motivational talks and tactical talks. I expected even more from the star players [than the rest].”

4. Never, ever cede control

Ferguson: “I wasn't going to allow anyone to be stronger than I was. If the day came that the manager of Manchester United was controlled by the players -- if the players decided how the training should be, what days they should have off, what the discipline should be and what the tactics should be -- then Manchester United would not be the Manchester United we know. “

5. Match the message to the moment

Ferguson: “No one likes to be criticised. Most respond to encouragement. At the same time, you need to point out mistakes. You play different roles at different times. Sometimes you have to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a father.”

5. Prepare to win

Ferguson: “Winning is in my nature. There is no other option for me. I am a risk taker and you can see that in how we played in the late stages of matches. All my teams had perseverance -- they never gave in. It's a fantastic characteristic to have.”

7. Rely on the power of observation

Ferguson: “My presence and ability to supervise were always there and what you can pick up by watching is incredibly valuable. Sometimes I could even tell that a player was injured when he thought he was fine.”

8. Never stop adapting.


Ferguson: “When I started, there were no agents and, although games were televised, the media did not elevate players to the level of film stars and constantly look for new stories about them. Players have led more sheltered lives, so they are much more fragile than players were 25 years ago.”

Michael Adams victorious in Dortmund

Malcolm Pein hails a brilliant tournament win for England's number one

By Malcolm Pein, Chess correspondent

4:45PM BST 05 Aug 2013

1 Comment

The England number one, Michael Adams, neatly channelled his last-round game against Vladimir Kramnik to a draw and secured the half point he needed to win the Dortmund Sparkassen tournament with an unbeaten 7/9. This was one of Adams’s finest career moments and the most outstanding tournament performance by an English player in recent memory. Adams ended half a point ahead of Kramnik, for whom Dortmund is almost a second home. The 14th world champion has won the event no less than 10 times, but he was denied by Adams, who pulled out a string of victories over elite players.

M. Adams - V. Kramnik
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 Bg7 7.Qb3 Nb6 8.a4! d6 (8...a5 9.d5 threatening Be3) 9.a5 Be6 (9...N6d7 10.Ng5 e6 11.a6! with all kinds of nasty tricks: 11...bxa6 12.Qf3; 11...Nxa6 12.Bxa6 bxa6 13.Qf3; 11...Qb6 12.Qxb6 axb6 13.Na3 bxa6 14.Nb5) 10.Qb5+ Bd7 11.Qb3 Be6 12.Qb5+ Bd7 13.Qb3 (White has some initiative after 13.Qd3 Nd5 14.Qb3 Bc6 15.Bc4 e6 16.0–0 0–0 17.Bg5 but a draw secured first prize) 13...Be6 14.Qb5+ Bd7 draw

At the British Championships, David Howell took a half-point lead over the field by defeating Peter Wells to reach 5.5/6. His round three win was over a former British winner:

C. Ward - D. Howell
Nimzo Indian
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0–0 5.e4 d6 6.e5 dxe5 7.dxe5 Ng4 8.a3 Bxc3+ 9.Qxc3 Nc6 10.Nf3 f6 11.exf6 Nxf6 12.Be3 e5 13.Rd1 Qe8 14.Be2 Bg4 15.h3 Bxf3 16.Bxf3 Nd4 17.Rxd4 exd4 18.Qxd4 c6 19.0–0 Qe7 20.b4 Rfd8 21.Qc5 (21.Qc3!?) 21...Qxc5 22.Bxc5 Rd3 23.b5 Nd7 24.Bb4 a5! 25.bxa6 Rxa6 26.c5 Rdxa3! (The c5 pawn will fall and the endgame is a technical win) 27.Be2 R3a4 28.Bc3?! Ra8 29.Rd1 Nxc5 0–1

J. Friedland - T. Thorpe
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bg5 Nbd7?! 6.Be2 0–0 7.Qd2 Re8? 8.h3 b6??

White to play and win

Answer:
9.e5 dxe5 10.dxe5 Nh5 11.g4 Bb7 (The knight is trapped) 12.gxh5 Nxe5 13.Qe3 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 Nc4 15.Qc1 Ne5 16.Bg2 Rb8 17.0–0 gxh5 18.Rd1 Qc8 19.Nd5 1–0

Kramnik crowned king

Vladimir Kramnik wins the FIDE World Cup final at Tromso

By Malcolm Pein, Chess correspondent

3:56PM BST 04 Sep 2013

Comment

Vladimir Kramnik won the FIDE World Cup, completing victory over Dmitry Andreikin with a draw in the fourth game of the final at Tromso. Kramnik prevailed 2.5-1.5.

