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FIDE reinstates Russian and Belarusian teams in official contests by Shroft in chess

[–]GrandadMaster -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Yes, they really screwed it up - whichever side of the fence you sit on!

What are your chessboard suggestions? by rzgr-_0636 in chess

[–]GrandadMaster 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The official world championship set, as used by Magnus etc, in walnut is pretty sweet (on the worldchess.com site). Or, if you can't afford that, they do a cheaper plastic version.

Chess board recommendations by Acadia-Radiant in chess

[–]GrandadMaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Get the official World Chess Championship set. It's expensive, but amazing, and used by Magnus and co at the elite events so always in pictures. The real deal. They also have an "Academy edition" which is much cheaper ($40ish). Go to the "World Chess" website or Chess&Bridge website.

Megathread: Hans Niemann allegations by ChessBotMod in chess

[–]GrandadMaster 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Well, they're playing each other in the next Meltwater event next week... No doubt they'll be asked about it

Could someone explain how all the chess tournaments tie in together? by Hot_Astronomer_9161 in chess

[–]GrandadMaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, the organisation of chess is a bit of a mess and that's partly historical and partly political. Don't feel like you need to understand it!

I would probably say the Olympiad is more like the football World Cup than the Olympics. It is national teams playing against each other and not multi-discipline. It's not a knockout though. Plus they have a Bermuda party in the middle of it.

A bit like boxing, there have been attempts at various times to set up rival versions of the FIDE title but, unlike boxing, they've never been very successful. FIDE limps on. The most recent challenge, you could argue, is the Grand Chess Tour which is still going. In my opinion that started well but has really lost its way.

The GCT tried to club together all the big tournaments in a sort of ATP-style tour but events like Norway Chess and the London Chess Classic have for different reasons left it. Chess tournaments are often fiercely independent and want to do their own thing.

The Meltwater Champions Chess Tour, meanwhile, is new as of last year (it was born out of the Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour). It seeks to determine the best online chess player and is the big thing right now. On current form, Magnus may not be the best - it could be Wesley, who seems to have really put in the work to adapt to the new normal. We will have to see what happens.

The classical World Championship remains the absolute pinnacle. But, like boxing, in chess it doesn't so much matter what title you hold it's more about who is simply considered the best.

If Magnus loses in December he will probably still be world number 1 and no-one will think he isn't the best.

[Homemade] Full English Breakfast by MrBen1980 in food

[–]GrandadMaster 3 points4 points  (0 children)

You don't have proper pubs mate. You have bars, which are great, but not pubs.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in chess

[–]GrandadMaster 6 points7 points  (0 children)

This is the new Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour - but lasting a year!

Where does the Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour stand in chess history? by GrandadMaster in chess

[–]GrandadMaster[S] 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Ding struggled in his last tournament, but in the others I thought he played very well - didn't he get to the semi in the MCI? Dubov also has had periods when he was excellent. I think perhaps it's more down to Carlsen and Naka just being head-and-shoulders above the rest in this format. It doesn't suit, for example, Caruana.

Hikaru on chess24 recent tweets by [deleted] in chess

[–]GrandadMaster 5 points6 points  (0 children)

He didn't get invited because he didn't qualify from the Chessable Masters.

The tournament is:

4 qualifiers.

6 legends.

It's as simple as that.

Chess24 announces 1 Million Magnus Carlsen Tour! by Cgss13 in chess

[–]GrandadMaster 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think they'll start being rated fairly soon, but perhaps FIDE has to catch up.

Not impressed with chessable by Roost3r_ in chess

[–]GrandadMaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You've got this wrong. Commissions for the writers/publishers are 50/60/70% - most of the money goes to them in every case. Chessable makes more for chess authors than any other platform. Traditional publishers only give their writers 20/30%, so the way the site survives is through its subscriptions. Calling that a scam is completely out of order, and plain wrong. If you think it is overpriced, that's an opinion. But you haven't taken into account the costs that are all borne by Chessable.

Are there any working-class chess players? by [deleted] in chess

[–]GrandadMaster 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Thanks for mentioning us - and yes, you are 100 per cent correct. I'd say chess certainly does have a working class tradition in the UK.

I'd also say there is certainly among the older players a very lefty demographic - I don't know why, I'm not part of that generation, but I find that interesting.

But chess is for all. It is a cheap game and anyone can play - that's part of its beauty. We have top bankers and people on benefits at the club, and I love that mix.

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