Home Chess Nepomniachtchi On The Dance Of The Knights: “I’m Not Proud”

Nepomniachtchi On The Dance Of The Knights: “I’m Not Proud”

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Nepomniachtchi On The Dance Of The Knights: “I’m Not Proud”

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GM Daniil Dubov missed out on tying world number-one Magnus Carlsen for first place within the FIDE World Blitz Championship 2023 after each he and GM Ian Nepomniachtchi acquired zero factors for the knight-moves-only draw they made in spherical 11. In a 59-minute New Yr’s Eve podcast Nepomniachtchi talked about that sport and a bunch of different subjects, together with Carlsen’s separate lounge, the gown code in Samarkand, and the way in which GMs Alireza Firouzja, Gukesh Dommaraju, and earlier Ding Liren, certified for the Candidates Event.

Two-time world championship challenger and world number-five Nepomniachtchi ended 2023 with an English podcast that delved into all of the drama of the World Speedy and Blitz Championships in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. You possibly can test it out under:

On His World Speedy And Blitz Efficiency

Within the three-day fast event, Nepomniachtchi finally completed on 8/13, solely a win as a substitute of a loss within the final spherical away from a 12-way tie for third place, however he known as the event “one of many worst I’ve ever performed in fast.” He mentioned he by no means acquired over his round-two draw in opposition to an untitled 15-year-old Kazakh participant, Ernur Amangeldy: “I acquired most likely outplayed by a 2000-rated younger participant from Kazakhstan, which was one thing I didn’t actually anticipate to occur. Ultimately the sport completed in a draw, however it was fairly stunning.”

Nepomniachtchi referenced a staff that had suffered its worse begin to a season (when it comes to defeats) since 1930:

Once you converse in regards to the situations and also you converse in regards to the type there’s some good type, dangerous type, then my type in fast. After which within the night you examine some sports activities outcomes of the English Premier League and also you see Manchester United, in order that’s at all times an inspiration! By the way in which, wishing Man United the speediest restoration to their common degree. 

You examine some sports activities outcomes of the English Premier League and also you see Manchester United, in order that’s at all times an inspiration!

Nepomniachtchi described the two-day blitz event that adopted as, “a lot better, however nonetheless removed from excellence.” This time, nevertheless, there was much more to say, with the ultimate standings requiring an asterisk. 

Dubov and Nepomniachtchi made a attract spherical 11, however it changed into a loss for each gamers. All others issues being equal, that half level would have seen Dubov tie Carlsen for first place, and whereas an additional half level would solely have taken Nepomniachtchi right into a tie for fourth place with GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, he misplaced out extra, financially-speaking. Dubov took $50,000 for second as a substitute of $55,000 for joint first, whereas Nepomniachtchi misplaced the $7,750 distinction between a tie for fourth ($27,500) and a four-way tie for fifth ($19,750) with GMs Arjun Erigaisi, Levon Aronian, and Denis Lazavik.  

However now let’s get to the sport.     

On The Dance Of The Knights: Dubov 0-0 Nepomniachtchi

It didn’t final lengthy. Simply 42 seconds separated 1.Nf3 from 13.Nf3 Draw, as Dubov and Nepomniachtchi danced their knights across the board.

The sport immediately lit up social media, with some chess followers amused and a few horrified. Nepomniachtchi addresses that response when he feedback within the podcast:

I’m not a fan of this sport, I am not proud or one thing. I do not discover it too shameful, however in fact it is not one thing I’d be glad to recollect. So to these of you, I feel there’s some a part of chess followers who discovered this disrespectful, I am simply sorry. It was by no means meant to be like this. It was clearly a type of protest, which I additionally discover perhaps an excessive amount of, however mainly, what’s finished is finished.

I’m not a fan of this sport, I am not proud or one thing.

Dubov would additionally later notice on Fb: “After all such video games are at all times suggestions to the actions of the organizers and/or the work of the arbiters.”

What had been they protesting about? Nicely, there have been a variety of points, which we’ll get to, however the primary one was a dispute 5 rounds earlier that had drastically extended what was already set to be probably the most gruelling day of the championship. GM Andrew Z Hong appealed a loss on time in opposition to GM Yu Yangyi, with the Appeals Committee finally concluding Hong had possible tried to press the clock however failed. 

