Clarification for Quitting the Online Olympiad

[Nikolay Noritsyn]

You seem to think one must have some kind of personal reasons or vendetta to speak up, Kaiqi. That is not the case. Its not a coincidence I spoke up on both of these issues, I just think they are important and out of the ordinary. To answer your questions and suspicions. I put Sergey in your coaching team because I thought he could benefit from working with someone other than me. I feel quite comfortable with your existence when you don't quit my Olympic team or make baseless accusations/attacks on people I respect in public. I do plan to continue to be around in the Canadian chess community.

[Kaiqi Yang]

A few points add to my decision of quitting:

1. we have two main players and two reserve players in the male section. Since based on Victor’s biased calculation, I am the least strong player among the four male players. My quit will leave even more playing opportunities for the other three stronger players in the team.

2. since being treated unfairly and personally by our captain, I do not want to play the rest of the tournament with anger and emotions, for the good of our team.

3. After I sent the email stating I will not play for the rest of the rounds under this situation, I was immediately removed from the team email loop.

I have said whatever I need to say. I trust everyone has their own opinions and interpretations to share based on the whole story. But if you simply be here showing your support to someone, or fuel fires on the whole situation, please be responsible for your posts. I will have no choice but seeking for legal assistance if relating to my reputation.

I respect CFC’s final decision on me and the case.

Kaiqi

[Victor Itkine]

This thread prompted me to analyse the results of the Canadian National team at all the Olympiads under the captaincy of Victor Plotkin.

2012 Istanbul Initial seed 53 Final place in competition 52

2014 Tromso Initial seed 37 Final place in competition 54

2016 Baku Initial seed 25 Final place in competition 11

2018 Batumi Initial seed 28 Final place in competition 23

2020 Online Initial seed 6 (in Pool D) Final place in competition 6
(Despite the fact that the team remained shorthanded)

In 4 cases out of 5 (except Tromso 2014), Canadian National team took places at the Olympiads not lower than their original seeding.

In 2016 the result was simply outstanding. Not to mention the fact, that GM Lesiege was only one move away from a draw with Wesley So in the last round, which would have brought Canada a team draw against the United States, and with it an unimaginable final fourth place in the Olympiad instead of eleventh.

I would like to point out, that at all the Olympiads Victor Plotkin showed himself as an outstanding strategist, often making unexpected and non-standard tactical decisions in the interests of the team.
One of the best tactical steps taken by Victor Plotkin in almost all the Olympiads was the decision to give some players with a more attacking style of play the opportunity to play most of their games with white pieces in order to secure victory points for the team, while the players who are better able to hold draws in difficult positions, on the contrary, put black pieces to play for most of their games.

For example, in 2012, Nikolay Noritsyn has played 3 games with white pieces and 6 games with black, while Eric Hansen has played 6 games with white and 4 games with black.

In 2016 Alexandre Lesiege has played 2 games with white and 6 games with black, plus Tomas Krnan has played only 1 game with white and 4 games with black, while Eric Hansen has played 9(!) games with white and only 2 games with black plus Anton Kovalyov has played 6 games with white and 4 games with black.

In 2018 Nikolay Noritsyn has played 2 games with white and 7 games with black plus Aman Hambleton has played 2 games with white and 5 games with black, while Evgeny Bareev has played 8(!) games with white and 2 games with black plus Razvan Preotu has played 5 games with white and 3 games with black.

In 2020 online Olympiad, Nikolay Noritsyn has played 2 games with white and 5 games with black, while Raja Panjwani and Mark Plotkin have played most of their games with white pieces, and Yang Kaiqi also has played his only game with white pieces.

The only Olympiad where such a strategy was not used by Victor Plotkin was 2014 Olympiad in Tromso. Perhaps this is the reason that this was the only time that team Canada finished lower than it was originally seeded? Or is it just a coincidence?

Once I asked Victor Plotkin after one of the Olympiads if those players who have to play most of their games with black pieces complained. After all, most probably prefer to play white. Victor replied that Olympiad is a team competition where all players must sacrifice personal ambition for the benefit of the team. Therefore, in the vast majority of cases, no one complains.

P.S. IM Nikolay Noritsyn on his 3 Olympiads (including online Olympiad 2020) of his total 25 games has played 18 games with black pieces (72%), and only 7 games with white pieces. I’m trying to imagine what kind of reaction we might get from GM Kaiqi, if the Captain put him to play with black pieces in 72% of all his games?

