Tal blitz is good topic. I hope there will be real time news here, as always. I root for Judit, of course, and hope that she comes out of it with grace rather than with dignity.
I have one question in my mind. I have lived in the USA for several years and have an impression that chess is much less popular there than in Eastern Europe. What is your impression? You are surely more informed than me on this.
Start the computermatch hype? What are the guesses about results?
My guess is the computer will win bigtime! After this, humans will probably accept that the machines just outcalculate us, and we’ll stop playing this kinda matches…
Dear Susan, why don’t they change some chess rules in order to avoid draws ? And for example for the matches for the World Championship : 1.I think it would be better that there are 24 games, not 12 ! 2. Why not like for figure skating (obligatory exercises and free exercises) stipulate that for example of the 24 games the 12 first would be played with obligatory “openings” choosen by the computer for example 1.Alekhine opening 2.Spanish 3. Sicilian defense and so on. Then the last 12 games : free openings. Indeed a World Champion has to prove he can play all kinds of openings. Rene’
Now that you’ve organized many scholastic tournaments, and have many ideas about how to make high level chess more respectable and not an ugly drawfest, have you considered organizing a semi professional tournament similar to the world open?
I agree it would be very easy to change the rules to eliminate all draws.
Right now the game is set up on pure ego. I can see the way it evolved. Some players were super strong and some were very weak. the very weak were rich and the very strong were poor.
So to get the game and win the money, the poor player kept giving away his opportunities to win. thus he would say. Oh thats ok. I will give you that and sill beat you. It is all ego.
We need to return to a sensible game of no draws.
The rules have been changed many times. In the 1400’s it went through big changes without a problem. but people have it stuck in their head to not change the rules. I believe with some good rules changes the game will be much better.
Some changes are simple and easy like forcing the king to move into check and lose the game. 3 fold repitition had me stumpted, then I read someone had an idea of putting a piece on the board if there was a 3 fold rep. Each player gets an opportunity on his next play unless he is in check. Or maybe put a piece down onto the checking piece.
All these details can be worked out over time with the intelligence of the chess community.
so the player instead of claiming a 3 fold repitition and a draw he instead gets to put a piece down and maybe win the game. Lots of excitement in this type game.
But of course no one wants to fix the problem. they simply want to talk about it.
Ummm.Imagine i am a possible chess sponsor that is not sure about to put some money in it.Chess is no so popular like other sports and be sure that a drawfest is not going to make it different. As chess fan i use to play in ICC and to see some masters events,but i never saw the draw games,just the victories,because usually a draw between GMs is boring,and more if it is a 20 moves game. Why not to pay each master for each victory?It can make more interesting championships…be sure that nobody is going to pay for games like they played in the last round of Tal Memorial.I will not do it,and many sponsors think like me.
I root for FischerRandomChess. We need to start popularizing this version of chess. It will give the people with not enough time to study theory a chance to be on equal terms with a seasoned pro! What a great selling point, IMO. Why don’t we start maintaining a FIDE rating for such games?
When the sponsorship topic comes up, it usually relates to adult tournaments. What about the sponsorship for kids events especially international ones? The cost is high (you have to include the cost of the accompanying parent as well) and the number of kids on US team is lower than from other countries. Do you have any thoughts or ideas?
If all three Polgar sisters played each other in blitz who would come out on top? I know Judith is the highest rated but something tells me that ratings would go out the window in a blitz match between the sisters who know each others playing styles extremely well.
I want to share my experience. I live in a small village in an isolated zone of my country.In January we had not chess club but our community had four or five players enjoying games for time to time in a knowed pub. In one of these chess afternoons we(meaning two friends and me) planned everything: the next two months(February and March) we were speaking with many possible sponsors and finally we have seven mayor sponsors and a number of minors. With 1,400 euros of sponsorship we bought 20 boards,20 clocks and one big board(wall board).We promised them just two championships per year,a simul with a master and classes for kids,and of course all the possible publicity.The first thing i did when i had all the things was to call the province newspaper for an interview.I was speaking two hours,but i had a full page(all the page)in sports speaking about our projet and saying thanks,with their names in capitols to ALL OUR SPONSORS.They were really glad when i sent them a copy of the newspaper,and i think that they are happy with us. Actually i did both championships and the simul, i have a class with 20 kids(aged 10)-i give one hour per week 7 pm friday-and everyone is happy. Then: Men,to find sponsorship in your own commnunity is easy.If people that know you for years don´t help you…Who will do it?Ask in your own place,to the city council,to cultural associtions,to the biggest bank in your city.I did it,and it works. And over all,take care of your sponsors,and good publicity is a good way of doing that. I know it is possible because i did it.Do the same 🙂
Susan, why do you put FIDE and USCF on the same pot? FIDE has given out more than 5 million USD in prize money during the last 2-3 years while USCF a mere zero.
anon asked…. Susan, why do you put FIDE and USCF on the same pot? etc… I think you already know the answer so why ask the question (everybody else knows)
What would happen to the “drawfests” if a draw gave just a quarter of a point to each player, instead of half a point? That could be the solution, don’t you think? (But that idea must have been thought of already, I guess.)
