European Senior Team Championship

[Alastair White]

Tomorrow we face old foes Steiermark from Austria. Should be a good one.

That's the team that our old friend Klaus Nickl plays for - he comes to the Scottish every year, and has also played against Scottish teams at least 3 times in my memory. They're decent guys - have a good game!

[IMarks]

Steiermark 2½ SCO 1½

Good match against almost traditional opposition. Three draws of fluctuating fortunes; Raj defended heroically for a long time in the last game to finish against our old friend Klaus Nickl, but was unable to make it four. Don’t know whom we’ll have tomorrow – some games are still going on – but whoever it is, bring ‘em on. Spirits are high.

Elsewhere in the tournament it was derby day, with England 1 v England 2 and the heavyweight clash Russia v St Petersburg. Looked like the Saxons were heading for 2-2; think the other finished 3-1 to Russia.

[IMarks]

Round five already!

SCO 4 Turku 0

Cracking result against a very useful side.
Turku is a city in Finland. The name of the squad member who asked if we were playing Turkey will accompany me to the grave. Right, we're off to do some major celebrating.

[IMarks]

SCO ½ VAS Amsterdam 3½

Ouch.

There were serious noise issues around the 2-2½ hour mark today, partly due to the bookstall being right outside the playing hall door, but mainly because lots more people than usual saw fit to have voluble conversations within feet of the boards. Not using that as an excuse, but fact. The arbiters didn't think the noise levels were too high!! Following complaints, they have promised to intervene earlier with folk who have no concept of their surroundings. We shall see.

[P Griffin]

Ian, Does sound rather like an excuse, presumably the
Dutch had the same noise problems

[Andy Howie]

Some people can concentrate through noise, some have problems with it. If it is disturbing a player then the source of noise should be removed.

I do recall removing my shoes once, I had been to a funeral in my Kilt and had brogues on. The noise they were making distracted me!

[P Griffin]

Long time ago I had the bad luck to be drawn against a precocious youngster
called Tommy Milligan who spent the entire game munching noisily through
a bag of lettuce and carrots. I think the carrots helped him see the board better
but I don't think the arbiters would have believed me. Tommy would now be in
his late forties does anyone know what became of him.

[IMarks]

Ian, Does sound rather like an excuse, presumably the
Dutch had the same noise problems

Nope, not an excuse. You had to be there. Let me explain. One of the Dutch players (my opponent, in fact) was in a wheelchair, therefore for ease of access our match was played at a table not far from the door and on the main 'route' into and out of the playing hall. All VAS's matches are played here, therefore they are 'acclimatised' to it to an extent, whereas for each of their opponents it is a novel experience. Besides, judging by the number of times he had to shoosh people, my opponent was obviously discomfited by the racket too. (Not just my word; used by other players too today.)

As Andy says, tolerance to noise varies from player to player. That is why FIDE laws state that it is up to the arbiter(s) to ensure acceptable conditions. At the risk of sounding like a big sook, I'd say that neither Andy nor Alex nor Lara would have let things escalate to the levels they did for a good half hour today.

[Alastair White]

I have had personal experience of the sort of thing Ian is talking about. There is often far too much noise at these events, and I have had occasion myself to 'shoosh' Russians, Germans, and Spanish (among others) including titled players who should know better but think they can behave as they please. In many cases the arbiters or their assistants on site are unwilling to do very much about it (although I would have to say that the Greek arbiters are very efficient in cracking down on any bad behaviour).

When you get down to the business end of a game, and only have increments to play with, the last thing you want is to be distracted by noise and thoughtless disruption by those who have already finished.

[IMarks]

Had a chat with players from other teams at breakfast and the consensus was that yesterday's noise levels went way beyond what can reasonably be expected. Anyway, today's another day; goodness knows how hot it is outside already, but it makes playing chess indoors an even more attractive proposition.