Competitive tournament chess at the top has never been this good

[Hans Jung]

I just finished watching the Fischer Random world championship and I became aware that the chess.com world championship finals are happening in Toronto. GM Nakamura, for example, after winning the Fischer Random world championship and a $100,000 pay cheque will be playing in the finals of the chess.com championship. At least a couple of players who just finished the US championships with guaranteed prize packages are now playing in the chess.com finals. The yearly calendar of Fide events is almost full. Plus all the online commentary that is happening. Its a good time to be a chess professional.

[Brad Thomson]

It is fantastic having so much chess to enjoy online, usually with excellent commentary as well. It is also a good time to be retired.

[Pargat Perrer]

I just finished watching the Fischer Random world championship and I became aware that the chess.com world championship finals are happening in Toronto. GM Nakamura, for example, after winning the Fischer Random world championship and a $100,000 pay cheque will be playing in the finals of the chess.com championship. At least a couple of players who just finished the US championships with guaranteed prize packages are now playing in the chess.com finals. The yearly calendar of Fide events is almost full. Plus all the online commentary that is happening. Its a good time to be a chess professional.

Very interesting that top level chess, and presumably chess at other levels, is reaching such heights when the entire world situation is so fragile, with talk of recession, nuclear apocalypse (even from Biden), climate emergency, future pandemics, civil war in U.S., and yes ... wait for it ... another Cher final World Tour. Ok, that last one I made up LOL

There is so much money circulating around these days ... some famous investor said the other day we are all becoming billionaires but a billion dollars won't buy squat (I'm paraphrasing, I don't know the exact quote).

If it's a good time to be a chess professional, is it a bad time to be alive? (Yes, I know, Debbie Downer, wa wa waaaaa.... )

I think the Fischer Random thing is really great though. Finally chess is breaking out of a few shackles ... I hope.

[Brad Thomson]

Here is the Editorial I wrote for En Passant 139, August, 1996:


Bobby Fischer has resurfaced in Argentina. He was there to promote his new version of chess, Fischerandom. During a press conference Fischer took the opportunity to lambaste a variety of targets. Batsford and Simon and Shuster were attacked for publishing an unauthorized edition of My 60 Memorable Games, John Nunn, Jonathan Speelman and others took the brunt of Fischer's wrath for changing some of the wording and even some of the analysis of the original, and the United States and China were verbally abused for not defending his rights. Bobby then apologized for these statements not being relevant to Fischerandom, which was the reason for the press conference in the first place.

Fischerandom chess involves the advent of new and peculiar starting positions for the game. The pawns remain in the same locations, but the back rank pieces are subject to alteration. Using the Fischerandom Chess Computerized Shuffler the big pieces shall be set up in any possible combination, with the provisions that the King must be between the rooks, and the bishops must be on opposite coloured squares. Both sides will receive identical random shuffles. Therefore, as is currently the case, the Black and the White pieces will be set up opposite one another. This new formula allows for a total of 960 possible permutations - one of which is the conventional starting position. Thus, once every thousand games or so Fischerandom chess will be identical to the traditional game. There is a sophisticated and elaborate series of regulations regarding castling, far too lengthy to mention at this time.

Fischer pointed out that his new version of the game will eliminate all opening preparation, all opening theory, and that it will prevent the use of analysts and pregame analysis. Thus, creativity and chess talent will be more vital that in the current game. There is, of course, plenty of truth to these claims. One could hardly sit down and work out opening theory for all 959 non-standard-chess randomized shuffles. The avid player could indeed study one randomized shuffle each day for about three years, though, and then reach the point where he had spent a full day on each of the non-standard-chess randomized shuffles.

Is Fischerandom chess a good idea? I think that my initial reaction would have been negative, except for the fact that it is Bobby Fischer, after all, who is propounding it. Many an idea has been considered to be ridiculous, only to eventually prove its worth. Consider Fischer time controls! And wouldn't it be interesting to see the world's top players give Fischerandom chess a whirl. Furthermore, who might win a Fischerandom rules match between Fischer himself and Garry Kasparov? Without his vast opening repertoire and team of analysts would Kasparov even stand a chance? Possibly not. By eliminating all non-over-the-board preparation, Fischerandom gives us a greater measuring stick of pure, unadulterated chess strength. I think Fischer is on to something.

[Brad Thomson]

civil war in U.S.

