Hastings

[Mark Howitt]

Quick question I think many may be interested in... does anyone know how much the appearance or travel fees of the foreign GMs are? Maybe a sliding scale like Corus?

[IM Jack Rudd]

Today's big controversy arose in the game Cherniaev-McPhillips. Black won, and then white accused black of having cheated. The complaint was not upheld.

[Mark Howitt]

Shocking! Ironically had just clicked on this one in the live games section and guessed it must have been the shock of the round.

Personally I think it's really bad form of the Russian unless there was a clear basis for the complaint. More info please!

[Sean Hewitt]

Today's big controversy arose in the game Cherniaev-McPhillips. Black won, and then white accused black of having cheated.

How was black alleged to have cheated?

[IM Jack Rudd]

Today's big controversy arose in the game Cherniaev-McPhillips. Black won, and then white accused black of having cheated.

How was black alleged to have cheated?

By using a computer during play. No evidence was found of any such computer, nor did McPhillips play any moves that looked suspiciously computer-like.

[JustinHorton]

Did the Grandmaster provide any reasoning to back up his contention?

[IM Jack Rudd]

Did the Grandmaster provide any reasoning to back up his contention?

From what I could gather, nothing coherent.

[JustinHorton]

And, ah, does the other gentleman have any comeback if wild accusations were made against him?

[Maxim Devereaux]

Just sour grapes I suspect, though I don't think accusations of cheating should be bandied about without any evidence or good grounds for suspicion (and merely losing to a player 200 points below you doesn't count!), or at least, there ought to be some possible sanctions available for arbiters to take if such accusations are unfounded.

McPhillips is a talented (ex-?) junior I recall playing in the 4NCL once a few years back. Certainly on his day I suspect that he's capable of beating Cherniaev, and White really helped in this game - this line is quite simple and easy to play at the best of times, and 13. Qb4 and 14. Rc1 isn't the most challenging way to play the position I don't think, but White may have kept some miniscule edge until he played 27. g5? when 27. Bd4 Nd5 28. Kd2 Kd6 29. gf Bxf5 30. h4 h5 or 27. gf Bxf5 28. b3 Ke6 29. Bc3 Nd5 30. Bxa5 Nf4+ Kf1 should both lead to draws. Even then, White should still be just about okay, but he compounded his error over the next few moves, and managed to lose quite trivially.

[Ben Purton]

Just read this, Cherniaev is always bitter when hes lost to someone lower than him.

Karl is a friend and a very good player , very inconsistant. Of course he can beat a "GM"

Personally if you dont have evidence you should be asked to withdraw from the tournament, as accusing is just as bad as doing .

many of you might recall Anna Rudolf , a Slough Shark being accused in Lipbalm gate. http://www.4ncl.co.uk/rudolf1.jpg

Ben

[Mark Howitt]

After some research, I've found that a lot of GMs and IMs will be paid around the minimum wage for their performance at Hastings. A hard life, respect to them for doing what they want anyway.

[Ben Purton]

Think its impossible to play professionally and be an IM. Coaching is more the route.

[Mark Howitt]

Yes I agree.

However consider this too... a lot of GMs charge about 20 or 30 pounds an hour for coaching. IMs maybe between 10 and 20. That is the market level they set themselves at.

Yet, either for love of the game or economic necessity, they spend a lot of time playing in tournaments where they are only being paid around six or seven pounds an hour for the work they do when travelling time and preperation is taken into account.

Suggests to me that there isn't a massive market for private coaching out there- there's a greater supply of GMs and IMs than people wanting to pay that amount anyway.

[Sean Hewitt]

Mark, you're right if you think in purely economic terms.

However, whilst many titled players make a living from coaching, and a few make a living from playing, some titled players will be playing Hastings for enjoyment! Although any prize money they make would no doubt be welcome.

[Steve Collyer]

Today's big controversy arose in the game Cherniaev-McPhillips. Black won, and then white accused black of having cheated. The complaint was not upheld.

Fritz 11 @ 30 seconds per move
Pentium 4 2.93GHz 1GB RAM
Hash Table 192MB
Database used http://www.chesslive.de

[Event "Hastings Chess Congress"]
[Site "Hastings"]
[Date "2008.12.30"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Cherniaev A"]
[Black "Mcphillips K"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B22"]
[WhiteElo "2438"]
[BlackElo "2222"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "2008.12.30"]
[WhiteTeam "Russia"]
[BlackTeam "Ireland"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "RUS"]
[BlackTeamCountry "IRL"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nc6 5. Nf3 cxd4 6. cxd4 e5 7. Nc3 Bb4 8.
Bd2 Bxc3 9. Bxc3 e4 10. Ne5 Nxe5 11. dxe5 Ne7 12. Qa4+ Bd7 13. Qb4 Qc6 14. Rc1
a5 15. Qd6 {Takes game out of book; Not in top 3} Be6 {Not in top 3} 16. a4 {
Not in top 3} Qxd6 {1st choice} 17. exd6 {1st choice} Nf5 {1st choice} 18. g4 {
Not in top 3} Nxd6 {1st choice} 19. Bxg7 {1st choice} Rg8 {1st choice} 20. Be5
{1st choice} Rc8 {2nd choice} 21. Rxc8+ {1st choice} Nxc8 {1st choice} 22. h3 {
1st choice} Nb6 {2nd choice} 23. Ke2 {2nd choice} Ke7 {1st choice} 24. Bg2 {
3rd choice} f5 {1st choice} 25. Rc1 {1st choice} Rc8 {Not in top 3} 26. Rxc8 {
1st choice} Bxc8 {1st choice} 27. g5 {Not in top 3} Nxa4 {2nd choice} 28. Bd4 {
3rd choice} b6 {3rd choice} 29. Ke3 {3rd choice} Nc5 {Not in top 3} 30. Bxc5+ {
3rd choice} bxc5 {1st choice} 31. Bf1 {Not in top 3} Be6 {2nd choice} 32. h4 {
Not in top 3} Kd6 {1st choice} 33. Kf4 {Not in top 3} c4 {1st choice} 34. h5 {
3rd choice} c3 {1st choice} 35. bxc3 {1st choice} a4 {1st choice} 36. g6 {
2nd choice} h6 {1st choice} 0-1

Result:
White: Cherniaev A
Top 1 Match: 8/22 (36,4% )
Top 2 Match: 10/22 (45,5% )
Top 3 Match: 15/22 (68,2% )

Black: Mcphillips K
Top 1 Match: 14/22 (63,6% )
Top 2 Match: 18/22 (81,8% )
Top 3 Match: 19/22 (86,4% )