Media comments on chess

[Mick Norris]

It is named after the founder's children, Charlie & Jessie = Chess

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Feature on Carlsen appears in a 'home, art, design and lifestyle' magazine, courtesy of the chess-playing editor and her husband (chess GM Yannick Pelletier):

https://en.chessbase.com/post/magnus-carlsen-in-yunomi
https://www.yunomimag.com/lifestyle/201 ... nuscarlsen

[Geoff Chandler]

"It is named after the founder's children, Charlie & Jessie = Chess."

Does that mean if the children were named Luke and Doris it would be called Ludo Telcom.

[JustinHorton]

CLOSING GAMBIT Alan Byron's new film had its premier yesterday. It is a documentary weaving together contemporary video material with modern interviews. There is very little voice-over. Alan has directed it to be accessible to all, not just chessplayers.
It lasted about 73 minutes. The version that will be shown on PBS will be about 55 minutes because they felt it was too long a documentary. It is not known exactly When it will be shown.
There is very little specific chess analysis. I recommend it to anybody because it is a good film, irrespective of your personal interest. Michael Stean commented afterwards that he learnt something new as I did.

I saw Closing Gambit tonight. I'm afraid it really isn't very good, though the fact that the last twenty minutes or so are really poor may make it seem worse than it is. You can't be entirely dull with so much archive footage and (often) interesting talking heads, but it manages to be outstandingly pedestrian all the same, especially in its dull narrative and its irritating soundtrack. There's also pretty much no directorial judgement, so for instance when people start raving about how Korchnoi might have been assassinated if he had won, you get the impression we're supposed to take this very seriously.

Yasser Seirawan, disappointingly, comes over particularly clownishly. Ray, for my money, does OK. The comparison between the prize money for the Wimbledon Men's Singles Champion that year, and the purse for the Baguio contest, is very startling.

[Kevin Thurlow]

" so for instance when people start raving about how Korchnoi might have been assassinated if he had won, you get the impression we're supposed to take this very seriously."

Ignoring the documentary, there were also rumours that Leonid Stein was murdered as he wanted to leave USSR. That might be ridiculous as well of course!

[Stewart Reuben]

Of course, it is ridiculous to suppose the USSR or Russia would stoop to poisoning people. Misinformation at its most absurd. Next people will be suggesting that plutonium was used.

The main argument against believing that Korchnoi would be assassinated, had he won, is that would have been very inefficient. Much better to do it when he reached 5/5. Then there was earlier that fellow Fischer. Why didn't they attack his teeth earlier?

[JustinHorton]

The main argument against believing that Korchnoi would be assassinated, had he won, is that would have been very inefficient.

Well, that, and the entire absence of any credible evidence that it was proposed by anybody, but hey

[Matt Mackenzie]

" so for instance when people start raving about how Korchnoi might have been assassinated if he had won, you get the impression we're supposed to take this very seriously."

Ignoring the documentary, there were also rumours that Leonid Stein was murdered as he wanted to leave USSR. That might be ridiculous as well of course!

The story about his sudden death that has been doing the rounds for years is that it was due to, ahem, "over-exertion" after he invited a "lady of the night" to his hotel room.

You could see how that would be considered embarrassing to the Soviet authorities and thus covered up, at any rate.......

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Next people will be suggesting that plutonium was used."

Polonium probably, but plutonium is nastier. Interestingly, if you hold a lump of plutonium, it quickly gets noticeably hotter. (Note - don't try this at home, and always use appropriate safety equipment.)

[Leonard Barden]

The story about his sudden death that has been doing the rounds for years is that it was due to, ahem, "over-exertion" after he invited a "lady of the night" to his hotel room.

You could see how that would be considered embarrassing to the Soviet authorities and thus covered up, at any rate.......

When I complimented Stein at Hastings 1967-68 on how fit he looked, he unexpectedly replied that he had a heart condition, so that figures....

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Hadn't realised Leonid Stein was only 38 when he died!

[Matt Mackenzie]

Yes, its not for nothing that people thought he might be a real contender going into that WC cycle.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Hadn't realised Leonid Stein was only 38 when he died! "

I think he died just before the European Team Championship in Bath 1973, and everyone was shocked. The Russian team all looked pretty sombre before the first round. The official cause was heart attack, and Leonard's comment backs that up. He was a very talented and lively player.

[Reg Clucas]

if you hold a lump of plutonium, it quickly gets noticeably hotter. (Note - don't try this at home, and always use appropriate safety equipment.)

I keep mine in the fridge!

[Kevin Thurlow]

"I keep mine in the fridge!"

Good idea!