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

Well I'm now back in Britain with my final diary.

I think the following brings you up to date on everything.

Semi Final Round 4
I woke up this morning to discover that markings had been painted on the road outside the hotel. They even have a bus lane. Now all that is required is to explain to drivers that they are supposed to do the majority of their journey between two sets of dotted lines. (Subsequently all of the major roads now have lane markings)
The Grischuk Kramnik game was a fair old tussle. Kamsky’s preparation seemed to have been enough to take that match into the play-offs as well.
Looks like being a long day tomorrow.

Semi Final Play-offs. (Mon 16th May)
I had an interesting conversation with Chief Arbiter Ignatius Leong before the start of today’s matches. There can be no doubt that there have been a lot of drawn games. Much has been made of the fact that with only 4 games then a mistake is fatal not just for the game but for the match. Another contributing factor is the computer which has meant that openings are analysed to a far greater degree than was possible before (the 1000 monkeys producing the works of Shakespeare scenario).
Fischer Random is obviously a way round that but it is really a different game. Ignatius was suggesting changing the scoring system to 1 point for turning up and a further two points if you win. His feelings were that this would induce a more attack minded culture as lose or draw you would get the same score but a win would be well rewarded. Obviously this would not have any effect on match play but would in Swiss tournaments. He was also advocating that some of the Laws of Chinese chess should be adopted, for example no draw by repetition and you could not give check with the same piece three moves in a row. Elsewhere a suggestion that pieces should be allowed to capture en passant was also advocated.
In a reference back to Scotland, Ignatius’ favourite game is his Olympiad win against Jonathan Grant.
I was lucky enough to get the Gelfand v Kamsky games to arbit. Manually recording blitz games is fun!! However, regardless of personal preference for one player over another (if any existed), as soon as a player goes one up in the Rapidplay games there is a feeling that you want that player to win if for no other reason than it may save you embarrassingly making a mess of recording the blitz. Remember the player may need my scoresheet when considering making a draw claim. Ignoring that purely selfish attitude it is better for chess to have decisive games in the Classic play sessions and only if needs be occasionally move on to the Rapidplays. There is certainly a strong feeling that deciding such important matters on Blitz games is not good for the image of chess. That feeling is coming through strong and clear from many quarters.

Rest Days 3 and 4
I don’t know about the surviving players but I was nowhere near as tired on Rest Day 3 as I had been on Rest Day 1.
Decided that I should buy some presents. I HATE shopping when I have no idea what I want to buy. So I went to some local markets hoping to find appealing local products. Brilliant if I wanted food, a new bathroom, clothes or even toys. In desperation I tried the largest mall. 5 floors - although one of them was a cinema with associated fast food outlets and a shop selling movie associated products. On entering, the first outlet I saw was a Hallmark. It didn’t improve much thereafter. Arrgh!
My search for something that conveyed Russia but wasn’t touristy trash was unsuccessful. I guess I’ll need to buy everyone a bottle of vodka, though how that will go with the parents of a 14 year old I hate to think. The parents of the 20 month old will probably welcome it with open mouths.
Talking of shops, there must be hundreds of kiosks. Every street seems to have at least two and on main streets they are every 20 metres or so. The majority of these sell magazines, cigarettes, soft drinks and beer. Some additionally sell toys and a surprising number cat food. A fair number of these are open 24 hours. There are also a surprising number of kiosks which sell vases, flower pots, plastic flowers and bedding plants. Even some of those are 24 hour. Now whilst I can understand someone wanting a drink or a cigarette at 3 in the morning I fail to anticipate any great demand for a bunch of plastic dahlias at that time.
Not too surprisingly having witnessed the standard of driving there are also a significant number of 24 hour car mechanics.
The English language station I sometimes tune into seems to have changed to a Russian one and it’s showing – Big Brother! Now if ever there was an argument against capitalism. The Russians obviously have no advertising standards authority. I’ve been watching an advert that says if you take this product called Magnesium Zinc Calcium you will grow tremendously. To back it up you have lots of people with white lab coats and images of the same person standing next to himself. In one he looks 6 inches bigger and his clothes fit. In the other he appears to be wearing the same clothes but they are much too big for him. A Garnier product miraculously cures all skin blemishes.
Anyway the final starts tomorrow. It will be interesting to see what strategies the players engage for these 6 games. Will it be play it safe and try out an innovation at the end or will it be hammer and tongs from the beginning. Time will tell.

