Chess news this week
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
DIGGING UP THE PAST
You have to hand it to Bobby Fischer for becoming the legend that he is! All of his life–ever since a youngster in running shoes–he has been in the spot light. Even before winning the World Championship in 1972 Bobby was a living legend, but destroying the myth of the Soviet School of Chess made Fischer immortal.
This past week virtually every newspaper in the world has covered the exhumation of Fischer’s remains (in Iceland) to settle a paternity case. Every TV station. Most radio stations. And of course: the world wide web. Not even the Karpov/Ilyumzhinov FIDE presidential election can compare.
The DNA results are expected in about 3 weeks time. In the meantime, Hollywood is soon to begin producing a feature film on the chess genius’ life.
RIP.
______________________________________________________________
CANADA’S SHOWCASE TOURNAMENT?
Traditionally Canada’s showcase chess tournament –the Canadian Open–is to begin this coming weekend and will end the following weekend. 30,000 dollars in prize money. Toronto is the host and the venue is the classy Westin Harbour Castle down by the lake. Information on this 9-round tournament can be found at the official link : http://monroi.com/2010-cocc-home.html
Organizers have tried their best, but the chess public has not been very supportive. Little more than 200 entries (including about a dozen foreign grandmasters) have been registered–a rather poor showing considering that Toronto is the most densely populated area in Canada and has the bulk of known chess players in the country.
The very best in Canada
Perhaps it is the entry fee (195 dollars), or perhaps it is something else. None of Canada’s grandmasters are taking part and not even the Argentine prodigy ,18-year old Anton Kovaliov, who has been living in Canada for 3 years now and is the top rated grandmaster resident in Canada is amongst those registered.
Something is VERY wrong with Toronto chess…
______________________________________________________________
FIDE BLUES
Well, the 6th of July has come and gone and apparently FIDE has chosen to ignore the ‘threat’ of the Karpov2010 to take unspecified legal action should FIDE ignore a list of demands submitted by Karpov’s team of lawyers. We will just have to wait and see what Karpov has in mind now…
In the meantime, Karpov’s campaign is all but dead in the water and has lost all of its Hollywood glitz. Ilyumzhinov’s team has announced that it already has some 60 confirmed votes and expects to announce more in coming days. Unconfirmed rumours speculate that more than 100 countries have already joined the incumbent’s side.
I think at last count Karpov had between 20 and 30 votes–some disputed–and unless he can pull a rabbit out of a hat QUICKLY no one should be surprised if some of those Karpov votes switch sides.
We will just have to wait and see.
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS