FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

The very latest International round up of English news.
Post Reply
Roger de Coverly
Posts: 21291
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:51 pm

FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

Post by Roger de Coverly » Thu Sep 30, 2021 8:00 pm

FIDE have announced the line ups for these tournaments to take place in Riga rather than the Isle of Man.

In the Open event it's just David Howell from the UK whilst the female event features Jovanka Houska and Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant of Scotland.

https://www.fide.com/news/1363

LawrenceCooper
Posts: 7167
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:13 am

Re: FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

Post by LawrenceCooper » Mon Oct 18, 2021 10:14 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Thu Sep 30, 2021 8:00 pm
FIDE have announced the line ups for these tournaments to take place in Riga rather than the Isle of Man.

In the Open event it's just David Howell from the UK whilst the female event features Jovanka Houska and Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant of Scotland.

https://www.fide.com/news/1363
A slight spanner in the works: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/la ... 021-10-18/

Nigel White
Posts: 126
Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2013 4:22 pm

Re: FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

Post by Nigel White » Mon Oct 18, 2021 10:15 pm

I see that Latvia has announced today that the country will enter a full lockdown from 21 October to 15 November, with no indoor gatherings allowed. I assume that this will scupper the FIDE Grand Swiss which is due to run from 25 October to 8 November.

NickFaulks
Posts: 8452
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:28 pm

Re: FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

Post by NickFaulks » Mon Oct 18, 2021 10:21 pm

Oh bugger ( if I'm allowed to say that ).
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

NickFaulks
Posts: 8452
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:28 pm

Re: FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

Post by NickFaulks » Mon Oct 18, 2021 10:56 pm

saspiežot sombrero
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

David Sedgwick
Posts: 5249
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:56 pm
Location: Croydon
Contact:

Re: FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

Post by David Sedgwick » Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:01 pm

NickFaulks wrote:
Mon Oct 18, 2021 10:21 pm
Oh bugger ( if I'm allowed to say that ).
It probably should have been "Oh b....r", but I'll leave that to Carl. I concur with your sentiments.

The irony is that in the event it would probably have been possible to hold the tournaments in the Isle of Man.

User avatar
Paolo Casaschi
Posts: 1186
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 6:46 am

Re: FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

Post by Paolo Casaschi » Tue Oct 19, 2021 4:10 pm

https://twitter.com/FIDE_chess/status/1 ... 7117040640

From FIDE's twitter account: "The Organizers of the FIDE http://Chess.com Grand Swiss and Women’s Grand Swiss are working with the government to agree on an exemption regarding the high-level international sports events. We will update you as soon as the final decision is made."

LawrenceCooper
Posts: 7167
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:13 am

Re: FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

Post by LawrenceCooper » Wed Oct 20, 2021 4:37 pm

Paolo Casaschi wrote:
Tue Oct 19, 2021 4:10 pm
https://twitter.com/FIDE_chess/status/1 ... 7117040640

From FIDE's twitter account: "The Organizers of the FIDE http://Chess.com Grand Swiss and Women’s Grand Swiss are working with the government to agree on an exemption regarding the high-level international sports events. We will update you as soon as the final decision is made."
https://twitter.com/FIDE_chess/status/1 ... 5187984384

"FIDE and the organisers would like to assure players and participants that we are doing our best to host the event in Riga in a secure and still comfortable way."

LawrenceCooper
Posts: 7167
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:13 am

Re: FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

Post by LawrenceCooper » Thu Oct 21, 2021 9:12 am

Players and arbiters have been informed that it's going ahead. I don't see an official announcement yet but will keep an eye out for one.

Angus French
Posts: 2149
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 1:37 am
Contact:

Re: FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

Post by Angus French » Thu Oct 21, 2021 11:32 am

Looks like Hikaru Nakamura won't be going.

NickFaulks
Posts: 8452
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:28 pm

Re: FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

Post by NickFaulks » Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:25 pm

Angus French wrote:
Thu Oct 21, 2021 11:32 am
Looks like Hikaru Nakamura won't be going.
He didn't play in the recent US Championships either. I don't think he is very interested.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

Matthew Turner
Posts: 3600
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 11:54 am

Re: FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

Post by Matthew Turner » Thu Oct 21, 2021 1:26 pm

NickFaulks wrote:
Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:25 pm
Angus French wrote:
Thu Oct 21, 2021 11:32 am
Looks like Hikaru Nakamura won't be going.
He didn't play in the recent US Championships either. I don't think he is very interested.
I think it is worth quoting what Nakamura said

"If there is indeed a hard lockdown in Latvia starting in a few days, out of respect for Latvians suffering with Covid and for the health and safety of myself and my trainer, I will not be competing in the Grand Swiss chess tournament in Riga."

I think that is a very professional attitude and the sort of 'leadership' that we would hope to see from our sports stars.

David Sedgwick
Posts: 5249
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:56 pm
Location: Croydon
Contact:

Re: FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

Post by David Sedgwick » Thu Oct 21, 2021 1:55 pm

Matthew Turner wrote:
Thu Oct 21, 2021 1:26 pm
I think it is worth quoting what Nakamura said

"If there is indeed a hard lockdown in Latvia starting in a few days, out of respect for Latvians suffering with Covid and for the health and safety of myself and my trainer, I will not be competing in the Grand Swiss chess tournament in Riga."
Purely for the record, I quote the following comment from Emil Sutovsky on Twitter:

"I find a "respect for locals" discourse misplaced as Latvian government supports the event."

LawrenceCooper
Posts: 7167
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:13 am

Re: FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

Post by LawrenceCooper » Thu Oct 21, 2021 6:26 pm

https://twitter.com/FIDE_chess/status/1 ... 6984983558

"The Latvian government has confirmed that international top-level sports events are allowed to be held during the monthlong lockdown that was announced earlier this week. The 2021 FIDE @Chesscom Grand Swiss Tournament and Women's Grand Swiss will go ahead as planned."

LawrenceCooper
Posts: 7167
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:13 am

Re: FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

Post by LawrenceCooper » Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:26 pm

David Sedgwick wrote:
Thu Oct 21, 2021 1:55 pm
Matthew Turner wrote:
Thu Oct 21, 2021 1:26 pm
I think it is worth quoting what Nakamura said

"If there is indeed a hard lockdown in Latvia starting in a few days, out of respect for Latvians suffering with Covid and for the health and safety of myself and my trainer, I will not be competing in the Grand Swiss chess tournament in Riga."
Purely for the record, I quote the following comment from Emil Sutovsky on Twitter:

"I find a "respect for locals" discourse misplaced as Latvian government supports the event."
Naka's somewhat controversial take on the situation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xouk7IQeSU

Post Reply