Kramnik only played the World Cup because he was forced to by FIDE. He had already qualified for the 2014 WCC Candidates on rating.

Under the circumstances, and given that the knockout system with no rest days is entirely unsuited to a relative veteran, one might have expected a lack of motivation, but Kramnik demonstrated that he is a class above much of the world’s elite.

Position after 34.gxf5; one possibility is 34...Nc5 with a mighty passed pawn and Nd3 to follow

D. Andreikin - V. Kramnik
Symmetrical English

1.c4 c5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.a3 b6 6.d3 Bb7 7.Bd2 Nf6 8.Nh3 (Leaving the g2–b7 diagonal open so that b2–b4 may be played in one move) 8...0–0 9.0–0 e6 10.b4 d6 11.b5 Na5 12.e4 d5 13.cxd5 exd5 14.e5 Ne8 15.f4 Nc7 16.Rb1 f6 17.exf6 Qxf6 (Black is at least equal with a pawn centre and activity. Only the Na5 is a problem) 18.Ne2 Rae8 19.g4!? d4 20.Ng3 Bxg2 21.Kxg2 Nd5 22.f5 Qe5 23.Nf4 c4 24.Qf3 Ne3+ 25.Bxe3 dxe3 26.d4?! Qd6!? 27.Ne4?! Qxd4 28.Ng5 e2(28...Qd2+ 29.Qe2 gxf5 is also winning and 29.Ne2 gxf5 30.Rbd1 fxg4! 31.Qxg4 Rxf1 32.Rxd2 exd2 33.Ne6 Rf7 is easy to calculate for a computer. Kramnik’s move is the human choice, simplifying while retaining the advantage) 29.Nxe2 Qd2 30.Ne4 Qc2 31.N4g3 Nb3 32.Rbd1 Kh8 33.Qf2 gxf5 34.gxf5 draw (See board above).

A terrible blunder produced this miniature from the 14th Karpov Poikovsky in Siberia. I have said it before and I’ll say it again; loose pieces drop off!

I. Cheparinov – E. Inarkiev

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 c5 6.0–0 cxd4 7.Qxd4 Nc6 8.Qf4 d6 9.Rd1 Be7 10.b3 Qc7 11.Nc3 a6 12.Ba3 Ne5 13.Ng5 Bxg2 14.Kxg2 0–0 15.Nge4 Nxe4 16.Nxe4 Ng6 17.Qf3 ??

Black to play and win

OBSITY NOT IN CHESS

Chemicals in plastics may boost kids’ risk for obesity

Postnoon | August 22, 2013 | 0 Comments

Chemicals used in plastic food wraps and containers could be contributing to childhood diabetes and obesity, two new studies claim.

One study links phthalates to increased insulin resistance in children, while another associates bisphenol A (BPA) with high body-mass index (BMI) and expanding waistlines. Both studies appear online Aug. 19 and in the September print issue of Pediatrics.

“There is increasing concern that environmental chemicals might be independent contributors to childhood diseases related to the obesity epidemic,” said phthalates study author Dr. Leonardo Trasande, an associate professor of pediatrics and environmental medicine at the NYU School of Medicine. “Our research adds to these growing concerns.”

Trasande’s study reviewed insulin resistance and urinary levels of phthalates in 766 kids aged 12 to 19. Previous studies have linked phthalate exposure to insulin resistance in animals and human adults.

Phthalates are chemicals used to soften and increase the flexibility of plastics and vin­yl. They are suspected endo­crine disruptors, and manufacturers have discontinued their use in baby products like teething rings and pacifiers.

The study found that insulin resistance in children increased with levels of a phthalate called di-2-ethylhexylphthalate, or DEHP. The association held even after researchers took into account the children’s caloric intake, BMI and other risk factors for diabetes.

“There are lab studies suggesting these chemicals can influence how our bodies respond to glucose,” Trasande said. “In particular, they are thought to influence genes that regulate release of insulin. There are other potential mechanisms, but that is the main mechanism of concern.”

In the other study, researchers Dr. Donna Eng and colleagues at the University of Michigan found that high urinary levels of BPA are associated with increased risk of obesity.

