11/11/2012 – Recently the ICSC (International Committee of Silent Chess) staged its 2012 Championships. Over 170 people from some 30 countries gathered in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Christopher Kreuzer, himself a participant, sent us a two-part illustrated account. In part one he reports on the opening ceremony and provides video footage of an historic blitz game played by FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.
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Chess and snow leopards (Part one)
By Christopher Kreuzer
In September and October 2012, several England deaf chess players, representatives
and officials travelled to the city of Almaty in Kazakhstan to take part in
the tournaments and Congress being held by the ICSC (International Committee
of Silent Chess). The event took place from 27 September to 6 October, with
the main tournament being the 15th ICSC World Individual Chess Championship
(an event held every four years). In addition to the Championship and the Congress
there were seven other championship titles being contested, plus the 4th ICSC
Open Individual Chess Tournament.
At Istanbul airport: Phil, Barry, Lewis and Des
Those who travelled there from England were myself (Christopher Kreuzer), Lewis
Martin, Barry David, Desmond Masterson, Phillip Gardner, and Michael Freund.
Phillip and Michael were there as part of the ICSC committee, while Lewis had
qualified as the England representative in the main event. Barry and I were
there to compete in the Open, and Des was representing England in the 2nd ICSC
World Individual Deaf-Blind Chess Championship. We flew from London Gatwick
via Istanbul.
Russian national team at Sheremetyevo-2 airport before flying to Almaty.
Moscow
Victoria Aliyev, Olga Gerasimova, Julia Botalova
Our hotel and playing venue for the next ten days was the three-star Altyn
Kargaly health resort/sanatorium on the outskirts of Almaty, set in pleasant
grounds with foliage turning to beautiful autumn colours. The weather varied
from hot sunshine to rain and cold overcast clouds, partly due to the nearby
snow-capped Zailysky Alatau mountains.
Around 175 participants were present from some 30 countries
Other countries represented, along with England, included Scotland, Israel,
Germany, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Spain, Belarus,
Russia, Hungary, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland,
Moldova, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan,
and the host country Kazakhstan.
The opening ceremony took place on Friday 28 September, with FIDE President
Kirsan Ilyumzhinov doing the honours. Much like at the Olympics, the representatives
from each country lined up with their name placard, here carried by a boy or
girl dressed in traditional Kazakh costume, and with a representative carrying
the country flag.
Several speeches were made, translated simultaneously into Kazakh and International
Sign Language (and vice-versa) for the benefit of the players and the watching
officials. The Kazakh national anthem was also played. A
report appeared later on the FIDE website. Other officials present included
the Kazakhstan Deaf Chess Association President Burul Begakhmet, and ICSC President
Michele Visco.
FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov speaks, with sign language translation...
... and in the end greets the participants in sign language
Traditional Kazakh song and dance – with sign language translation (left)
Later that day, the players and representatives assembled in the hotel in the
playing hall for the expected first round start time of 15:00 (already put back
from the original time of 14:00), though it soon became apparent that the event
would not start on time. Lewis Martin, the second-youngest player in the event
at 21 years of age, had been drawn to play top seed GM Yehuda Gruenfeld of Israel
in the first round. The FIDE President was on hand to make the ceremonial first
move in the Gruenfeld-Martin game, but in a surprise development he challenged
the grandmaster to a blitz game. A large crowd gathered to watch this impromptu
contest, which eventually ended in a draw.
FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov playing GM Yehuda Gruenfeld
Videos of the historical game
You can't see the clock times, but Michele Visco (to Gruenfeld's right) is
signing the times to those who can't see the clock. Right at the end, you see
Rafael Pinchas (the current ICSC Secretary-General, from Israel, like Grunfeld)
leaning in and tapping him on the shoulder, possibly a signal to tell Gruenfeld
to diplomatically offer a draw? Complete speculation! Still, you get an idea
of what it was like.
Deaf Chess
Deafness
does not impair or provide a disadvantage for a deaf chess player over
the board, but different competitions and societies exist because in many
countries Deaf people (the capital 'D' is important) form a distinct culture
with their own language and identity. This led to the formation, within
the wider Deaf culture, of national and international Deaf chess associations
and tournaments. These include the Scottish Chess and Draughts Association
of the Deaf (SCDAD), founded in 1902 and the oldest deaf chess association
in the world, and the English Deaf Chess Association (EDCA), founded in
1972.
The International Committee of Silent Chess (ICSC) was founded in 1949
in Copenhagen (Denmark) and is recognised by the Federation Internationale
des Echecs (FIDE) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). At the
recent congress in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the organisation's name was changed
to the International
Chess Committee of the Deaf (ICCD).
Although many deaf people speak (communicate orally) and many use hearing
aids or cochlear implants (several players in Almaty used them), many
use no aids, do not communicate orally, and communicate mostly by sign
language and written text. The sign language aspect is complicated by
the existence of different sign languages around the world. In the UK,
you have British Sign Language (BSL), and in the USA you have American
Sign Language (ASL). At ICSC events the lingua franca is International
Sign Language (ISL), which is different again. For deaf-blind participants,
you also have a finger-spelling sign language.
Throw in different spoken languages, and you have situations like one
where two deaf-blind players from England and Poland were communicating
through two interpreters, in a mixture of spoken English and Polish, and
finger-spelling and sign language, plus written notes (deaf-blind can
mean partially sighted, not completely blind). Communication taking place
despite the barriers that exist, which is very inspiring.
In part 2 of this account of the 2012 Championships of the ICSC (International
Committee of Silent Chess), Christopher Kreuzer reports on the excellent result
against a grandmaster achieved by England deaf chess player Lewis Martin. The
snow leopard connection is revealed, along with annotated games, a list of winners,
and photos of Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Links
English Deaf Chess
Association
This website is aimed for everyone who is deaf, hard of hearing or deafened
with an interest in chess. Everything you wanted to know about Deaf chess
in England can be found here. The EDCA has magazines/bulletins distributed
throughout the year to our members.
The Friends of Chess
The Friends make financial support available in the chess world in ways which
are perceived as making a difference. Given the wide-ranging objects (which
are expressed as “to advance, encourage, support, sponsor and promote
the playing of chess and all activities and interests concerned with chess”
and which contain no geographical limitations) there is no limit on the type
of chess-related activity that can be supported.
The English Deaf Chess Association would like to thank the Friends of Chess
for their grant towards Lewis Martin's participation as well as contributions
from our loyal individual supporters.
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