The Politics of Chess.

It should not be a great surprise to learn that top level Chess, like other sports, has its share of politics. A case study is that of the gifted Iranian player Shohreh Bayat.

Shohreh, now domiciled in England fell foul of the chess authorities some years ago, but her case was brought into the headlines recently by an investigatory report by CNN on which I have based this note and accompanying podcast.

In 2020, during the women’s world chess championships Shohreh was criticised in Iran for not wearing the appropriate headscarf.

Enter the Chess Federation President, Arkady Dvorkovich. President Dvorkovich served as Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister between 2012-2018 following a stint as the Kremlin’s top economic adviser. He has always maintained that his political stance does not influence his work for FIDE, the chess organising body. He has also pointed out that he was one of the most senior establishment figures in Russia to question the war in Ukraine…

You can listen to what happened next to Shofreh in my 5 minute podcast

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1945222/14763107-the-politics-of-chess-the-case-of-shohreh-bayat.mp3?download=true

How Luke Littler will improve even more as a darts superstar

Like Littler, teenage phenomenon, is already competing with the best darts players in the world. I can see his development as having similarities to that of any young chess phenomenon heading for super grandmaster status.

Darts, like chess, calls for high concentration levels. A drop in micro-concentration can lose a match in these and other sports where a momentary loss of concentration can bring the contest to an abrupt end.

In training and watching young chess players, I have seen evidence of that concentration lapse without which the player would be on a par with far more experienced players. In chess this seems often to occur well into a game, and the result of which is an obvious blunder which can lead to immediate resignation.

In darts, I have very poor physical coordination skills. I’m the same at golf. My guess is that these skills are largely innate, and the same applies to darts. My proportion of blunders remains depressingly high. In chess terms, my golf and my darts rating on the famous chess scale designed by Professor Elo would the rating of a weak club player, below that of my young trainees in chess.

Using the same rating, Littler’s darts Elo, now being confirmed week after week, is that of a super grandmaster, say 2700, competing in every tournament with other darts GMs winning more often than losing.

but one important difference. I have noticed that Littler retains his performance levels better than most of his darts opponents when under pressure.

But like my young chess players, he will sometimes in a match show a lapse of concentration over the three throws of a ‘turn’ at the Oche. Taken in isolation, such a lapse might be interpreted as a relatively inexperienced performance, be it in chess or darts.

Now, the good news. This lapse is not through pressure of the situation. Rather, it is a temporary loss of concentration. But the immediate outcome can be loss of the game.And this can be reduced in frequency with conscious effort.

I repeat. Performance can be improvement through conscious effort. Most talented players work this out for themselves over the chess or darts board. The principle applies in other high pressure situations. I heard a Formula One driver explain it as a matter of life or death in that particular sport.

Back to Luke Littler. In his first months as a full time professional, all his matches are televised. In chess terms he is already performing at super grand master level. But he still at times shows that juvenile lapse into a set of three throws. If it had been a challenging finish or out to a leg, he would retain his normal concentration levels.

I expect this wunderkind to reduce the frequency of these lapses, perhaps through a trainer or coach, or perhaps by working it out for himself.

Comments welcomed.

How the Mighty have Fallen. Wales slink into Murrayfield fearing the worse

Saturday 11th of February 2023

The Welsh rugby team heads for Scotland after a traumatic beating in Cardiff by Ireland last week.

There was a time when Scotland were Wales’s bunnies. And there was a time when Wales reigned supreme as the Northern Hemisphere champion rugby players. This was the era when the competition was for the Triple Crown. The four teams competing were Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales.

Welsh Rugby was at its height

This was the time when Welsh rugby was at its height. But even then, in the 1950s and 60s a trip to Murrayfield was not undertaken without trepidation.My own memories are of glorious victories at the Arms Park against England and Ireland, but losses to unfancied Scottish teams at Murrayfield.

Scotland remained the whipping boys of the four nations competing for the triple Crown. Their reputation as weakest team continued when France joined in the tournament.

Italy joins

But then Italy was introduced into the club, and immediately became the whipping boys, providing Scotland with one team at least which they had chances of beating.

This relatively stable status quo remained for some years. but recently the balance has changed. France and Ireland are now rated numbers one and two in the world, seized supremacy over the long time number one from New Zealand, closely followed by the other southern hemisphere teams Australia and South Africa.

England could claim bragging rights over the northern hemisphere teams after their much vaunted World Cup victory.

A new order emerges

Last weekend, a new order began to emerge. Ireland demonstrated its superiority over Wales, leaving the land of my Fathers humiliated and shellshocked.

In contrast, Italy ran France close and showed they had closed the gap between themselves, and the other nations.

But the big surprise of the weekend was a stunning victory by Scotland over England. The world order in rugby has changed completely.

