Ice Chess Players Race Against Thaw In Moscow

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An assistant moves chess pieces made of ice 11 January 2007 in central Moscow during a video-linked match opposing Russian and British teams. The pieces are made of ice and both teams, playing on giant boards in Pushkinskaya Square in Moscow and Trafalgar Square in London, were given a time limit of just 30 seconds for each move, as the sculptures melt. The game, in which Russian and British chessmasters Anatoly Karpov and Nigel Short faced off alongside celebrities and budding chess talents, ended in a draw. Photo courtesy AFP.

by Staff Writers
Moscow (AFP) Jan 11, 2007
The chess pieces started disappearing from the board before the game even got going -- and it had nothing to do with the skill of the Russian and British teams playing in a video relay match on Thursday. The pieces were made of ice and both teams, playing on giant boards in Pushkinskaya Square in Moscow and Trafalgar Square in London, were given a time limit of just 30 seconds for each move, as the sculptures steadily melted.

Unseasonally warm winters in both Moscow and London, where temperatures hovered at around five and 12 degrees Celsius (48 and 53 degrees Fahrenheit) respectively, gave a special sense of urgency to the hour-long game.

One of the pieces, a king fashioned to resemble a Kremlin tower, had already partially melted away before the game began, losing its emblematic Soviet star.

The game, in which Russian and British chessmasters Anatoly Karpov and Nigel Short faced off alongside celebrities and budding chess talents, ended in a draw.

Source: Agence France-Presse

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WEATHER REPORT

Balmy Weather Hits US Northeast

New York (AFP) Jan 05, 2007
There is something wrong when New Yorkers are wearing shirtsleeves in January, and with unseasonably mild weather hitting the northeastern United States, people are wondering whatever happened to winter. Temperatures in Manhattan were expected to hit 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday, leaving furriers furious but bar and cafe owners rubbing their hands with glee as customers take advantage of the mild weather.

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