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robin moore · King Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 164

Is it tomato?

Alex McFarlane · King Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 413

Round 3
For a city with a population of 1.2 million the streets are quite bereft of people. Kazan is trying to make itself the sports capital of Russia and in Russia sport includes chess.
The student games in 2013, the Olympiade, is going to have chess as one of the sports and the city is also bidding to host the 2018 Olympiad. With a bit of luck I might even get the chance to return here.
Having at least one play-off on Monday seems a near certainty following today’s results. If all four games go to tiebreak we will have an interesting situation. The regulations state that the arbiter will record the moves during the tiebreak and that the player is allowed to see the arbiter’s scoresheet if considering claiming a draw by repetition or by the 50 move rule. Now as any schoolboy will tell you 4 into 3 doesn’t go! We arbiters may have to draw lots to see who attempts to record two games simultaneously!!!! Any play-offs will start at the usual time (Noon BST).
I thought I was going to witness a punch-up between two spectators today. When a game finishes it is normal for a significant number of spectators to move into the press room to hear the interviews which follow immediately after a game is concluded. One such spectator, in the view of another, was taking too long in gathering his stuff and thereby blocking his view of the screen showing the current positions. He was told this quite audibly, certainly loudly enough to attract my attention. The first spectator then decided to go to the other and presumably tell him what he thought. Fortunately, the seated fan remained so but unfortunately continued to express his annoyance before I finally halted his tirade. Presumably because it was a Saturday there were more spectators than usual. Certainly at one point the 160 odd seats were full with people standing or kneeling at the sides.

Alex McFarlane · King Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 413

Well only two play-offs to cope with tomorrow. The format is 4 games at 25 minutes with 10 second increments. If still tied then we have a match of 2 games at 5minutes plus 3 seconds per move. Five such matches are possible. If we are stilled tied after this then we have an Armageddon where White has 5 minutes and Black 4 with 3 second increments only from move 61. Black will qulify in the event of a draw.

It is interesting to see how the players act during a game. The playing hall from the players point of view has two adjacent doors leading off. One leads to a corridor which has toilet facilities, a nurses room and a smoking room (only one of the 8 players actually smokes) leading off. The other door leads to the players’ lounge. Off the 8 only Topalov remains at his board whilst the opponent is on the move. On the few occasions when he does get up he usually remains on the stage either watching the other games or doing some stretching exercise. Gelfand on the other hand spends much of his opponent’s time pacing around in the players’ lounge. Earlier today I was in the lounge having some nibbles (I had again missed lunch) watching Aronian, Kramnik and Gelfand all parading around the room making elaborate patterns around the furniture and each other. It is possibly the first time I have ever seen synchronised walking. Inside the lounge we have food and drink at one end and a huge screen displaying the four games at the other. When a player realises from the screen that the opponent has moved they rapidly return to their board.

Gelfand also likes to juggle with a piece. He spins it in his hand with considerable dexterity. It normally starts with the spare queen which is available but thereafter bishops or pawns are used as they are captured. This is done in view of everyone if the opponent is absent, but under the table if the opponent is there. Invariably, the piece is returned to the pile and a move played within seconds. It will be interesting to see how the behaviour varies in the tie-breaks.

I had hoped to mention something about the doping tests but as these are still on-going I will wait a bit longer other than to assure people that my duties end when I escort the player to the testing room. I take no part in the actual collection of samples. There is, what I assume to be, a doctor and male nurse present.

Alex McFarlane · King Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 413

Clock Failure
I believe there will be a press release tomorrow from the Chief Arbiter about the clock incident. That should clarify the situation. It would therefore not be correct for me to say anything until that time other than that I was very glad I was in charge of the other game!!! According to Jonathan Hawkins Facebook I was observed to request Kramnik to keep quiet during the incident. Does that sound like me?

Doping Tests
The reason for having doping tests in chess has more to do with getting chess into the Olympics than anything else. With very few exceptions there are no drugs which will give benefits to chess players without doing short to medium term severe damage.

There are two categories of test, in competition and out of competition. The latter seems to apply to anyone who has not started a game within 24 hours of the test time nor will play a game within the same period after. By this definition even players who qualified for the next round can be tested on Monday afternoon under the out of competition category. Confused, I am. Fortunately Dr Jana Bellin the chair of FIDE’s Medical Commission knows the rules backwards.

The doping tests are arranged to cause minimum disruption. For this reason it was agreed that anyone involved in play-offs would not be tested on Sunday. So for each of the four games we were given, by Jana, a list of 3 possible outcomes depending on the result of the match. We were also given a quota for each type of testing just to complicate things further. This meant that the players to be tested and the category of test would be dependent on the order of finishing. Some of the players had recently been tested on a number of occasions and this was also factored into the equation.

The first two games were drawn so there was to be no immediate action on those players. The other two games did result in three people being asked to give tests under the two categories.

