Grand Prix Gibraltar revised to May 22 to June 2, 2021

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Mick Norris
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Grand Prix Gibraltar revised to May 22 to June 2, 2021

Post by Mick Norris » Sat Oct 24, 2020 4:55 pm

Pete Doggers
The Gibraltar tournament will be the fourth and final leg of the Women's Grand Prix, which was supposed to be held on May 2-15, 2020 in Sardinia, Italy. The coronavirus pandemic made that impossible.

So far, three tournaments were played in the series: in Skolkovo (September 2019), Monaco (December 2019), and Lausanne (March 2020). At the moment, GM Aleksandra Goryachkina leads the series, having played in all three tournaments. She won't be playing in Gibraltar because all players play only three of the four legs.
Last edited by Mick Norris on Wed May 19, 2021 3:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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David Sedgwick
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Re: Grand Prix Gibraltar January 17-29 2021

Post by David Sedgwick » Sat Oct 24, 2020 5:41 pm

Official Announcement:

https://www.fide.com/news/786

Edit: The updated announcement is at https://www.fide.com/news/1088, as given by Mick Norris below.
Last edited by David Sedgwick on Wed May 19, 2021 4:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Tim Harding
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Re: Grand Prix Gibraltar January 17-29 2021

Post by Tim Harding » Tue Oct 27, 2020 2:23 pm

Well it is good they can at least host this event though the Open is cancelled.
I hope it goes ahead OK and that 2022 will see the full festival return.
The Caleta Hotel, a traditional venue for this annual gathering of great minds, will be turned into an isolated environment to ensure the safety of the participants, and avoid any risks associated with COVID-19. There will be no other guests in the hotel during the entire duration of the event apart from the participants and the organizing team, and the competition will be held subject to and in accordance with Gibraltar Government Health Protocols.
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Mick Norris
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Grand Prix Gibraltar revised to May 22 to June 2, 2021

Post by Mick Norris » Wed May 19, 2021 3:26 pm

FIDE with standings and full pairings
Round 1 on 2021/05/22

IM Gunay Mammadzada (2443) – GM Antoaneta Stefanova (2470)
IM Irina Bulmaga (2440) – IM Elisabeth Paehtz (2467)
IM Zhansaya Abdumalik (2472) – IM Dinara Saduakassova (2500)
GM Mariya Muzychuk (2544) – GM Anna Muzychuk (2535)
GM Nana Dzagnidze (2524) – GM Kateryna Lagno (2546)
IM Alina Kashlinskaya (2494) – GM Valentina Gunina (2421)
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David Sedgwick
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Re: Grand Prix Gibraltar revised to May 22 to June 2, 2021

Post by David Sedgwick » Wed May 19, 2021 4:00 pm

Thanks Mick.

In case anyone doesn't know, this event had to be postponed when Gibraltar was badly affected by the pandemic in January 2021. There were only 7 deaths from it in 2020, but there have been a further 87 in 2021. That is a lot in a community of 33,000 people.

However, almost all those deaths were in January and February. Life now seems to be largely back to normal.

I can confirm that the tournament will have live boards.

NickFaulks
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Re: Grand Prix Gibraltar revised to May 22 to June 2, 2021

Post by NickFaulks » Wed May 19, 2021 6:09 pm

David Sedgwick wrote:
Wed May 19, 2021 4:00 pm
That is a lot in a community of 33,000 people.
It certainly is. This would equate to around 4 million deaths in India, a number not suggested by even the most excitable elements of the London press.
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David Sedgwick
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Re: Grand Prix Gibraltar revised to May 22 to June 2, 2021

Post by David Sedgwick » Wed May 19, 2021 6:56 pm

NickFaulks wrote:
Wed May 19, 2021 6:09 pm
David Sedgwick wrote:
Wed May 19, 2021 4:00 pm
That is a lot in a community of 33,000 people.
It certainly is. This would equate to around 4 million deaths in India, a number not suggested by even the most excitable elements of the London press.
It would equate to about 190,000 in the UK. The actual official UK total is 127,694.

