It’s a FIDE world

Hello, everyone!

It’s been long since I last wrote on my ChessVibes blog. For those who don’t follow my chess news on www.twitter.com/Ponomariov or on my Facebook page www.facebook.com/Ruslan.Ponomariov, I want to assure you that your humble servant still lives, leads an active life and still does not intend to quit professional chess 🙂

Not long ago, on a live Russian program available on this link, the editor-in-chief of Chess-news Evgeny Surov offered to start a blog on their site. To be honest, it would be easier for me to keep a blog in my native Russian language, since I usually end up writing these entries in Russian and having them translated into English, but I decided to stick to my blog on ChessVibes, where I write rarely enough as it is, and I hope chess journalists can find some compromise instead of starting a language war like the one seen lately at the Ukrainian parliament.

This entry is going to be a sort of rant about my latest FIDE disappointment, but before I start whining about my personal misfortunes, I would like to begin on a more positive note regarding the recent World Championship match.

Just like many others, I followed the Anand-Gelfand match closely. I heard and read many negative comments, about how short the games were, or the low level of play of the World Champion, etc. I agree with many opinions, but I would rather focus on the positive aspects, which are sometimes forgotten or left aside:

From my point of view, the organization of the match was superb! I think it has set an example for organizers of future events and competitions. Only the parallel live commentaries of Svidler and Karjakin, who could have themselves played in this very match, made all the rest worthwhile!

I thought it very positive that the match didn’t take place in the country of one of the contenders, but in neutral territory. This probably helped both Anand and Gelfand to feel that they were playing in equal conditions.

As a spectator, I was happy that the match went on to the rapid games, so the mystery was kept until the very end and no one was sure who would win. There was time for everyone to drink beer and make their bets! I even wish it had gone down to blitz, but it was over after the rapid games.

I admit that my support was rather for Gelfand in this match. It’s a pity he didn’t manage to win. This result would have been more interesting, because now Anand can rest on his laurels for another two years.

And from the World Championship let me move on to the World Blitz Championship, the object of my rant.

The last World Blitz Championship took place in Moscow in November 2010. Usually, as opposed to the World Championship, it is held every year, but since 2010 only now has FIDE announced the next one, to be held in Astana, which I only found out recently on the Internet.

I was honestly pissed off at the fact that nobody from FIDE contacted me on this regard and I had to get this information from third parties, despite the fact that already in February 2011 a selection was made where me and another five players were qualified to play in the World Blitz Championship. Although the games were not played on electronic boards, I managed to remember some of my games and decided to share them with you:

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O dxc4 8. Bxc4 Nc6 9. a3 Ba5 10. Qd3 Qe7 11. Ne4 Nxe4 12. Qxe4 Bc7 13. dxc5 Qxc5 14. b4 Qf5 15. Qxf5 exf5 16. Bb2 Be6 17. Rac1 a6 18. Rfd1 Rfd8 19. Rxd8+ Rxd8 20. Kf1 Bxc4+ 21. Rxc4 Rd1+ 22. Ke2 Rb1 23. Rc2 f6 24. Nd4 Nxd4+ 25. Bxd4 Bd6 26. Rc8+ Kf7 27. Rd8 Ke7 28. Rh8 h6 29. Rg8 Kf7 30. Ra8 Rb3 31. Ra7 Rxa3 32. Rxb7+ Kg6 33. g3 Rb3 34. Rb6 Bxb4 35. Rxa6 Bc3 1/2-1/2

There has been no explanation, no apologies, and personally I wonder whether there is any logic on the part of the organizers where the selection of finalists is concerned. Apparently, they have taken into account the January 2012 rating list, but first of all, this list represents classic chess results, and not blitz; second, this is just one list, whereas FIDE usually makes an average out of several lists. For example, for the selection of players for the Grand Prix they used the lists of January 2012 and July 2011. I think it could be a better idea to consider the results from the latest World blitz championship, European blitz championship or even the Mind Games if you still don’t have ratings for blitz and rapid.

To tell the truth, fortunately I have not been financially affected by FIDE’s decision not to include me in this WBCh, since I’m playing in Dortmund, then the Ukrainian Championship in Kiev, and finally at the Olympiad in Istanbul, but nevertheless I felt a moral obligation to share this experience with you, so that these things don’t go unnoticed.

Other than that, I’m just planning to focus on my preparation and do my best in upcoming competitions!

Best wishes to all,

Ruslan

Source: http://www.chessvibes.com

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