In many disputes between top chess players, there is no clear right and wrong – forming a clear opinion from the letters of protest, contradictions and mutual accusations is virtually impossible. However, the Kramnik-Topalov case is an exception.
We have to start with the background. Topalov and his team have worked closely with FIDE for some time. Topalov is the FIDE champion and he supported Ilyumzhinov’s re-election campaign. Kramnik, by contrast, is much more an outsider. His world championship title derived from Brain Games and then the PCA, so he has had much less contact with FIDE.
The current match is FIDE organised and sponsored, and is being played in FIDE’s home territory of Kalmykia. To avoid any suspicion of favouritism, it would have made sense for all the match officials to be clearly independent and unbiased. Instead, what do we have? The Appeals committee consists of Georgios Makropoulos (Deputy President of FIDE), Zurab Azmaiparashvili (Vice-President of FIDE) and Jorge Vega (FIDE Continental President for the Americas) – a selection which can hardly inspire confidence in the impartiality of the Appeals Committee. Nor are the members of the Appeals Committee especially qualified for such a potentially sensitive post, since only one of the three (Vega) is an International Arbiter and only one (Azmaiparashvili) has any experience of high-level chess.
The rest can be read here.
In brief, Mr. Nunn is saying FIDE is siding with Topalov.
He’s just fanning d flames instead of finding ways to chill d situation.
Other GM comments was at:- http://gmgrowl.blogspot.com/
I agree with every point. FIDE is in charge. In 1993 they should have banned Kasparov from chess forever and given him the title International Grand Whiner.
Topalov:”Russia is F.I.D.E. teritory”.
But isn’t Bulgaria Turk-Tatar-Mongolian(and who nows which it is but definitly not human)teritory?
“Vulgaris” in latin(byzantian)language means (funny but true)something vulgaric.The Byzantians(East Rome Empire)gived them teritorial name Vulgaria because the people there was mostly Turko-Mongol-Tatarian and completly war-criminaly-oriented and with no any civilisation caracteristic.When they come to the balcans they started to use the Slavic languages but they still haved some turko-mongolian names and “religions”.So that is why they wasn’t part of former Yugo-Slav federation(in Slavic languages Yugo means South)
Today they are the same.The Bulgarians today in their schools learn history which says that Bulagaria is start(mother)of 20 big imperias in history and 55 oficial U.N. countries.
Great Britain(England)reacted to E.U. for the decision Bulgaria to became part of E.U..Thay say that if the borders are opened for Bulgarians and their mafia and the criminal oriented people(which is betwin 20% and 40%)they will transform London in a Palermo-Sofia(in Sofia-Bulgaria it is posible policeman to steal your car or to stop you sing and dance for you and waiting to pay him something and it was often before 2-3 years,now it is the same but more sofisticated criminal!!!!!)
So for me it is completly clear what is hapening at WCC.Mongolian tactics from Mongolians so what is there strange something.
Topalov can state a case that the current match is played in Russia which is Kramnink’s homeland.
Kramnik knew who was on the appeals committee before the match began so he shouldn’t be complaining now.
I diagree with nunn that the ruling is biased.
regards.
I think Nunn’s comment is less constructive than that of Seirawann. And less objective. Maybe he is grinding an old ax with FIDE. Many people, with all reason, hate FIDE. But this is not a FIDE vs Reason conflict. It is not even a chess conflict any more.
I think everybody should take a step back and compromise, just for the sake of chess. I think the contract was pretty clear, but maybe it is in everybody’s benefit that the match be won over the board.
About chess merits vs human merits, that’s got nothing to do with it. Alekhine was a piece of crap as a person, but a genius of the highest level over the board.
roper franc, constructive does not always equal objective.
When treating a disease, you first make an objective assessment. Likewise, first step in breaking this deadlock is reaching an objective assessment, NOT hiding behind emtpy statements like Susan’s “everybody’s to blame, I am not biased (I just seem to have forgotten my moral compass)”.
