FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

[Matt Mackenzie]

I was also expecting to see one at least one of the Indian GMs in contention, they will probably be a bit disappointed that no one has immediately picked up Anand's baton.

Waiting for Pragg, possibly?

[Mick Norris]

Sarin was 18th after drawing his last 8 games

[Ian Thompson]

Only 2 GMs amongst opposition?

https://ratings.fide.com/individual_cal ... -07-01&t=0

"might be an issue" is the understatement of the year/decade/century.

Elizabeth Pähtz's opinion on the norm:

My second norm in 2016 was a performance norm, but it wasn’t entirely clear at the time whether certain exemption rules applied or not. The main arbiter at the time was of the opinion that the requirements were met, but there were other opinions. The ambiguous wording of the rules at the time allowed for different interpretations. In 2017, the rules were reworded and made clearer.

[LawrenceCooper]

Only 2 GMs amongst opposition?

https://ratings.fide.com/individual_cal ... -07-01&t=0

"might be an issue" is the understatement of the year/decade/century.

Elizabeth Pähtz's opinion on the norm:

My second norm in 2016 was a performance norm, but it wasn’t entirely clear at the time whether certain exemption rules applied or not. The main arbiter at the time was of the opinion that the requirements were met, but there were other opinions. The ambiguous wording of the rules at the time allowed for different interpretations. In 2017, the rules were reworded and made clearer.

To my surprise she has now been awarded the GM title despite only playing two GMs in her middle norm.

https://fide.com/news/2121 "CM4-2022/17 To approve the GM title for IM E. Paehtz (GER)."
https://ratings.fide.com/profile/4641833

[Ian Thompson]

To my surprise she has now been awarded the GM title despite only playing two GMs in her middle norm.

https://fide.com/news/2121 "CM4-2022/17 To approve the GM title for IM E. Paehtz (GER)."
https://ratings.fide.com/profile/4641833

That decision does seem to open the door to dishonest arbiters making similar "mistakes" to get players norms. See https://en.chessbase.com/post/fide-news ... -in-mexico which says:

But then it turned out that her second GM norm had not been formally correct though a FIDE arbiter had declared it as valid. ...

The case was discussed in the FIDE committees and there were signals from FIDE that the GM title would nevertheless be awarded, since the fault here lay not with the player but with the arbiter. The player should not be punished for this.

It's not clear to me how the player would have been punished by not getting something she hadn't qualified for.

[NickFaulks]

To my surprise she has now been awarded the GM title despite only playing two GMs in her middle norm.

I don't expect that you are really more surprised than anyone else. We are back to the old days when political support could override such details.

[LawrenceCooper]

To my surprise she has now been awarded the GM title despite only playing two GMs in her middle norm.

I don't expect that you are really more surprised than anyone else. We are back to the old days when political support could override such details.

More surprised (not shocked) as someone outside FIDE who only hears second hand what goes on. I suspect that the relevant commission handled the case correctly but those higher up pushed the decision through.