[Tom O'Donnell]

I don't know what a proper sanction in this case would be. There is one recommendation that appears counter-productive.
Since Canada doesn't have a lot of active GMs, it seems to me that preventing a GM from playing in CFC events for six months or a year is more a punishment for the GMs prospective opponents than the GM himself.

[Christopher Mallon]

I don't know what a proper sanction in this case would be. There is one recommendation that appears counter-productive.
Since Canada doesn't have a lot of active GMs, it seems to me that preventing a GM from playing in CFC events for six months or a year is more a punishment for the GMs prospective opponents than the GM himself.

At some point there was discussion about changing the eligibility requirements so that a player was ineligible for the team if they had withdrawn past a certain point from the previous Olympiad. I don't think it was ever passed, most people saw it as targeted at a specific person (which was probably true as nobody really thought it would happen with anyone else...).

There were plenty of rules in the handbook about what players are expected to do:

1214. Players
(a) Players are required to attend team meetings and attend preparation/training sessions.
(b) Players are expected to act in a responsible fashion and in the interests of the Canadian Teams.
(c) Disputes between players are to be brought to attention of the appropriate Captain, who shall resolve the dispute as he or she deems appropriate.

But nothing specific about what would happen if they didn't.

[Victor Plotkin]

A few points add to my decision of quitting:

1. we have two main players and two reserve players in the male section. Since based on Victor’s biased calculation, I am the least strong player among the four male players. My quit will leave even more playing opportunities for the other three stronger players in the team.

2. since being treated unfairly and personally by our captain, I do not want to play the rest of the tournament with anger and emotions, for the good of our team.

3. After I sent the email stating I will not play for the rest of the rounds under this situation, I was immediately removed from the team email loop.

I have said whatever I need to say. I trust everyone has their own opinions and interpretations to share based on the whole story. But if you simply be here showing your support to someone, or fuel fires on the whole situation, please be responsible for your posts. I will have no choice but seeking for legal assistance if relating to my reputation.

I respect CFC’s final decision on me and the case.

Kaiqi

Kaiqi, I fully agree with your number 1 point. I do believe that both Raja and Mark are better players in rapid/blitz online chess and I will prove this. However, the gap is very small. But by leaving the team in the middle of the tournament you forced me to give Nikolay 3 games on day 2, which I had no intention of doing.

I absolutely agree with your second point as well. An unhappy player should play as little as possible.

I don't fully understand your last point. You quit because you "were removed from the team email" after quitting?

About your reputation - you are the one ruining it, so I would suggest you to "seek legal assistance" against yourself.

[Kaiqi Yang]

Kaiqi, I fully agree with your number 1 point. I do believe that both Raja and Mark are better players in rapid/blitz online chess and I will prove this. However, the gap is very small. But by leaving the team in the middle of the tournament you forced me to give Nikolay 3 games on day 2, which I had no intention of doing.

I absolutely agree with your second point as well. An unhappy player should play as little as possible.

I don't fully understand your last point. You quit because you "were removed from the team email" after quitting?

About your reputation - you are the one ruining it, so I would suggest you to "seek legal assistance" against yourself.

Do not muddy the water here. Just answer simple questions:

1. Why form the team using FIDE rating but use different criteria without communication with players before and during the tournament?

2. What is the definition of "Reserve player?" Our official line-up on FIDE website: https://olymp-results.fide.com/team/can

[Frank Dixon]

Did the CFC set up, or try to set up, a system of reserve player(s) for team Canada, for this competition? I haven't seen this vitally important point discussed yet. Because problems can occur, as we are now seeing, and the team well-being has to be the central factor behind major decisions.

The situation we are facing now is very different from a regular Olympiad. Canada has participated every time since 1964, which, given the CFC's usually limited resources, is a spectacular achievement, in my view. We have quite often performed exceptionally well, and our Olympiad teams have NEVER disgraced Canada or Canadian chess when competing abroad. Normally, the travel by the players to a far-off foreign land, being together as a team for something like two weeks, all serves to develop team camaraderie, bonding, and fighting spirit. Discussions face-to-face can readily be arranged, as scenarios unfold and develop, as to players' form, strategies for facing particular teams, and so forth. We don't have that here, since players are physically separated, and everyone is finding their way in a new and difficult situation.

I have been a previous donor to the funds set up for these Olympiads, and plan to do so again in the future.

[Victor Itkine]

Placement of players at Olympiad is a strategy and not always it coincide with the the players' strengths and ratings. For example, the strongest Canadian player at 2018 Olympiad in Batumi Evgeny Bareev (FIDE rating 2666 at a time) was placed by Victor Plotkin for the board #4. And he never complained.