Nepomniachtchi identified such issues occur:

That day the wonderful Appeals Committee… it took them one hour to resolve if they need to proceed the sport when one of many gamers misplaced on time. I feel it is a good precedent, so somebody appeals, “okay, I misplaced on time, however I do not settle for it, I disagree. I feel the sport must be performed on for a bit extra, so give me again my time, the clock isn’t working and so forth,” however that is a part of the sport—everybody is aware of.

Nepomniachtchi explains one thing related occurred to Carlsen of their sport within the 2022 Championship, “however I can’t recall him interesting the outcome.” His actual subject, although, was the delay to the event:

A really unlucky second, however clearly this isn’t one thing you need to talk about for one hour. And likewise what was fairly superb, in a nasty means, was the ladies’s event, which had no issues with appeals and had all of the pairings prepared, they may play I feel two rounds throughout this time, and perhaps that they had one thing like two rounds or three rounds left, so our expensive girls had been simply ready in addition to all the opposite gamers, which in my view is simply ridiculous.

For the Dubov-Nepomniachtchi sport, nothing occurred after it was performed, and solely a spherical later, on the finish of the day, did Slovakian Chief Arbiter Ivan Syrovy publish a choice to punish the gamers with zero factors every as a result of that they had finished one thing “to deliver the sport of chess into disrepute.” 

Nepomniachtchi had few points with the punishment:

I feel that is fairly honest, I’ve no downside. Clearly all of the strikes had been performed, and I understood that there’s an excellent probability of being fined on this or that means. The way in which he determined to behave is likely one of the potential methods.

Clearly all of the strikes had been performed, and I understood that there is a good probability of being fined on this or that means.

He did object, nevertheless, to the choice not being taken instantly after the sport, however as a substitute leaving him and Dubov on the venue for one more 90 minutes after the video games ended at round 10 p.m. They appealed, although there was little purpose for optimism, particularly when it emerged their dialog earlier than the sport had been caught on ChessBase India’s microphones.

Dubov instructed Nepomniachtchi that the punishment motivated him as he went on to complete second as the one unbeaten participant. Photograph: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

Nepomniachtchi additionally felt there was one other basic subject with the Appeals Committee, and one which had been introduced up by GM Jon Ludvig Hammer earlier within the day. 

Happily FIDE CEO GM Emil Sutovsky didn’t must be used as a reserve member, since he’d already expressed his personal extremely essential view of the sport on X/Twitter, however that simply emphasizes Nepomniachtchi’s level within the podcast:

The factor is, all of those members, it does not matter in the event that they’re good gamers, dangerous gamers, lively gamers or inactive gamers, however all these guys and the girl are members of FIDE. Everyone seems to be a FIDE official, and that is, I feel, unacceptable, as a result of regardless of in case your attraction is nice or dangerous, you’re not going to face an excessive amount of objectivity, as a result of I do not assume a FIDE official will cancel the choice of one other FIDE official or arbiter.

The attraction was rejected unanimously, with Nepomniachtchi sad that some points he’d raised had been dismissed with the one phrase “irrelevant”:

This can be a very harmful observe, simply saying, “do not deliver into disrepute,” nicely all proper, however please specify, if it is a prearranged draw, then please do not use twin requirements. There are quite a few video games that are prearranged in the identical event and you do not act. Or in the event you do not just like the move-orders, then all proper, or perhaps you don’t just like the transfer amount, however please specify. This might be, I suppose, fairly useful to know, to maintain up some logic. 

There are quite a few video games that are prearranged in the identical event and you do not act.

Nepomniachtchi felt the case may doubtlessly be “good to shed some gentle onto this nice a part of skilled chess” i.e. on deal with attracts typically. He doesn’t assume banning draw affords, or limiting them to after a sure transfer as chess.com has not too long ago finished, is the answer:

So talking of the short attracts, the draw supply itself is part of the sport. I do not assume it must be inspired to supply a draw earlier than the spherical, earlier than the sport truly began, so that is necessary, I agree. Limiting gamers from attracts is barely bizarre. It might finish in an enormous explosion in recognition of the Berlin Variation, or the Catalan Bf4-Bc1 line, a widely known line as nicely. I feel it not too long ago occurred in a number of the high tournaments, or some Alternate Slav with Bf4 Bf5 and so forth, and so forth, and so forth. There are a lot of, many attracts. Some are very spectacular, some are very boring, some are Berlin attracts, Qe4-Qd4, so there’s a very huge spectrum of all conceivable attracts, and even now the dance of the knights most likely will take its shameful place among the many others, so that is mainly an excellent query: what to do?

