23-11-2012, 11:20 AM
(Sent from the World Seniors in Greece)
Regardless of the circumstances of this particular case, having chess games broadcast to a wider audience can only be a good thing, for spectators and potential sponsors alike.
Here we have the top games (both men and women) broadcast live, and no-one is questioning that. We also have digital clocks, increments, and all of the games published soon after the round is finished, and no-one is objecting to any of that either. It's called progress.
Many of the top players here are GMs, IMs and/or chess professionals, and they receive certain concessions from the organisers (reduced or no entry fee, etc) and know they have to agree to certain things in return. They are not particularly concerned that their opponents will prepare for their games - they will do that anyway, given the large volume of data available on the internet. That's the way it works nowadays.
Obviously a weekend congress in Scotland is a very different thing but if we want to aspire to greater things then we should be prepared to move with the times.
Incidentally, Craig Pritchett will be playing on the 'live' boards against GM Okhotnik today which should be worth watching.
Regardless of the circumstances of this particular case, having chess games broadcast to a wider audience can only be a good thing, for spectators and potential sponsors alike.
Here we have the top games (both men and women) broadcast live, and no-one is questioning that. We also have digital clocks, increments, and all of the games published soon after the round is finished, and no-one is objecting to any of that either. It's called progress.
Many of the top players here are GMs, IMs and/or chess professionals, and they receive certain concessions from the organisers (reduced or no entry fee, etc) and know they have to agree to certain things in return. They are not particularly concerned that their opponents will prepare for their games - they will do that anyway, given the large volume of data available on the internet. That's the way it works nowadays.
Obviously a weekend congress in Scotland is a very different thing but if we want to aspire to greater things then we should be prepared to move with the times.
Incidentally, Craig Pritchett will be playing on the 'live' boards against GM Okhotnik today which should be worth watching.