Final Round 1
There was an extra buzz around the tournament hall today. It was caused by a wasp which managed to evade the security systems and landed on the board, fortunately early in the game. It initially hovered over the board for a brief period before settling on a central square leaving Gelfand, who was considering his move, with a bit of a dilemma as to what to do. Fortunately this extra spectator’s appearance was very brief before heading for the cameras and then the audience area.
It was a hard fought game today which augers well for the rest of the final. Grischuk plays poker professionally and as such his facial expressions give little away. I sincerely hope that Gelfand does not play poker, for I fear he would not have a lot of his Candidate prize money left if he allowed his face to display his thoughts and emotions to the extent that he does during a game of chess.
There were still 4 cameras in use today, but only one cameraman at most. I say at most because even he seemed to disappear about half way through the game only to reappear at the conclusion. With only the one board the cameras had been set up so that little manipulation was required.
And here’s one for the conspiracy theorists …. Communism is still alive and well in Russia and predicting the outcome of chess tournaments. You don’t believe me? Look at the hanging at the back of the players. In round 1 all the winners are shown in red. Now look at the two finalists. Both are on the left. Red and Left now what picture do these two words conjure up to those of a certain age!!

Final Round 2
A strong military presence, including sniffer dogs, again this morning but I assumed it was for an exhibition which is taking place in the hotel, rather than the chess. The staff are obviously affected. My request for a black tea (as opposed to green - nothing to do with whether I take milk or not) during breakfast produced the interesting result of my being poured a cup of coffee and given a teabag to put in it. Much to the embarrassment of the waitress I returned the cup. The next 5 minutes were filled with a mixture of her apologising and laughing.
From the information panels which, almost amazingly, are in English I assume this exhibition is to attract foreign business into the area. Apparently current foreign investment is 81% German and 16% from Luxemburg. This may account for the only western flight direct to Kazan being from Frankfurt.
It turns out that the security is for the President of Austria who is visiting the hotel. As a result, and in anticipation of his visit, the numbers spectating are limited to 20. The front row of seats has to be left empty.
The game starts, and what a game. Both players seem to be up for a fight and the time spent away from the board is much reduced by both. It is unfortunate that the best game of the Candidates matches so far has been played in front of a restricted audience.
About 3½ hours into the session and we hear singing and music from the hall above. The door to the toilet corridor is quickly closed negating the worst of the problem. I am told that the noise we heard was a welcoming performance for the President. Unfortunately, despite the door being closed there are times when the sounds can still be heard.
Fortunately neither player seems unduly concerned. Half way through the second session and I am aware that a significant number of people are entering the spectating area. There is much clicking of camera shutters and the President arrives and takes his seat. After a couple of minutes the hall empties again. The photo opportunity has ended or moved elsewhere, possibly back for the termination of the musical extravaganza. The brief silence is followed by some rapid scurrying sounds. When I look round the partition the front row has again been occupied, this time by the real fans.
Another interesting day. Despite another two draws the tournament has certainly come to life.

Final round 3
After yesterday’s game today was a bit of an anti-climax. No music, no singing, no Presidents and no chess some might say.
I must say that when I started the clock at 3pm I was optimistic that the fighting chess of the previous two games would continue and possibly produce a positive result for one of the players.
Alas it was not to be. Gelfand’s ninth move seems to have been unexpected by Grischuk. He certainly thought for a while about it and 5 moves later offered the draw which was accepted.
I had been watching the clocks run down and just thinking that a real time scramble with both players thumping out moves was a real possibility when Gelfand stood up without making a move on the board and nodded into the players’ lounge. ½ -½.
The upside – the match was finished in time to allow me to listen to the Scottish Cup final on Radio Scotland via the Internet.

