Perpetual Chess Linkfest #5, September 16, 2022
Alireza wins the Sinquefield Cup while the Carlsen/Niemann controversy Simmers
Hi everyone! We had a quieter week in the chess world even though the questions related to last week’s Sinquefield controversy are largely unresolved. Without further ado, let’s get to the links:
The Sinquefield Saga continues…
"We currently have no indication that any player has been playing unfairly in the 2022 Sinquefield Cup. This includes all rounds played to date.:- Chris Bird, Chief Arbiter (Sinquefield Cup Arbiter’s Statement, 9/10/2022)
Chess cheating expert/Computer Science Professor, IM Kenneth Regan stated that he has seen "no evidence of cheating in over the board at all" in Hans Niemann’s games after he has "screened 106 events counting online plus over the board since January 2020" (The James Altucher Podcast, Spotify, YouTube)
Economist, Author and USCF Master Tyler Cowen writes “Perhaps one final lesson of the Carlsen-Niemann episode is that it will become harder and harder to know if cheating took place. Players will have gray reputations, and perhaps accusations of cheating will be ambiguous as well, as already seems to be the case from some of the top chess players who have commented on the dispute.” (Washington Post Op-Ed)
“FIDE and the organizers of large tournaments owe the community of players and fans clear guidelines and procedures for how to handle what is likely to be an increasingly common phenomenon.” (Greg Keener in the NYTimes)
“I know he (Magnus) knew” (about Hans’ history of cheating online prior to Sinquefield). “You hear things, its a small world.” (GM Fabiano Caruana on the C-Squared Podcast)
6 Thoughts on the Cheating Scandal by FM Nate Solon (Zwischenzug Blog)
Meanwhile, both GM Magnus Carlsen and GM Hans Niemann are set to play in the Julius Baer Generation Cup, an online tournament starting in a few days. Get your popcorn ready! (Chess24 Article by Leon Watson)
Alireza Impresses
Alireza has now won both the St. Louis Rapid and Blitz, the Sinquefield Cup and the Grand Chess Tour! (IM Kostya Kavutskiy for the Grand Chess Tour Blog) (IM John Watson for Chess Life Online) (The Chess Mind Blog)
Other Chess Events
Shaq and Mamedyarov lead in the Chess9LX, Kasparov is rusty (Jack Rodgers for Chess.com)…
The Chess.com Global Chess Challenge is underway, and the youngsters are doing well (of course). (Vanessa West for Chess.com)
Endgame Studies
The Carlsen Challenge (key position excerpted below) (IM Sagar Shah for Chessbase India)
Congrats to Steffan Nielsen, who is the World Champion of Endgame Study Composition “"That's the greatest feeling, when you set out to do something, you say: 'Let's try to make all three promotions work,' but you have no idea if it's possible.” (Peter Doggers for Chess.com)
Book Reviews/Chess Improvement/misc.
The Three Questions: Learning from GM Jacob Aagaard at the US Chess School (Eugene Yoo for Chess Life Online)
Richard James reviews Alexey Root’s new book U.S. U.S Women’s Chess Champions 1937-2020. Richard concludes that despite some quibbles, “This is a well-researched and thoughtfully compiled book which fills an important gap in the market. We need more books about women’s chess.” (British Chess News)
Congrats to Maria Emelianova who is Chess.com’s Streamer of the Month (Chess.com Article)
A Volunteer’s Perspective on the Chess Olimpiad (Sneha Tawari for Chessbase India)
GM D Gukesh on the Next Generation “For myself, my goal has always been to be the best in the world, to be World Champion someday." (Leon Watson for Chess.24)
Blindfold Training Chess Tips from Get Bent Larsen (Say Chess Blog)
That concludes this week’s links. Thanks to you all for reading, and have a good weekend- Ben
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