Chuh za toya toaleten internet po televiziyata na press konferencia v sportnoto predavane v nedelya. Blagodarya za prepratkata. Ne tryabvashe da malchat dosega. Da vidim dali ChessBase shte go pusne. Vsyshtnost oshte predi macha chetoh v ChessBase za parvonachalnata proverka, v koyato Kramnik iskashe da se smenyat figurite, a Danailov iskashe da se mahne nyakakvo ustroystvo (bez da utochnyavat kakvo) ot toaletnata. Taya isteria koyato povedoha po mediite Kramnik i sie yavno si imashe prichina – tyahnata guzna savest.
Chess sponsorship…
The Tal blitz.. Where can I get the results?
Tal blitz is good topic. I hope there will be real time news here, as always. I root for Judit, of course, and hope that she comes out of it with grace rather than with dignity.
I have one question in my mind. I have lived in the USA for several years and have an impression that chess is much less popular there than in Eastern Europe. What is your impression? You are surely more informed than me on this.
Start the computermatch hype? What are the guesses about results?
My guess is the computer will win bigtime! After this, humans will probably accept that the machines just outcalculate us, and we’ll stop playing this kinda matches…
Theo
Dear Susan, why don’t they change some chess rules in order to avoid draws ? And for example for the matches for the World Championship : 1.I think it would be better that there are 24 games, not 12 ! 2. Why not like for figure skating (obligatory exercises and free exercises) stipulate that for example of the 24 games the 12 first would be played with obligatory “openings” choosen by the computer for example 1.Alekhine opening 2.Spanish 3. Sicilian defense and so on. Then the last 12 games : free openings. Indeed a World Champion has to prove he can play all kinds of openings. Rene’
Susan,
Now that you’ve organized many scholastic tournaments, and have many ideas about how to make high level chess more respectable and not an ugly drawfest, have you considered organizing a semi professional tournament similar to the world open?
such “rule adaptions” would change the character of the game completely
– i’m not sure, whether the sicilian defense is sound or not … or the Ruy
Lopez or the Middle Gambit … or the Albin … or,or,or, …
60 percent draw – some points more or less – represent the character of the game – a drawn game is often the result of masterly play
– only short draws are a problem – so – why not change the chess rules to forbid draw offers before the first time control?
just my two eurocents…
Tal blitz results. Please.
ALL draws are a problem.
I agree it would be very easy to change the rules to eliminate all draws.
Right now the game is set up on pure ego. I can see the way it evolved. Some players were super strong and some were very weak. the very weak were rich and the very strong were poor.
So to get the game and win the money, the poor player kept giving away his opportunities to win. thus he would say. Oh thats ok. I will give you that and sill beat you. It is all ego.
We need to return to a sensible game of no draws.
The rules have been changed many times. In the 1400’s it went through big changes without a problem. but people have it stuck in their head to not change the rules. I believe with some good rules changes the game will be much better.
Some changes are simple and easy like forcing the king to move into check and lose the game. 3 fold repitition had me stumpted, then I read someone had an idea of putting a piece on the board if there was a 3 fold rep. Each player gets an opportunity on his next play unless he is in check. Or maybe put a piece down onto the checking piece.
All these details can be worked out over time with the intelligence of the chess community.
so the player instead of claiming a 3 fold repitition and a draw he instead gets to put a piece down and maybe win the game. Lots of excitement in this type game.
But of course no one wants to fix the problem. they simply want to talk about it.
Ummm.Imagine i am a possible chess sponsor that is not sure about to put some money in it.Chess is no so popular like other sports and be sure that a drawfest is not going to make it different.
As chess fan i use to play in ICC and to see some masters events,but i never saw the draw games,just the victories,because usually a draw between GMs is boring,and more if it is a 20 moves game.
Why not to pay each master for each victory?It can make more interesting championships…be sure that nobody is going to pay for games like they played in the last round of Tal Memorial.I will not do it,and many sponsors think like me.
Tal Blitz:
http://www.64.ru/?/ru/articles/item=1392
Anand rulezz!!!
Nick
Susan: Do you know why Gata Kamsky is not playing in these recent strong GM tournaments? He did fantastic in the last one he took place!