There’s a very huge spectrum of all conceivable attracts, and even now the dance of the knights most likely will take its shameful place among the many others.

He suggests attempting to encourage taking part in for a win, as an illustration with a three-points-for-a-win scoring system, or by making number-of-wins the primary tiebreaker.

In Samarkand, in the meantime, there was nothing to be finished however proceed the video games. 

That wasn’t the primary drama Nepomniachtchi was concerned with on the event. Let’s take the opposite points briefly:

On Magnus Carlsen’s Personal Lounge

The 2-time challenger feedback within the podcast: “I acquired maybe unreasonably lively on Twitter, however taking a look at another guys, Twitter is pure enjoyment. I feel even Wesley joined Twitter for fairly a while.”

The primary tweet that made an affect was about privileges for the world champion:

The tweet clearly struck a chord, because it was quickly retweeted by GMs Fabiano Caruana and Vachier-Lagrave. Nepomniachtchi notes that with the ability to relaxation and put together between rounds could also be price 1-1.5 factors over 20 video games. The problem wasn’t a lot that any gamers had privileges, since he lists earlier occasions in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Warsaw, and Almaty, the place varied high gamers both had private lounges or had been in a position to share a FIDE VIP lounge. He even notes that when GM Hikaru Nakamura acquired Covid in Warsaw it was “slightly bit an ungainly second” as they’d been sitting for a very long time in adjoining chairs.

Vachier-Lagrave and Caruana had been among the many gamers to protest at Carlsen’s personal room. Photograph: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

This 12 months, nevertheless, was alleged to be completely different:

Coming to this 12 months’s championships, I additionally requested FIDE and FIDE mentioned OK, lastly there will likely be no preferences for any gamers, nobody will get any personal situations, everybody will likely be equal. All proper, so that they ensured me that is the brand new state of issues. Truly taking part in the primary day of the World Speedy I acquired slightly bit indignant, as a result of I noticed that OK, nobody has any entry anyplace—nobody however Magnus.

The row was defused by quietly inviting some gamers to the FIDE lounge as in earlier years, whereas Carlsen clarified that he didn’t have entry to a laptop computer.



 

On The Costume Code

The one chess drama that was totally predictable earlier than the occasion started was over the gown code, with the impeccably-dressed Dutch WIM Anna-Maja Kazarian falling sufferer to a ban (or was there?) on sneakers.

Nepomniachtchi feedback:

Right here I am going to attempt to be candid—I feel that is utterly ridiculous. The gown code should not be something like that strict at any open event, as a result of mainly throughout an open event it’s extremely laborious to manage a number of hundred folks following your gown code, no matter you name it.

He additionally took goal at FIDE’s directing criticism of the rules towards the FIDE Athletes’ Fee, made up of 14 gamers and chaired by Egyptian GM Ahmed Adly. 

I feel that is fairly bizarre by FIDE to readdress all of the inquiries to their Athletes’ Fee, no matter it’s. Possibly I’m not a frequent customer of fide.com, however once I was instructed that, OK, it is not FIDE guidelines, it is the Athletes’ Fee who got here up with this gown code for this 12 months and produce all of your inquiries to your fellow colleagues, this was slightly bit stunning. So I requested a few of my mates from the fee and so they replied that they by no means heard a factor about this gown code, so that they didn’t participate in engaged on these papers.

What would he counsel for a gown code?

It must be fairly cheap, so to illustrate not moving into shorts. It might most likely enhance curiosity in chess, however perhaps you should not play in a bikini, and so forth, however to be sincere, I do not see any downside in jeanswear, some denims, all form of sneakers. Simply look good, be trendy, and so forth, and out of my expertise, in fact, it’s rather more cozy to play in a hoodie or a sweatshirt moderately than in some official trousers, jacket and a black tie. So I feel that is fairly pointless and I hope this will likely be modified.