I had to stay with a GM who was to be tested during the press interview which follows every game. There were also a huge number of autographs to be signed. Whilst not as popular as the players even I have been asked on a few occasions to sign my name, though most of those have been on the restaurant receipts. Following the interview I had to then escort him to the medical room where, much to my relief, my duties ended. I believe that the players then had 30 minutes to supply the necessary.

The situation was simplified today as just before the start of play we were given forms to give to two nominated players at the conclusion of their games.

sigrun · King Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 307 Location: Europa

In rd 3 did Mamedyarov lose on time or did he give in? He was only 1 move before the time control, said Dan King
_________________
''All murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.'' Voltaire

Alex McFarlane · King Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 413

Play-offs
What a day. I can only imagine how much stress the players were under. The arbiters too were feeling the pressure before the start of the play-offs. I found myself checking that I could reset a DGT XL, even though I have done it hundreds of times before.
A quick meeting before play and it was agreed that the penalty for starting an opponent’s clock before replacing a displaced piece would be one minute. A third offence would result in the loss of the game. The rules already stated that a third incorrect claim of a draw would result in a loss also. The Rules also stated that the arbiters should record the moves and this was to be available to the players to enable draw claims.
I was allocated the Aronian-Grischuk game with Franca Dapiran doing Kramnik-Radjabov and Chief Arbiter Ignatius Leong ‘floating’. As things transpired, I got the easy option.
Before the start of play a technician came up to us to inform us that the Kramnik-Radjabov clock was not showing up with the electronic display. This often happens when the batteries are weak but not so weak as to give a warning sign. The clock was replaced.
The Rapidplay session duly commenced at 3pm local time. After some discussion it was agreed that we would give 15 minutes between games but would not wait to start both simultaneously as that could cause a large delay and there was anyway the prospect of a very long day – 4 Rapidplay, 10 Blitz and an Armageddon. My first game lasted longer than the other so my second started 10 minutes after the K-R one. However, they finished games 2, 3 and 4 whilst I was still on game three.
It was decided to start my game 4 at the same time as the Blitz game of the other competitors.
As I am watching this game I hear a bleep from the other clock as you do when it is being reset. I looked round to see both players indicating the clock which was showing 00 and the other two arbiters moving swiftly towards the incident. (Whilst we were close to the ‘action’ we were a bit further back than normally would be the case when recording to allow more access for the film crews.)
It was immediately decided that the game should continue with a replacement clock set at the times which could be found either from the footage taken or from the display of the games. Obviously, there was some disturbance though not excessive under the circumstances. It was certainly enough for me to consider halting my game, but not enough for me actually to do so. There was a bit of a dispute with one player saying the game should be annulled and the other wanting to play on. A slight delay followed whilst the Rules were consulted to confirm that they did not cover the situation.
“They discuss the situation, while arbiter Alex McFarlane admonishes them to keep it down”
That is the caption underneath a picture on the Chessbase Website. Eventually, everything was sorted and the games continued using a third clock. I am not sure, but I believe part of the delay in restarting was to allow the players to compose themselves.
As my match finished first I then had to escort one of the players to the press interview and then for a doping test. I returned from that in time to watch the last blitz game and then repeat the doping performance with one of those players.
All in all a very busy day. One which I enjoyed but one that I hope will not be repeated. I hate to think what the situation would have been like if we had had three matches going to tiebreak.

Siegrun, with regard to the round 3 game. It is difficult to tell sometimes if a resignation took place or if the clock was allowed to fall. I think this one was more of a resignation than a loss on time, though the clock faced a part in the final decision.

admin · Site Admin Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Posts: 1386

admin · Site Admin Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Posts: 1386

Now where have we seen this one before....

http://www.chessbase.com/news/2011/kazan/kazan01-18e.jpg

Alex McFarlane · King Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 413

The Rest Days

I don’t know about the players but after the drama of the play-offs I needed some ‘recharge the batteries’ time.

I found this grave in the cemetery a few hundred metres from the venue. КЕЖМЕТДИНОВ ВАШИТ ГИБЯТОВИЧ, I believe to be Rashid Nezhmetdinov who won the Soviet Chess Championship 5 times from 1949. FIDE awarded him the IM title, but never the GM. It is impossible to believe nowadays that someone who wins the Russian title 5 times would not be a Grandmaster. But things were different then. He was born on 15 December 1912 and died on 3rd June 1974.

At times like these I wish I could read Russian enough to pronounce the words. It would also help when shopping. Few shops have any windows, the bigger ones do have screens up which indicate what they are, but in most cases I’m waiting for an open door to see in!!

At least one of the eliminated players is wondering how he will pass his time until the prizegiving. All the players are expected to attend the closing ceremony.
At least we have pleasant surroundings and there are some trips organised.

Hopefully the final will be decided in the 6 classic games and will not require a play-off.