Sofia is the most beautiful of the three!
I root for FischerRandomChess. We need to start popularizing this version of chess. It will give the people with not enough time to study theory a chance to be on equal terms with a seasoned pro! What a great selling point, IMO. Why don’t we start maintaining a FIDE rating for such games?
Hi Susan,
When the sponsorship topic comes up, it usually relates to adult tournaments. What about the sponsorship for kids events especially international ones? The cost is high (you have to include the cost of the accompanying parent as well) and the number of kids on US team is lower than from other countries. Do you have any thoughts or ideas?
Diana
Diana,
My events have a lot of sponsorships. We gave out more than $300,000 in prizes and scholarships to young players in the last 12 months.
As long as the USCF and FIDE continue to do whatever they are doing, sponsorships will not come.
MayanKing, I do not know. It could be conflict of schedule or he’s asking for too much appearance fees. There could be a number of reasons.
lantonov, chess is a lot more popular in the US in terms of numbers. But in terms of organized chess, Europe still lead by far.
Anon, making chess more respectable? FIDE and the USCF do not want my involvement. They want politicians, not chess ambassadors.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
If all three Polgar sisters played each other in blitz who would come out on top? I know Judith is the highest rated but something tells me that ratings would go out the window in a blitz match between the sisters who know each others playing styles extremely well.
tfk,
The blitz standings between Polgar sisters would be:
1. Jutka
2. Zsuzsa
3. Zsofi
for sure! 🙂
I want to share my experience. I live in a small village in an isolated zone of my country.In January we had not chess club but our community had four or five players enjoying games for time to time in a knowed pub.
In one of these chess afternoons we(meaning two friends and me) planned everything:
the next two months(February and March) we were speaking with many possible sponsors and finally we have seven mayor sponsors and a number of minors.
With 1,400 euros of sponsorship we bought 20 boards,20 clocks and one big board(wall board).We promised them just two championships per year,a simul with a master and classes for kids,and of course all the possible publicity.The first thing i did when i had all the things was to call the province newspaper for an interview.I was speaking two hours,but i had a full
page(all the page)in sports speaking about our projet and saying thanks,with their names in capitols to ALL OUR SPONSORS.They were really glad when i sent them a copy of the newspaper,and i think that they are happy with us.
Actually i did both championships and the simul, i have a class with 20 kids(aged 10)-i give one hour per week 7 pm friday-and everyone is happy.
Then: Men,to find sponsorship in your own commnunity is easy.If people that know you for years don´t help you…Who will do it?Ask in your own place,to the city council,to cultural associtions,to the biggest bank in your city.I did it,and it works.
And over all,take care of your sponsors,and good publicity is a good way of doing that.
I know it is possible because i did it.Do the same 🙂
The Witches of Chesstwick
(please don’t cast a bad spell on me for that haha)
Susan, why do you put FIDE and USCF on the same pot? FIDE has given out more than 5 million USD in prize money during the last 2-3 years while USCF a mere zero.
TO Andorrano:
Very nice job. Getting local newspaper coverage seems like a good way to make sponsors feel good about their monetary donations.
G
anon asked….
Susan, why do you put FIDE and USCF on the same pot? etc…
I think you already know the answer so why ask the question (everybody else knows)
Just a note that you can find some rare Fischer photos on http://www.wachusettchess.org
Just click on the ‘History’ link, then the ‘Bobby Fischer at the Club’ link. Enjoy!
Will you play Karpov in Kansas this year?
What would happen to the “drawfests” if a draw gave just a quarter of a point to each player, instead of half a point? That could be the solution, don’t you think? (But that idea must have been thought of already, I guess.)
Andorrano, thank you for sharing that wonderful experience with us.
Billy, no. Only one of me and there’s only 24 hours in a day. Unfortunately, my mission to promote education for kids and chess in general come first.
No, I am not play Karpov this year. But you never know what I will do next 🙂
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
Chuh za toya toaleten internet po televiziyata na press konferencia v sportnoto predavane v nedelya. Blagodarya za prepratkata. Ne tryabvashe da malchat dosega. Da vidim dali ChessBase shte go pusne. Vsyshtnost oshte predi macha chetoh v ChessBase za parvonachalnata proverka, v koyato Kramnik iskashe da se smenyat figurite, a Danailov iskashe da se mahne nyakakvo ustroystvo (bez da utochnyavat kakvo) ot toaletnata. Taya isteria koyato povedoha po mediite Kramnik i sie yavno si imashe prichina – tyahnata guzna savest.
Start by disallowing draws by agreement unless the position is drawn according to a recognized endgame tablebase.