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FIDE postponed the Candidates: first reactions on Twitter
3/26/2020 – After Russia closed down air traffic from and to Russia the FIDE announced this morning that it will cancel and postpone the Candidates Tournament 2020 to allow players to get home. It did not take long before the first reactions followed on Twitter. Here is a small selection.
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Stopping the Candidates
Breaking News! The FIDE stops the Candidates Tournament!https://t.co/9phtQdwH1s pic.twitter.com/sN9li1x6fN
— ChessBase (@ChessBase) March 26, 2020
This morning the tournament came to a sudden end.
The Candidates is over for now. The hard part still remains: getting home. I expect to re-enter a world I'll hardly recognize.
— Fabiano Caruana (@FabianoCaruana) March 26, 2020
Good luck and see you soon!
I'm not seeing any real problem, can't Fabi just drive home? pic.twitter.com/dX0UofmgXe
— MrDodgy is staying indoors and you should too (@ChessProblem) March 26, 2020
This shouldn't take more than 80 minutes...I meant days!
It was a fascinating ride. Flying back to Amsterdam today. #FIDECandidates
— Lennart Ootes (@LennartOotes) March 26, 2020
The great chess photographer has an easier way home than Caruana and will probably share a flight with Anish Giri.
Hope every Candidate gets home safe!! ♟️
— SCV Chess (@chess_scv) March 26, 2020
That's a great wish!
I thought we had seen the end of adjournments in #chess, but we have regrettably had to reintroduce them for the Candidates.
— Nigel Short (@nigelshortchess) March 26, 2020
At least it didn't happen in the middle of a game.
#FIDECandidates #Justice for @rajachess
— Rauf Mamedov (@muisback88) March 26, 2020
Many people start to wonder how this decision affects Teimour Radjabov.
#FIDECandidates Fairest thing would be to finish this tournament at a later date, and then seed Radjabov through to the next one in 2022 automatically.
— Daniel Gormally (@elgransenor1) March 26, 2020
Other's seem to be more angry.
I hope at least now @FIDE_chess will accept responsibility and apologize to the whole chess community for not postponing the World Senior Team in Prague as well as #FIDECandidates in Yekaterinburg. What happens to @rajachess now?
— Harikrishna (@HariChess) March 26, 2020
An emotional post by Pentala Harikrishna
With the FIDE Candidates 2020 stopped, what do you think should happen with Teimour Radjabov?
— ChessBase India (@ChessbaseIndia) March 26, 2020
Read more: https://t.co/qIiU2nYILu pic.twitter.com/hAOmnXeA5n
What do you think, dear reader?
https://t.co/qVH1WMr7Ar Just a friendly reminder 😁
— Teymur Rajabov (@rajachess) March 26, 2020
This was Teimour Radjabov's response to Magnus Carlsen, pointing out that Radjabov could have played at the tournament, if he wanted to play.
Exactly my point though? If I had desperately wanted to play, I would have played https://t.co/xCfMqv7n14
— Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen) March 26, 2020
The World Champion is not done yet
Magnus, in my case I have just asked to postpone the event, not to cancel it, nor changing the cycle, or format. I think this was the right thing to do at the time for FIDE. That’s it. Not stopping it halfway through. I was eager to play. Now it’s a mess.
— Teymur Rajabov (@rajachess) March 26, 2020
This escalated quickly
#FIDECandidates - Currently there's no perfect solution--either Radjabov gets screwed, or MVL does. Perhaps it would be possible to include Raja back in, restart the tournament, and pay out the prize fund as if the tournament ended with the current standings. 9-man RR coming?
— Kostya Kavutskiy (@hellokostya) March 26, 2020
One of many possible solutions
What will happen now?
— Leon Watson ♛ (@LeonWatson) March 26, 2020
According to the rules the #FIDECandidates will be resumed with the same number of points.
But won't the integrity of the competition be affected?Some players have been playing unsure if they'll get home etc, while others haven't. I don't know. https://t.co/FvB7bbo26g
Valid points
#Candidates2020 chess tournament now postponed due to #CoronavirusPandemic. With this, the last sporting event that was played on planet earth is now affected. Officially, there is NO sports of any kind on the planet https://t.co/TWRcpPLt30
— News Nation (@NewsNationTV) March 26, 2020
Well, you can always play chess online.
