Reactions of GM R.Edouard to B.Macieja’s report on the FIDE congress
ACP Board [Sat Feb 07th, 09:33]
Due to my disagreement with some of the points quoted in the FIDE congress 2008 report, I decided to express my point of view.
Coming late to a game
This cannot be punished after the first time(s) for the following reasons:
1 When rounds are played in the morning (which happens quite often: double rounds, last rounds, celebrations, etc), everything can happen. Someone slept badly for any personal reason. Another may arrive slightly late by accident.
2 Not every player can stay in a hotel next to the playing hall, and this for different reasons (e.g. Olympiads in Dresden: big differences between delegations). From this point of view all players cannot be treated the same way. If a delay is allowed by the organizer, this must be chosen depending on the accommodation possibilities.
3 For ANY reason it MAY happen to everyone to come late to a game (big problems on the road or for any other way of transport, any serious personal or health problem, etc). From this point of view being late has to be punished when it becomes a habit, not when accidental.
4 Unless in team matches, the decision has ANYWAY to be taken by the opponent who may be needing a “real win” to make a norm or simply be wishing to play a chess game.
Draw offers
The draw is a chess result! It cannot be forbidden to make a draw for the following reasons:
1 The draw offer is a very important psychological factor of a chess game. Changing it would be like changing the Knight’s way to move!
2 Two players shall be allowed to make a draw during a game if they both feel like it’s the logical result depending on the position and environment (especially the tournament situation).
3 All players shall be allowed to take some rest (time) in a very long or stressful tournament (especially tournaments including double rounds).
4 Following point 3, if chess has to be a sport, all players cannot be forced to play “till death” (e.g. in football the matches frequency is much less tough than in chess, plus the possibility of substitute). If an organizer decides to set a Sofia rule or any other restriction about making draws, then tournament schedule must be adapted.
5 Finally, two players wishing to make a draw before a game will NOT be affected by this change.
Thank you for hearing my point of view!
Romain EDOUARD,
7th of February 2009
http://chess-players.org/eng/news/viewarticle.html?id=743
What he said makes sense.
I agree wholeheartedly with him. I wonder what he thinks of the drug test fiasco?
I agree. You can’t help being late once in a while. Let the clock run. If it is frequent or done to upset something,then something should be done. I agree with the draw stuff too.
Chess cannot be compared to other sports like soccer, baseball, badminton, etc, for many reasons. Chess is unique, for example:
a) Being late. Chess allows for this because when you are late, the latecomer is penalised because he/she will have less time to complete his/her game. With other games this cannot happen – if one team is late there is NO mechanism to penalise the defaulting team.
b) Draws. The meeting of minds. Isn’t that what chess is all about, a MIND GAME? The chess rules themselves allow for this within the game. You don’t see a STALEMATE in soccer midway through the game, do you?
c) Drug testing. In the event that a player is very sick but has to continue with the tournament, he/she would probably have to take medicine that is banned, for drug testing purposes, that is. Of course getting medical leave to certify that he/she has to take this medicine will not allow the game to be postponed or delayed, of even declared a draw, would it?
GM Edouard and the rest of the Chess fraternity must not allow Chess to be turned into something that we will not recognise in a few years time.
I don’t know everything about the drug test fiasco. It also depends on how much time takes the test and how much it’s annoying. It is hard to punish Ivanchuk (I guess you speak about his case) for being in a bad mood after losing a game. However if the test is very short, any player could make it, but the chess community cannot miss a player like Ivanchuk.
@Collin Madhavan
a) It is true, do you mean that chess is simply better on this point? (it is my opinion)
b) It is also true: who decides what’s the middle or end of a chess game? Somebody counts moves at football? A 20-moves game may at the same time makes sense and take time, while a 40-moves game could be completely nonsense and be played fast. The difference between chess and soccer is that the game’s “time area” is decided depending on the position and not the stopwatch.
c) I agree, too.
And, in conclusion about different points:
a & b) Leave chess its advantages.
c) Cases must be examinated depending on the person’s mood (especially if the person is sick).