Many identified that different gamers, or FIDE officers, appeared to have the ability to flout the gown code. 

It wasn’t solely Samarkand that Nepomniachtchi touched on, nevertheless, since he turned to the topic of qualifying for the Candidates Event, the occasion that decides who faces the world champion in a match.

On How Firouzja, Gukesh, And Ding Certified For The Candidates

Firouzja’s extraordinary path to qualifying for the 2024 Candidates Event in Toronto rather than GM Wesley So nearly rivalled the World Speedy and Blitz for pleasure over the vacation interval. He certified primarily based on the January FIDE ranking listing, with Nepomniachtchi taking goal at that system:

To begin with, I might prefer to criticize the thought of qualifying by ranking when it comes to just one ranking listing which issues, January 1, 2024. It seems that this technique is kind of straightforward, to not hack, however to not directly overrun the present standings.

He summed up the matches Firouzja performed in opposition to veteran opponents in Chartres with, “I don’t assume it was something pre-arranged, in the event you ask me, however typically these gamers aren’t actually able to combating with such a top-tier participant on equal phrases.”

Nepomniachtchi right here felt FIDE ought to take motion, as ultimately they did by not ranking the occasion, however notes that nothing was finished when Ding met the necessities for the 2022 Madrid Candidates with some very curious occasions in China.

These qualification tournaments for Ding seemed fairly dangerous. It was screamingly suspicious, however FIDE by no means interfered, and everyone knows the place it led. In a means, I paid my worth additionally for being silent. I assumed perhaps the one good second to discuss this is able to be successful the [world championship] match after which converse my thoughts brazenly, however yeah, I got here shut, however not shut sufficient, to that time, so anyway, it is higher late than by no means. I don’t assume utilizing such loopholes within the guidelines must be inspired.

It was screamingly suspicious, however FIDE by no means interfered.

Ding defended that occasion in an interview with Peter Doggers within the run-up to Wijk aan Zee.

There’s a video recorded of it so I can show that there was nothing fallacious with it. Additionally, I’m very proud about my efficiency since they don’t seem to be nobodies; they’re fairly gifted gamers. In addition they received the World Group Championship later that 12 months.

Nepomniachtchi had fewer complaints about Firouzja’s 7/7 to get himself over the road within the Rouen Open, although his congratulations had been grudging at greatest:

That is an instance of some farming of the ranking, however as soon as once more, as dangerous because it appears, technically he did not violate any guidelines, at the very least within the Christmas event. So what can we do? In all probability we are able to solely congratulate him with qualifying to the Candidates.

So what can we do? In all probability we are able to solely congratulate him with qualifying to the Candidates.

Nepomniachtchi additionally suggests {that a} late occasion on the FIDE Circuit, the Chennai Masters, gave an unfair benefit to the Indian gamers it was designed to assist—Gukesh and Arjun—who he notes by “a enjoyable coincidence” tied for first place, with Gukesh snatching the spot that had beforehand been GM Anish Giri’s:

Different gamers who may compete for his or her Circuit place, I feel it was Wesley in addition to Anish, they mainly had no such alternative. So there have been no regular tournaments and never so many locations on the earth you possibly can arrange a powerful round-robin in every week or two weeks or one thing.

Giri might have missed out on the Candidates, however at the very least he escaped the sneaker tax. Photograph: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

Nepomniachtchi additionally questioned the variety of factors on supply in comparison with a gruelling occasion just like the Tata Metal Masters, and total, as you possibly can see, the two-time challenger isn’t thrilled with FIDE’s efforts. He identified that the late announcement of the occasion in Samarkand was another excuse for a memorable New Yr’s tweet:

Epilogue: The Knights Dance Once more In Titled Tuesday

Simply when the dance-of-the-knights drama had died down, it flared up once more with yesterday’s late Titled Tuesday, which Dubov received after revisiting that earlier sport in his round-eight conflict with Nepomniachtchi. Two rounds later Nepomniachtchi did the identical in opposition to Nakamura. As soon as once more, illustrating simply how polarizing this subject is, reactions assorted wildly.

Will this be the final dance?



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