Media comments on chess

[Stewart Reuben]

Surely, had the USSR contemplated murdering Korchnoi, they would have done so BEFORE he became a serious threat in the 1978 match.

Possibly Campo was paid by the USSR and they did this by making him an agent.

Harry Golombek told me he was conversing with somebody. The man kept on saying of one person after another, 'of course he is an agent'. Harry surmised that perhaps everybody was an agent.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Surely, had the USSR contemplated murdering Korchnoi, they would have done so BEFORE he became a serious threat in the 1978 match."

I did wonder, perhaps they thought he wasn't a threat? It has been suggested that Leonid Stein was removed as he wanted to emigrate, but then Korchnoi and Gulko were a bigger nuisance and made it eventually.

[JustinHorton]

It has been suggested that Leonid Stein was removed

Uh huh

[David Robertson]

Until two months ago the word “coronavirus” had appeared in the Guardian just 22 times in 20 years, almost exclusively in stories by those covering health and science in the context of Sars or similar contagions. Last Friday alone, my quick review of reporting across web and print found that more than 90 Guardian journalists wrote in some way about the new coronavirus. Reflecting the impact of Covid-19, coverage went right across specialisms, including politics, business, sport, transport, culture, education and food. It even reached the chess column

[Nick Grey]

Only read the chess column. Guardian journalism in education is about 20 times worse in 20 years in my opinion.

[Matt Mackenzie]

"Surely, had the USSR contemplated murdering Korchnoi, they would have done so BEFORE he became a serious threat in the 1978 match."

I did wonder, perhaps they thought he wasn't a threat? It has been suggested that Leonid Stein was removed as he wanted to emigrate, but then Korchnoi and Gulko were a bigger nuisance and made it eventually.

That looks like the sort of baloney "rumour" the likes of Lev "nuke the USSR" Alburt was fond of back in the day.

Its fairly common knowledge that Stein died of a heart attack, and strongly rumoured it was after sex with a prostitute - which is more plausible as an explanation for any official cover-up than the above flight of fancy.

[Stewart Reuben]

Matt >That looks like the sort of baloney "rumour" the likes of Lev "nuke the USSR" Alburt was fond of back in the day.

I took Lev Alburt, Gennadi Sosonko and others to see 'Chess, the Musical' in 1986. They were scathing about the plot line that anybody would return to the Soviet Union having left.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"That looks like the sort of baloney "rumour" the likes of Lev "nuke the USSR" Alburt was fond of back in the day.

Its fairly common knowledge that Stein died of a heart attack, and strongly rumoured it was after sex with a prostitute - which is more plausible as an explanation for any official cover-up than the above flight of fancy."

The "sex with a prostitute" if anything sounds exactly like a cover-story, to blacken his name. I will leave other forumites to decide if sex with a prostitute is particularly hazardous to the heart. However, he died at 38 which was certainly fatal heart attack territory in those days and he smoked heavily. See below:-

See https://ruchess.ru/en/persons_of_day/le ... &bxajaxid=

If he took more than 30 seconds for one drag on a cigarette, that wouldn't do him a lot of good.

[Matt Mackenzie]

People dying in the aftermath of coitus is not unknown - there are several well attested cases including some famous people.

[Stewart Reuben]

Ken and Barbie-like Models of Top Chess Players Created to Avoid Putting Them at Risk
Moscow, Russia - March 17, 2020 — One of the most important events in chess starts today in Russia. 8 players from the US, China, France, Russia, and the Netherlands convene for a three-week chess marathon to determine who will challenge the incumbent World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen. The only thing — the tournament takes place amid the unprecedented coronavirus scare in the country where all international sporting events are put on hold.
World Chess, a media company and an official partner of FIDE, the chess governing body, developed an innovative way to supplement the event’s coverage without putting the players at risk: Ken and Barbie-like models of the players are prepared and will be available for photography and filming while the players can be safe during the event.

5-inch players’ replicas, wearing suits as ties as per FIDE regulations, sitting at the chess tables, can be photographed shaking opponents hands, while the real players will avoid doing that based on the recent health advisory.

“Unlike in boxing or tennis, in chess players have not been historically docile to pose for photos, especially after losing an important game,” explains Ilya Mereznon, World Chess CEO, “Now, with the coronavirus and stress, they will probably avoid appearing in public. Having organized numerous tournaments and aware of this, World Chess will supplement the event’s coverage with photos of 5-inch replicas of the players, so the media and organizers can have more assets for the event’s coverage”

Images will be available for all media and chess fans alike to use with Creative Commons license:https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ehsa8fuog3sn ... ezjPa?dl=0

READ THE ARTICLE

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Ken and Barbie-like Models of Top Chess Players Created to Avoid Putting Them at Risk"

I don't think we have a "Barbie" playing? Mattel are notorious for taking legal action against anyone they feel is infringing their copyright, or cheapening their image (yes really), so this could be interesting...

[Roland Kensdale]

Richard Ratcliffe using chess metaphors to describe his wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's imprisonment in Iran.

Jan 2020 "being used as a chess piece" ( https://www.itv.com/news/2020-01-23/naz ... s-johnson/ ).

Today: "new drawn-out game of chess” ( https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/n ... 89911.html ) following her release to house arrest.

I hope she is eventually allowed home.

BBC's Norman Smith 2 days ago discussing over 70's self isolation, sounded as if he said they should avoid 'Chess rooms'. Perhaps also Bridge parlours and Billiards halls.

[Kevin Thurlow]

I was thinking chess playing might diminish at the end of the current crisis, but now it seems more people are playing...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/rugby-league/51928412

[JustinHorton]

There was an advert on TV last night for Multicentrum Plus multivitamin pills that appeared at the end to show happy and healthy people playing chess.

[Stewart Reuben]

Ad in today's Daily Telegraph, about 1/3 page.
Franklin Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust

Picture of a small Child playing chess on a correCtly configured board. He has played 1 d4. It is a robot's hand you see about to respond.