Even the laziest King flees wildly in the face of a double check! - Aaron Nimzowitsch
— ChessQuotes (@chess_chat) March 26, 2020
Sometimes things are just too dangerous.
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Discussion and Feedback
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Still you are not showing me your fonts, Mr. Mxyzptlk. Not able to give even just a couple of links confirming what you are telling?
And btw coughing or telling "I feel not well" are all, but not sure evidence he could have coronavirus (in fact those two things are not even evidence one has an illness)! Do you know he was diagnosed with such illness for sure? If so, show me the link, please. Until that moment, I will assume the chance of Nepo having covid19 are around 1 over a million. ;-)
And btw coughing or telling "I feel not well" are all, but not sure evidence he could have coronavirus (in fact those two things are not even evidence one has an illness)! Do you know he was diagnosed with such illness for sure? If so, show me the link, please. Until that moment, I will assume the chance of Nepo having covid19 are around 1 over a million. ;-)
@SunriseK, you should follow the event more, and do some reading on covid-19, before making comments. Nepo was coughing a lot at the last press conference before the event was cancelled and said he had been feeling terrible for the last few days and that he was "not well." Those were his words.
The incubation period of covid-19 is up to 2 weeks, maybe longer. That means that ppl are asymptomatic for up to 2 weeks, meaning no fever, meaning the temperature checks at the Candidates is not going to detect anything while anyone in the vicinity could be infected, shedding virus, and infecting others.
It has been widely reported, from within Russia itself, that Russia has been falsely reporting lower numbers of covid-19 than are actually the case.
The incubation period of covid-19 is up to 2 weeks, maybe longer. That means that ppl are asymptomatic for up to 2 weeks, meaning no fever, meaning the temperature checks at the Candidates is not going to detect anything while anyone in the vicinity could be infected, shedding virus, and infecting others.
It has been widely reported, from within Russia itself, that Russia has been falsely reporting lower numbers of covid-19 than are actually the case.
@fgkdjlkag
- Nepo is not healthy? How do you know Mr. StrangeNick? Show me your fonts, please.
- Maybe he has covid?? How would be possible, with all the health cares about the virus? If you are right, then all other players and a lot of other people should have already got the virus since many days before!
- Who knows how many cases in Russia? Very simple to know that! For example:
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
- How do you think is possible to re-start the tourney without transforming it into a crazy farce??? Two players are leading now (Nepo and MVL) and you suggest to completely ignore this fact? And even to devise the possibility to restart without one of the 2 leaders??? Don't you think it would be very ridiculous?
Anyway I agree with you about Radjabov being right and about Carlsen.
@RuhrPirat
- How do you think is possible to include Radjabov having him playing his first 8 games without this being unfair?
It's certainly very different than to play from start: he already knows about all the other results of the 7 rounds already played for instance! And how do you think it would be acceptable for the other 8 players? Not to mention the very naif idea to make Radja play his 8 games online! Suppose for example he plays very well and gets 5 points or more, becoming the new leader: don't you think it would be impossible to prevent a lot of other people to forever suspect he could have had some unfair assistance (especially in the case of online playing!), even if he played absolutely fair? Apart the fact that going ahead with 9 player is very annoying because it requires one player at a time to wait, adding also another unfair thing to the circus.
At least FIDE clearly stated that Candidates will restart from the exact point where it was suspended, that is just the minimum IMHO!
Only thing we can do now to somehow compensate for Radja, is to include him in next cycle. He will have 2 years to prepare and this is a very good chance for him.
- Nepo is not healthy? How do you know Mr. StrangeNick? Show me your fonts, please.
- Maybe he has covid?? How would be possible, with all the health cares about the virus? If you are right, then all other players and a lot of other people should have already got the virus since many days before!
- Who knows how many cases in Russia? Very simple to know that! For example:
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
- How do you think is possible to re-start the tourney without transforming it into a crazy farce??? Two players are leading now (Nepo and MVL) and you suggest to completely ignore this fact? And even to devise the possibility to restart without one of the 2 leaders??? Don't you think it would be very ridiculous?
Anyway I agree with you about Radjabov being right and about Carlsen.
@RuhrPirat
- How do you think is possible to include Radjabov having him playing his first 8 games without this being unfair?
