Friday, September 30, 2016
Thursday, September 29, 2016
FIDE, Human Rights and International Law
FIDE, by it own principles, should never have an event for a World Championship in a country that violates norms of international law and human rights. To do so is itself a violation of international law. No human being should be placed in the position of having to choose to protect their rights by avoiding that which they have, in good faith, made their careers and livelihood.
The women who face being forced to comply with Iran's religious code that discriminates both against their religious/personal beliefs and against them because of their sex (men don't have to wear head cover as the women do) must not, as a matter of international law, be placed in such a position by FIDE. What FIDE is allowing and helping the Islamic Republic of Iran, a signatory to the UN Charter and Universal Declaration of Human Rights, do is to destroy the fundamental rights of these women chess players who do not want to wear the hijab. Any of these women or any national chess federation could take FIDE before CAS for monetary and injunctive relief. This is, unfortunately, not an inexpensive process. Any affected national federation could file a complaint with the IOC, with which FIDE has a formal relationship. Those are possible short term solutions.
The long term answer, IMO, is for chess professionals and their federations to unite and form a successor organization to FIDE. If the female and male GMs and IMs, including Carlsen, refuse to play another FIDE sanctioned, game, tournament or match until there is meaningful reform, things would change quite rapidly. If not, they could form a true democratic, transparent organization. But, as NIgel Short pointed out in an interview at the Olympiad, chess players are presently sheep with no backbone to do, not only what's morally right, but what is actually in their long term best interests. Baaaaaaa, Baaaaaaa
Brian Lafferty, Esq.
The women who face being forced to comply with Iran's religious code that discriminates both against their religious/personal beliefs and against them because of their sex (men don't have to wear head cover as the women do) must not, as a matter of international law, be placed in such a position by FIDE. What FIDE is allowing and helping the Islamic Republic of Iran, a signatory to the UN Charter and Universal Declaration of Human Rights, do is to destroy the fundamental rights of these women chess players who do not want to wear the hijab. Any of these women or any national chess federation could take FIDE before CAS for monetary and injunctive relief. This is, unfortunately, not an inexpensive process. Any affected national federation could file a complaint with the IOC, with which FIDE has a formal relationship. Those are possible short term solutions.
The long term answer, IMO, is for chess professionals and their federations to unite and form a successor organization to FIDE. If the female and male GMs and IMs, including Carlsen, refuse to play another FIDE sanctioned, game, tournament or match until there is meaningful reform, things would change quite rapidly. If not, they could form a true democratic, transparent organization. But, as NIgel Short pointed out in an interview at the Olympiad, chess players are presently sheep with no backbone to do, not only what's morally right, but what is actually in their long term best interests. Baaaaaaa, Baaaaaaa
Brian Lafferty, Esq.
The US Chess Non-Response to FIDE's Egregious Treatment of Women Chess Players In Iran
From Allen Priest, a member of the US Chess Executive Board posted on the US Chess Issues Forum.
We have had issues with Americas events held in Columbia, for example.
We have had issues with locations selected by FIDE for events before, and we have expressed those. Generally the response is that we are being paranoid.
As an organization we cannot endorse sending our citizens, particularly our minors, to places where our government as issued major travel warnings. At the same time we do not control what individual members do.
We have had issues with Americas events held in Columbia, for example.
And there is a real issue that as Americans we may have difficulties in areas that others may not. Some other countries experience the similar problems.
It is not encouraging when a chair of the women's committee who is based in the US seems to think this location is just fine. FIDE folks do not consider that she des not represent US Chess in any way, and some will consider her comments as an endorsement from us when they clearly are not - nor, in fairness, do I think she meant them that way.
Comment
Safety is ONE issue. The issue that has WOMEN upset is being forced to wear Muslim head attire at all times or face arrest and imprisonment in Iran. The requirement to wear head garb for religious reasons flies in the face of FIDE and the IOC's position prohibiting discrimination against women based on religion. Our own women's national champion has forcefully stated the issue in public and has been quoted in the UK press for starters, to wit, ""It is absolutely unacceptable to host one of the most important women's tournaments in a venue where, to this day, women are forced to cover up with a hijab.
I understand and respect cultural differences. But, failing to comply can lead to imprisonment and women's rights are being severely restricted in general."
