a sad day for chess
Karen Asrian (24 April 1980 – 9 June 2008)
(photo Andrew Kontokanis)
Sad news comes from the first day of the Chess Giants in Yerevan. “It is with great sadness and difficulty we report to you that today, June 9, Armenian Grandmaster Karen Asrian passed away.” According to A1 he had a heart attack while driving.
GM Karen Asrian was a top 100 GM, currently rated 2630. He was born 24 April 1980. GM Karen Asrian is Armenian champion for 1999, 2007, and 2008 and he was also a member of the Olympic team that won the Chess Olympiad in Turin.
Chessdom extends condolences to the Karen’s family and friends. We have met him in Crete and Plovdiv and we will always remember him smiling. Rest in peace, GM Karen Asrian.
Update: Rapid open cancled
The organizers of the Ches Giants and the Armenian Chess Federation have done the logical thing. The open rapid tournament in Yerevan is canceled. “In connection with the sudden and untimely death of Armenian GM Karen Asrian, the International Open Rapid Tournament scheduled for June 12-15, 2008, in Yerevan, is cancelled.” informs Gaguik Oganessian, General Secretary of Armenian Chess Federation. The Chess Giants games from 10th and 11th have been postponed and the tournament will resume on June 12.
Karen Asrian at the ETCC
“The second round of the European Team Chess Championship has started with Russia-Armenia matches on top tables in both men and women section. Levon Aronian steps in for the first time to face Peter Svidler and Karen Asrian and Dmitry Jakovenko are entertaining everyone around with the way they blitz through their opening. Evgeny Alexeev seems to be easy on bursting in laugh.”
From the second day of the ETCC
GM Karen Asrian, between Aronian and Sargissian, winning the medal from the ETCC with Armenia
GM Karen Asrian at the ETCC at board 3
GM Karen Asrian at the ETCC at board 4
MSNBC on Karen Asrian
Karen Asrian, an Armenian chess grandmaster who was the ex-Soviet nation’s reigning champion and helped it win the 2006 Chess Olympiad, died Monday after suddenly losing consciousness, the Armenian Chess Federation said. He was 28.
Asrian was ranked 92nd by the World Chess Federation, or FIDE.
Apparently feeling ill, Asrian pulled his car into a court yard in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, early Monday and lost consciousness, the Armenian Chess Federation said. An ambulance crew pronounced him dead at the scene, possibly of a heart attack, it said.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25061254/
A1 on GM Asrian
Armenia’s leading Grand Master Karen Asrian, aged 28, died today. According to our data, Asrian had a heart attack while driving a car.
Karen Asrian won the title of Armenia’s champion for three times. He also earned gold medals during a 2006 Olympiad held in Turin.
A1+ extends condolences to the Karen’s relatives and friends over his untimely decease.
Source: http://www.a1plus.am/en/?page=issue&id=61406
Armenian AP: “Armenian chess champion Asrian dies at 28”
Karen Asrian, an Armenian chess grandmaster who was the ex-Soviet nation’s reigning champion and won the 2006 Chess Olympiad, died Monday after suddenly losing consciousness, the Armenian Chess Federation said. He was 28.
Asrian was ranked 92nd by the World Chess Federation, or FIDE.
Apparently feeling ill, Asrian pulled his car into
a court yard in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, early Monday and lost consciousness, the Armenian Chess Federation said. An ambulance crew pronounced him dead at the scene, possibly of a heart attack, it said.
A moment of silence was held in his memory before the opening of a speed-chess tournament in Yerevan on Monday after his death was announced by Armenian player Smbat Lputian.
Source: http://www.pr-inside.com/grandmaster-armenian-chess-champion-asrian-r632876.htm
Parallel Open has been canceled
From Chess Giants Yerevan 2008 website: Note that the rapid open scheduled to have been played in parallel to the main tournament from June 12-15, has been canceled due to the tragic news of GM Karen Asrian’s passing.