AMcHarg · Posted: Wed May 11, 2011 3:32 pm Post subject:

Who do you think is gonna win!? Very Happy

Alex McFarlane · King Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 413

The Semi finals Day 1

Play resumes after the 2 day rest period, well 2 days for one pair of semi-finalists and 3 for the other. Hopefully we will see a bit more fighting chess. I won't predict a winner.

Yesterday, being a rest day I spent the afternoon looking for a bar that was (a) open and (b) not playing loud ‘music’. I failed in my task and ended up buying a beer from a stall. On my constitutional this morning, of course, I came across 5 bars meeting my requirements.

Investigating the grave I found (picture on TWIC). КЕЖМЕТДИНОВ ВАШИТ ГИБЯТОВИЧ, translates to be Rashid Gibiatovich Nezhmetdinov who won the Soviet Chess Championship 5 times from 1949. Orphaned at a young age he moved from Aktubinsk in Kazakhstan to Kazan. FIDE awarded him the IM title in 1954 for his second place finish to Korchnoi in Bucharest. But he was never to become a GM. It is impossible to believe nowadays that someone who wins the Russian title 5 times would not be a Grandmaster. But things were different then. Indeed the Bucharest tournament referred to above was the only time he was allowed to compete outside the Soviet Union.
He also served as a Second to Tal in his World Championship matches against Botvinnik. The Kazan Chess School is named after him. I may try to find this school. He was born on 15 December 1912 and died on 3rd June 1974.

I certainly seem to be getting my 15 minutes of fame. Thanks to Dave Hewitt’s Caledonian Mercury pieces I have now featured in the Susan Polgar Blog and ChessCafe have now linked to the Cal Merc stories on two occasions. I shall not let fame change me. I’ll still be as unpleasant and grumpy as ever.

AMcHarg · Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 9:30 am Post subject:

Alex McFarlane · King Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 413

Probable pop - definitely loud!! Local radio station I think.

Mixture of Russian and American (I assume from the accents). Only pop I like is Irn Bru which I have seen on sale here.

Had it been traditional music I may have tolerated it.

Alex McFarlane · King Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 413

The Semi finals Day 1 (part 2)

Did I say play resumed? It looks almost as if the players had another rest day. Just over 4 hours play in total. Kramnik used less than 11 minutes. Hopefully with the White pieces he will have more of a go in the next game. Having been generally regarded as fortuitous to have survived the previous round going for four draws would seem a perilous strategy for him to adopt.

The players all seem focused. Of the original 8 only Aronian regularly entered with a smile and said hello to the officials. Gelfand is the next most friendly. He goes straight to his board however and only then smiles a greeting as he leaves the stage on the first of his perambulations. The others are, understandably, more concerned about the chess than social graces.

Fortunately everything ran smoothly (well there wasn’t really time for much to go wrong!). Today being Friday 13th, for those superstitiously inclined, may be a total disaster.

Having visited a cemetery on Wednesday, I encountered the start of a funeral the following day. The open casket was led down the street by a couple of clerics and placed into the back of a minibus/taxi. A canvas like shaped lid was then put in place. Not wishing to intrude further on the families grief I backed away.

I’ve been investigating the Chess School further and it turns out that the Principal has been a regular visitor to the Matches. We may be able to meet and discuss how the school works. I believe they are coached by GM Andrey Kharlov currently rated 2532 but who peaked at 2628.

Alex McFarlane · King Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 413

Semi Final Round 2

Still both games drawn in round 2 of the semi-finals but at least we had some fighting chess.

The filming of the Candidates matches has been given some favourable comments. There are 4 cameras and three cameramen used and these continue to be used even though we are down to 2 boards. There is also a director deciding what shots are used and when. It has been said that the cameras are a bit invasive and certainly the players have, from time to time, noticed the position of a camera being changed. Whilst the cameras have encroached onto the stage periodically they are certainly not in the players faces and are probably never any closer than 2 metres away.

The camera crew were a bit bored today when both Grischuk and Kamsky were giving considerable thought to a move. Gata made his move and stood up. All three immediately shot into action to follow his movement across the stage. From what I can gather one of those filming is definitely interested in the chess, a second may be. The third seems bored out of his skull.

The going rate in Britain for a cameraman is £1425 for a 50 hour week. Therefore to have a three person crew cover an event like the British Championship would cost almost £8.5k and that is without a director/editor so you are probably talking about £12,000 and that is assuming you don’t have to cover their accommodation costs as well. Perhaps the London Classic is the only event in Britain that could consider this level of filming.

And here’s one for the lawyers. From the regulations 3.6 Conditions of Victory

3.6.1 Each match of the first or second round shall consist of four games and the winner of a match shall be the first player to score 2.5 points or more.
3.7 goes on to explain what to do if the scores are tied after 4 games.

But let us take a hypothetical situation where one player is leading 2-1 going into the last game. Both players are late in arriving and are defaulted. So the final score of the match is 2-1. Neither player has managed the magical 2½ and the match is not tied so no play-offs and neither player apparently qualifies. Does this mean the winner of the other semi-final would automatically qualify to play against Anand?