Tuesday 25 October 2016

Spot The Difference with Nigel Short

1. NIGEL DOESN'T LIKE RULE, SEPTEMBER
People have said to me that rules are rules. It’s nonsense! When the laws make no sense they can go and fuck themselves!

2. NIGEL LIKES RULE, OCTOBER
You can't just ignore regulations just for the hell of it. There's a reason why they are there.

Irrelevant to this piece, but here Nigel appears to be wearing a suit out of Reggie Perrin

[Image]

11 comments:

I. Cheparinov (humor) said...

I would not shake hands with the guy.

Simon said...

I think it is reasonable to insist the rules are enforced even if you are a tosser.

A. said...

Sigh. Just when it seemed resolved, Susan Polgar (or Paul Truong) is pouring kerosene on the flames.

https://chessdailynews.com/ultimate-shameful-unsportsmanlike-conduct-in-chess/

She does nicely point out that Nigel didn't complain earlier this year when his Game 6 versus Gretarsson (rapid) was rated in similar match circumstances (he had White and won).

Anonymous said...

If I read the chart correctly, Short had Black in Game 6 versus Gretarsson. Chess24 shows the same.
https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tournaments/short-gretarsson-2016/6/1/1

Unknown said...

"A glass or two of wine had been consumed..."

Name/URL said...

Alexey Dreev has an interview at Chess News (Russia), where he points out that women can't shake hands with men before a game in Iran. I guess no one ever thought of what troubles such a rule might lead to (though in 2014 or 2015 someone seriously inquired to the Medical Commission regarding germ transmission with the handshake).

So: when Short played in Iran Bandar Anzali Stars a couple months ago (July), and his opponent was
Khademalsharieh, did he demand per FIDE rules to shake hands, as he did to Cheparinov?

Anti-Nigel said...

FIDE Rules expert Nigel Short is now confusing himself again.

https://twitter.com/nigelshortchess/status/795962253610782720

He seems that annoyed that the person in question has applied for a GM title, with two points lacking: how the 2012 European Individual counted as 20 games; and whether 2500 was attained.

Correct. But how about the double-norm he has attained? I thought this wangle only exists in Olympiads, or not?

Err no, as every reader of Annex 88 (QC Commission report) from the 2012 Istanbul meeting knows:
Longer norms for certain FIDE events: It was agreed that the 20 and 13 game norms available in Continental championships are no longer appropriate, and they will be removed. The same concession for Olympiads was discussed. After a vote of the Commission, excluding the Chairman, split 4-4, on the Chairman’s vote these concessions will remain in place. This was accepted by the GA.

Therefore, prior to (the last day of) Istanbul 2012, one could earn a 20-game norm from a Continental Championship, as the person in question did. It is still mysterious, however, that this person seems never to have reached 2500. Page 40 of Annex 78 of the most recent Baku meeting does not say "conditional" (as others do), so it is unclear what is up.

NB: Rivello in his CONS report noted the need for past versions of Rules to be readily available.
NB: The "1.50c" on the PDF application form in question is actually 1.53a.

A. said...

Incidentally, the same concession exists for the World Team Championship (see Table 1.24b of "direct titles" corresponding to the Title Regulations).

Moreover, it is my understanding that the Continental Team had the same concession until last year. (Web archive of September 8, 2015 lists it, but not March 4, 2016). It came up in Reykjavik for Aryan Tari (Oct 2015), and he was awarded the title on this basis. Again the famous FIDE lack of transparency as to when this was changed and by whom?

Historically, in 2009 (Annex 58) there was a move to *increase* the concession to include zonals.

A. said...

Here is a link I found with 2012 rule changes (I think).

http://ruchess.ru/upload/iblock/8e2/8e2419bc8676f19f937421a673983026.pdf

Then in 2013 (Annex 62), there is a note: "2. The GM norm for Irina Krush from the World Teams Championship was accepted. We shall amend the regulation to make clear that this event carries the same status as an Olympiad." Maybe when the copyist amended the rules in the Tables they erroneously included Continental Teams too?

In any case, technically I don't think this emendation was proper, as 2013 was an Executive Board year, while only the General Assembly can change the Title Regulations (and even in Tromso 2014 there was lack of quorum on the matter). Also, the QC is not known for making exceptions, so they must have thought this substitution was clear (the rules say "For Olympiad etc. (see Tables) a norm counts as 20 games") in Krush's case.

A., said...

Furthermore, as far as I can tell, *ALL* 20 game norms are now eliminated in the new Title Regulations to take effect on July 2017 (Annex 78 from 2016). This didn't seem to be discussed any in the Minutes of the QC though, so either it was uncontroversial or unnoticed.

Anonymous said...

Right up there with Ilyumzhinov. He says that his only dealings with Syria were with chess, and similarly all around the world. But yesterday he visits the Chinese embassy in Moscow and emphasizes that he talked to Minister about a variety of common business interests.

FIDE President held business talks with the Minister Plenipotentiary, Adviser on Trade and Economic Cooperation Mr. Zhang Di. The sides discussed prospects of development of mutually beneficial commercial relations between Russia and China.

And why is the FIDE President entrusted by Putin (?!) to do this, exactly?