THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU Ben for such a lucid and sensible editorial. We need more voices like yours and a lot fewer from spoiled children like Magnus or the incompetents at FIDE.
Sorry for the long message! Just listened to your podcast with Malcolm Pein—it was great! Then I wanted to write my response with a clear purpose.
You wrote “GM Volodar Murzin’s breakthrough is a great story”, and you mentioned in your podcast “amazing story of young GM Volodar Murzin... Obviously, an incredible accomplishment”. And Mr Pein agreed (“It was great to see Volodar Murzin”). However, the most amazing part of Volodar‘s story is just emerging – after his interview published today (https://www.championat.com/other/article-5854644-biografiya-chempiona-mira-po-shahmatam-iz-rossii-volodara-murzina-pobeg-ot-otca-tirana-golod-smena-grazhdanstva.html - it’s in Russian but I'm sure you can translate it). After his major achievement in NY his story is finally in the public domain, even if this is the tip of the iceberg, and I have no doubt all main chess sites (and beyond) will have it.
Volodar’s from a big family with four sisters. Till 2017 they were living far from Moscow, in the provincial industrial town Nizhny Tagil (famous for its very bad ecology). And they were regularly physically abused by his father who, by all accounts, is an awful man. They eventually escaped to Khimki near Moscow and lived there for the last 7 years in a 2-room flat (In Russian terminology, 2-room means one bedroom). They don’t own it – it was provided by a local chess academy (people there could see a rare talent), so they could be asked to leave anytime. Now they hope to improve their conditions with Volodar’s prize money. Four years ago, his father banned him from traveling abroad (in Russia, minors need the permission of both parents) – after a 2-year court battle that ban was lifted. Not many chess prodigies have faced such challenges, except maybe Gata Kamsky.
Why am I telling you this? Volodar needs invites to decent round-robin tournaments. His new title should help but it's tricky politically to invite Russian players (except Nepo). Note, Volodar and his coach GM Mikhail Kobalia have been at war with the Russian Federation because they refused to sign a 10-year agreement forcing him not to change federation in return for financial and organisational support (https://www.chess.com/news/view/russia-10-year-contracts-young-players-federation-changes ). As a consequence, Volodar didn’t play in Russia for one and a half years at all. That war escalated after his win in NY.
Maybe you could draw Mr. Pein’s attention to this and he would consider inviting the rapid world champion to the London Chess classics?
Finally, what are my credentials to write this? I've been at Bournemouth University, UK for 20 years but in Russia, I’m known as a chess journalist and blogger. For instance, I did (for the leading Russian chess site ChessPro) the first very detailed interview with Emil Sutovsky after their team took over FIDE (https://chesspro.ru/interview/sutovsky_interview_fide, https://chesspro.ru/interview/sutovsky_interview_fide_2 ) – it was cited by many Western outlets. A long ago, I was in charge of series of huge interviews with elite chess players – Polgar, Svidler, Gelfand, Grischuk, Sosonko, etc. – most of them were translated to English with help of Colin McGourty of chess24 and chess-com (for example, Aronian’s in two parts: https://www.crestbook.com/en/node/1514, https://www.crestbook.com/en/node/1547 ). As to Murzin, I have been following him for a long time, even before the viral video with 13-year-old him appeared at ChessBaseIndia (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZN9vkQ7ng8&t=50s ). I am planning to publish a big article about him and have been in touch with his mother, Ekaterina.
Agree with all your comments. It is worrying when you start agreeing with Hans but he is making sense/correct. There is hope for better behaviour in future - you just need to look at the respect shown and excellent behaviour in the recent world championship match. Also Carlsen will become increasingly peripheral and his influence wain.
Excellent report, thank you! 🤩 I agree with all of your 10 points.
I also found sharing the World Chess Blitz tittle by breaking the rules of the event disrespectful, and even disgusting, taking into account Magnus' 'idea' how to persuade FIDE to agree with his concept, by 'playing' fixed draws endlessly, shared with Nepo in waiting for FIDE President's decision (thank you, Youtube).
It's clear to me, Magnus was scared to death of missing the title, after losing 2 games in a row by Nepo's fantastic comeback to even the score of the match. In the tie-break, only 3 blitz games followed, all ended in a draw, and Magnus, visibly shaken (thank you, Youtube) made 'the offer' Nepo couldn't refuse.
Btw, I'm enjoying reading your exceptional book “Perpetual Chess Improvement”, it has arrived from US (to UK) in time, just before Christmas. To my surprise, the book has been signed by you at National Open 2024. So, I've got two gifts from Santa for the price of one. 😜
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU Ben for such a lucid and sensible editorial. We need more voices like yours and a lot fewer from spoiled children like Magnus or the incompetents at FIDE.
