English Chess Forum

Sadler unavailable, I gather.

Chris Rice wrote: ↑

Thu May 17, 2018 7:08 pm

Africa Chess Media interview with Nigel Short. Highlights:

Are you not worried about splitting or fragmenting the votes?

Nigel Short: People who supported Kirsan in the previous election… a lot of them will vote for Kirsan or Makropolous again. I think Makroplous is currently the front runner. Kirsan is finished in my view. In 2014, Kirsan ran against Garry Kasparov, who is a well-known critic of Putin. This enabled Kirsan to garner support totalling millions of dollars. ....

Except that Kirsan will now portray Nigel as standing as Kasparov's stooge, to who knows what effect in Russia.

We all worry about splitting the vote. Probably rightly, though maybe it is not 100% clear. If Short is strong in Africa, and some Asian countries, and he may well be, then he would perhaps be fighting Kirsan's strongholds whilst not really competing with Makro in Europe.

Jonathan Rogers wrote: ↑

Fri May 18, 2018 8:37 am

Are you not worried about splitting or fragmenting the votes?

Don't be. The ultimate result is sadly another foregone conclusion.

Like most people, I prefer to avoid Kevin Spraggett's site. However, amid the pornography there is good chess content, and it is at present featuring an interesting letter from Makro. Here is a direct link. One skill the man has shown over the years is the ability to count votes.

If anyone wishes to place a bet on Kirsan, or even Short, you know when to find me. The Makro market is closed.

NickFaulks wrote: ↑

Fri May 18, 2018 9:32 am

and it is at present featuring an interesting letter from Makro.

One point mentioned is that the IOC may well have views on whether one of its affiliates or recognised bodies should have as President, someone on the US sanctions list. It's not as if the excuse is still there that he's completing a fixed term of office, given that he's actively campaigning for re-election.

FIDE about to be infiltrated by MI6? Interesting board number for Short. Nigel Short

I´d like to see Nigey-Babe as top man!

But, frankly, I don´t fancy his chances of toppling the UFO abductee.

Still, stranger things have happened..

Chris Rice wrote: ↑

Sun May 20, 2018 12:01 am

FIDE about to be infiltrated by MI6? Interesting board number for Short. Nigel Short

Ageing sexist guy?

JustinHorton wrote: ↑

Sun May 20, 2018 7:12 am

Ageing sexist guy?

Sounds fascinating, please supply the url.

NickFaulks wrote: ↑

Sun May 20, 2018 10:37 am

JustinHorton wrote: ↑

Sun May 20, 2018 7:12 am

Ageing sexist guy?

Sounds fascinating, please supply the url.

I think that Justin intended to link to his blog post at http://lostontime.blogspot.co.uk/2018/0 ... dy-of.html.

It doesn't contain much new information.

Thanks for that, now fixed. Never post before breakfast is the lesson here.

The latest in the war of words between Nigel and the FIDE Treasurer.

http://www.fide.com/component/content/a ... etter.html

The Treasurer writes that it is unfair to blame the current FIDE Administration for the financial problems created by the sanctioning of Kirsan. On the contrary those in the current FIDE Administration supported the re-election of Kirsan in 2012 and the two previous elections. The three previous challengers didn't have reputations for doing deals with the USA's enemies and those previously campaigning against them in Kirsan's favour have a considerable degree of responsibility for where FIDE is today.

The ECF Board collectively or individually is keeping its head down, perhaps wisely, as to whether it supports or opposes Nigel's candidacy. At some stage it has to declare its position and for that matter there's going to be an imminent question as to which Federations are nominating Nigel. The Russian Federation came out in favour of Kirsan, but that was subject to the caveat of checking with the Russian government once the rest of Kirsan's team was formally announced.

It's pretty shocking that the FIDE Treasurer is behaving in such a manner. For a start he's a hypocrite to say that Nigel Short is engaging in politicking when on pretty much every line of his letter he is smearing a Presidential candidate.
Also its completely out of order to ask what Nigel Short would have done when clearly he has not been part of the process or privy to seeing the documentation.
Also the Treasurer bangs on about transparency while simultaneously stating that the information concerned is confidential.
The Treasurer's main argument seems to be that there was no time to worry about being compliant with any regulations, he had to act fast in order that funds weren't frozen. That Nigel Short is asking awkward questions is not fair. This is a poor argument, but consistent with FIDE's past actions which have led to this culture of distrust and there should be more people challenging the actions and processes within FIDE to ensure that everything is above board.

"The Treasurer's main argument seems to be that there was no time to worry about being compliant with any regulations,"

Regulators don't like that attitude. I once told somebody that they were breaking chemical safety regulations and the response was, "We would be stupid to obey the regulations, as it would bankrupt the company."

Anyway, FIDE seemed to move the money very late...

Chris Rice wrote: ↑

Tue May 22, 2018 10:42 am

when on pretty much every line of his letter he is smearing a Presidential candidate.

I'm not seeing where you get this from, can you enlarge?

Also Chris, do bear in mind that if you complain about "insulting", other people are liable to recall that Nigel has spent pretty much his whole career insulting, bullying and hectoring people, from FIDE Presidential candidates downwards.

As I remarked above, there's a lot of convenient amnesia in English chess, especially at election time, but it may not be so convenient for everybody else.