Any objective assessment will see that Kramnik has been wronged, harassed, and insulted beyond belief. Just look at the press reports on this resulting from Team Topalov’s actions (“accused of cheating, refusing to play because his bathroom was locked”, etc). Is Kramnik not right to fight for his honor and dignity first and foremost?
Why should he comply to a corrupt Appeals Committee’s “final decisions” when his dignity and honor is at stake?
Maybe you think so, maybe Susan thinks so, but I’m happy that Nunn for once does not mince words.
They shouldn’t have prize money for wcc… just the honor for being the best for a year! then they wouldn’t whine like babies for a toilet.
@roper franc: so you met Alekhine personally? Whow! otherwise your statement about being him a “crap” might throw a little shadow upon your objectivity …
sincerly, Vohaul
Great comments by Nunn. Example to Susan Polgar in dignity on this matter.
All agreed, John Nunn.
And about the score, Topalov looks so miserable clinging to that point as if he couldn’t get it by playing chess (who knows may be he feels he cannot indeed?).
Nunn’s comments are completely biased. I much prefer Susan’s or Seirawan’s. I do not know why chessbase published them.
Somebody said: “Nunn’s comments are completely biased. I much prefer Susan’s or Seirawan’s. I do not know why chessbase published them.”
Maybe because Nunn is a very intelligent and informed man and his opinion has to be listened to respectfully.
That, and also this: maybe ChessBase is biased in the same direction as Nunn. 😉
@roper franc
Unfortunately Topalov’s merits as a human being have everything to do with the deplorable situation this match currently is in …
Besides, I meant just to express my personal grief over the conduct of one whom I beieved capable of much better.
Isn’t it much nicer when a champion is also a fine, beloved and respected person?
Makes me think of Euwe; wish he where still FIDE-president ….
Well said, Dr. Nunn.
@Ben van Vlierden
I agree with you in saying that it is much easier when the person that we admire for his talent is also a virtuous person morally and in temper. That’s why it was so hard for me to accept that Alekhine was so brilliant over the board. It took me a while to get used to this. The same applies to brilliant writers and other artists and geniuses. Einstein beat his woman, yet General Relativity is still the best we have to describe gravitation.
However, I dissagree with you in exclusively blaming Topalov’s personallity with having cause this mess. Maybe we could say that neither Topalov’s nor Kramnik’s personality has helped fix this problem. But if Kramnik had sat to play game 5 the match would be moving ahead.
The best solution is for the chess public to complain about both players. Topalov for inappropriate behavior and unsporting conduct. Kramnik for refusing to play game five and raising legally unjustified arguments.
Unless the players reach a compromise and apologize, we should boycott the world chess championship.
And if one player is declared the winner, he is never going to get my support unless he apologizes for what he did.
@roper
Chessbase publish diverse opinions when they receive them. I read all their articles and this is obvious. The fact is, almost no-one thinks Kramnik has done anything wrong. I’m sure if some insane GM emailed them to say otherwise, they would publish that too. But no-one serious about chess is blinkered enough to do that it seems.
Btw, I think Kramnik is being very cunning in requesting the Appeals Committe is changed. He now has a bargaining chip in negotiations, and assuming the committee does remain the same, it will be completely crippled after this debacle.
Correct, and cunning. In life as in chess.
@ roper franc
Of course it has become much more complicated.
But if Topalov had not lodged this outrageous and vile-worded complaint in the first place, we’d all be watching game six now …
A true word from Mike. Some of these anonymous “contributions” are really filth.
Isn’t it possible to block anonymous reactions, Susan?
It is completely improper for Kramnik to hid ein the toilet so often. At very least this proves he can cheat anytime he wants to (with a pocket set or Russian security help). This is certainly ‘distracting the opponent’ and against the rules of chess. Kramnik is not a kid, he knows what his behavior is designed to provoke.
On this, Nunn is showing his own bias (anti-FIDE).
@Ben van Vlierden
Granted. The wording of the Topalov complaints was very nasty and rather insulting. I was irritated by it. Yet, I think part of their complaint has a point.
Kramnik could have smiled at this ridiculous claims, and said: “Fine. I’ll beat you anyway”, and play.
