Media comments on chess

[Gordon Morse]

From today's "Observer" (a full page article on the back of the sports section!):

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... ampionship

[NickFaulks]

From today's "Observer" (a full page article on the back of the sports section!):

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... ampionship

Shame it's utter rubbish.

[Stewart Reuben]

Nick. Me thinks thou exaggerates.
After all, Kasparov and Short did play in 1993. There was a great deal of TV coverage. And much of it was boring.

[Nick Grey]

The article is good but I just do not want to pay for it & more of the same.
On the TV coverage yes much of it was boring. But so was day time TV at that time. Setting the Video each day was Ok too.
Also difficult to get it into an hour highlights package.
Which Channel 4 were successful a decade earlier in it's NFL American Football Highlights package.

[Stewart Reuben]

Nick Grey >On the TV coverage yes much of it was boring.<

The problem was they started the programs (there were 3 every playing day) with the first hour of play. They should have started the match one hour earlier. Then the commentators would have had something to talk about for the one hour during the second hour of play.
Also Ray could and should have told them that 1 hour is too long for a chess programme on TV. He said precisely that when we were first approached by Thames TV in 1986.

[Chris Rice]

Ray and Nigel celebrating at Simpson's, Alan Byron's new documentary film, Closing Gambit: 1978 Korchnoi versus Karpov and the Kremlin

[JustinHorton]

Good to see leading cronies Tony and Lorraine were there. Wonder if Nigel will be joining the Brain Trust?

[Stewart Reuben]

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.

[JustinHorton]

Good to see leading cronies Tony and Lorraine were there. Wonder if Nigel will be joining the Brain Trust?

Pop go the weasels

[Chris Rice]

It was a really good evening....

"The highlight of our evening at Simpsons 1828 with the great chess-set collector, Jon Crumiller - drinking a bottle of Madeira that predated the Immortal Game, Anderssen-Kiesieritzky in 1851 "

You can order a bottle of D'Oliveiras 1850 Reserva Verdelho Madeira online for £1195.00, I assume Simpsons charge quite a bit more.

[Stewart Reuben]

THE GRINCH

I saw the trailer for this new film just before Closing Gambit on Sunday. In this cartoon feature film, The Grinch plays chess and cheats by removing a couple of his opponent's pieces in his absence, thus allowing him to deliver mate.

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Stewart,

'The Grinch' is the nickname I gave jokingly gave to Edmar Mednis for his book:
' From the Opening into the Endgame' because he was ruining Chess.

The 'Closing Gambit' DVD is doing the rounds of the Edinburgh Chess Scene and I've heard nothing but praise for it.


Olimpiu Urcan does not seem too fond of it:

"The lack of a coherent voice leading the narrative is especially missed when various inconsistencies
in the interviews required better presentation. At one point, in a discussion about the psychological
trappings of the match, you see Keene claiming that Korchnoi played at his worst when he was angry
and a few moments later you have Stean claiming Korchnoi was playing at his very best when he was angry.

The film’s almost servile reliance on Keene’s story-telling is particularly regrettable. As a leading member of Korchnoi’s team,
he obviously had to be interviewed but he had to be interviewed searchingly. Was the director aware of Korchnoi’s own writings
and unequivocal public statements about Keene’s role and behavior during the match? Or about Keene’s long record of blundering
on multiple levels in terms of public statements or in his writings on historical topics? As it stands, Keene’s nonsense remained
unchallenged. For instance, when he recounted the dramatic 5-5 moment in the match and being approached for a possible termination,
he took time to explain his decision to keep Korchnoi in the dark."


Full review here, though I had to copy and paste into 'Notepad' to read it.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/19860672

Be in London for Game 5. Any tips on how I can sneak in? I intend to spend my ticket money in the Chess & Bridge shop.

[JustinHorton]

Full review here, though I had to copy and paste into 'Notepad' to read it.

This may also be pertinent reading (and this).

[Stewart Reuben]

Geoff Chandler >Be in London for Game 5. Any tips on how I can sneak in? I intend to spend my ticket money in the Chess & Bridge shop.<

You could ask Malcolm Pein to make you his guest! Or masquerade as a VIP.

Why shouldn't Keene offer one viewpoint of Korchnoi's behaviour and Stean another? My solely experience was when I annoyed him, innocently, before the first game of the 1983 match against Kasparov, that was he only game he won.

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Stewart,

I will not buy a ticket, todays game has sealed that so I will spend £80+ in the chess shop.

I'll also buy a single wooden Black Pawn and rush up breathless to the door saying let me in,
They have lost a pawn I am here to replace it.

Or... Kaspersky are the FIDE computer guys so I could use their logo to knock up a really fancy doo-dah
badge and just stroll in under the guise of an IT guy. (I'll wear a Spice Girls tee-shirt to look the part .)

---

Think Caruana is setting Carlsen up for a gambit. Expect to see 6.b4 here

r1bqk1nr/pp1p1pbp/2n3p1/1Bp1p3/1P2P3/5N2/P1PP1PPP/RNBQR1K1 b kq - 0 6

Game 5 is his last White before Carlsen has back to back White's. Time to go for it.