In jest and in earnest
After her birthday, Judit Polgar appeared on the stage in a new suit - dark trousers and a blue jacket and... she won the game with Vasily Ivanchuk. It was difficult, just impossible, to with stand such a charming competitor. We may recommend her to forget about her other clothes: many coacher never change she suit as well as the team that brought the victory.

It's possible that not only beatiful Judit, but her mother too - nice-looking and always social Clara polgar, will follow our recommendations. By the way, light colours match Clara Polgar very much...

Veselin Topalov, in his turn, should pay attention to a neck tie. Better, to its absence. In the game with Judit polgar he played without a tie, and win. In other games he played with a tie on, and got a draw. Last year he had a funny incident just before the ceremonial opening of the competitions. Standing before a mirror in the lobby of the theater, he did at least 15 attempts to tie his neck tie. The last attempt, thank God, was a successful one, because a few minutes later the grandmasters were invited to the stage.

One more note, dealt with Boris Gelfand. The best grand master from Belorussia, as we have found out, prefers a grey suit. Every time he wears it , he got a draw. In the first round. But what about the second one?

Veselin Topalov - Willingly or not - following our recommendations, made in the last, 6th press-release. We are speaking about the main, in our opinion, hallmark of the Bulgarian chess player - about... a necktie.

We didn't wear a tie during the game, win by him at the first round. During all other games he always had a tie on, and got a draw. At the sixth game, opening the second round, elegant Veselin once again broke the rules and, of course, he won probably the most important game with Vladimir Kramnik. Well, it seems that the Bulgarian chess player has found the key to his success at the super tournament-96.

On the contrary, the custom to wear a necktie didn't prevent the defeat of Boris Gelfand by Judit Polgar on the sixth day. The previous five games with the participation of the best Belorussian grandmaster drew, and the tie was always a decoration of the chessplayer's suit. At the same time, we may say that a "tie" tradition was broken partially. He drew with man- competitors, and was defeated by incomparable Judit Polgar, the only lady among the chess players. Boris didn't withstand, as well as her previous competitor, Vasily Ivanchuk.

Meanwhile, Judit also won some of the items of her clothes, that brought her a victory on the 5th day. On the sixth day she appeared in the same black sandals and dark trousers. Her jacket was a different one, so to say, from the second game. Nevertheless, she win the victory! Happy Judit hurried to the press-center, where as usual she discussed all the details of the game together with dissappointed Boris Gelfand. By the way, the reporters didn't see her only once - after the previous victory at the game with Vasily Ivanchuk. We would like to remind, that the Ukranian grandmaster refused, that the Ukranian grand master refuses to talk to reporters during tournament. Especially, if they have a prefix "super"!

As far as Boris Gelfand is concerned, we would like to recommend the grandmaster, who has conquered the reporters of Novgorod by his kindness, to come back to the set up tradition: to drink tea with lemon at the end of each game. That rule always brought him a draw. At the lost game he broke the tradition and prefered coffee with milk, that is always served by two beatiful waitresses, Olya and Natasha, at the middle of a game by his request.

Nevertheless, one may follow traditions, but should try to do his best.

Records
Judit Polgar heads the list of the best in three nominations at a time - according to the last rating-list by July 1, 1996, published by FIDE. First of all, she is second to none among the chess players not older than 20. Then, she has the highest rating among women. And at last, she is the first one among female chess players younger than 20. Her advantages over Chzhu Chen, a Chinese female chess player, following Judit looks just overwhelmind - 245 points according to Elo scale.

It is interesting, that the second place among women belongs to Zsuza Polgar, the oldest sister of Judit. Some time ago she win the title of the Chess Queen. The other sister, Szofia, is on the seventh place.

Grossmeister's free time
For the first time in the history of the world chess the best chess players of the world, who participated in our super tournament, completed on the water surface - on Sunday - on the 28th of July in the swimming pool of the hotel "Beresta-Palace" an extraordinary competition took place - water polo.

One water polo team consisted of the foreign guests and the other was represented by the ones having the russian passports. Veselin Topalov and his coach and his manager Silvio Danailov, Boris Gelfand and his coach Alexander Chuzman represented the first five. Irena Kibina, the director of the super tournament, was announced to be the captain of the foreign guests. The team of the hosts was also very representative: Vladimir Kramnik and his assistant Oganes Danielyan, who has recently received the permanent place of living in Novgorod; the deputy director ofthe super tournament Konstantin Lagumennyuich and the chief arbitor of the super tournament, the senior coatch of the Olympic team of Russia Boris Postovsky. Vera Letyagina, the telestaff of Novgorod chanal "Slaviya" was announced to be their captain. The teams played with the ball given as a present by the Joint-Stock Company "Stimorol-Novgorod" which, as it is known, acts as the general sponsor of the super tournament 1996.

During the twenty minutes of the play, the ball teached the gate ten times - then final whistle of the jury Alexander Vlasov, the deputy manager of the press center, who announced the draw. Both teams were equally strong. And the competitors decided not to upset each other and refused to play penalty in order to find the winner.

The best players were recognized two "golden fishes" - Irena Kibina and Vera Letyagina who managed to throw one ball each in the gates of the water polo - chess players. We should note that men supported their captains and each one who was in the water reached the goal. So: ten players - ten goals. The water competition had great success.