The basic disagreement between my position and maybe yours, is that I do think that going to the bathroom three and four times between moves is a behavior abnormal enough to warrant at least that some person go check that the rules of no cheating are being respected also in the unsurveilled area.
I understand you think Kramnik didn’t do anything wrong, and I respect your opinion. However, mine is different: I think he did do something wrong: he behaved in a way that lends itself easily to suspicious.
Caesar’s wife has to be honest and look honest, says my father. If a player is not cheating, but is going to an unsurveilled area three times between moves for no aparent reason (the urgent need to pee and walk was proved false by Kramnik himself when he sat for a long time outside the locked bath).
About the harm to Kramnik’s reputation, I the biggest harm comes from himself by refusing to play game 5. Confucius says that an offence is like a gift: you can decide not to take it. I agree that Kirzan should have Danailov executed for his insolence, and that the wording of Topalov’s complaint (and many details about it) are offensive. But Kramnik could have emerged from this as the biggest man, by playing. Instead, he made this whole thing explode out of proportions by refusing to play.
That’s my opinion, and I stand very clear that it is not shared by you. And I can see your point and respect it.
Mike D – no-one informed and high up in chess that I know or know of has said anything meaningful against Kramnik in this, at all, once. Please provide links/quotations etc and I’ll reconsider then. But not just on your say so.
@roper franc
In fact, what you mean is that Kramnik committed an error by making himself a target for incriminations.
You might have had a point there, where it not that Topalov could only make this incriminations after having seen the videorecordings of Kramnik’s restroom. Material which Kramnik trusted, would only be seen by the arbiters.
What it boils down to, is that he spent considerable time off the board, (not at all unusual) in the justifiable conviction that what he did in his restroom would remain private (as it should have).
I honestly can’t find fault with that.
@roper franc
“Caesar’s wife has to be honest and look honest, says my father. If a player is not cheating, but is going to an unsurveilled area three times between moves for no aparent reason (the urgent need to pee and walk was proved false by Kramnik himself when he sat for a long time outside the locked bath).”
I think Kramnik likes to think while walking, or walk when thinking, whatever. THe point is: He didn’t have to come up with a new move, so he didn’t have to pace up and down so much. Kramnik only mentions a walking habbit as an explanation
I read a lot of people stating Topolav wrote this objection, Kramnik wrote this reponse. Should we all note who really started the whole issue. Truth of the whole situation: is it the players? Reveiling comment: “this goes back……there is no love loss between these two managers”. Our Championship is being played out by the egos of two managers. The players have put themselves up as pawns. Get rid of the managers and see how the match plays out. Maybe on the board?
Well said Mr.Nunn
Teh complete truth is now out in the open
FIDE has breached yet another contract and owes Kramnik his $500,000 now.
So you mean that his being in the bathroom such long is not suspicious because they shouldn’t have known that he was in the bathroom? Hum. So the suspicious activity is not because they were not supose to see him. Nop. That doesn’t make it any less suspicious to me. Sorry.
@roper franc
Topalov should never have been given the tapes. It was a terrible infringement of Kramnik’s privacy, so he should never have seen Kramnik’s “suspicious” behavior. If the Appeal comittee was right in stating that Danailov aggagerated (sorry, can’t recall the spelling) the amount of time Kramnik spent in his bathroom, then he might not even be in there very suspiciously long. IN any case, his bathroom behaviour is only suspicious if yo want to see something suspicious. Otherwise, Kramnik’s explanation is perfectly acceptable.
John Nunn’s article is the best I have seen so far from a top GM. Topalov lost two games because of his blunders, not because Kramnik played flawlessly. After games 3 and 4, Topalov (and his team) realized that it is extremely difficult to beat Kramnik. Therefore, they resorted to cheap tactics. The fact that Kramnik is not getting any help from an electronic whatever is very clear. He lost his slight advantage in game 1, he blundered horribly in game 2, and he could have gotten a promising position in game 3.
