Media comments on chess

[Stewart Reuben]

Referring to Stuart's tweet about chess being played with pieces made of ice.
Some years ago Nigel Short played and exhibition game against Anatoly Karpov. Nigel in London in Trafalgar Square. Tolya in Moscow.
The pieces in both locations were made of ice.
Even in London they lasted long enugh for the game.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

A BBC Magazine article on chess by ECF President Dominic Lawson:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-32542306

'Has chess got anything to do with war?'

Well worth reading, from what I can tell with a quick skim through.

And at the bottom, a link to an earlier article on chess and computers:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25032298

'The unwinnable game'

[PeterTurland]

Ssh

[Stewart Reuben]

From Saturday's Times Magazine. Hugo Rifkind providing humorous manifestoes according to the party leaders. This is extracted from that for Ed Miliband.
...The fact is, friends, I always knew that elections made me attractive. Why, I remember my triumphant campaign to become treasurer of the Haverstock Comprehensive Combined Chess and Computer Club in 1986. I don't mean to boast, friends, but it certainly made girls in very think glasses look at me differently. ...

[Stewart Reuben]

I have just viewed, at home, "The Polgar's Variant" a 70 minute documentar by Yossi Avir of Israel. It was probably the premier in the U K!

It covers the life of the Polgar family members up to the point just before Judit retired. I received a copy because I provided some video matrial. It is in Hebrew with English subtitles. I hadn't realised that the grandfather had survived Auschwitz and was still alive. Naturally much of the material has been well-documented. I thnk it was excellent and will try to get permission to show it at the British Chess Championships. The father, Laszlo' theory about raising children to be geniuses is interesting. The matter of their being home-schooled will also interest parents and children alike.

[Ian Thompson]

I don't think anyone's mentioned this BBC World Service interview with Judit Polgar before, even though it was broadcast about 3 weeks ago.

[JustinHorton]

I don't think anyone's mentioned this BBC World Service interview with Judit Polgar before,

They did

[Ian Kingston]

BBC report on 11-year-old Carissa Yip, 'youngest US chess master': http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-32618139.

A quick check shows that her USCF rating is 2215. USCF Master is 2200+, so the description of her as a 'master' is accurate. Her FIDE rating is 1951, but that's probably lagging behind her true strength.

[John Upham]

We have

Nathan can't decide whether to pursue a singing career or become a professional chess player. As other children head outside to play at break time, he pulls out the chess set to play against his teacher. It helps stop him "getting too giddy", he explains.

from

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-32533055

I'm sure that the BBC reporter is aware that a professional chess player is one of many standard options available from the school careers office.

[LawrenceCooper]

Matt Lunn is currently on Pointless on BBC1.

[Jonathan Bryant]

Matt Lunn is currently on Pointless on BBC1.

He looks much younger on the telly than he does in real life.

[Brian Towers]

Kevin Pietersen is the Bobby Fischer of the cricket world according to the Guardian - http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/m ... e-the-spin.

In 2001, after nine years spent hiding from public view, the great Bobby Fischer began to play internet chess. At least we think he did. No one can be certain, because the player many reckoned to be Fischer was using a pseudonym. The British grandmaster Nigel Short said he was “99% sure” that he had played, and lost to, Fischer. “My unseen opponent began with some highly irregular, if not totally absurd, opening moves,” Short said. “From this deliberately unpromising position emerged moves of extraordinary power.” Fischer was a man blessed with such unique, imaginative and powerful talent that his opponents knew him by his style of play alone.
...
It could only be Pietersen. They say the issue was never with his talent. They’ve likely forgotten how extraordinary, how immense, his talent is. It has, after all, been a long while since we’ve seen him play like this. And if it comes down to attitude, you could rightly ask whether it says more about theirs or his that he is not in the team.

[Chris Rice]

From Chessdom:

6-year-old girl checkmates GM Simen Agdestein May 17, 2015

The Norwegian GM Simen Agdestein (2620) was forced to resign in a game against a 6-year-old girl.

The young Like-Merlo Heliesen was named by her parents after the famous sort of grape used for one of the best kinds of red wine in the world. Anyhow, Like-Merlo proved to be more than gifted for chess, defeating the experienced Grandmaster who is a seven-time Norwegian chess champion for men.

According to the Norwegian website The Local, Like-Merlo checkmated GM Simen Agdestein, while he was delivering a simultaneous exhibition to nine girls. Agdestein is ranked 171st in the World’s FIDE ranking, with current Elo rating of 2620.

She plays excellently and she is much better than Magnus Carlsen at her age – said Agdestein, who has been training the reigning World champion Carlsen.

http://www.chessdom.com/6-year-old-girl ... agdestein/

[Clive Blackburn]

From Chessdom:

6-year-old girl checkmates GM Simen Agdestein May 17, 2015

More on that story on the Telegraph website, including a video of the moment she won:-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... champ.html

Agdestein says that she is stronger than Carlsen was at the same age.

[PeterTurland]

If she is that good, it could give chess a tremendous boost, because it would inspire more women to learn to play and they would teach their sons.

Regards Peter.

http://dollyknot.com/chess.html