Skilling Open

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Chris Rice
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Skilling Open

Post by Chris Rice » Sun Nov 08, 2020 9:09 pm

The success of The Queen's Gambit is definitely creating some great opportunities for chess. The Play Magnus Group has purchased the rights for the Champions Chess Tour and the online Skilling Open due to start on November 22 will be covered live on Eurosport. Chess24 article

The players announced so far for the 16-player Skilling Open are:
1. Ding Liren
2. Levon Aronian
3. Teimour Radjabov
4. David Anton
5. Sergey Karjakin

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Skilling Open

Post by Roger de Coverly » Sun Nov 08, 2020 11:01 pm

I see the 650 million fantasy of Kirsan and Agon is still going strong.

From the link
Trojan Paillot, VP Rights Acquisitions and Distribution at Eurosport, said:

Chess has a great potential to attract a dedicated, global audience and Eurosport has a proven track record in its ability to increase awareness of a sport and establish a solid platform for rights holders to grow their fanbase and attraction towards new territories. Play Magnus Group is known for innovating and modernising a game played by over 650 million people globally. Eurosport will facilitate and fasten the development of the game thanks to a combined linear and digital approach, bringing Chess to the widest number of people through our broadcast and distribution operations.

Chris Rice
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Re: Skilling Open

Post by Chris Rice » Wed Nov 11, 2020 9:44 am

The Eurosport site with a little more info. Nice to see this:

"Chess will take its place alongside other premium sporting events on Eurosport for viewers in more than 60 markets across Europe* and Asia, expanding the reach of the professional game to millions."

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Skilling Open

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Wed Nov 11, 2020 10:50 am

"I see the 650 million fantasy of Kirsan and Agon is still going strong."

It's grown by 50 million hasn't it? Still, there have been reports of people learning chess during lockdown...

I seem to remember Eurosport broadcasting chess programmes before? Those Intel events perhaps? They have been good for minority sports, e.g. rodeo.

Chris Rice
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Re: Skilling Open

Post by Chris Rice » Thu Nov 12, 2020 8:16 am

How the tournament is going to work:

Image

More detail in this Chess24 article

Mick Norris
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Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester

Re: Skilling Open

Post by Mick Norris » Thu Nov 12, 2020 8:49 am

Chris Rice wrote:
Sun Nov 08, 2020 9:09 pm
The players announced so far for the 16-player Skilling Open are:
1. Ding Liren
2. Levon Aronian
3. Teimour Radjabov
4. David Anton
5. Sergey Karjakin
6. Liem Quang Le
7. Wesley So
Any postings on here represent my personal views

Chris Rice
Posts: 3416
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 5:17 am

Re: Skilling Open

Post by Chris Rice » Thu Nov 12, 2020 6:33 pm

Mick Norris wrote:
Thu Nov 12, 2020 8:49 am
Chris Rice wrote:
Sun Nov 08, 2020 9:09 pm
The players announced so far for the 16-player Skilling Open are:
1. Ding Liren
2. Levon Aronian
3. Teimour Radjabov
4. David Anton
5. Sergey Karjakin
6. Liem Quang Le
7. Wesley So
Player 8

Image

Mick Norris
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Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester

Re: Skilling Open

Post by Mick Norris » Thu Nov 12, 2020 8:01 pm

Did Svidler win a qualifier for this, or am I hallucinating?
Any postings on here represent my personal views

Chris Rice
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Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 5:17 am

Re: Skilling Open

Post by Chris Rice » Thu Nov 12, 2020 8:39 pm

Mick Norris wrote:
Thu Nov 12, 2020 8:01 pm
Did Svidler win a qualifier for this, or am I hallucinating?
I can't see anything on the Champions Chess Tour site regarding Svidler but I thought I was hallucinating when I scrolled to the bottom and saw the VIP Package as 4999 euros and then saw the asterix underneath and realised that was an EarlyBird offer from the "normal" price of 7499 euros!

Mick Norris
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Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester

Re: Skilling Open

Post by Mick Norris » Sat Nov 14, 2020 4:05 pm

9. Jan-Krzysztof Duda
10. Vidit Gujrathi
Any postings on here represent my personal views

Kevin Thurlow
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Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:28 pm

Re: Skilling Open

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Sat Nov 14, 2020 5:36 pm

Are they drip-feeding the names of the participants the way they do with "Strictly Come Dancing" and "I'm a Nonentity Get Me Out of Here"?

David Sedgwick
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Re: Skilling Open

Post by David Sedgwick » Sat Nov 14, 2020 8:50 pm

Mick Norris wrote:
Thu Nov 12, 2020 8:01 pm
Did Svidler win a qualifier for this, or am I hallucinating?
I think that he won a qualifier for a Tour place, rather than for this particular event. I think that each tournament will comprise a mixture of full Tour participants and wildcards.

Mick Norris
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Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:12 am
Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester

Re: Skilling Open

Post by Mick Norris » Sun Nov 15, 2020 9:04 pm

Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Sat Nov 14, 2020 5:36 pm
Are they drip-feeding the names of the participants the way they do with "Strictly Come Dancing" and "I'm a Nonentity Get Me Out of Here"?
Yes
11. MVL

12. Carlsen confirmed as playing; David Howell as commentating
Any postings on here represent my personal views

Chris Rice
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Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 5:17 am

Re: Skilling Open

Post by Chris Rice » Tue Nov 17, 2020 5:02 pm

Drip, drip, drip....Ian Nepomniachtchi is the 13th player to be confirmed.

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Skilling Open

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Tue Nov 17, 2020 6:12 pm

"Drip, drip, drip....Ian Nepomniachtchi is the 13th player to be confirmed."

And I've heard of all of them...

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