Search found 287 matches
- Fri Dec 29, 2023 12:46 pm
- Forum: International News
- Topic: 2023 World Rapid & Blitz
- Replies: 58
- Views: 3788
Re: 2023 World Rapid & Blitz
It is incredible how strong GMs make blunders, like Vokhidov's Rxb2?? in round 6, against Carlsen which they would not make against other players. Carlsen has a psychological grip over them.
- Fri Dec 29, 2023 12:04 pm
- Forum: International News
- Topic: 2023 World Rapid & Blitz
- Replies: 58
- Views: 3788
Re: 2023 World Rapid & Blitz
Maybe this is more pertinent to the ratings section of this forum, but there is an egregious example of under rated players in the blitz with Botiraliev, Abdumajid rated at 1515 on 1.5/4 against 2300 - 2500 opponents.
- Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:09 pm
- Forum: International News
- Topic: 2023 World Rapid & Blitz
- Replies: 58
- Views: 3788
Re: 2023 World Rapid & Blitz
Pressure/tiredness seems to be kicking in judging by the Andreikin-Yu Yangyi and Sarin-Fedoseev endings. Maybe that also had something to do with Ganguly letting himself be mated on move 8 with White in round 8. Perhaps fatigue, jet lag, and playing during the festive period have all contributed. W...
- Sat Dec 09, 2023 11:29 am
- Forum: ECF Matters
- Topic: London Chess Classic 2023
- Replies: 140
- Views: 14343
Re: London Chess Classic 2023
I have only dipped into this tournament from time to time, but looking at yesterday's (Friday round 7) games, Tabatabaei - Vitiugov, and Niemann - Bartel are well worth a few minutes playing through. Great entertainment..
- Sun Sep 17, 2023 2:41 pm
- Forum: General Chat
- Topic: what do you consider as biggest threat to organized chess?
- Replies: 70
- Views: 8242
Re: what do you consider as biggest threat to organized chess?
As others have mentioned above, the diminishing number of volunteers is (in my opinion) the biggest threat to organized chess, certainly at amateur level. To add to the points already made about why this is so, I find myself more reluctant to take on voluntary roles, not only in chess, but in other ...
- Sun Aug 06, 2023 9:49 pm
- Forum: International News
- Topic: 2023 FIDE World Cup Sun 30th Jul 2023 - Thu 24th Aug 2023
- Replies: 177
- Views: 8457
Re: 2023 FIDE World Cup Sun 30th Jul 2023 - Thu 24th Aug 2023
A reminder of how hard it is even for strong players to arrest the slide when things start to go wrong in a game after gaining an overwhelming advantage. Wenjan Ju v Ulviyya Fataliyeva in round three, game two. When this sort of thing happens to me, I go home remembering how the game stood after (sa...
- Tue Jul 04, 2023 12:29 am
- Forum: Not Chess!
- Topic: Test match at Lord's
- Replies: 68
- Views: 3077
Re: Test match at Lords
I think there is and needs to be an indefinable "spirit of the game", otherwise the game could become unplayable if you simply follow the laws. One example: the rules entitle wicket keepers to break the stumps after every delivery in case the batsman is out of his crease, or allow bowlers to pull ou...
- Mon May 08, 2023 7:24 pm
- Forum: Deaths & Obituaries
- Topic: FM Mike Franklin (02-ii-1931 25-iv-2023)
- Replies: 27
- Views: 4211
Re: FM Mike Franklin (02-ii-1931 25-iv-2023)
I knew Michael for 50-60 years from my childhood, as he became a lifelong friend of my father Bryan when they were students in London, and they played in a lot of tournaments together in the 1950s (Whitby, Bognor Regis, Scarborough and Paignton spring to mind, but I may be wrong; Leonard Barden will...
- Tue Apr 18, 2023 6:14 pm
- Forum: International News
- Topic: World championship match in Astana
- Replies: 355
- Views: 26380
Re: World championship match in Astana
Losing a move with White does not only exist in the realm of fantasy, even between strong players. I remember a Watson - Hebden game going 1.c3 Nf6 2. c4? William explained to me that Mark was stronger with Black (this was the 1980s)! It was a very long time ago, but I recall William telling me tha...
- Thu Aug 04, 2022 12:13 am
- Forum: International News
- Topic: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022
- Replies: 652
- Views: 35249
Re: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022
Just glancing at a few of the games on the lower boards of the low scoring teams, I have ambivalent feelings about one aspect of the Olympiad. On the one hand, I like the idea of an open to all nations event, which may encourage interest and participation in chess around the world, and which at lea...
- Wed Aug 03, 2022 11:42 pm
- Forum: International News
- Topic: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022
- Replies: 652
- Views: 35249
Re: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022
Just glancing at a few of the games on the lower boards of the low scoring teams, I have ambivalent feelings about one aspect of the Olympiad. On the one hand, I like the idea of an open to all nations event, which may encourage interest and participation in chess around the world, and which at leas...
- Wed Mar 02, 2022 12:24 am
- Forum: International News
- Topic: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow
- Replies: 335
- Views: 25887
Re: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow
By posting for a second time, I am acting against my own self-imposed rule of not allowing myself to being dragged into pointless internet squabbling which solves nothing, but some of the responses seem to have missed the point. There is a huge difference between on the one hand casually calling som...
- Tue Mar 01, 2022 12:06 am
- Forum: International News
- Topic: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow
- Replies: 335
- Views: 25887
Re: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow
There has been plenty of informed and intelligent speculation about Putin's state of mind from mental health professionals, and many who have known him. To take just one example, Andrei Illarionov towards the end of this interview (link below) makes an observation about a change he thinks has taken ...
- Thu Dec 30, 2021 1:46 pm
- Forum: International News
- Topic: FIDE World Rapid and Blitz December 25-30, 2021
- Replies: 105
- Views: 11005
Re: FIDE World Rapid and Blitz December 25-30, 2021
Nakamura has already said on Twitter that he has tested positive and can not finish the tournament.
- Sun Dec 26, 2021 7:58 pm
- Forum: International News
- Topic: FIDE World Rapid and Blitz December 25-30, 2021
- Replies: 105
- Views: 11005
Re: FIDE World Rapid and Blitz December 25-30, 2021
Rasmus Svane loses with queen and 2 pawns v queen in round 4 v Anish Giri. Unfortunately, the transmission from the board cut out, and it is said he blundered into a two move mate. Very surprising with a 10 second increment in rapidplay, a little more understandable had it been in the blitz tourname...