Final Rest Day
The final rest day and I take a trip out of Kazan to visit a monastery and the Mother Church of Georgia. It is allegedly 40 kilometres away but still part of the city of Kazan. The distance between Kazan and the monastery is basically one huge forest on one side and trees on the other!!
We pass a village where again there is modernisation going on but the old wooden houses seem more likely to survive here according to our guide as there is plenty of land to build on without having to demolish.
The building which used to host the Kazan Chess Club is pointed out. I have walked past it a few times and had seen the plaque to Lenin but hadn’t thought anything of it as the city is proud of the time Lenin attended university here. It is purported that both Lenin and Tolstoy played chess in those premises. I have not seen the current chess club but have seen the statue in its public garden. The statue appears to be of a statesman.
The news today tells of the Icelandic volcano Grimsvotn erupting. Hopefully it will not have anything like the effect of the last volcano which brought air transport in Europe to a halt. The rail journey to Moscow alone is 10 hours.
If we are grounded perhaps we can extend the Candidates final from 6 to 12 games!!

Final Round 4
I’ve heard ‘start of match delayed because of rain’, I’ve heard ‘start of match delayed to allow crowds in’, I’ve heard ‘start of match delayed because of traffic congestion’. However, this must be a first – start of match delayed because of 1000 Russian Women! Today’s start was put back half an hour to allow a women’s business conference to finish in the hall above before play started. And just as well because the noise at 3.25 was considerable as the meeting ended with a song and a cheer. Regrettably, today’s match finished with neither. An hour more play and a few more moves than round 3 but not really what the spectators were hoping for. Who do you blame for the high number of draws in this competition? It is easy to blame FIDE for the format, it is easy to blame the players and accuse them of a lack of effort. Perhaps it is just that with the players being so closely rated and so strong and ‘booked’ up that draws are an almost inevitable result at that level. If this is true though it is not good for the future of chess as it currently is.
On the social side, I got up early this morning to go to the zoo. It is at the far side of the lake and was built in 1806. It does show its age and reminded me of Edinburgh Zoo when I was a boy (so more than just a couple of years ago). As with the rest of Kazan, there does seem to be quite a bit of modernisation and improvements going on. There is no doubt from what I witnessed that the keepers cared for the animals but you do have to have some concerns about animals so far removed from their natural habitat.
Anyway, tomorrow’s another day and hopefully game 5 will have us all talking about whether the loser can make a comeback in the final game.

Final Round 5
Well today’s game lasted more moves than the previous two combined. Having said that, this one to my inexpert eye looked much more drawn certainly from the midway point than the previous ones when they concluded. I won’t name names but one of the players on walking on to the stage headed for the wrong side of the table. Perhaps he has spent most of his time planning a brilliant and conclusive strategy for tomorrow’s game. One can but hope.
Horse meat for dinner last night. I’m ready now for the 1000 Guinness or have I spelled that wrong. In either case, I’m up for it. Actually the meal was quite pleasant. Maybe the French have something after all. But of course any nation which a certain section of the English detest with such vigour must have something going for them
The exhibition in the hotel today is for dentists and this wing of the hotel actually smells like a dentist’s surgery. My teeth are on edge just walking past.
Looking like play-offs will be necessary. My worry over this is “Do I have another clean shirt?” I can just hear ‘She Who Must Be Ignored’ muttering, “Buy another one!”

