Clarification for Quitting the Online Olympiad

[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.

[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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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?

[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

[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]

"However, I was unbelievablly shocked to see how unprofessional a captain can act like this in such an important international tournament for his personal reasons. Is what his doing really for the good of Team Canada?"

" I believe that Victor was using CFC rating as an excuse for his intention of doing a favor to his son, which is not respectable to players like me."

I believe that in 2019, when Kaiqi's Serbian tournaments for GM journey was discussed on chesstalk, Kaiqi was upset and insulted by the 'accusations'. I believe now he is doing the same thing. Now I personally see nothing wrong with accusations in public, I trust the public can use its critical thinking abilities to find some sort of truth. What we see here, however, is a double standard from Kaiqi.

Thank you, Nicolay. I don’t even know you care about me so much that whenever what happened to me, you are always the first person to reach out on the online world. I guess you are maybe disappointed that your little brother only got 60 FIDE points up after I did my best to coach him in WYCC 2017 Uruguay? Even I feel suspicious why you put him in my team for preparation when both of us are coaching Team Canada. Or maybe my existence makes you so uncomfortable that you have to get the spotlight every time?

Anyway, It is good to know you are always around.

[Ian Findlay]

I received an email from the CFC president and have decided to respect and follow his advice.

It is never my intention to involve in situations like this. But sometimes when things happen, I have to stand up for myself.

I will not comment further on this post anymore.

Very sage advice

[Nikolay Noritsyn]

"However, I was unbelievablly shocked to see how unprofessional a captain can act like this in such an important international tournament for his personal reasons. Is what his doing really for the good of Team Canada?"

" I believe that Victor was using CFC rating as an excuse for his intention of doing a favor to his son, which is not respectable to players like me."

I believe that in 2019, when Kaiqi's Serbian tournaments for GM journey was discussed on chesstalk, Kaiqi was upset and insulted by the 'accusations'. I believe now he is doing the same thing. Now I personally see nothing wrong with accusations in public, I trust the public can use its critical thinking abilities to find some sort of truth. What we see here, however, is a double standard from Kaiqi.

[Victor Itkine]

I see it a little differently. If there are such existing CFC rules (most likely there are not), then penalties should come automatically.

If not, CFC may hold a special hearing and decide, whether any 'punishment' should follow or not.

[Nikolay Noritsyn]

Thanks to Victor Plotkin for sharing some details about his initial plan, who should play 18 games on the first two boards. Victor didn't have to disclose this now. Captain is not accountable to the players and the public. Only to CFC management.

I believe, this thread went to a wrong direction. Instead of explanations from the Captain, which are unnecessary in this situation, I would prefer to hear what the consequences will be faced by the player who violated Olympiad contract. This is what CFC has to decide now. If it happened in one of the major leagues (NHL, NBA, NFL, etc.), the player who quieted the competition in such a fashion would be suspended for at least 10 games.

I agree with Réjean Tremblay's suggestion that GM Kaiqi should lose the privilege to represent Canada in any International competition. This matter should be discussed by CFC Executives or/and on the next CFC meeting. Is that enough? I am not sure, because GM Kaiqi most likely will not be able to qualify for the National team in subsequent Olympiads. I would additionally suggest CFC considering from 6 to 12 months suspension for participation in all tournaments where CFC membership is required, including next Canadian Closed.

In order to prevent similar situations in the future, I'll bring a motion for the next CFC meeting providing automatic penalties for players who quit their performance for the National team in the middle of the tournament without a valid reason.

Victor Itkine
CFC Governor.

Hi Victor,

I would support such a motion, and I would like to add - not just in the middle of the tournament. In 2018 we were lucky to enlist Evgeny Bareev as a replacement just weeks (days?) before the tournament start, all contracts were already signed.
With that said - I don't know if Kaiqi deserves to be punished. There was no contract for this online Olympiad, or a CFC law. Code of honour? "I have executed my rights of quitting because of the above reasons mentioned" deserves to be discussed at an ethics committee at the very least, but our newly elected president does not think its a priority.

[Neil Frarey]

I don't have any problem with what Kaiqi has done.

Are there any existing CFC rules which discuss the matter of a player removing themselves from a Canadian national team during a tournament?

If not ... then no 'punishment' can be dealt.

Kaiqi is free to do as he pleases.

But, having said that ... if there are such CFC rules ... different matter.

[Kaiqi Yang]

Since the comment is so aggressive, seems I cannot stop here.

We formed the team by FIDE rating but different criteria were involved during the tournament without communication with players, this is deception.

I devoted my time without any compensation while most of the other higher-rated players don’t want to play, and I received such consequence. Well, I took my own medicine and I surely deserve it.

A captain can do whatever he wants, -- for future player’s reference, be aware of that.

Also, if you want to support your capital Victor unconditionally without even discussing the fact, here is not your place. And for sure, you will prepare for your files and I am aware of that.

Kaiqi