That reasoning seems straight from a page of Tartuffe: “Le scandale du monde est ce qui fait l’offense,
Et ce n’est pas pécher que pécher en silence.” I don’t buy it.
BTW, shouldn’t we have heard something new from Elysta by now?
2Roper Franc
Kramnik just couldn’t go on with the game 5. The chess is a mental game, you need to be calm and concentrated in order to play. Kramnik was worried about his rights and the lack of respect from committee, no wonder he opted to clear up the mess before the match could continue. And if he did, they would say “But you agreed to continue, let’s move on like that till the end!”
What don’t understand is why they didn’t ask players for consent to go on with the match and started the clock. If either party is not satisfied with conditions of the match it’s silly to force it to go on. Now they added another point of dispute, or in other words, gave Topalov a vague hope to have a free point.
@roper franc
That was not exactly the point. You said, Kramnik should not have behaved in a way that might arouse suspicion.
I merely point out that he didn’t, because what he did, he did in the privacy of his restroom.
If it’s suspicious to enter and leave your bathroom is an entirely different question. To assess this, is the job of the arbiter. If he didn’t find fault with it, why should we?
roper franc, I do not mind you moving the goal post once again, since I’m sure I’ll get the final touch down sooner or later.
I’m glad that we can finally agree that visiting the bathroom can in no conceivable way be seen as a psychological ploy on Kramnik’s part.
Now moving on to the next goal post, is it suspicious?
Let’s apply Ockham’s razor, shall we?
On the one side, we have Kramnik’s explanation that he likes to pace around, a behaviour common for tons of people, myself included, and that involves my bathroom too, which, btw, has no video surveillance. This behaviour is consistant with previous Kramnik behaviour, for example in the match vs. Kasparov, when in fact a formal complaint was raised, investigated and deemed to be no reason for concern.
On the other side, we have:
1) Nothing in the first 4 games suggests any cheating. Nobody anywhere raised suspicion about anormalities in the games. On the contrary, the games had many blunders, and Kramnik’s wins were mainly decided by Topalov’s blunders and weak play (second game towards the end).
2) All rooms are subject to frequent and serious security checks.
3) Kramnik would risk everything by being caught cheating.
4) Topalov team exaggerated the number of visits and hid the fact that they would look like just walking back and forth aimlessly. They have not been able to offer one single (additional) piece of credible evidence of cheating, despite doing everything they can to sell the idea of something suspicous going on.
So which is it, suspicous or not? IMHO, one has to apply a little bit of common sense around the motivation and nature of the actions of Team Topalov before buying the claim that something abnormal or suspicious is going on, AT ALL.
@roper franc – For the very last time: Mr. Kramnik smokes in the bathroom – and he did not want to make it public!
Why is this so hard to understand?
And why all those suspicions?
What a mess, what an incredible mess, activated by a piece of tobacco…
The world has driven insane! For sure!
With what I know sofar I can only agree with Nunn. Great analysis of the situation in Elista and what let up to it. I couldn’t have said it better. It is so sad and frustrating that the world chess federation does such a poor job in organizing this long awaited match.
This fiasco will ofcourse reflect negatively on the organization of future events.
Althoug I hope differently my strong believe is that this match is over now. Perhaps the proposals by Seirawan can save this match. In any case the full blame should go to the organizers who’s actions led to this stalemate.
I can fully appreciate Topolovs position in all this but if I were Kramnik I also wouldn’t take a piss in the same room as him. And I would certainly not shake hands with him if the arbiter hadn’t inspected if he had washed them.
Gens una sumus
It is precisely Occam’s razor that we are applying in this situation. Kramnik did not “pace” between the rooms, he got inside the bathroom then stayed there for 1 to 2 minutes at a time, then got out. Is this “normal pacing behavior”? (he suppousedly paced inside the bathroom!, how BIG can the bathroom be!). In the match against Kasparov the behavior was suspect according to Kasparov himself (he complained). Then it was agreed that someone would accompany Kramnik in his trips to the bathroom (but not allowed in the toilet area were Kramnik could have produced the portable chess set). Also, no security check has looked for portable chess sets (they look only for electronic apparatusses).
