Media comments on chess

[MJMcCready]

Nope betting on chess would be sports betting.

Most, if not all, major sporting betting companies in the uk and Ireland tote the world chess championships (e.g Ladrokes, Paddy Power). The extent to which the odds are sound is, of course, open to interpretation. In the last of the Carlen - Anand matches I thought they were off the mark.

[Mark Howitt]

Nope betting on chess would be sports betting.

Most, if not all, major betting companies in the uk and Ireland tote the world chess championships. The extent to which the odds are sound is, of course, open to interpretation. In the last of the Carlen - Anand matches I thought they were off the mark.

You can PM me if you want to chat more about it.

[MJMcCready]

Just to clarify, the odds of anyone beating Magnus anytime soon are about 1,000,000-1

[Geoff Chandler]

I watched 'Gringo' recently (still currently on BBC catch up) the lead character David Oyelowo, is explaining to a colleague how at the job interview his boss offered to play him at chess.

He explains without a chessboard his boss opened 1 f3 so he played 1...e5 then his boss played 2.g4 but I wanted the job so I did not checkmate him. (that was the gist of it - in the film the dialogue is bit more colourful - good film. )

Speaking of gambling on chess. (I got my £5.00 back...eventually...and made a 50p profit!)





No chess result is a forgone conclusion. Anything can happen. I recall a few years back Carlsen was unaware of the time control and thinking he was on increment lost on time v Topalov, apparently Carlsen was on a +15 computer evaluation when his clock flagged him.

[Mark Howitt]

I watched 'Gringo' recently (still currently on BBC catch up) the lead character David Oyelowo, is explaining to a colleague how at the job interview his boss offered to play him at chess.

He explains without a chessboard his boss opened 1 f3 so he played 1...e5 then his boss played 2.g4 but I wanted the job so I did not checkmate him. (that was the gist of it - in the film the dialogue is bit more colourful - good film. )

Speaking of gambling on chess. (I got my £5.00 back...eventually...and made a 50p profit!)





No chess result is a forgone conclusion. Anything can happen. I recall a few years back Carlsen was unaware of the time control and thinking he was on increment lost on time v Topalov, apparently Carlsen was on a +15 computer evaluation when his clock flagged him.

Nice sports betting @Geoff Chandler

[Alistair Campbell]

I see that Bloomberg is reporting (via Ellen (not Helen) Milligan that Rishi Sunak is soon to announce funding to support the "national (chess) team" with plans being unveiled with a giant chess set in Downing Street.

It's behind a paywall so I have no idea what the details are.

[Stephen Westmoreland]

'plans to announce proposals' for £500k to the ECF for international tournaments. Expand instructions in schools and 100 chess tables in public places.

Hopefully it will happen.

[Matt Mackenzie]

100 chess tables *across the UK* is pretty small beer in truth. It is welcome, but you would have liked to see more.

[Stephen Westmoreland]

Apparently the first time there will be direct funding for international play too. Something is better than nothing, should it come off.

[Roger de Coverly]

Apparently the first time there will be direct funding for international play too.

Not really the first time. I think part of the motive for providing funding in the 1970s was to support an international team. That was after the Fischer-Spassky match, but during the Heath government with Mrs T as Education Secretary and the Department od Education providing the funding.

[LawrenceCooper]

Apparently the first time there will be direct funding for international play too. Something is better than nothing, should it come off.

Malcolm tweeted about it earlier today: https://twitter.com/TelegraphChess/stat ... 7510142976

[Thomas Rendle]

This should fairly obviously have it's own thread.

[Stephen Westmoreland]

Apparently the first time there will be direct funding for international play too.

Not really the first time. I think part of the motive for providing funding in the 1970s was to support an international team. That was after the Fischer-Spassky match, but during the Heath government with Mrs T as Education Secretary and the Department od Education providing the funding.

Interesting and I stand corrected. That is what the article said 'Sunak will also earmark £500,000 ($640,000) of funding for the English Chess Federation, they said. The grant to help send teams to international tournaments would be the first time the UK government has financially backed its national squads. Sunak’s office declined to comment'.

This link should be assessible: https://news.yahoo.com/rishi-sunak-puts ... 00761.html

[Roger de Coverly]

That is what the article said 'Sunak will also earmark £500,000 ($640,000) of funding for the English Chess Federation, they said.

Is that per year or in total over a multi-year period? Either way it would free up a sizeable part of the ECFs annual expenditure financed by membership fees. Would the ECF reduce or abolish membership charges though? How much the ECF spends on international teams isn't always apparent as part of the cost is currently met by undisclosed sponsorship and patronage. Certainly they are reluctant to disclose the split in financing between open and women's teams.

[NickFaulks]

100 chess tables *across the UK* is pretty small beer in truth. It is welcome, but you would have liked to see more.

The 100 chess tables are just a PR hook. £500k would satisfy my definition of "more".