Job Application for Commentating on World Chess

[Wayne Komer]

Job Application for Commentating on World Chess

February 3, 2017

Do you fancy yourself as another Jan Gustafsson, Yasser Seirawan, Peter Svidler, Lawrence Trent or Simon Williams? Surely you can commentate on chess as well as they do. A life of travel and adventure can be yours. Just apply below.

World Chess is looking for a commentator for its World Championship events.

Like to travel? Got a gift for gab? Know the difference between the Archangel and Breyer variations in the Ruy Lopez? Can recite the names and countries of births of each of the World Champions? World Chess may have a job for you.

World Chess, which holds the commercial rights to the World Chess Championship cycle of events, is looking to find a new anchor commentator for its chess broadcasts, starting with the upcoming series of four Grand Prix tournaments. The first one begins in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates, on Friday, Feb. 17.

Ilya Merenzon, chief executive of World Chess, said, “We are looking to create a chess media superstar; someone who can provide dazzling commentary for the four Grand Prix, the Candidates tournaments and then the 2018 World Chess Championship Match on worldchess.com.

“He or she must have a deep understanding of the game. But we are also looking for someone who can engage with a wider audience who are perhaps not chess experts.”

The job is not only to comment on tournaments, but also to play a key role in shaping a new way for chess to be broadcast that will appeal to expert chess players and also novices and newcomers to the sport.

Applicants are invited to post a five-minute video of themselves commentating on a real or hypothetical game onto YouTube with the heading “My application to become a commentator for World Chess.” An accompanying CV with a link to the YouTube video should then be sent to andrewmw@agonlimited.com.

Broadcast and journalism experience is an advantage, but not essential for anyone wishing to apply.

The new commentator, who will become one of the best-known personalities in the chess world, will receive a competitive salary plus fully paid travel and accommodation at tournaments around the world.

https://worldchess.com/2017/02/01/se...-broadcasting/

[Mathieu Cloutier]

Re: Job Application for Commentating on World Chess

I could do that.

[Neil Frarey]

Re: Job Application for Commentating on World Chess

Without a doubt, I'd push the ratings up to an all time high.

"...But we are also looking for someone who can engage with a wider audience who are perhaps not chess experts.”

This is all me!

The current crop of commentators are sorta ok but they know to much about how a chess game should be conducted.

Boring!

My weekly article in the Ottawa Sun was a huge success because I brought the game down to street level and connected with U1600 hoard and the chess enthusiasts alike, until finally I was connecting with all gamers across the whole gaming spectrum. Entertaining and hardcore at the same time.

Not boring!

Sell the sizzle ... not the steak!

[Paul Bonham]

Re: Job Application for Commentating on World Chess

Without a doubt, I'd push the ratings up to an all time high.



This is all me!

The current crop of commentators are sorta ok but they know to much about how a chess game should be conducted.

Boring!

My weekly article in the Ottawa Sun was a huge success because I brought the game down to street level and connected with U1600 hoard and the chess enthusiasts alike, until finally I was connecting with all gamers across the whole gaming spectrum. Entertaining and hardcore at the same time.

Not boring!

Sell the sizzle ... not the steak!

Is there somewhere where readers can see these articles you wrote, to judge for themselves?

[Lee Hendon]

Re: Job Application for Commentating on World Chess

I like the current commentators, however what would be nice would see different levels say one people just learning the game, another for intermediate players another for masters

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: Job Application for Commentating on World Chess

I like the current commentators, however what would be nice would see different levels say one people just learning the game, another for intermediate players another for masters

I tried that approach, but only with variations + prose three-skill-level annotations to the odd game or two on the internet about a decade ago on the old Ottawa Chess Club Message Board. After some time the link disappeared, without any feedback, except that a U.S. library later emailed me asking if they could preserve it (too late by then).

[Neil Frarey]

Re: Job Application for Commentating on World Chess

Is there somewhere where readers can see these articles you wrote, to judge for themselves?

As much as I give a sh*t about being judged, try submitting a request to the Ottawa Sun archives circa '93-'94, somewhere around that time.
And ya, I've been promoting chess that long with corporate sponsorship.

At that time Ottawa enjoyed not one, but two chess columnists!

Low brow unpretentious chess crowd with me at the Ottawa Sun, high brow bookish chess crowd with the awsum IM Hergott (sp?) at the Ottawa Citizen. Within the newspaper's layout my column ran within a page or two from the Ottawa Sun Sunshine Girl*. IM Hergott's column ran within the comics and puzzles. I wrote about chess stuff like how drunk Alekhine could get (forerunner TMZ style) and offered chess tips and prizes to a chess puzzle ... IM Hergott wrote of tournaments (some of which were mine!) and usually featured a game with his terrific analysis. Really great stuff!

Street cred don't come cheap, Paul.

* http://www.ottawasun.com/sunshine-girl

[Paul Bonham]

Re: Job Application for Commentating on World Chess

As much as I give a sh*t about being judged, try submitting a request to the Ottawa Sun archives circa '93-'94, somewhere around that time.
And ya, I've been promoting chess that long with corporate sponsorship.

At that time Ottawa enjoyed not one, but two chess columnists!

Low brow unpretentious chess crowd with me at the Ottawa Sun, high brow bookish chess crowd with the awsum IM Hergott (sp?) at the Ottawa Citizen. Within the newspaper's layout my column ran within a page or two from the Ottawa Sun Sunshine Girl*. IM Hergott's column ran within the comics and puzzles. I wrote about chess stuff like how drunk Alekhine could get (forerunner TMZ style) and offered chess tips and prizes to a chess puzzle ... IM Hergott wrote of tournaments (some of which were mine!) and usually featured a game with his terrific analysis. Really great stuff!

Street cred don't come cheap, Paul.

* http://www.ottawasun.com/sunshine-girl

Street cred??? Ok, if what you were doing then was so great for chess in Canada, where did it go? What happened to your writing about chess?

Oh, that's right, you went off to America to chase a fortune, and supposedly got it (although no proof provided, and it does look like you inherited from your family some significant money in 2015, which is right around the time you suddenly popped up here on ChessTalk).

And now you just want to be the Donald Trump of Canadian chess. Well..... release your taxes!!! :D

But seriously, if you want to use your past works in chess -- and organizing tournaments is nothing to sneeze at, for sure -- you still have to explain where have you been for the past 20 years. Why didn't you continue writing for chess? And when I ask about your past articles why do you tell me to go look them up in some newspaper archives? Why can't YOU provide them? Isn't it YOU planning on running for CFC Prez?

And why do you have a web site (societyofchessafficionados.com) for over a year now that has nothing but a "Coming Soon" page? What are you doing? If you're such a great chess writer, where is your writing? What are you spending your "fortune" on?

Sorry dude, but it looks to me like you are a very poor strategist. You've also presented some of your ideas here on ChessTalk, and nothing in them is going to (imo) radically change chess or raise its profile in the mainstream to the point where suddenly chess is bombarded with new sponsorship. But your desire to do that sort of thing is commendable, and given the alternative choice of the incumbent who is too busy railing against leftists, maybe you would be the right choice to at least get SOME progress made.

So I'm just trying to wake you up to what you are up against. Keeping your past hidden from the public doesn't jive with trying to win people's votes.

And chess needs a lot more than a few fancy graphics and music videos.

[John Coleman]

Re: Job Application for Commentating on World Chess

Street cred don't come cheap, Paul.

To paraphrase Sholem Aleichem, or maybe it was Joseph Stein, the columnist who praises himself has a readership of one.