Tom C. — my comment on Kramnik did not stipulate that the people with the opinions are “imformed and high up” in chess — whatever the hell that means. I am, by profession, well versed in contractal issues and mediation of disputes. I am, by hobby, a chess fan and reasonable well versed on chess history. I am also a Boston Red Sox fan and happily give my opinions on baseball — but I never played in the Major Leagues. This is a sight for chess fans to express their opinions. I stand by my opinion — based on reading many blog comments, comments on playchess.com, and other places that there are plenty of people who think Kramnik has done wrong here as well as Topalov, which was my only point previously.
Mike D.
What is missing in this discussion:
“It seems clear that FIDE itself, and the Appeals Committee in particular, have a conflict of interest” with Danailov of course!. “They have already arranged a Topalov-Radjabov world championship match for next year, which would not happen if Kramnik wins.” And with their greedy need for strong gages, they do their best not to let kramnik win the match:we are just watching how they proceed!
What disgust me most is their lake of faith on Topalov skillness! He showed several time his force to recover after a bad start, with all his mighty attacking chess!
Fide and Danailov must be put on a garbage and forget for centuries!
I hate danailov for what he his, a bastard who ruined the chesscarrier of Ponomariov before, who is responsible with the help of his fide friends of that mess!! and people are all insulting Topalov first!
What people don’t realise it’s that topalov is only a player, and that danailov made the rest!
Stop insulting Topalov! he doesn’t deserve it! Nor Kramnik!
Insulte Danailov and Fide officers: the thrue responsibles of that mess!
forgive my poor english:
take : money instead of gage.
dcax — Topalov is the player. If the man managing him is making bad decisions that effect the player, the player must not allow this to happen. Topalov is an adult and is fully accountable for everything that his team has done in the last 48 hours — most of it repulsive.
Mike D.
Mike’s absolutely right.
These are the three scenarios I project from the present situation:
a) The Match is cancelled, or
b) Private bathrooms remain locked, a common bathroom is used with no supervision, and game 5 is played again, or
c) Private bathrooms are opened, but used under supervision, and game 5 stands a forfeit.
Mike D.
I will try to be clearer as once again you have missed the point, by a mile.
The issue we were discussing was the impartiality or otherwise of chessbase. Chessbase do not publish the opinions of blogging patzers, but do publish those of leading GMs etc. So, the critical questions become: have they received similar letters to John Nunn’s but in favour of Topalov, and are not publishing them? Or are they ignoring something of that stature somewhere else on the internet? In my long-time reading of the site, it is not my experience that they ignore one side of an argument. Therefore I conclude, the serious argument for Topalov just doesn’t exist.
I hope that clarifies what the conversation has been about in this comments thread, and that you are able to now understand why you previous replies to my messages were irrelevant and wrong.
Mike D: this is the center of the problem!
Chessplayers delegate too much of their concern to their manager.So they can concentrate for what they like the most: playing chess!
Danailov is omnipresent in topalov’s life. Too much!so was he overpresent in Ponomariov ‘s life too! It’s a rat that wanted to control everything like a serial killer!
Yesterday, Topalov said that he wanted to play, and therefore he sat and waited!
Danailov wasn’t agree for that.
That Topalov must suffer the come back of the stupidity of his agent, ok, but blame the stupid manager first and above all!
Blame the thrue responsible first!
I’m hurt to see two great player insulted whereas they are relatively fair and gentleman.
Stop shooting innocent rabbits, shoot the rat and his friends!
Kramnik is the Champion, having defeated Topalov twice. No way Topalov comes back to win this match. Abolish FIDE, which is clearly corrupt. Oh, and also roper frank has proven himself a total idiot.
Tom —
Very well.
Mike D.
naysaying troll: No need to insult ourself there! it means nothing!
Roper Franck is talking what he has in mind without hide himself like most of the anonymous and a hoaxer there! That must be respected!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Susan, I have a proposal: why won’t they play the rest of the match in the toilet room? 🙂
I am happy to argue with roper franc, who does so in a respectful and thoughtful way. I object to calling him an idiot, very much, it is undignified and unworthy.