And so it came about that Wales is heading for Murrayfield, the underdogs for maybe the first time in living history.

This is not going to be an easy watch.

To be continued …

Muhammad Ali: the charismatics’ charismatic

 

 

At times, there is little to add to what has already been said and written about Muhammad Ali. This is one such time. In the twenty-four hours after his death, the story dominated the headlines around the world.

I would like to add one personal observation

I should have written more

Leaders We Deserve has posted examples of many charismatic leaders.  I should have written more about Ali. If he had no talent beyond his sheer physical appearance he would have been discovered (and possibly been exploited) into super-celebrity status.

Against exploitation

His life, in complete contrast to one that could have been a passive acceptance of fate, was an articulate gesture against exploitation. Against treatment of black people in America. Indirectly against exploitation of all those American soldiers fighting in Vietnam.  Against what he called his “slave name” CassiusClay.

And within these broader beliefs, he fought against his own exploitation, and found his personal resolution in adapting the Muslim faith.

He put to use his great talents. A dazzling speed of thought and movement which propelled him to the world championship in boxing, and an astonishing display of verbal dexterity and self-promotional skills in his very public appearances.

His career was illuminated and at times seriously disrupted as he was seen as an uppity and dangerous enemy to the American establishment.

Towards a post-charismatic world?

There is little dispute about the uniqueness of his talents. Historians will have to reach conclusions about his impact on the twentieth century and beyond.

To say there will never be another Muhammad Ali, is another way of saying that we are moving into a post-Charismatic World, and trying to figure out the implications of that process.

The sport we love: How much have we been in denial over doping?

I believed, like many others, that taking performance-enhancing drugs was a problem for a minority of people in a minority of sports.  It is increasingly clear that I have been in a state of denial for many years

Like some hideous conspiracy project, the extent of the problem is revealing itself more and more.

“What do you think about [****] ?” Someone asked me yesterday.  He was referring to one of the high-profile cases in a sport he knew I was interested in.

“Unfortunate” I said uneasily.  “A career ruined”

“… and [****]?” He mentioned another sporting superstar whose name is a global brand.

“There have been accusations for some years” I admitted.  “But some people are looking at exceptional performances as proof of drug-taking. ”

He nodded.

 Within hours, another story broke 

George Osborne and Joe Root strengthen their cases as future national leaders

This week two leaders and their possible successors were tested. Alistair Cook opened the batting for England in Cardiff, and David Cameron started for the Government at Westminster

Here are my notes made at the time, [8th July 2015] which have been slightly edited for clarity purposes.

Tennis tactics at Wimbledon: the curious case of two injury time-outs

The match between Andy Murray and Andreas Seppi in the Wimbledon championship of 2015 was noted for two incidents each involving an injury break called by one of players

Saturday July 4th, 2015. Home favourite Andy Murray was scheduled to play Andreas Seppi. Murray seeded No 3 was expected to win against the lower ranked player. His previous record against Seppi was 5-1. For two sets, expectations of crowd and presumably players were more or less fulfilled. Murray cruises to a 6-2 6-2 advantage. After some lengthy rallies, Seppi looked increasingly fatigued…

Emirates pull out of backing FIFA

An Interview with Professor Kamil Mnisri links the strategy  of Emirates Airlines with recent controversies at FIFA

LWD has been following two different leadership stories, which have been brought together in this post.

The first is the basis  of a highly-visited post about Emirate Airlines, by Professor Kamil Mnisri of the University of Nancy, France.

The second story deals with leadership controversies at FIFA.

In a telephone interview [December 2014] Kamil pointed to an article in The Guardian which reported that Emirates Airlines is pulling out from its financial backing of FIFA.

“The company said that the contract proposal with FIFA did not meet with its expectations” Kamil told LWD . “This move suggests an ethical dilemma facing Emirates. Corruption allegations within the International football association have pushed other sponsors to consider the move as well.”

Strategic dilemmas for Emirates

Reviewing his earlier post, he suggested that the leadership once considered so effective may be facing a sustainability dilemma:

“Emirates Airlines now need more creative leadership, and develop partnerships to sustain its competitive advantage. Regional airline companies Qatar Airlines, Etihad and Turkish Airlines are all moving fast. The ongoing events in the region, in Syria, Iraq, Iran, Egypt present Geopolitical Dilemmas. Even the price of fuel is no longer a competitive advantage for the company.”

Additions to this post will be also found as updates to Kamel’s earlier post about Emirate Airlines, mentioned above.

 

Andy Murray v Yuri Bhambri : Cave-man tactics and their limitations in sport and maybe in business

When a qualifier meets a top seeded tennis player, sometimes caveman tactics result. We review Andy Murray’s march with Yuri Bhambri, and consider the implications of all-out aggression in other sports and in business

The start of the Australian Open, the first major of the season. Somewhat against my better judgment, I get up in the small hours in the UK to see how Andy Murray is doing. His opponent, Yuki Bhambri, is a qualifier and ranked 317 in the world.