BPA is used to make polycarbonate and epoxy resins for a wide variety of products. For example, aluminum cans use a BPA lining to prevent corrosion. It has been linked to a wide variety of health concerns, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned its use in sippy cups, baby bottles and infant formula packaging.

The study reviewed data on about 3,300 kids aged 6 to 18, and found that children with high BPA levels tend to have excessive amounts of body fat and unusually expanded waistlines.

However, in a related journal commentary, Dr. Robert Brent of Cornell University pointed out the limitations of using urine levels alone to determine the extent or impact of chemical exposure.

Dr. Hugh Taylor, chair of the Yale School of Medicine’s department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, said these studies “point out the vulnerability of children to environmental chemicals. It seems the younger you look, the more things are developing and the more vulnerable they are to these type of insults.”

However, Taylor added that the food wrapped in containers with phthalates and BPA likely are doing as much or more to contribute to diabetes and obesity as the chemicals themselves.

“It’s probably more about the type of diet these kids are eating,” Taylor said. “A move toward healthier natural food is always a good idea, not just because of the elimination of BPA and phthalates but for all the other health benefits. If we think about more common-sense eating of healthy foods that aren’t packaged in a way that would introduce BPA and phthalates, we would be so much better off.”

Trasande recommends that parents avoid using plastic containers with the recycling numbers 3, 6 or 7, in which phthalates or BPA are used.

“I also advise families not to microwave plastics, hand wash plastic containers, and throw away plastic containers where there is etching or other damage to them,” he said.

While the new studies found associations between chemicals in plastic and insulin resistance and obesity in children, they did not establish cause-and-effect.

Source: WebMd

Tags: Bisphenol A, BMI, body mass index, BPA

Category: Health, Health News

http://pogonina.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1996&Itemid=1&lang=english

http://pogonina.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1996&Itemid=1&lang=english

Why are Russians so Good at Chess?

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Monday, 19 August 2013

by GM Daniel Gormally   Reading through the FIDE rating list (I know what you're thinking, he should get out more) is interesting reading at times (really). For example I noticed that very few players rated below 2520 (my classical ELO rating is currently 2514) have anything like my rapid and blitz ratings of 2546 and 2571 respectively. Which I like to take as an example that I am underrated. Or that I'm just a speed chess expert?! More on this subject later. Quite frightening can be reading through the top of the Russian rating list. Basically on my current rating I wouldn't even get in the top 100 in that country. Being over 2700 doesn't even ensure you a place in the top ten! Why is Russia so strong? This is hardly a new development either, Bobby Fischer was complaining about "those damn Ruskies" before I was even born. Well I think there are several factors to take into consideration. Firstly chess is in the culture over there. I can't say I'm a great expert on Russian cultural history, but it is obvious that after the Russian Revolution in 1917, chess was been used a promotional tool by the ruling communist elite, as a means to demonstrate Soviet intellectual dominance. Ever since the early days of Botvinnik, Russia has been pretty dominant in world chess. It's only in recent years that Ukraine have started to challenge that, and while Armenia has cleaned up in the last few Olympiads, they have nothing like the strength in depth of Russia, and it should also be pointed out that both Ukraine and Armenia are former Soviet-bloc countries. I think it also helps that Russian people tend to be both naturally analytical and creative at the same time, a potent combination for chess. They also have a large population to draw upon, almost 150 million, which dwarfs the population of England for example, but probably can't be used as an explanation, as both China and India have far more people, yet nothing like the amount of strong players (although both are catching up.) There's also the factor of long and cold Russian winters, poring over a chessboard deep in concentration seems a more natural prospect in that kind of environment, than in a sweltering Miami summer. But that can't be the only reason. The biggest factor in my eyes is simple- success breeds success. You have a large group of players, you are more likely to develop more strong players, than if you are isolated and don't analyse with anyone. Most of the top Russian players doubtless live in the big cities like Moscow and St Petersburg. They work together and they work hard. It's a serious profession. You spend time working with strong players you are not certain to get to their level, but you are more likely to do so than if you don't at all. That's what makes the success of Magnus Carlsen so impressive, coming from a country with very little chess history. There aren't any other players in Norway even approaching his strength. But not only is he an exceptional talent, I'm sure he's also worked with strong foreign trainers from a young age.  Essentially what I'm saying from this is that it's much easier to reach a high level in Russia than it is in other countries. It's like the analogy of a racing stable. You have good horses working together, eventually they will all start running really fast and start beating horses from other stables, because they will be used to running fast as they do it at home all the time. If Botvinnik was the archetypal analytical, scientific style of player (in fact he pretty much pioneered this approach)Alexander Morozevich, currently competing in the Chess World Cup, is much more the creative type. He got through in R2 against another creative and strong player, the Brazilian Leitao. It's always fascinating watching Moro's games and I would expect him to go a long way in this tournament- I would not be surprised at all if he won the whole thing.  GM Daniel Gormally is open for chess lessons. You can contact him using this e-mail