I’ve been anonymous, have been criticising Susan, but filth should be avoided, anonymous or not.
I do not really understand why a random nick is better than anonymity, except for identifying authors of arguments, but let’s argue the arguments and not their authors, shall we?
I enjoyed the discussion with roper frank very much. He fights with an open vizor and even if he misses the point sometimes, he does not deserve to be called an idiot.
Take that back, will you?
To All OTB chess tournament players:
Since world champion contender (or the actual world champion?) Vladimir Kramnik was declared innocent of all wrong doing in his match against Topalov a unique opportunity has arisen: to cheat with impunity. The next time you play in a tournament simply use an inexpensive pocket chess board to study all the moves you want to make in the actual game while hidding in the bathroom. Leave the board before making any critical move and “calculate” with the aid of the chess set at your leisure. We guarantee a “gain” of hudreds of ELO points with this simple expedient. FIDE and USCF players will benefit greatly from this legal precedent. If you are caught or accused of suspicious behaviour just say “I am using Kramnik’s cheat technique and it has been endorsed by FIDE”.
Enjoy.
Ok, Ben, out of respect for you, consider it retracted.
Imagine the uproar if I had wrongfully accused him of cheating?
I hope I made my point here with this little demonstration of human nature. Once you start making accusations, it is hard to go back. Sorry Roper, that you were the target of my inflammatory comment.
naysaying troll: showing respect for everybody is the first thing man must learn in this world.
Roper franck doesn’t deserve it. he can thinking differently and miss something if he likes.
Nobody is perfect, and exempt of fault.
i ask you for apologises for that! shake your hands and continue that discussion, like thrue gentlemen!
Or you can go away with your bad mind.
oups can someone erase my last post please?
thx naysaying!
*** SIMILAR CASE ***
I read that in the candidates’ match Spassky-Korchnoi 1977, that Spassky protested and forfeited after Spassky was told he had to spend more time at the board.
However, Korchnoi agreed to undo the forfeit.
*** BRAINSTORM COMPROMISE IDEA ***
Replay game 5, but give Topalov 1/2 point in exchange.
Thus game 5 would begin with the point score being 3.0-1.5 (instead of 3.0-1.0).
*** KRAMNIK BLUNDERED ***
Topalov’s announcement of no more hand shakes with Kramnik is an accusal of cheating, not merely a complaint about appearances or distractions. Topalov’s reputation may not fully recover.
Nevertheless, Kramnik blundered by not playing game 5, after Gijssen decided to start the game 5 clock.
Kramnik cannot have the entire point taken back from Topalov. Being morally right is not enough.
Gene Milener
http://CastleLong.com/
That toilet must smell very nice, if Kramnik enjoyed it so much?!
What’s with all this
“inexpensive pocket chess board to study all the moves you want to make in the actual game while hidding in the bathroom”?
Does someone actually believe that even normal players, less more GMs who can visualise the board, talk about the subteleties, the variations of positions, long after a game, really need a physical board?
I can understand the earpiece scenario, as happened in that tourney in the States, but the idea that one needs a chess set…seems to belittle the capabilities of the super-GMs playing this match.
Even reasonable standard players wouldn’t need such bizarre “help” as a pocket set.
As has been stated, the match blunders alone show the whole thing to be a red herring. (These aren’t “computer moves”.)
Stylistically, the games go along an expected route.
The timing of the accusations is another thing; plus, the rather brutish way in which they have been made (accusations, innuendo, no proof),the crude/rude no handshaking bit; the way the Committee, in effect, rushed to judgement; the potential fallout from missing the match with Radjabov; what’s at stake – falling from being FIDE champion to being back in the cycle of qualification…
Not for observers to root for one side, then say not taking sides, if it’s objectively wrong what someone’s doing, it should be stated.
Plaudits to GM Nunn for stating what is what, … whether it’s seen as “fanning flames” or no, it sheds light on the current conflict…
Sad the thuggish way in which Kramnik has been sullied by the opposition…with all the machinations, Topalov seems to have better opportunity of somehow winning the match now.