1st set

Half an hour into the match. Bhambri’s aggression is impressive. Murray breaks Bhambri’s serve but failed to capitalise, being broken himself, ringing the first set to a tense four games all. Murray then breaks and holds to take the set 6-4.

Both players are making excellent winners, but both are rather prone to unforced errors..

2nd set

Bhambri serves first and holds. A discordant but enthusiastic chant rises up from tee-shirted Murray supporters. In the next game, good defense from the Indian draws errors from Murray, but the Scot’s resolve helps him survive; 1-1.

Bhambri continues with his aggressive style of play and wins service after more winners and errors. Murray replies with a love game bringing it to 2-2. Bhambri is still the aggressor and seems to be benefiting from winning though three rounds of qualifiers Murray breaks, then holds, making it 5-3.

Take out the errors…

Minus a few errors from each game, the quality of the match is more suited to be a second week tie. An edited film would be misleading. The commentators suggest Bhambri is playing like a top fifty player.

Defend Rally Attack

Murray continues to plays rather defensively with flashes of brilliance. I remember the coaching maxim: Defend Rally Attack. Murray too inclined to defend and Rally; Bhambri too inclined to go from defend to attack. This is evident again as Murray moves to 40-15. In returning, the all out attack opens up court, higher risk [one attacking return forces Murray to attack not rally, and he hits winner down the line. Murray wins serve reasonably easily and takes the set.

0nce the pattern is seen, it becomes clearer. Bhambri does not rally enough. I think of chess. All-out attack is the weaker player’s weapon which too often accelerates defeat, although the infrequent wins reinforces the pattern of ‘cave man’ play. [which suggests another idea: the infrequent upsets against seeds more obvious in first rounds, more chances for the cave man play to succeed.

Third set

A good example in first game of third set, when Bhambri grabs an ad point then a net point for him wins game and a break. Murray continues to rally and wait for errors. The pattern for me seems to persist but Bhambri wins and extends lead to 4-1. Murray wins own serve. 4-2. Pattern persists, and Murray breaks back. 4-4 and eventually into tie break.

Prediction for tie break

My prediction is that failure to Defend Rally Attack more dangerous in the tie break Murray goes to 5-2 then 6-2 and 6-3 but two then Murray closes it out as Bahmrhi ballons out a return.

Murray’s verdict

Opponent is a junior world champion, but injury explains his low ranking.

Notes

Caveman chess was a popular term among British chess players to refer to violent attacks often unsound but always unsettling.

Rather than show an image of one ‘caveman’ chess player I had in mind, I choose the image from Wikipedia Commons.

Also thanks to Conor for helping in the editing process.

Tennis bounces into the 21st century. Will Fifa be next?

Tennis has followed cricket by introducing a short format of the game using technology to support it. Football appears to be struggling to do the same

‘It will ruin the game…It will never catch on….’ Listen to the inevitable cries against sporting innovations which have echoed down the ages.

Cricket’s Big Bash

Cricket’s short form is bringing in new audiences to the format of twenty overs per team, with additional rules to permit more control of time, and so better advertising breaks. Technology reduces human errors by umpires. Gambling is promoted as heavily as the cricket. That’s the heady mix given another boost with The Big Bash competition invented in Australia. Brilliant name isn’t it?

Now for tennis, the Fast4 event

Now another Ozzie-inspired sporting innovation in marketing the fast form of tennis. One advertisement for Fast 4 tennis had Federer and Lleyton Hewett bashing tennis balls between to two fast-moving speedboats. Another great marketing image.

Here come the curmudgeons

The innovations bring out the curmudgeonly spirit.

Oliver Brown of The Telegraph was at his most elegant and nostalgic in defense of the slow.

Hitting balls from a speedboat in Sydney Harbour, Federer has been proselytising the message of his friend Lleyton Hewitt’s ‘Fast4’ tennis idea, a format where the first to four wins the set, where deuce games are resolved not by an advantage system but by sudden-death points, and where players are banned from sitting down at a change of ends.

There is much to admire about defenders of tradition. In more optimistic spirit, it might be argued that the new format offer survival chances for cricket which has already moved from timeless test matches to a not very fast five day format. Tennis has abandoned play to a finish five set matches.

Football and Fifa

FIFA is gallantly retaining its traditional administrative format, with Sepp Blatter seeking re-election as President for the fifth time. The forces of modernization are backing young pretenders with creative plans of amber cards and sin bins.

A bookmaker is sponsoring the celebrity footballer David Ginola to stand for election. But will a fighting fund of a few million euros be enough to prevent the long form of the Presidental game being played by the wily Blatter?