Musicians who excel in chess

[Jack Maguire]

Philidor certainly gets consummate praise in this "Musicians who excel in chess" piece.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/sport...l-chess-277109

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Musicians who excel in chess

Philidor certainly gets consummate praise in this "Musicians who excel in chess" piece.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/sport...l-chess-277109

A lame article what forgot to mention Smyslov and Taimanov (and Fischer).

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Musicians who excel in chess

A lame article what forgot to mention Smyslov and Taimanov (and Fischer).

Taimanov was a concert pianist.

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: Musicians who excel in chess

I believe Ottawa NM Peter Hum is a concert pianist (and newspaper columnist). However, Peter is taking time off chess indefinitely, if not retiring from it permanently, due to various commitments.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Musicians who excel in chess

I believe Ottawa NM Peter Hum is a concert pianist (and newspaper columnist). However, Peter is taking time off chess indefinitely, if not retiring from it permanently, due to various commitments.

How do you get to be an NM title? Do you pay an amount of money or something?

[Stephen Wright]

Re: Musicians who excel in chess

The "article" deals with musicians who played chess rather than the other way round, although with Philidor and Taimanov it's not clear which aspect predominated at various times.

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: Musicians who excel in chess

How do you get to be an NM title? Do you pay an amount of money or something?

If I remember right, the old criteria for being an NM was 25+ games at a 2300+ CFC rating. There may be a different criteria now (perhaps listed in the Handbook?!).

In my case the CFC has my achievement somewhere in their records, at least by now, I would guess. At any event in Ontario/Gatineau I've played in for a long time, organizers somehow just knew I was an NM from a long time ago.

Some years ago I asked the office for a NM certificate. Not so much because I was dying to get one, but because I was a Governor that term, and wanted to test whether the office would send it to me. I think back then the offer was that it was free if you wanted 1 copy, but cost something for more copies. I expected since I asked for a free one, there would not be a priority on my order. In any case I never received it. Perhaps if I bothered to reapply for a certificate nowadays the outcome would be different.

I can dig around the CFC website/handbook to try to find the current answer to your questions, unless someone beats me to it.

[Brad Thomson]

Re: Musicians who excel in chess

I believe Ottawa NM Peter Hum is a concert pianist (and newspaper columnist). However, Peter is taking time off chess indefinitely, if not retiring from it permanently, due to various commitments.

Peter is a jazz player, and a very competent one. He has a CD out, and another one is in the works due to be released some time this year. If you like jazz you will like Peter's music.

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: Musicians who excel in chess

How do you get to be an NM title? Do you pay an amount of money or something?

From the CFC Handbook, Section 4:

"438. Rating Classes, Titles and Certificates. [Motion 2012-G Mallon/Drkulec]

a) The CFC officially recognizes the following titles, rating classes and CFC rating floors: National Master (2200), National Candidate Master (2000), Class A (1800), Class B (1600), Class C (1400), Class D (1200), and Class E (1000).

b) To achieve standing for any class or title, the player must:

i. Have at some point had a published CFC rating above the minimum rating floor for that class or title

ii. Have in three separate tournaments achieved a norm, which is a performance rating at least 100 points above the rating floor

iii. For the purposes of these norms, only CFC regular ratings count, and the player must have played at least five games.

iv. Matches may not be used as a norm.

v. An event can be used as a norm for multiple classes - for example, a 2300 performance event can be a norm used by the same player for Class A, National Candidate Master AND National Master.

vi. Titles and Classes are not awarded to Foreign players or members.

vii. Rating Floors are used only as the minimum required published rating to achieve titles or classes, and do not prevent a member’s rating from dropping below the rating floor for that member’s title or class.

viii. At any time, should a member’s published, established regular rating exceed 100 points above the rating floor for a title, they will achieve that title even if they do not have sufficient norms.

c) Certificates. The CFC will provide, free of charge, certificates to those who achieve the title of National Master or any higher title that the CFC chooses to award. Certificates for lower titles or classes are not automatically provided, but may be requested. The CFC Executive is empowered to set a fee for this service not to exceed $10 including shipping."

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Musicians who excel in chess

Young Ms. Harmony Zhu (now 7 years old), of 2012 U 8 Girls Canadian WYCC team fame, is going to play (or has played) at Carnegie Hall, for having won a Canadian piano competition!

Bob A

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: Musicians who excel in chess

Peter is a jazz player, and a very competent one. He has a CD out, and another one is in the works due to be released some time this year. If you like jazz you will like Peter's music.

I acquired a bit of a liking for jazz music from my days at the now defunct Cafe Wim in Ottawa, as well as by listening to Prosanto Sarkar's (now -ex) common-law spouse's music when there were chess gatherings/parties at his house (while he lived in Ottawa).

I'll drop into music stores now and then to check for that CD.

[Hans Jung]

Re: Musicians who excel in chess

Lets not forget Bob Kiviaho and his magic fingers.

[Brad Thomson]

Re: Musicians who excel in chess

I'll drop into music stores now and then to check for that CD.

I have seen it in the CD Warehouse at Clyde and Merrivale, and in the Compact Disc just up the street from Strategy Games. I got my copy by personal delivery from Peter, he drops in here about once a month and we talk jazz, not chess. :)

[Brad Thomson]

Re: Musicians who excel in chess

Lets not forget Bob Kiviaho and his magic fingers.

Indeed. Kivi gave us a concert during the Closed of 1995. It is just about the only fond memory I possess from that event. :)

[Frank Dixon]

Re: Musicians who excel in chess

This stem article is pretty good, although there are some omissions, as noted.

GM Vassily Smyslov wrote that he only decided upon chess as his career when his attempt to join a Moscow orchestra as a baritone vocalist came up short. He also wrote that on the chessboard, one should strive for harmony, with one piece helping another. Simple and brilliant!! :) He maintained his strong interest in singing throughout his life, and would sometimes entertain his fellow competitors at tournaments.

GM Mark Taimanov, still living, is listed among the greatest 100 pianists of the 20th centrury, in an album collection of the same name.

In Canada, we should never forget the tragic case of the very gifted FM Todd Southam, who died at age 26 in 1996. A tremendous player, Canadian Junior Champion circa 1988, who made one IM norm, and who would have certainly attained that title had he lived longer. Taken from us far, far too soon. Todd had recorded some of his own original music, and his brother David sent me a copy; I am very impressed. :)