Can’t understand the constant rooting for Topalov…(could understand if it was someone with the style of play of Anand, Morozevich, Aronian? or, in times past, Shirov, Ivanchuk…)
Well said, Anonymous brother.
Now, let’s hope that this Anonymouspocketchesssethoaxspammer is put to silence.
“Ask any grandmaster if he thinks that moving the pieces on the board will give him/her an advantage.”
I say, there is no advantage, because it is utterly ineffective. Can you spell, t-i-m-e t-r-o-u-b-l-e.
(However, I’m only an IM…)
http://www.sciam.com/print_version.cfm?articleID=00010347-101C-14C1-8F9E83414B7F4945
Once, again, no one has PROOF of this chess set in bathroom fantasy.
Whether a man goes into a bathroom once or ten thousand times doesn’t add up to one jot. (You want to say he has this set hidden on his person: is he not checked? Or hidden in the bathroom: is the bathroom not checked?)
Again, even bog-standard club players don’t need a chess set.
If you had a complicated position, you could do the mental stuff to work through it.
In the quiet phases, where you had a feel for how to go, probably even less calculation.
Again, maybe they play differently that side of the pond, but most people can go through a regular club game without need for an additional chess set – besides the one they’re playing on. If you can visualise the immediate position enough to go set it up elsewhere, you can stay board-side and visualise enough variations and possible branches just fine.
In any case, no one has PROOF of cheating. So, any supposition is without fact. Libel laws are less onerous that side of pond, but still seems bit slanderous to tar someone without proof.
Then again, perhaps we see bits of ourselves in others; we think people have the traits that, ironically, are really our traits.
Anyhow, lost interest now…chess now a fiasco…(the blog thinks much of Topalov no matter what)…paraphrasing: people convinced against their will, of the same opinion still…sad situation…intelligent people, yet can’t run the sport, can’t bring in sponsors, can’t do much for their professional sports people…maybe too clever for their own good…
GM Nunn hit the nail on the head.
Get the impression Topalov might win now…not sure why so anti-Kramnik…is it a russian thing?
Sitiation’s got bit petty and boring…
Time trouble? Don’t you think on your opponents time? Don’t you move quiclky in some moves (opening, forced captures, etc.) and slowly in others? Don’t you engage in “deep thought” (20 minutes or more in certain moves). Did Kramnik get into time trouble while having time to stroll trough his restroom and bathroom (and inside the bathroom)? Do you have an infinite calculational ability that lets you see long capture lines always to the end? (if not then setting the position up in an especially designed portable chess set that takes a few seconds will let you see to the final of the horizon of captures for example). Do you think that playing blinfolded is the same as playing OTB? Would you try in a torunament to use a private chess board without fear of being accused of cheating? I can go on but I think I made my point
This is a supposition.
As fanciful as it is, there is no proof.
Does anyone really believe that a GM goes to the bog (=john?), sits on the potty, opens his/her little pocket chess set and begins plugging pieces in, and runs through positions (in those sequences requiring bit more calculation) that he could effectively do over the board? In many games, people know the sequence they want to try (hence, references to home preparation/home cooking – right down to middlegame, example that springs to mind is Anand), the quiet scences don’t need a rush to the loo, a mentally tougher sequence just needs a calculation not on every conceivable line but on the few lines the GM thinks worthy of a more in depth look…anyhow, he who’s convinced against his will and all that…whatever makes people happy…too late…time to forget about this joke and sign off to more constructive things…chess world is full of eccentrics and current championship highlights that too…
Just give it up anonymouspocketchesssethoaxspammer is probably not even a chess player. To suggest that Kramnik would get an advantage of 300 ELO point by using a chess set in his bath room is so lame that no comment should be necessary.
GM Nunn should keep quiet if he only has destructive comments.
I feel the whole chess world wants a peaceful resolution of this conflict.
in this line, we should all help.
constructive criticism/comments is the only way to push thru with the contest.