It was only just over two weeks ago that I posted my “The 2024 World Chess Championship – some thoughts” (see here) blog making the point that I am a chess enthusiast and have been since I was a boy, yet admitting my own abilities are modest and I only play occasionally these days but that I am fascinated by what happens when chess is played at the highest level. Not only do I enjoy seeing excellent play but I love observing the human and psychological aspects, taking comfort even top players blunder.

I little imagined then that I would be returning to chess related matters so soon. Soon after that final between 18 year old Gukesh (who won) and Ding was played we had the Champions Chess Tour final in Oslo, which Magnus Carlsen won, which I also followed. After that was the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship. The Rapid part that sees players playing all their moves in 15-minutes gaining an additional 10-second increment per move has just ended, with another 18 year old, Volodar Murzin, winning. That too I have been following thanks to more excellent live and after the event coverage to be found on YouTube from Take Take Take and Gotham Chess, and others. Tomorrow, the Blitz competition begins.

In recent years there has been a proliferation of chess events responding to popular demand and latched onto by those commentating on what is happening e.g. via their YouTube channels. For reasons I have articulated in my previous posts, I welcome this widening of chess interest, evidenced by my own involvement with youth and working with the homeless. I suspect too, chess is being better financed, evidenced by the rewards for top players, although there is a long way to go when comparing with sports like football. Just as with the Singapore and Oslo events, I sensed the same excited anticipation with this New York one.

As good and as exciting the chess was, it was overshadowed by the withdrawal of defending champion, Magnus Carlsen, from the rapid competition and his declaration he would not defend his blitz title either. The issue was dress standard, which he transgressed. On Day 2 he turned up in jeans and was told to change. He said he would wear appropriate trousers the next day but not on this day. As a result FIDE decided Carlsen had to forfeit the next round and he withdrew in righteous indignation in response. Technically, he wasn’t disqualified but for Carlsen it was a matter of principle.

Many have given their views on who is right and wrong, and word is that the fall out between Carlsen and FIDE is about more than acceptable dress code e.g. introducing events like Freestyle chess outside of FIDE, but all agree it is regrettable that the best player in the world in the world is now not competing. I hope there is an amicable resolution and common sense will prevail for the good of chess. We await developments hoping for a good outcome.

Update 30/12/2024

Good news – BREAKING: MAGNUS CARLSEN IS BACK! – check out this Take Take Take interview with Gotham (aka Levy Rozman) and Magnus. Today the Blitz tournament begins and defending champion, Magnus Carlsen, gets to defend his title – the outcome almost everyone wants, even though, as if making a point, Magnus turns up in jeans. I look forward to the games and my hopes for chess remain. And if you want more interesting and insightful interviews featuring Mr Gotham talking to one of the high profile chess super stars, including relating to the “Magnus incident” then why not check out: “Hans Niemann: “Magnus Planned The Jeans Scandal”” and “Hikaru Supports Magnus’ Decision”?

As for my own views on who were right and who were wrong, the phrase I first learned as a schoolboy: “six of one and half a dozen of the other” comes to mind and, despite listening to different points of view and being of the view that sometimes compromises are needed whilst if rules are made they need to be kept, I reckon I still don’t know enough. Two words come to mind: “ego” and “decorum”, ego because a lot of what went on was about individual ego and decorum because, in my book, publicly rubbishing those you have an issue with and point scoring (as Magnus has done) is unacceptable.

Finally, regarding Freestyle Chess, also known as 960 Chess, which essentially follows the normal rules of chess but with the back rank piece starting arrangement randomly selected, albeit with certain constraints, it is not a format that appeals to me but I get why this way of playing, which ditches opening theory etc., has its attractions.

Update 01/01/2025

The above photo and these comments that relate are among those on my Facebook feed: “the moments when Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi were both declared the World Blitz Champions 2024! Unique scenes in the World of Chess” following a mutual agreement after a 2 all draw in the final, followed by 3 drawn tie break games. Opinions are divided whether or not this should have been allowed and as with jeansgate I can see the pros and cons of each side’s viewpoint. I confess to two late nights culminating in seeing the New Year in as the World Blitz championship was played with defending champion, Magnus, happy this time to share the winner spoils with Nepo, his old friend and sparring partner. A fascinating competition and exciting viewing given the high quality of chess played along with the inevitable human drama including blunders, and mind boggling considering players had only 3 minutes (with 2 second increments for each move) to play ALL their moves.

Our final word concerns the ladies, with the women’s competition inevitably being overshadowed by that of the men’s. Ju Wenjun (China) is the Blitz champion and Humpy Koneru (India) the rapid one. It is worth noting the rising dominance of China and India when it comes to elite chess but also that the Russians are back with champions Murzin and Nepo and it all bodes well for the future.

Update 02/01/2025

As a final PS, I noted while Magnus continued to represent Norway, if their flags are anything to go on, Nepo did not represent Russia. I googled “is Nepo playing for Russia” and got following response: “Nepomniachtchi is Russia’s highest ranked active chess player. He is currently eligible to play under the FIDE flag in international chess events, which would make him a “foreign player”” I think I understand why, but I disagree since politics should not play a part.

Update 03/01/2025

PPS See Here for the latest Gotham podcast on Jeansgate and the fall out that followed, as well as the how and why having two men’s blitz winners happened and was allowed to happen and how all this bodes well for the future of chess, especially at the top level. I enjoyed the fair presentation of different views on these matters. As far as I am concerned, the jury is out on the rights and wrongs and what should now happen, not being opposed to the outcomes of this latest tournament (I actually thought Magnus and Nepo sharing the Blitz title was nice even though I think things could have been done differently – both sides). As for me, my hopes for the future of chess remains and while I don’t expect to be making much of a chess come back, I will be encouraging folk to play this great game.

If I can add my final two penneth, why not play as already happens in certain tournaments, after a match followed by tie breaks ends with no outright winner, an Armageddon? To give a football (soccer) analogy, in competitions when a winner of a game is needed in order to progress to the next round or be declared the outright winner, extra time is played and if there is still no winner (as often is the case when the competing teams focus on not losing) we go to penalty shoot-outs, which while far from ideal does mean there will be a winner. Armageddon chess has the same rules as a regular game of chess except for two very important distinctions: 1) Black has draw odds, meaning that if Black draws the game, then they win, and 2) Black starts with less time on the clock than White. Armageddon games are typically used as a final tiebreak system after multiple draws have occurred in previous stages of the match. Might I suggest such a system in place for next time!