It's certainly very different than to play from start: he already knows about all the other results of the 7 rounds already played for instance! And how do you think it would be acceptable for the other 8 players? Not to mention the very naif idea to make Radja play his 8 games online! Suppose for example he plays very well and gets 5 points or more, becoming the new leader: don't you think it would be impossible to prevent a lot of other people to forever suspect he could have had some unfair assistance (especially in the case of online playing!), even if he played absolutely fair? Apart the fact that going ahead with 9 player is very annoying because it requires one player at a time to wait, adding also another unfair thing to the circus.
At least FIDE clearly stated that Candidates will restart from the exact point where it was suspended, that is just the minimum IMHO!
Only thing we can do now to somehow compensate for Radja, is to include him in next cycle. He will have 2 years to prepare and this is a very good chance for him.
The appropriate compromise would be to include Radjabov as 9th player, meaning
- first, Radjabov's 8 games from the first half of the CT become played (e.g. online);
- then, the second half of the CT takes place later in the year.
- first, Radjabov's 8 games from the first half of the CT become played (e.g. online);
- then, the second half of the CT takes place later in the year.
Nepo is not healthy. Maybe he has covid-19. Maybe another player would have gotten infected or died if the tournament continued. Even young people without medical comorbidities are dying from covid-19. Obviously Radjabov was correct that the tournament should have been postponed from the start. The face that it was stopped because of covid-19 (which is the reason for the air closures) vindicates Radjabov. Who knows how many cases there are in Russia?
Giving Radjabov the next wildcard in 2022 is not acceptable. He won the World Cup this year (including beating MVL) and is in form now. There is no telling how good he will be in 2 years. The Candidates should re-start as a 9-player field (or 8-player without MVL) with Radjabov.
Carlsen should not be making comments after dropping out of a previous cycle.
Giving Radjabov the next wildcard in 2022 is not acceptable. He won the World Cup this year (including beating MVL) and is in form now. There is no telling how good he will be in 2 years. The Candidates should re-start as a 9-player field (or 8-player without MVL) with Radjabov.
Carlsen should not be making comments after dropping out of a previous cycle.
I was among those who were thinking it would have been wiser not to start the Candidates at all.
So I judged an error FIDE's decision not to postpone the start of the tournament.
But now... they were lucky that all the involved people were healthy and they already played 50% of games, so... why to stop now? All people were still healthy and the players could have continued without problems. Then the decision to stop halfway the tournament seems to me even a bigger error than the previous one!
Who knows if they will be able to resume the tournament in the future with the same 8 players? Nobody!
And btw, even if they will do, the conditions will be rather different. For example, I have a little "innocent" question: should have Nepo won the last game, would have FIDE nevertheless suspended the tournament? ;-)
Let me at least have some doubts, because it recalls to me the somehow similar fact happened in 1984... even if maybe I can be wrong and in fact I hope to be wrong in this case.
The only problem about going ahead is the decision of Russia to block air traffic, ok.
Not a little problem, but... was it really impossible at the end of tournament to allow just a couple of special flights to bring all the people back home? I don't think so.
About the poor Radjabov, I agree with Raymond Labelle: best option would be to give him the next wildcard of the Candidates 2022. So at least it will not be the usual unfair choice! And then for 2024 let's finally get rid of this absurdity, please.
So I judged an error FIDE's decision not to postpone the start of the tournament.
But now... they were lucky that all the involved people were healthy and they already played 50% of games, so... why to stop now? All people were still healthy and the players could have continued without problems. Then the decision to stop halfway the tournament seems to me even a bigger error than the previous one!
Who knows if they will be able to resume the tournament in the future with the same 8 players? Nobody!
And btw, even if they will do, the conditions will be rather different. For example, I have a little "innocent" question: should have Nepo won the last game, would have FIDE nevertheless suspended the tournament? ;-)
Let me at least have some doubts, because it recalls to me the somehow similar fact happened in 1984... even if maybe I can be wrong and in fact I hope to be wrong in this case.
The only problem about going ahead is the decision of Russia to block air traffic, ok.
Not a little problem, but... was it really impossible at the end of tournament to allow just a couple of special flights to bring all the people back home? I don't think so.
About the poor Radjabov, I agree with Raymond Labelle: best option would be to give him the next wildcard of the Candidates 2022. So at least it will not be the usual unfair choice! And then for 2024 let's finally get rid of this absurdity, please.
I like the idea of adding Radjabov as an additional player to the next candidates tournaments in 2020. 9 player tournament. Current tournament should resume with same players and scores.
