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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Top players who don't even know the laws of chess (Read 33567 times)
dfan
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Re: Top players who don't even know the laws of chess
Reply #7 - 04/10/15 at 22:04:46
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JohnG wrote on 04/10/15 at 20:44:00:
Stigma wrote on 04/10/15 at 20:32:04:
I think it was Averbakh who once had to ask the arbiter whether long castling was allowed with the b1/b8 square covered by an opponent's piece.

The way I heard the story it was Korchnoi. I've always assumed the story was apocryphal, though I wish it were true since it makes a nice extreme example to consider when considering whether or not it is important to study specialized topics like theoretical endgames.

There are two different incidents, and I've never seen any real reason to doubt either's veracity. Someone ask Edward Winter!

The first is Averbakh - Purdy, Australian ch 1960. Purdy castled queenside despite the fact that b8 was attacked and Averbakh objected.

The second is Korchnoi - Karpov, Candidates Final 1974 (game 21). Korchnoi wasn't sure if he could castle kingside despite the fact that h1 was attacked. He asked the arbiter and the arbiter told him that he could, so he did.

Today's incident was really weird. I would have guessed that strong players know all the rules, but judging from titled players going nuts on Twitter about this, that isn't the case.

I also note that in my limited sampling of Twitter, the American viewpoint seems to generally be "It's against the rules, he was warned multiple times and told that the next violation would result in a forfeit, what else can you do but forfeit him?" while the European viewpoint is generally "You have to let them decide the game on the board." I'm American, so...


  
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Stigma
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Re: Top players who don't even know the laws of chess
Reply #6 - 04/10/15 at 21:49:19
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That comment is surprising. All sports need rules, and if you're hell-bent on losing the game in some non-standard way (i.e. not on the actual field/pitch/track/course/range/court/rink/board/table/ring), you can always find a way.
  

Improvement begins at the edge of your comfort zone. -Jonathan Rowson
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kylemeister
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Re: Top players who don't even know the laws of chess
Reply #5 - 04/10/15 at 21:45:12
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I noticed some, er, rather surprising comments by Jon Ludvig Hammer along the lines that the forfeit was crazy because chess results should always be decided at the board.
  
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Stigma
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Re: Top players who don't even know the laws of chess
Reply #4 - 04/10/15 at 21:37:38
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Tricklev wrote on 04/10/15 at 20:58:28:
What happened?

So was forfeited after 6 moves for taking notes during the game. Apparently he was using a separate sheet for this, not his scoresheet. To ble clear: Nobody has suggested he was actually using them to cheat; it may have been some sort of self-instructions, affirmations, sports psychology stuff or whatever.

I also heard what Tony said (he was warned about this rule twice already in the tournament).
  

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Tricklev
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Re: Top players who don't even know the laws of chess
Reply #3 - 04/10/15 at 20:58:28
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What happened?
  
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JohnG
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Re: Top players who don't even know the laws of chess
Reply #2 - 04/10/15 at 20:44:00
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Stigma wrote on 04/10/15 at 20:32:04:
I think it was Averbakh who once had to ask the arbiter whether long castling was allowed with the b1/b8 square covered by an opponent's piece.


The way I heard the story it was Korchnoi. I've always assumed the story was apocryphal, though I wish it were true since it makes a nice extreme example to consider when considering whether or not it is important to study specialized topics like theoretical endgames.
  

"The move is the idea." -John Watson
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TonyRo
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Re: Top players who don't even know the laws of chess
Reply #1 - 04/10/15 at 20:43:23
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It's even worse than that - I'm willing to excuse people not knowing some rules (I guess...), but he was warned twice this tournament for the same damn thing! C'mon man!

Cry
  
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Stigma
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Top players who don't even know the laws of chess
04/10/15 at 20:32:04
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I was shocked by the events in the US championship today.

How do you get to world top 10 without ever learning that you're not allowed to take notes during games (apart from moves, clock times, draw offers, resigns, mate)?!

Come on, the FIDE Laws of chess are not long at all - less than a percentage of a top player's opening repertoire to remember!

Yet there are earlier examples of grandmasters not even knowing the basic playing rules. I think it was Averbakh who once had to ask the arbiter whether long castling was allowed with the b1/b8 square covered by an opponent's piece.

What do people make of this latest incident?
  

Improvement begins at the edge of your comfort zone. -Jonathan Rowson
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