This I think is inevitable. They all have their guns, and the chasm between right and left grows wider and wider since there is nothing in the middle. American media is absolutely irresponsible and serves only to exacerbate the problems with its biased disinformation that both sides recklessly spew. Whichever side wins elections will not accept the results and cry that the election was rigged and stolen. Trump, of course, said in advance that he will either win honestly or the election will be dishonestly stolen from him. American is imploding and absolute calamity is not far off. We must hope that the shooting does not spill over the boarder to the north.

[Hans Jung]

Thanks for sharing your editorial Brad. It all amazes me. To start with Fischer's vision not just of Fischer - Random but time controls, clocks, tournament conditions - all eventually implemented and enhancing tournament chess. Now thirty and more years later we have regular Fischer Random tournaments and even a world championship! - and of course digital clocks and increments have been around much longer. And finally back in the 60's Bobby Fischers demanding of tournament conditions and decent prizes has all evolved into a great living for professional players and a large chess culture surrounding that (fantastic commentary, endless great tournaments, a regular - even crowded - tournament calendar) and a great amount of global chess travel. We live in great times for the chess fan.

[Peter McKillop]

.... We live in great times for the chess fan.

Agreed. Not since the days of Spricis and Barber have we seen so much good chess!

[Neil Frarey]

We live in great times for the chess fan.

2022 Chesscom Global Championship ... currently (Nov. 2 - Nov. 8) being held in TO is an interesting hybrid format ... 5 of the 8 players seated face to face with computers between them and the players will be wearing headsets. The other 3 players are playing remote.

So this hybrid format begs the question ... why?

Chesscom lives and breaths in cyberspace ... not in physical space.

Trying to merge the 2 !?

[Hans Jung]

Interesting observation Neil.

[Hans Jung]

Agreed. Not since the days of Spricis and Barber have we seen so much good chess!

The longer I live the more I identify with Ernst Spricis. I have even taken to using a cane occasionally.

[Peter McKillop]

The longer I live the more I identify with Ernst Spricis. I have even taken to using a cane occasionally.

"Half an hour, HALF AN HOUR!"

Can't imagine you with a cane. I suppose because it's been 15+ years (?) since I last spoke with you in-person so in my brain you're a younger man. Apart from the cane, hope everything is going well!

[Hans Jung]

Thanks Peter. Doing well all things considered. The cane is only a joke so far with my grandchildren but its ready to be used when the time comes. Nice to have you to share these memories of characters at the old Y. Do you remember Spricis's sidekick Mike Marek at the club? Meeesster Mike. He was my perfect opponent in those days. Everything I did against him over the board worked (that was back then when I was struggling against the others)

[Hans Jung]

I notice Nakamura is continuing his streak, 4-0 against Duda, including play against the Bongcloud. Duda playing the Bongcloud?? I thought he was a serious young man without frills, obviously I was wrong.

[Peter McKillop]

Thanks Peter. Doing well all things considered. The cane is only a joke so far with my grandchildren but its ready to be used when the time comes. Nice to have you to share these memories of characters at the old Y. Do you remember Spricis's sidekick Mike Marek at the club? Meeesster Mike. He was my perfect opponent in those days. Everything I did against him over the board worked (that was back then when I was struggling against the others)

Yes, I remember Mike 'Beeg Sorry Meester' Marek. And his hat - a fedora with the brim snapped up. A sort of fedora-cum-porkpie hat? Anyway, I remember Mike as being a very pleasant guy who was happy to sit down and play chess with anyone who asked. Win lose or draw, always in a good mood. After what so many guys of Mike's vintage must have experienced during WW II, I think there were some, like Mike, who were just happy to be alive - period!

[Hans Jung]

I wasnt going to respond but then I thought who is harmed. None of those characters are around any more. You are so right Peter. Richard May never talked about the war except once (that I know of) when Bob Kaczmarek got him going. I cant remember the start of the conversation but Richard shared that he was never so scared in his life as when he faced Soviet tanks with a Panzer faust as a 15 year old Hitler Youth. He did the right thing and ran and hid and survived. After the war he climbed mountains in Austria, one after another (you remember how big he was) but you cant keep climbing mountains without enough food. Thats when he immigrated to Canada and lived the Canadian dream. As you say happy to be alive and built his own elevator company from scratch. Chess was his favorite relaxation.