Media comments on chess

[Wadih Khoury]

Not strictly speaking chess, but UEFA is thinking of changing the group stage of the Champions League to a 10 round Swiss tournament.

Great ideas, as it would increase the likelihood of major clashes.

[Roger de Coverly]

Not strictly speaking chess, but UEFA is thinking of changing the group stage of the Champions League to a 10 round Swiss tournament.

You wonder what pairing system they might use. Random might be the most explainable and early clashes between favourites being part of football tradition.

[Wadih Khoury]

Not strictly speaking chess, but UEFA is thinking of changing the group stage of the Champions League to a 10 round Swiss tournament.

You wonder what pairing system they might use. Random might be the most explainable and early clashes between favourites being part of football tradition.

I would assume a normal one, with UEFA ranking used as seeding. So you would not have a Real-Bayern in round 1, and probably not before round 6 or 7 as long as they don't lose.

[Kevin Thurlow]

It's sort of explained here

https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2020/12/01 ... m-details/

You have 32 teams and they play one game against each of ten opponents, drawn at the start of the event, so you would play (say) two top-rated teams, two slightly lower, two middle ranking etc. So every team would be in a different group. It is very much like the Correspondence Chess events, where,

"A pairing system used for large, normally single round, events, where a player competes against a semi-random set of opponents selected from all entrants by an allocation formula. Tie breaking by 1) Score 2) Buchholz Cut 2, etc"

It is called the "Silli System" (no really) For example, https://www.iccf.com/message?message=1365

So UEFA aren't really using a Swiss system - for a start, they are not doing a draw after every round. There would be practical difficulties, as teams have to arrange transport (maybe involving visas) and accommodation, and doing that in less than a week could be problematic.

[Mick Norris]

AH yes, there are too many fixtures, so let's add another 4

[Kevin Thurlow]

"AH yes, there are too many fixtures, so let's add another 4"

Yes - there have been comments like that, but apparently they are trumped by the extra money for the clubs... The one good point is that you probably have to keep trying for longer. With small groups, you qualify with two games to spare then put the youth team out (which is of course unfair on the people you tried against.) Remember Karpov used to try very hard at the start of tournaments, then when victory was assured he had short draws against the last few players, even if they were very much lower-rated.

[Paul Habershon]

Question in yesterday's ITV 'Tipping Point' quiz (see what I'm reduced to in lockdown):

Which of these is a variant of a popular board game? A: speedy checkers B: blistering backgammon C: lightning chess

The contestant got it right but later blew more than £3000 by going for £10000 with three final dropping counters which failed to push the jackpot counter over the edge.

[Reg Clucas]

Barrow AFC chairman Paul Hornby, writing in today's match programme on the frustrations of trying to sign players during the transfer window - "At times it’s almost like playing chess and waiting for teams higher up to make their move. "

[Geoff Chandler]

Chess and Football.

The Pawns, (one of them is bound to be a Hans Kmoch Sweeper)
Not Doubled Pawns but Dribble Pawns.
You do not promote a Pawn. The technical term will be bringing on a sub.

I can see the 'Bishop' and 'Knights' getting mixed up. (nice board.)



More pics of this set here:

https://www.catawiki.com/l/11680649-lar ... tor-s-item

[Tim Spanton]

"It's like chess on grass." NBC commentator Arlo White at halftime of Liverpool - Man City

[JustinHorton]

This just appeated on Twitter - I can't show you the tweet as it's from a locked account, but here's a mention of Alan Turing in the Illustrated London News from 1952.



Whose column would that be?

[Richard James]

This just appeated on Twitter - I can't show you the tweet as it's from a locked account, but here's a mention of Alan Turing in the Illustrated London News from 1952.



Whose column would that be?

Baruch H. Wood, M.Sc.

[Geoff Chandler]

It starts off with 'Mechanical chess-players are in the news again.'

Chess had this cartoon from a 1946 edition. (sorry do have the exact month on hand.)



Caption: “I take a poor view of that ‘mediocre’ remark of yours, Mountbatten.”

The computer was replying to this:

[Paul Habershon]

Faulty quiz question on ITV's The Chase this evening?
'The Swiss Gambit is an opening move in which board game?'

I have heard of it only in the context of losing in the first round of a Swiss System tournament with the hope of meeting easier opponents. Is there even a chess opening variation called the Swiss Gambit?

Anyway the 'Chaser' got chess as the right answer.

[Alex McFarlane]

That was my first reaction too but apparently we are both 'away with the Birds' on this one.