European Individual Chess Championship 2015 (Jerusalem)

[Chris Rice]

Details of this were announced last week. The tournament runs from February 23 to March 9 and is to be held in Jerusalem. Having major tournament in unsafe places is not a new departure for FIDE or the ECU and at the end of the day I guess its for players to decide whether they want to risk it. However, the focus for the ACP has been on the chess side of it and clearly negotiations have been going on regarding some of the more controversial aspects of modern day chess.

"The cooperation between ACP and new ECU leadership bears first fruit - the highly unpopular Zero Tolerance rule won't be used in the tournament (except for the first round, where some VIP guests are expected) and anti-draw rules, that contradict to the very spirit of the qualifying event are removed. On behalf of the ACP Board, I'd like to thank the ECU for the positive approach, and we are looking forward to further cooperation for a sake of chess. http://www.ecuonline.net/com/news/single/751.html

[NickFaulks]

Where is safe nowadays? At the time of the Tromso Olympiad we were warned of a credible terror threat to Norway, which is a long way from the Arab world.

As to the new rules, Sutovsky will of course want to take the credit, but he was pushing on an open door. Administrators almost everywhere now accept that the old ones are appropriate only in certain special cases, and the challenge is to remove them without loss of face. With a new regime at the ECU, this was never going to be a problem.

[David Sedgwick]

As to the new rules, Sutovsky will of course want to take the credit, but he was pushing on an open door. Administrators almost everywhere now accept that the old ones are appropriate only in certain special cases, and the challenge is to remove them without loss of face. With a new regime at the ECU, this was never going to be a problem.

By the same token, it wouldn't have been a problem for any new regime in FIDE.

[NickFaulks]

You're right, but there's really only the Olympiad left. We shall see the regulations for Baku in due course. With the Leong influence gone, there is reason to be optimistic.

[Stewart Reuben]

Danailov was gung-ho for anti-draw rules, of course, Azmay said he wanted to be more cooperative than has been the case in the past. I realised in June he had learnt to talking the talk, now he seems to be walking the walk. My view that anti-draw rules encourages concocted games may be now getting through.
Zero tolerance on the part of Ignatius was really him sucking up to Kirsan, It was really in his bonnet that this particular buzzing could be heard. It applied neither for the World Youth, nor the World Senior.

Ssfety. Well the event takes place at a hotel. If people are scared, they wouldn't have to roam around at all.

[Rob Thompson]

It will be interesting to see if any players align themselves with the BDS movement regarding Israel and refuse to play. I think it's unlikely, but definitely possible.

[NickFaulks]

Ssfety. Well the event takes place at a hotel. If people are scared, they wouldn't have to roam around at all.

That wouldn't have helped them in Mumbai 2008. Of course, the security there was hopeless, which it will not be in Jerusalem.

[Peter D Williams]

That wouldn't have helped them in Mumbai 2008. Of course, the security there was hopeless, which it will not be in Jerusalem.

Afternoon all.

You never do anything if you kept worrying about what may happen.If your number is up then so be it lets hope i got time left to enjoy Carol corned beef hash tonight

[Mike Truran]

lets hope i got time left to enjoy Carol

[Peter D Williams]

Caral corned beef hash is delicious shame none of you lot will ever taste it

[Gordon Cadden]

Silly me - thinking that Israel was in the Middle East.

[Stewart Reuben]

Gordon >Silly me - thinking that Israel was in the Middle East.<

Israel is in Europe from the standpoint of FIDE and also the European Song Contest. The former is just political expediency.

The website states:
The hotel and its surroundings are well protected. It is located on the west side of
Jerusalem, far away from any conflict areas.

[NickFaulks]

The website states:
The hotel and its surroundings are well protected. It is located on the west side of
Jerusalem, far away from any conflict areas.

Conflict areas are where the terrorists want them to be. "Well protected" is far more important.

[NickFaulks]

By the way, I have no criticism of Anand's play in today's game. It was vital that he got a draw in any way he could, and he did. However, he really must show a bit of spirit tomorrow.

[Chris Rice]

The website states:
The hotel and its surroundings are well protected. It is located on the west side of Jerusalem, far away from any conflict areas.

Not sure I place much faith in the web site given the events that have just unfolded in the last few hours...

The BBC reports "At least four Israelis have been killed and eight injured when two men with a pistol, knives and axes attacked a West Jerusalem synagogue, police say. The attackers - Palestinians from East Jerusalem - were shot dead, police say."