Chess game ends in long stand off with Bellevue cops

A chess match between neighbours turned into an eight-hour police stand off after a Bellevue man pulled a gun on his opponent early Thursday morning.

By Christine Clarridge

Seattle Times 

A chess match between neighbours turned into an eight-hour police stand off after a Bellevue man pulled a gun on his opponent early Thursday morning, police said.
Police said the man ultimately surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody on investigation of assault shortly after 10 a.m.
According to Bellevue police spokeswoman Carla Iafrate, officers were called to the Bellefield Manor Apartments at 1830 108th Ave. S.E. around 2 a.m.
Police said a man had invited his neighbour over to play chess and have a few drinks when, for reasons yet unknown Thursday afternoon, the man pulled a gun and threatened the neighbour.
The neighbour ran out of the building and called 911, police said.
Because the man was known to have at least one weapon, and possible access to others, police evacuated neighbours and closed several streets, including some of the city’s major transportation arteries.
The closures caused lengthy delays for morning commuters, police said.
Police attempted to talk the man into surrendering and also used a robot equipped with a camera, flash bangs and tear gas, according to The Associated Press.
The man finally surrendered by waving a white flag out his window.
Christine Clarridge can be reached at cclarridge@seattletimes.com or 206-464-

iana Mirza's dad has nurtured her talent but many of our gifted children need more support

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Queen of the castle: Diana Mirza and her father Gabriel pictured at home in Limerick

Chrissie Russell – 22 July 2013

Like many 13-year-olds Diana Mirza is a big Rihanna fan. The Limerick schoolgirl is also a devotee of top teen fiction writer Jacqueline Wilson and has been engrossed in her hit Queenie.

So far, so standard but Diana's third idol is a little unusual. "Bobby Fischer," she says proudly, "he's my absolute favourite."
There aren't many teenage girls who could tell you the name of the deceased American chess grandmaster (let alone list him as a hero) but Diana Mirza isn't just any teenager.
The pretty, quietly spoken girl has just been crowned Irish Women's Chess Champion, is the only Irish chess player to win silver and bronze medals at the European Union Youth Chess Championships and, when she entered the World Youth Chess Championships last year, she was ranked 36th in the world.
Today, she is competing with the Irish Chess Union's national team against the cream of young chess talent from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales in the Glorney Cup in Cardiff.
Her father, Gabriel Mirza (47), knew he had a prodigy on his hands when his daughter picked up the complicated board game at the tender age of five and, spurred on by his promise of a one-off €100 cash prize, beat him in a game aged just 11.
The Romanian-born chess coach, who runs a chess club at Limerick's St Michael's sports club, now tries to support his daughter's talent by bringing her to tournaments where she can improve by competing against more demanding opposition.
But perhaps the biggest challenge Diana faces is the lack of support – financial or otherwise – for young talent in the chess world.
"In 2011 I almost didn't go to the World Youth Chess Championship in Brazil because it was so expensive," she explains.
"My school helped me raise some money but this year I have the same problem with going to the EU Youth Championships in Austria in a few weeks. I think this year I could win gold but flights and accommodation are expensive and I need funding."
While typically attending a tournament can run to around €1,000 a pop – and Diana tries to enter more than 20 a year – chess prize money is meagre.
Today's Glorney Cup is for a trophy and title only while even the larger events on the Irish circuit only run to a top prize of a few hundred euro.
This hopeful future grandmaster's only means of honing her skills is competing against her eight-year-old brother, reading books and practising two hours daily on the laptop she bought with her winnings.
Unfortunately as a child prodigy or gifted child, Diana is far from alone in lacking support to hone her skill.
While America, Russia, China and other densely populated countries can afford to set up centres of excellence for their skilled youngsters, Ireland lags behind.