44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Sat Mar 05, 2022 5:07 pm

Chris Goodall wrote:
Sat Mar 05, 2022 10:05 am
Ian Thompson wrote:
Fri Mar 04, 2022 7:26 pm
Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Fri Mar 04, 2022 7:08 pm
There is a poll being cited today claiming to show two thirds of Russians support this "war that isn't a war, no really honestly".

But its full reliability is being questioned for a variety of reasons.
... such as https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60600487
Yiiiiikes. Don't let the socialists get to your children; they'll still be looking over their shoulders 40 years later.
Boomers in this country also believe a load of daft stuff, mind.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

Chris Rice
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Re: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

Post by Chris Rice » Sun Mar 06, 2022 9:45 am

An interview with Nigel Short today in The Indian Express.

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JustinHorton
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Re: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

Post by JustinHorton » Sun Mar 06, 2022 11:30 am

The last answer there is perhaps the most interesting, and not perhaps for the reasons Nigel might like.
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

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Simon Rogers
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Re: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

Post by Simon Rogers » Sun Mar 06, 2022 11:30 am

Here is another reason why Putin should be taken to The Hague:
A report by William Niven of Nottingham Trent University was posted on 3rd March 2022 at 3.04pm on the following website:
https://theconversation.com
It talks about how Russian forces have apparently bombed the Babyn Yar holocaust memorial to 33,000 murdered Jews, near Kyiv.
Around 1.5 million Ukrainian Jews were murdered between 1941 and 1944.

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Chris Goodall
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Re: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

Post by Chris Goodall » Sun Mar 06, 2022 3:58 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Sun Mar 06, 2022 11:30 am
The last answer there is perhaps the most interesting, and not perhaps for the reasons Nigel might like.
In 2016, 96 per cent of FIDE’s income was ... basically coming from the chess community. Now it has changed ... It is like inverting the business model. Rather than extorting from players and federations we are now distributing a lot of sponsorship money and promoting chess literally around the world.

I find it an interesting answer too, perhaps for a third set of reasons.



Putin sounds like he's Soviet Reunion or bust at this point. If he wakes up one day and he's not in charge of Russia, I don't think he'll see much distinction between turning himself in to the ICC versus taking a big overdose of krokodil and gazing really hard at the stars.
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Tim Harding
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Re: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

Post by Tim Harding » Sun Mar 06, 2022 8:20 pm

Chris Goodall wrote:
Sun Mar 06, 2022 3:58 pm

Putin sounds like he's Soviet Reunion or bust at this point. If he wakes up one day and he's not in charge of Russia, I don't think he'll see much distinction between turning himself in to the ICC versus taking a big overdose of krokodil and gazing really hard at the stars.
Or maybe you believe the rumours in some papers (red tops but also The Scotsman) that he has terminal cancer...
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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Sun Mar 06, 2022 10:13 pm

Parkinson's is another rumour going around.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

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Re: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

Post by Jonathan Bryant » Mon Mar 07, 2022 3:29 am

Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Sun Mar 06, 2022 10:13 pm
Parkinson's is another rumour going around.
I've seen various bits of speculation as to Putin's health. Often explicitly, sometimes implicitly linked to the question of why he would be behaving irrationally in choosing to invade Ukraine. The trouble with this line of thought is - ill or not - Putin's use of aggression abroad/repression at home now is entirely consistent with choices he's been making going back to ... well how far do you go? Litvinenko was assassinated in 2006.

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Re: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

Post by Chris Rice » Mon Mar 07, 2022 6:15 am

Jonathan Bryant wrote:
Mon Mar 07, 2022 3:29 am
Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Sun Mar 06, 2022 10:13 pm
Parkinson's is another rumour going around.
I've seen various bits of speculation as to Putin's health. Often explicitly, sometimes implicitly linked to the question of why he would be behaving irrationally in choosing to invade Ukraine. The trouble with this line of thought is - ill or not - Putin's use of aggression abroad/repression at home now is entirely consistent with choices he's been making going back to ... well how far do you go? Litvinenko was assassinated in 2006.
Agreed, hard to see even if the rumours were true, that these kind of choices would be on his bucket list.

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JustinHorton
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Re: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Mar 07, 2022 7:46 am

Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Sun Mar 06, 2022 10:13 pm
Parkinson's is another rumour going around.
This is based on what, his medical records?
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Mon Mar 07, 2022 3:21 pm

Jonathan Bryant wrote:
Mon Mar 07, 2022 3:29 am
Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Sun Mar 06, 2022 10:13 pm
Parkinson's is another rumour going around.
I've seen various bits of speculation as to Putin's health. Often explicitly, sometimes implicitly linked to the question of why he would be behaving irrationally in choosing to invade Ukraine. The trouble with this line of thought is - ill or not - Putin's use of aggression abroad/repression at home now is entirely consistent with choices he's been making going back to ... well how far do you go? Litvinenko was assassinated in 2006.
Indeed, but by common consent this is a far more risky and reckless course of action than his previous escapades.

Something that might plausibly happen with someone who knows they don't have all that long left.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

Jonathan Bryant
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Re: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

Post by Jonathan Bryant » Mon Mar 07, 2022 3:55 pm

Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Mon Mar 07, 2022 3:21 pm

... by common consent this is a far more risky and reckless course of action than his previous escapades.
Risky and reckless? Maybe as we see it now. But from Putin’s pov before was there any reason to think he wouldn’t get another round of handwringing in response?

As for ‘common consent’ there are plenty of folk who see it not as some isolated thing. But the ramping up being the logical conclusion of everything else. Especially in the light of there not hitherto been any meaningful response other than “can I have more of your money please”

Depends on who you ask / read I suppose. But from his point of view he may rather surprised rather than having consciously taken a risk.

In any event I see no reason to assume serious illness is the cause of his actions when ‘look at everything up until now’ - stuff that requires no speculation - does an adequate job

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Re: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

Post by NickFaulks » Mon Mar 07, 2022 4:06 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Mon Mar 07, 2022 7:46 am
Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Sun Mar 06, 2022 10:13 pm
Parkinson's is another rumour going around.
This is based on what, his medical records?
The Daily Express has reported this one with great enthusiasm, and would presumably not have done so before fully verifying its source.
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JustinHorton
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Re: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Mar 07, 2022 4:07 pm

Ha ha indeed not
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: 44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Mon Mar 07, 2022 10:12 pm

I did not know that was the source tbf, and am now duly chastened :)
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)