CHESS #1401

The success of the Fide Online Nations Cup and the Magnus Invitational has led to another initiative. Magnus Carlsen is fronting an online Grand Prix of four events, followed by a super final sometime in August. This will have a total prize fund of $1 million, by far the highest-ever online.

Finding sponsors for this is easy — the online games segment, especially the gambling sites, are seeing a growth explosion — and Carlsen has been in the forefront of trying to get a slice of that pie for chess. The Magnus Invitational was retroactively deemed to be the first of these events.

It was the first online chess tournament to be broadcast on TV, in Spanish, German, Russian, and Czech channels, and it was covered live on Norway’s biggest commercial channel. Chess24.com offered nine language commentary. Lindores Abbey (May 19-June 3) will be the second event. The top four finishers in each event will be seeded into the next, while new invitees will be inducted.

The Fide Online Nations saw a final playoff between USA and China, which was tied 2-2 with wins by Fabiano Caruana and Yu Yangyi balancing off. China won because it had the better league score, winning more matches in the double round-robin. The US beat China at the RR stage in the second match in the PRC’s only loss, but the US also lost to Europe and to China.

India ended fifth on the table, which was disappointing. India’s chances were crippled by the poor form of Vidit Gujrathi who scored 2/8 against what was admittedly very stiff opposition. Anand was in good form however and played several impressive games.

Sooner rather than later, given the extended lockdowns, chess will have to ramp up its anti-cheating measures. Online events are proliferating and there’s more money coming into the game. We have no idea really when “normal” over-the board play can resume. It would be sensible for Fide to work out online norms and rating requirements due to the pandemic and its unclear timelines.  Cheating is low probability in an elite event with highly rated, established, titled players and everything streamed out. 

In big opens and norm events, it could be a cancer.

The Diagram, Black to Play, (White: Artemiev Vs Black: Gujrathi, Russia Vs India, Match 2, Online Nations Cup 2020) is a good example of Vidit’s poor form. White’s threatening Nc5 and is better — black must go 19 — Qd6 to hope for survival. But Black played 19. — Ka8? 20. Rxb7! Qd6 21. Nc5 Nxd4? Again — 21. — Rb8 is the only try.  White finished 22. Rxa7+ Kxa7 23. Qa3+ Kb6 24. Qb4+ Kc6 25. Qb7+ Kxc5 26. Bb4# (1-0). Fun to watch if you’re not an India supporter.

Devangshu Datta is an internationally rated chess and correspondence chess player