Raymondo

[Ola Winfridsson]

First of all, I most humbly beg Leonard Barden's pardon for wrongly attributing the success of the Grand Prix series to RK (I seem to remember having read that somewhere).

Geoff: Of course my comparison with AH wasn't seriously intended in any way! I was just trying to say, by way of an example, that perhaps it's not particularly wise to indulge a rogue for too long. I don't know about you, but I see a clear pattern in RK's career and the fact that some of those who've consorted with him over the years may only have had themselves to blame, and consequently received their just deserts (a view that's been put forward a few times in this thread), is actually entirely beside the point.

Look at Fide; for nearly 30 years it's been plagued by corrupt officials at the very top, first Campomanes and then Ilyumzhinov (under whom it seems to have gotten even worse), neither of whom are exactly shining examples of rectitude. The whiff of scandal has tainted also Danish and Swedish chess circles within the last decade. It makes you wonder whether the chess world gets the people in charge it deserves.

Boxing used to be the laughing stock for having about eight world federations simultaneously and as many world champions in each weight class. There's actually a lot to be said for dull, but reasonably correct officials, and I think we can all agree that chess world gained a lot more in popularity (and a heightened status, better prize money and conditions etc) from Bobby Fischer's "antics" (for want of a better word) and Kasparov's flamboyant personality (not to mention his fantastic chess) than it did from the shambles of the dual World Championship cycle in the last 16 years, or the ludicruous new time controls introduced by Fide in the last 10 years.

[Ben Purton]

"And Ian Rogers is Australian, they speak funny, so you can see there was bound to
be a misunderstanding about payments there."


Rogers sounds quite normal, this is not ordering a Kebab in Glasgow my man!

[Ben Purton]

First of all, I most humbly beg Leonard Barden's pardon for wrongly attributing the success of the Grand Prix series to RK (I seem to remember having read that somewhere).

Geoff: Of course my comparison with AH wasn't seriously intended in any way! I was just trying to say, by way of an example, that perhaps it's not particularly wise to indulge a rogue for too long. I don't know about you, but I see a clear pattern in RK's career and the fact that some of those who've consorted with him have only get themselves to blame, and consequently received their just deserts (a view that's been put forward a few times in this thread), is actually entirely beside the point.

Look at Fide; for nearly 30 years it's been plagued by corrupt officials at the very top, first Campomanes and then Ilyumzhinov (under whom it seems to have gotten even worse), neither of whom are exactly shining examples of rectitude. The whiff of scandal has tainted also Danish and Swedish chess circles within the last decade. It makes you wonder whether the chess world gets the people in charge it deserves.

The boxing world used to be the laughing stock for having about eight world federations simultaneously and as many world champions in each weight class. There's actually a lot to be said for dull, but reasonably correct officials, and I think we can all agree that chess world gained a lot more in popularity (and a heightened status, better prize money and conditions etc) from Bobby Fischer's "antics" (for want of a better word) and Kasparov's flamboyant personality (not to mention his fantastic chess) than it did from the shambles of the dual World Championship cycle in the last 16 years, or the ludicruous new time controls introduced by Fide in the last 10 years.

Fairs to trying to defend the AH claim. To quote the Eagles Coach.

"He's got balls of steel, heart of a lion and the brain of a Dolphin"

Can we seriously try and prove a corrolation between Chess oganisation of any scale and the third riech

Ben

[Richard James]

Not to mention Tarquin Fintimlinbinwhinbimlin Bus Stop F'Tang F'Tang Ole Biscuit Barrel, of course

Strange you should mention Tarquin. His son is a currently active junior chess player.

[Ola Winfridsson]

Can we seriously try and prove a corrolation between Chess oganisation of any scale and the third riech

Hehe, well, there's no denying that the current Fide president is considered by many to be a dictator, and there are claims that he's ordered contract killings of journalists.

And I believe vote rigging or the buying of votes was proved at the last Fide presidential election at the Olympiad in Turin 2006.

[Ben Purton]

Claims yes, but maybe in the same way people claimed Ray Lewis killed 2 people outside a nightclub. OJ his wife etc.

In all seriousness. Dictator maybe.....in terms of the word. But Dictator of chess federation is hardly a country nor superpower . So really....

[Carl Hibbard]

It is now time to bring this particular thread to a close and move onto something new please

[Geoff Chandler]

It is now time to bring this particular thread to a close and move onto something new please

OK. I've had my fun on this one and anyway it appears the other lads have
run out of villians to compare RK with.

I love a good tactial stramash in a game of chess and I love (even more thses days)
a good rumble in the forums.

(I'm never serious. On the occassions I am I usually sign off with 'Geoff.')

Where to now?
Off to the grading section and tell them over 2000 players DO NOT get extra pieces
so get a life and stop worrying about grades.

Or to that Amercian site where the soundness of The Latvian is being questioned?

Then of course there is that site where some guy is claiming Anand is better than Fischer.

Hmmmmmm.... you know it's like giving a simultaneous display and I'm setting
traps on every board. (Notice board!).

OK. Off to see that Anand fan. Anand has a 6 move loss in his locker, I'll bring that up.

Chins Up.

Geoff

[Carl Hibbard]

I think we are pushing our luck on the slander front and so it's time to bring this to a close

[Kevin Thurlow]

"I think we are pushing our luck on the slander front and so it's time to bring this to a close"

No, "slander" is spoken - "libel" is written, but you are right about the "pushing the luck" bit.

[Paul McKeown]

What horrible background music.

It's lucky you only caught horrible music off one of Spam Sloan's websites (there might be an 'h' missing from that word)....