Dear Ben,
Sorry for the long message! Just listened to your podcast with Malcolm Pein—it was great! Then I wanted to write my response with a clear purpose.
You wrote “GM Volodar Murzin’s breakthrough is a great story”, and you mentioned in your podcast “amazing story of young GM Volodar Murzin... Obviously, an incredible accomplishment”. And Mr Pein agreed (“It was great to see Volodar Murzin”). However, the most amazing part of Volodar‘s story is just emerging – after his interview published today (https://www.championat.com/other/article-5854644-biografiya-chempiona-mira-po-shahmatam-iz-rossii-volodara-murzina-pobeg-ot-otca-tirana-golod-smena-grazhdanstva.html - it’s in Russian but I'm sure you can translate it). After his major achievement in NY his story is finally in the public domain, even if this is the tip of the iceberg, and I have no doubt all main chess sites (and beyond) will have it.
Volodar’s from a big family with four sisters. Till 2017 they were living far from Moscow, in the provincial industrial town Nizhny Tagil (famous for its very bad ecology). And they were regularly physically abused by his father who, by all accounts, is an awful man. They eventually escaped to Khimki near Moscow and lived there for the last 7 years in a 2-room flat (In Russian terminology, 2-room means one bedroom). They don’t own it – it was provided by a local chess academy (people there could see a rare talent), so they could be asked to leave anytime. Now they hope to improve their conditions with Volodar’s prize money. Four years ago, his father banned him from traveling abroad (in Russia, minors need the permission of both parents) – after a 2-year court battle that ban was lifted. Not many chess prodigies have faced such challenges, except maybe Gata Kamsky.
Why am I telling you this? Volodar needs invites to decent round-robin tournaments. His new title should help but it's tricky politically to invite Russian players (except Nepo). Note, Volodar and his coach GM Mikhail Kobalia have been at war with the Russian Federation because they refused to sign a 10-year agreement forcing him not to change federation in return for financial and organisational support (https://www.chess.com/news/view/russia-10-year-contracts-young-players-federation-changes ). As a consequence, Volodar didn’t play in Russia for one and a half years at all. That war escalated after his win in NY.
Maybe you could draw Mr. Pein’s attention to this and he would consider inviting the rapid world champion to the London Chess classics?
Finally, what are my credentials to write this? I've been at Bournemouth University, UK for 20 years but in Russia, I’m known as a chess journalist and blogger. For instance, I did (for the leading Russian chess site ChessPro) the first very detailed interview with Emil Sutovsky after their team took over FIDE (https://chesspro.ru/interview/sutovsky_interview_fide, https://chesspro.ru/interview/sutovsky_interview_fide_2 ) – it was cited by many Western outlets. A long ago, I was in charge of series of huge interviews with elite chess players – Polgar, Svidler, Gelfand, Grischuk, Sosonko, etc. – most of them were translated to English with help of Colin McGourty of chess24 and chess-com (for example, Aronian’s in two parts: https://www.crestbook.com/en/node/1514, https://www.crestbook.com/en/node/1547 ). As to Murzin, I have been following him for a long time, even before the viral video with 13-year-old him appeared at ChessBaseIndia (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZN9vkQ7ng8&t=50s ). I am planning to publish a big article about him and have been in touch with his mother, Ekaterina.
Dr. Valery Adzhiev (valchess@proton.me)
Agree with all your comments. It is worrying when you start agreeing with Hans but he is making sense/correct. There is hope for better behaviour in future - you just need to look at the respect shown and excellent behaviour in the recent world championship match. Also Carlsen will become increasingly peripheral and his influence wain.
Really well said!
Excellent report, thank you! 🤩 I agree with all of your 10 points.
I also found sharing the World Chess Blitz tittle by breaking the rules of the event disrespectful, and even disgusting, taking into account Magnus' 'idea' how to persuade FIDE to agree with his concept, by 'playing' fixed draws endlessly, shared with Nepo in waiting for FIDE President's decision (thank you, Youtube).
It's clear to me, Magnus was scared to death of missing the title, after losing 2 games in a row by Nepo's fantastic comeback to even the score of the match. In the tie-break, only 3 blitz games followed, all ended in a draw, and Magnus, visibly shaken (thank you, Youtube) made 'the offer' Nepo couldn't refuse.
Btw, I'm enjoying reading your exceptional book “Perpetual Chess Improvement”, it has arrived from US (to UK) in time, just before Christmas. To my surprise, the book has been signed by you at National Open 2024. So, I've got two gifts from Santa for the price of one. 😜