[Kaiqi Yang]

Placement of players at Olympiad is a strategy and not always it coincide with the the players' strengths and ratings. For example, the strongest Canadian player at 2018 Olympiad in Batumi Evgeny Bareev (FIDE rating 2666 at a time) was placed by Victor Plotkin for the board #4. And he never complained.

If the decision is for the team's good and it has been acknowledged and pre-communicated with players. I believe no player will complain. What we had in this Online Olympiad is the opposite.

[John Brown]

The way I look at is that the Canadians never send the best team. They always have trouble with players, coaches etc. So if we want to win then we should send all Grand masters. If you think we will win with what we sent then we are all living in a very small bubble. Other teams send Grand masters we send active players. So either wake up and smell the coffee or get what we get...... people stepping down. The CFC team is a joke. Take GM's and use them. Get rid of coaches that cannot realize that the way to win is bring the strongest team. If Canada cannot pay to bring the strongest team then get off the pot and wait until the movement to a stronger team can be done. I agree with the GM if you don't play me then win without me . Basically Canada will never win without GM's. So start living with reality and stop arguing over the GM's withdrawal and wake up to your mistakes.

[Erik Malmsten]

1 out of 4 games in the first 4 rounds, maybe read the whole story before you post a comment here.

Thanks for reading my reply. I thought it stated that I agree with you as second board should play more times than the reserves. And that you still had the opportunity to play three or more games out of nine, but, by quitting you chose to play only one. It's your fault for only playing one game.

[Victor Itkine]

The CFC team is a joke. Take GM's and use them. Get rid of coaches that cannot realize that the way to win is bring the strongest team. If Canada cannot pay to bring the strongest team then get off the pot and wait until the movement to a stronger team can be done. I agree with the GM if you don't play me then win without me . Basically Canada will never win without GM's.

1. Canada will never win a chess Olympiad anyway, even if all top GMs will participate, because there are at least dozen countries in the World where the chess traditions are much stronger. Like Norway will never win Olympics in ice hockey. At the 2016 chess Olympiad all best Canadian players were playing, and Canada achieved a very good result - 11th place. With some more luck it could be 4th place, but this is the limit.

2. According to CFC procedure, first the players for Olympiad are determined, and then players vote to elect the coach (captain). So, not coaches chose the players, but vice versa. On the online Olympiad it was different because of luck of time.

3. I agree that it would be nice to pay to the best players, and bring all the top GMs to Olympiads. The question is: who is willing to pay?

[Lucas Davies]

1. Canada will never win a chess Olympiad anyway

Not with that attitude

[Victor Plotkin]

My approach for the Olympiad always was: the best player will play more games. While Nikolay's advantage over other players was absolutely clear to me (probably to everyone else in Canada as well) I didn't see any significant differences between the 3 other players. That's why I expected them to play equal or almost equal amount of games each.

I had to put somebody on board 2, somebody on reserve-1 position and somebody on reserve-2 position, but in this particular case it was nothing more then the formal requirement for FIDE. The only difference between board 2 and reserve player is that if they both play in the same match (like happened in round 2 against Poland) board 2 player moves to board 1, while reserve player plays on board 2.

There is no correlation between the system we use for team qualification and the ranking position or the amount of games played by any team member. According to our qualification system, Kaiqi was the second player to make the team. However my understanding is that his real strength was equal or probably lower than the strength of the 2 other players.

Had we played over-the-board classical tournament, I would have preferred Nikolay to play 7-8 games. In this kind of event, I guessed that 2 games/day against higher rated opponents is enough, that's why I wanted him to play 6 games so 4 games for everyone else.

If Nikolay plays 6 games, somebody plays less than 50% from the very beginning. He played 3 games in first 4 rounds, so somebody else had to play 1. Since Mark won his first game, the decision to put him for the third round was relatively easy to me. So, the line-up for the third round, Nikolay and Mark, was fairly obvious. It was very close call to choose between Kaiqi and Raja for round 4, and I had some small factors (too long to explain) to prefer Raja to play round 4 with white (basically I know he plays much stronger as white and is dangerous against stronger opponents).

That's why after some hesitation I put Raja for round 4. My intention was to play Kaiqi in round 5 in any case. I don't see any problem here. Indeed, 1/4 looks slightly lower, however 2/5 looks absolutely normal on the way to 4/9.

Actually, both of my decisions that Kaiqi did not like, placing Mark instead of him in Round 1 and Raja instead of him in Round 4, were both successful and significantly improved our tournament situation. Thanks to Mark's win in round 1 we won against Argentina and thanks to Raja's win in round 4, we won our match against very strong Cuban team.

To be continued...