US Chess must grow some cajones and take a stand here to protect the rights of it's women players and all women players to unbiased treatment that respects their religious AND social values. This is mandated by the IOC and FIDE's rules. Filing a complaint against FIDE with the IOC is the minimum that US Chess should do. To do nothing is unacceptable, PERIOD.
As for Susan Polgar---she's little more than FIDE's sock puppet.
Religious Sexism Rears Its Ugly Head With FIDE
I hope US Chess and other Western chess federations will call foor a boycott of this event with its offensive religious discrimination against non-Muslim women participants. Our women's national champion is apparently not going to participate. Brava!!!
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Anand Beats Back A Speculative Piece Sacrifice By Mamedyarov At The Tal Memorial
Mamedyarov sacrifices a piece for three pawn, but Anand plays well and wins. From Chessbase.
[Event "10th Tal Mem 2016"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2016.09.27"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Anand, V."]
[Black "Mamedyarov, S."]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2776"]
[BlackElo "2761"]
[PlyCount "107"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Bb7 10. d4 Re8 11. Nbd2 exd4 12. cxd4 Nd7 13. Nf1 Na5 14. Bc2 Bf6 15.
Rb1 c5 16. d5 Nc4 17. b3 Nce5 18. N3h2 Ng6 {As Svidler mentioned on commentary,
this is all following the game between Giri-Svidler, a crucial victory for the
Russian in the World Cup last year!} 19. Ne3 (19. Ng3 Bc8 (19... Bc3 $5 {Was
perhaps an improvement by Bu against Hou Yifan in July.}) 20. Rf1 {
Giri-Svidler, 2015.}) 19... Bc8 (19... Bc3 {was played in Macieja-Berczes,
2015. The Hungarian player, Berczes, won at the end.}) 20. Bd2 b4 21. Nhg4 a5
22. Nxf6+ Qxf6 23. g3 a4 {Anand didn't understand this move. He was happy to
see a4.} (23... Nde5 24. f4 (24. Nf5 $5) 24... Nxf4 25. gxf4 Qxf4 26. Nf1 Qh4
27. Re3 Bxh3 {is similar to the game, but without the a4 pawn sacrifice. More
analysis will be needed to determine the differences.}) 24. bxa4 Nde5 25. f4 {
It is clear that after this move Black must sacrifice his piece. Anand
considers this version to be better for White than without the a4 break.
Thorough analysis will be found in a future ChessBase Magazine edition, but
for now it seems that the former World Champion is correct.} Nxf4 26. gxf4 Qxf4
27. Nf1 Qh4 28. Re3 Bxh3 {Vishy thought it was hard to collect a4 in this
position.} 29. Qe2 Qg4+ {A surprising decision, to exchange queens in this
material balance.} (29... h5 30. a3 $1 {Is a nice break that activates White's
pieces.}) 30. Qxg4 Bxg4 31. a3 Nf3+ 32. Kf2 Nd4 33. Rb2 bxa3 34. Rxa3 Nxc2 35.
Rxc2 Rxe4 36. a5 {Even though Black has three pawns for the pieces, the
combination of the power of the passed a pawn and the possibility for White's
pieces to activate give him an almost winning advantage.} Bc8 37. Re3 {Based
on a miscalculation.} (37. Rb2 $1 {was easier.}) 37... Rf4+ 38. Rf3 (38. Kg3
Rg4+ 39. Kf3 h5 40. Re8+ Kh7 $16 {is not that clear just yet.}) 38... Re4 39.
Rb2 Ba6 40. Bc3 h5 41. Ng3 Rh4 42. Rb6 Rh2+ 43. Kg1 Rc2 44. Nf5 Bc4 45. Re3 $1
Kh7 46. Rxd6 $1 {The start of a study-like win.} Rb8 47. Rb6 Rxb6 48. axb6 Bxd5
49. Nxg7 Rg2+ (49... h4 50. Nh5 Kh6 51. Nf4 Bc6 52. Bf6 {and Black is in an
annoying mating net.}) 50. Kf1 Rg6 51. Nxh5 Bc4+ 52. Kf2 Rxb6 53. Nf6+ {The
point of the combination. Both king moves lose to different things.} Kh6 (53...