FIDE acted properly all the way along, given the time line of events. After he qualified Radjabov was undecided whether to play or not and he eventually decided not to. There is no solution that will address all of the issues raised by the present circumstances but the best FIDE can do now is to continue the tournament later.
To include Raja in this cycle is not a good idea, even assuming that not postponing the tournament was a mistake. It has begun, the players accepted to play, they previously agreed that if it had to be suspended, the results at the time of suspension be maintained for the continuation at a later date.
However, I think Raja should have the place normally given to the wildcard at the following Candidates tournament (the one which normally should occur in 2022). If Fide does not impose this, let's hope that organizers of that tournament will choose him as a wildcard. Also, that would remove the discretionary aspect of the wildcard choice.
However, I think Raja should have the place normally given to the wildcard at the following Candidates tournament (the one which normally should occur in 2022). If Fide does not impose this, let's hope that organizers of that tournament will choose him as a wildcard. Also, that would remove the discretionary aspect of the wildcard choice.
renzogm
Do not speak for 'entire chess community', you have no right to do that. I'm a chess player and fan myself and I disagree with your opinions. And I really hate when someone speaks for me.
I was in favor of playing the tournament and it is a pity that Russia closed the borders, but I'm on the site of FIDE here. And I'm definitely against including Radjabov in the Candidates, half-way through the tournament. That is just crazy.
So please, speake for yourself.
Do not speak for 'entire chess community', you have no right to do that. I'm a chess player and fan myself and I disagree with your opinions. And I really hate when someone speaks for me.
I was in favor of playing the tournament and it is a pity that Russia closed the borders, but I'm on the site of FIDE here. And I'm definitely against including Radjabov in the Candidates, half-way through the tournament. That is just crazy.
So please, speake for yourself.
The best solution is to cancel and restart with 9 players when a vaccine has been released and the worldwide curve has been well flattened. Cancelling is necessary because all the players have been distracted and stressed with worry. Think about Caruana who has family and friends in two afflicted countries; he likely spent a quarter of his clock time thinking about each. Similarly for all the other players. Playing online just doesn't work; players would still be distracted if the virus is still raging by family concerns and playing in such strange circumstances. It might be necessary to move the whole championship forward a year and play in the odd-numbered years!
Finally and happily this circus is over! Russia's decision to close its borders ended by postponing a Candidates tournament that should never have started. How much lack of sensitivity and political sense on the part of Fide to avoid this embarrassment. Now? Well now I hope you hear the clamor of so many chess fans in the world and go out to apologize, cancel this tournament and have another one with Radjabov. And what do we do with MVL? Well two options, either get it out or include it but without taking out Radjabov because he and Vladimir Kramnik earned all the respect in the world by postponing their activities regarding the tournament. Vice President Martha Fierro, please, the entire chess community is crying out for the cancellation of this tournament, which should not have been played and whose level was clearly affected by the events occurring worldwide with respect to covid-19. Please President Arkady, let another Candidate be rescheduled from the start and with the inclusion of Radjabov, that is what the chess community is asking for. regards
The players could play from home. In each of their resident countries there will be arbiters who could be tested and if virus free could sit in the same room as the player during the game.
All the technology exists to do this.
All the technology exists to do this.
Strange decision by the Kremlin.
Echoes of the 1984 World Championship Match in Moscow, Russia, between Kasparov and Karpov?
We all knew what was coming down the tracks from the news and evidence of China, South Korea, Italy and so on, in January and February.
With all of this in mind they made the decision to proceed with the 2020 Candidates in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
On the plus side it has been a welcome distraction for those quarantined at home.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) certainly makes us all realise that we are far more ‘gens una sumus’ than we ever could have imagined…
Echoes of the 1984 World Championship Match in Moscow, Russia, between Kasparov and Karpov?
We all knew what was coming down the tracks from the news and evidence of China, South Korea, Italy and so on, in January and February.
With all of this in mind they made the decision to proceed with the 2020 Candidates in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
On the plus side it has been a welcome distraction for those quarantined at home.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) certainly makes us all realise that we are far more ‘gens una sumus’ than we ever could have imagined…
" I say we restart the whole thing now with Radjabov in it. " That's right.
I say we restart the whole thing now with radjabov in it.
Radjabov should be given an automatic slot for the next candidate.
The action only tells that Radjabov was right and FIDE was wrong .
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