Mick Norris
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Re: Grand Prix Gibraltar revised to May 22 to June 2, 2021

Post by Mick Norris » Thu May 20, 2021 7:15 am

Interesting choice of commentators
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Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Grand Prix Gibraltar revised to May 22 to June 2, 2021

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Sat May 22, 2021 7:20 pm

When is the arbiter going to tell Elisabeth Paehtz, not to leave her hand lurking above the board when it's her move? It must be distracting.

(Nothing personal, she seemed very pleasant when we both played in Gausdal - she was in a higher section of course.)

Edit to correct spelling (although half the internet has it wrong)
Last edited by Kevin Thurlow on Sat May 22, 2021 7:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

NickFaulks
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Re: Grand Prix Gibraltar revised to May 22 to June 2, 2021

Post by NickFaulks » Sat May 22, 2021 7:46 pm

Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Sat May 22, 2021 7:20 pm
When is the arbiter going to tell Elisabeth Paetz, not to leave her hand lurking above the board when it's her move?
I seem to remember she did that twenty years ago when she came to Bermuda. Aren't you allowed to do whatever you like when it's your move?
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NickFaulks
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Re: Grand Prix Gibraltar revised to May 22 to June 2, 2021

Post by NickFaulks » Sat May 22, 2021 7:49 pm

There was quite a turnaround in her game today.

https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2021-fi ... _Elisabeth

38.Nd2 isn't technically a WMOTB, but allowing ...Qc1 is the only plausible way to destroy a totally winning position.
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Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Grand Prix Gibraltar revised to May 22 to June 2, 2021

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Sat May 22, 2021 7:52 pm

"I seem to remember she did that twenty years ago when she came to Bermuda. Aren't you allowed to do whatever you like when it's your move?"

I would regard it as a distraction. I don't think it's specifically outlawed, and it's possibly less of a problem in normal chess. I had an opponent who did it at lightning(!) chess and it was really a pain, as you need to analyse all the time in that...

Maybe other arbiters would like to comment. Of course, to some extent you can do what you like if you have a big rating.

David Sedgwick
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Re: Grand Prix Gibraltar revised to May 22 to June 2, 2021

Post by David Sedgwick » Sat May 22, 2021 7:59 pm

NickFaulks wrote:
Sat May 22, 2021 7:46 pm
Aren't you allowed to do whatever you like when it's your move?
Certainly not. Law 11.5 states that "It is forbidden to distract or annoy the opponent in any manner whatsoever."

Whether the offender is on move could have a bearing on whether the arbiter considers it appropriate to intervene. More importantly, so would whether the opponent gives any indication of having been disturbed.

Edit:
Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Sat May 22, 2021 7:52 pm
Maybe other arbiters would like to comment.
For the record, I hadn't seen Kevin's post when I made mine.

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David Shepherd
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Re: Grand Prix Gibraltar revised to May 22 to June 2, 2021

Post by David Shepherd » Sat May 22, 2021 10:26 pm

David Sedgwick wrote:
Wed May 19, 2021 6:56 pm
It would equate to about 190,000 in the UK. The actual official UK total is 127,694.
Alternatively 151,904 https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/deaths :(

LawrenceCooper
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Re: Grand Prix Gibraltar revised to May 22 to June 2, 2021

Post by LawrenceCooper » Sun May 23, 2021 8:56 am

NickFaulks wrote:
Sat May 22, 2021 7:49 pm
There was quite a turnaround in her game today.

https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2021-fi ... _Elisabeth

38.Nd2 isn't technically a WMOTB, but allowing ...Qc1 is the only plausible way to destroy a totally winning position.
There was a nice line had she played 28 Bxe4. 28.... Qxe4 loses to 29 gxf6 Bxf6 30 Qd6+ Be7 31 Qxh6+. Whilst the engine drew my attention to Bxe4 I was pleasantly surprised to find the finish (assuming i'm not missing anything!).

The Gunina game also featured a big assessment swing albeit not quite on the scale of the Bulmaga one.

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