Kg6 54. Nd7 {and Black cannot defend the rook and check on e5, taking the
bishop, which incidentally also cannot be defended.}) 54. Rg3 {Nothing to to
against impeding mate but sacrifice the rook, so Mamedyarov called it quits.} (
54. Rg3 Rd6 55. Be5 Rd2+ 56. Ke1 Re2+ 57. Kd1 Rxe5 58. Ng4+ Kg5 59. Nxe5+ Kf4
60. Rg4+ $18) 1-0
[Event "10th Tal Mem 2016"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2016.09.27"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Anand, V."]
[Black "Mamedyarov, S."]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2776"]
[BlackElo "2761"]
[PlyCount "107"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Bb7 10. d4 Re8 11. Nbd2 exd4 12. cxd4 Nd7 13. Nf1 Na5 14. Bc2 Bf6 15.
Rb1 c5 16. d5 Nc4 17. b3 Nce5 18. N3h2 Ng6 {As Svidler mentioned on commentary,
this is all following the game between Giri-Svidler, a crucial victory for the
Russian in the World Cup last year!} 19. Ne3 (19. Ng3 Bc8 (19... Bc3 $5 {Was
perhaps an improvement by Bu against Hou Yifan in July.}) 20. Rf1 {
Giri-Svidler, 2015.}) 19... Bc8 (19... Bc3 {was played in Macieja-Berczes,
2015. The Hungarian player, Berczes, won at the end.}) 20. Bd2 b4 21. Nhg4 a5
22. Nxf6+ Qxf6 23. g3 a4 {Anand didn't understand this move. He was happy to
see a4.} (23... Nde5 24. f4 (24. Nf5 $5) 24... Nxf4 25. gxf4 Qxf4 26. Nf1 Qh4
27. Re3 Bxh3 {is similar to the game, but without the a4 pawn sacrifice. More
analysis will be needed to determine the differences.}) 24. bxa4 Nde5 25. f4 {
It is clear that after this move Black must sacrifice his piece. Anand
considers this version to be better for White than without the a4 break.
Thorough analysis will be found in a future ChessBase Magazine edition, but
for now it seems that the former World Champion is correct.} Nxf4 26. gxf4 Qxf4
27. Nf1 Qh4 28. Re3 Bxh3 {Vishy thought it was hard to collect a4 in this
position.} 29. Qe2 Qg4+ {A surprising decision, to exchange queens in this
material balance.} (29... h5 30. a3 $1 {Is a nice break that activates White's
pieces.}) 30. Qxg4 Bxg4 31. a3 Nf3+ 32. Kf2 Nd4 33. Rb2 bxa3 34. Rxa3 Nxc2 35.
Rxc2 Rxe4 36. a5 {Even though Black has three pawns for the pieces, the
combination of the power of the passed a pawn and the possibility for White's
pieces to activate give him an almost winning advantage.} Bc8 37. Re3 {Based
on a miscalculation.} (37. Rb2 $1 {was easier.}) 37... Rf4+ 38. Rf3 (38. Kg3
Rg4+ 39. Kf3 h5 40. Re8+ Kh7 $16 {is not that clear just yet.}) 38... Re4 39.
Rb2 Ba6 40. Bc3 h5 41. Ng3 Rh4 42. Rb6 Rh2+ 43. Kg1 Rc2 44. Nf5 Bc4 45. Re3 $1
Kh7 46. Rxd6 $1 {The start of a study-like win.} Rb8 47. Rb6 Rxb6 48. axb6 Bxd5
49. Nxg7 Rg2+ (49... h4 50. Nh5 Kh6 51. Nf4 Bc6 52. Bf6 {and Black is in an
annoying mating net.}) 50. Kf1 Rg6 51. Nxh5 Bc4+ 52. Kf2 Rxb6 53. Nf6+ {The
point of the combination. Both king moves lose to different things.} Kh6 (53...
Kg6 54. Nd7 {and Black cannot defend the rook and check on e5, taking the
bishop, which incidentally also cannot be defended.}) 54. Rg3 {Nothing to to
against impeding mate but sacrifice the rook, so Mamedyarov called it quits.} (
54. Rg3 Rd6 55. Be5 Rd2+ 56. Ke1 Re2+ 57. Kd1 Rxe5 58. Ng4+ Kg5 59. Nxe5+ Kf4
60. Rg4+ $18) 1-0
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