We're goin' to Vegas!!!

[Steven DuCharme]

Kudos to Wesley So on his conquest of the Millionaire Chess Open

[Stewart Reuben]

I expect Wesley will also be pleased with the money. He intends to change federations to the USA. We discussed this when we met by accident in Tromso.

[Roger de Coverly]

I expect Wesley will also be pleased with the money. He intends to change federations to the USA.

Isn't there some "FIDE are evil" dispute over this. It might be acceptable that he isn't allowed to play for the USA in team events, but won't he also be banned from playing in any events that are potential world championship qualifiers?

The same would apply to Caruana if he were to decide he was more American than Italian and the Italian Federation decided not to let him have a transfer.

Kasparov's acquired mate Leong is now out of the picture for the time being. Isn't it a chance for FIDE to wind back some or all of his more pernicious measures?

[Stewart Reuben]

There is a fee if a player wishes to change federations and the current federation does not agree. The higher the rating, the higher the fee. The concept is fair enough. FIDE don't want people changing federations on a whim. The problem is the scale.

We have that Singapore IM youngster Rodriguez who now lives in England. He won't be selected for Singapore as they have rigid rules about residency. It can't be right that they stand in his way. But I don't know that they are doing so.

The FIDE PB did not have to agree to proposals made by Leong.

I have been appointed by the Qualification Commission (although no longer a member of the QC) as a member of an Action Group concerning this matter of transfers. My interest was whetted by the So and Rodriguez cases. I doubt anything will happen soon.

[Roger de Coverly]

FIDE don't want people changing federations on a whim. The problem is the scale.

Rights to play in qualifiers for the World Championship should be independent of the approval or otherwise of national Federations. It was a precedent set by Euwe over Korchnoi. Why cannot this be honoured?

[Richard Bates]

There is a fee if a player wishes to change federations and the current federation does not agree. The higher the rating, the higher the fee. The concept is fair enough. FIDE don't want people changing federations on a whim. The problem is the scale.

We have that Singapore IM youngster Rodriguez who now lives in England. He won't be selected for Singapore as they have rigid rules about residency. It can't be right that they stand in his way. But I don't know that they are doing so.

The FIDE PB did not have to agree to proposals made by Leong.

I have been appointed by the Qualification Commission (although no longer a member of the QC) as a member of an Action Group concerning this matter of transfers. My interest was whetted by the So and Rodriguez cases. I doubt anything will happen soon.

I assume you mean Fernandez.

[Stewart Reuben]

Indeed yes, Fernandez. Thank you.

[Roger de Coverly]

The FIDE PB did not have to agree to proposals made by Leong.

Unlike physical sports, there are no barriers to playing chess at a respectable level, even at an advanced age. So the question has to be asked of administrators and decision-makers, is that if they are so disinterested that they no longer play or never played, should not they stand down from decision making? It applies to ECF decision making just as much as FIDE. You can validly argue that specialist roles such as being an arbiter or junior organiser don't require continued playing experience.

[Stewart Reuben]

Well, I would naturally go along with that, having gained nearly 50 Rating points in the last 6 months.
I tried to introduce a rule that all new IA had to be above a certan FIDE Rating. Perhaps I chose 1800 or 1600, I don't remember, but it got nowhere.
How did we get here from Vegas?