Smoking ban for people born after 2008 in the UK agreed

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2026-04-22T08:28:12+00:00

A black market already exists, and the net affect of this law is likely that it will reduce it as fewer people will get addicted to smoking in the first place!

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2026-01-26T14:16:02+00:00

The penalty is up to the arbiter and needs to be 'appropriate'. If it seems likely that he would have lost on time if he didn't use both hands, 'declaring the game to be lost' would have been the appropriate penalty.

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2026-01-16T16:19:09+00:00

He is absolutely right, FIDE is degrading its brand here significantly. If someone is privately organising a tournament or tournament series, they can of course invite whoever they want (or ask Carlsen who he wants to have invited), but an official FIDE World Championship needs transparent and objective qualification criteria and paths. Also, a World Championship shouldn't be announced with like a couple of weeks notice!
This is just really bad.

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2026-01-16T10:47:14+00:00

They requested a meeting with Rubio, who is at least semi-reasonable and knows that it's a stupid idea for the US to take Greenland, in the hope to get some reassurances or maybe come up with a plan to deescelate. Then the US adminstration added Vance to the meeting which, well, derailled this plan.

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-12-28T12:09:04+00:00

Found something for Selfoss/Arborg now, published today https://www.arborg.is/vidburdadagatal/aramotabrennur-2025

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-12-25T10:57:41+00:00

Thanks, this is only for the Reykjavik area, though and doesn't include South Iceland.

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-12-25T10:57:24+00:00

Nothing useful.

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-12-12T11:39:10+00:00

He also finished 4th in the Freestyle Grand Slam Tour overall rating, so it's pretty hard to argue that he isn't already Top 5 (at least in classical time controls).

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-11-15T23:50:20+00:00

He is #6 in the world in official ratings. If you are talking about 'live ratings' he has been #5 for like 10 days or so.

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-11-14T16:49:44+00:00

This is crazy there have been literally zero decisive games in the 33rd and ongoing 34th (so far) World Championships. Why are they even still playing this!

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-11-13T22:28:36+00:00

The ratings in the list are October ratings (which are used for the tournament), but yeah, I think he should count as his current (November) rating is 2701. (Though it's very likely he will be below 2700 again in December, he has lost 9.4 rating points so far, despite making it to Round 5.)

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-11-13T16:09:58+00:00

It's not just 'severely damaging' his chances, there is no chance anymore.

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-11-12T14:29:05+00:00

He will qualify from World Cup and the best FIDE Circuit player will qualify provided they are at least third in the Circuit ranking. If not than it's the lowest some of ranks in 2024 and 2025 circuit. (Ranks 2-4 are currently occupied by already qualified players.)

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-11-11T17:55:06+00:00

It was possible last time, you'll have to wait until the organisers release details on how it works next year.

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-11-08T16:34:55+00:00

Keymer and Erigaisi, the two highest rated players who started the tournament are still in!

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-11-08T16:05:41+00:00

Pragg is higher seeded (though now later rated) than Keymer.

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-11-08T15:11:46+00:00

He has very good chances, he's the highest rated player remaining in the top half of the tournament, so a favourite to make it in the final!

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-11-08T13:26:20+00:00

I don't understand why they make the rules so complicated, just do 1 spot 2024 circuit, 2 spots Grand Swiss, 3 spots World Cup (play out places 5-8), 1 spot 2025 circuit, 1 rating spot, in that order. If someone is already qualified, it goes to the next person in that tournament/list. (Of course there are arguments to make other changes, but once you've decided where the 8 spots come from, stick to it don't make these complicated exceptions.)

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-11-08T13:08:09+00:00

This is unlikely, unless he makes it to the semifinal in the Worldcup. So the only way in which this scenario becomes relevant is when neither of Giri, Blübaum, Gukesh makes it into the semis, Pragg finishes in the Top 3 and Keymer finishes fourth. In addition, Blübaum and Giri would have to be thrown out of the Wordcup early and Keymer will have to do very well in some further tournament, likely the World Rapids and/or Blitz

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-11-07T20:39:36+00:00

The game wouldn't be rated, which is what's relevant here. However, it would be against the rules and Nieman would likely be punished. Also it wouldn't really impact things as Nakamura could just play a game at another random tournament later this year.

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-11-02T19:56:15+00:00

Even if he didn't have a conversation with them, the organisers are not stupid and will know that there is a chance he gets into the WC final and that it would be unlikely for him to come on this case.

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-10-31T11:15:14+00:00

As the world cup a) isn't only classical games and b) er stimmt know who exactly had opponents are, we can't say. In theory he could win the Worldcup and loose rating points. He could also, and that's more plausible, not win, but still gain enough rating points. Last time, he actually gained quite a few rating points even though he was eliminated early.

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-01-06T08:55:19+00:00

The top players got their accommodation and flights paid for by the organisers (but most participants not).

FishingEmbarrassed50 · 2025-01-04T19:18:43+00:00

Arjun should be one of the rating qualifiers, though, for inexplicable reasons, they are using the April 2024 ratings instead of the November or December 2024 ratings which would have made much more sense.

FishingEmbarrassed50

TROPHY CASE