Final Round 6
Well it’s all over – and no play-off necessary. Boris Gelfand is a worthy winner. The omens were there for this to be the final game. At breakfast part of the background music was a slow version of Auld Lang Syne and as I walked past the restaurant again on my way to the tournament hall for the game the same tune was playing. No other tune marks the end of something like this one does. And so it proved to be.
Mixed feelings on my part. It is good that a tournament of this nature was not finally decided in ‘extra-time’. It makes the validity of the winner so much greater to win under classical conditions rather than in rapidplay or blitz. But, of course, I actually got a buzz out of doing the play-offs in the earlier rounds and would have liked to have been involved in another one.
It is easy to be critical of the format. There should have been more games at each stage, each round should have been held separately. Both opinions have merit but would lead to an even longer event and probably an even longer challenger cycle. One of the major complaints is that the world championship cycle is already too long.
Anyway, prizegiving tomorrow and with the wind in the right direction I should be home on Friday evening. With the wind in the wrong direction I may have a protracted stop-off in Brussels. Anyone got Paul Motwani’s address?

Candidates Conclusion
There is no doubt it has been the experience of a lifetime. From a chess point of view it is disappointing that there were so few decisive games – 90% drawn in the ‘classic’ matches. I now have an even greater regard for the amount of effort that the players put into the preparation for the matches. You hear about the teams but until you actually see them ‘hunting’ as a pack you don’t really appreciate the bonding and trust that is required to be successful.
From a personal point of view it was astonishing to see the regard with which the arbiters are held at this level of event. We are described as being amongst the Principals and our passes allow us access to all areas, including the VIP area. In many British events the arbiters are regarded as a necessary evil. Here, whilst obviously not as important as the players, the arbiter has a much higher status.
There was another official dinner to complete the event attended by about 16. The two finalists, FIDE President, the current deputy Prime Minister and former President of the region, the arbiters and a few others. I lost count of the number of toasts this time, into double figures – which might explain why I lost count. I do know that for the meal I used 6 forks and knives and a soup spoon.
For the journey home four of us were given a ride to the airport. The journalist and cameraman were dropped off at the main terminal. The Chief Arbiter and myself were taken to the VIP lounge. Yes, they know how to look after their arbiters abroad.
Kazan itself, variously described as the ‘Third Capital of Russia’ or the Sports Capital of Russia’ is a strange mixture of new and old. There are many historical buildings and many new buildings, some built in historical style. A tremendous amount of regeneration is going on which in the past was demolish and rebuild but more recently the idea of refurbishing the interior of a building has been recognised. I am glad to have had the opportunity to visit Kazan with its unique mixture of old and new of both buildings and cultures.
The driving in Kazan is the most adventurous I have seen and I’ve been to Rome and New York. The police seem keen to enforce drivers to give way to pedestrian when turning right and not to have (overly)tinted front windows and yet I have seen innumerable cars with broken headlights, no bumpers and cracked windscreens with no apparent action being taken. Indeed one bus even had sticky back plastic over the bottom half of the driver’s crazed windscreen.
It has been a long tournament. The highlight was probably being in charge of the Gelfand/Kamsky semifinal, particularly recording the blitz games. A total adrenalin rush. Surprisingly, it has not been too tiring. I suppose it’s a bit like comparing a one day allegro/rapidplay to a weekend congress where the former always leaves you more exhausted than the latter. Something like the British or the Scottish I’ve found takes much more out of me than this did.
Am I glad to be going home? You bet. Would I do it again? In a shot. Will I get to do it again? Who knows? Only time will tell.

SteveHilton · King Joined: 24 Jul 2007 Posts: 443 Location: Greenock

Welcome Home Alex!!

Colin Crouch wishes to play in the Scottish this year can you contact him?

Paul Denham · Posted: Sat May 28, 2011 12:07 pm Post subject:

Alex

Congratulations on the chess assignment of a lifetime.

Its a well deserved reward for all your efforts as arbiter/tournament organiser etc etc over the years.

I for one have thoroughly enjoyed your postings.

Sounds like you did Chess and Scottish Chess proud.

Paul

PS Hope the marketing branch of CS start selling "Arbiter Alex McFarlane admonishes Vladimir Kramnik" T shirts Laughing

_________________
It is said that life is too short for chess but that is the fault of life, not chess