Comments on: Bulgarian Chess Federation: “Mr Ilymzhinov, please inform us” (UPDATE)

By: Manu

Manu — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:25:05 +0000

Wow , so much hostility against Topalov…
GM Short a gentleman? Wasnt he the amulet at Topalovs table in Argentina and then said that something sinister happend?..
The Cheparinov incident was something planed by Short , it was obvius that Cheparinov wasnt going to shake hands with him.
Many of you seem to forget that Morozevich didnt shake hands with Topalov few months before that, and Topalov never complained …
It is really sad that the match Kamsky vs Topalov is still an uncertain thing , both players earn they right to be there.

By: David Korn, Seattle

David Korn, Seattle — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 07:54:20 +0000

comment @hektoer, immediately above: Thank you. All excellent points. To conclude, really, this news is not about adjudicating Topalov’s or Danailov’s character or accessing the merits of Topalov’s obvious greatness as a fighting chess player who creates beauty, but rather concerns one of the three major social-psychological categories that rule our lives: DELAY [1]. this is about the harm done not by parties in Bulgaria or in the fine negotiations by both sides, assuredly sincere with every interest to meet at the board whether it be for more or less money, but this news is about the lack of integrity by FIDE and with it, the patent irresponsibility of Ilyumzhinov that is the concern. lets not get distracted here. Many good points are made by many readers, but again, this is about delay and broken promises. This is what this is about. Let us not forget how GM Seirawan penned his Prague Accord years ago, and this is not only about unification, but the furtherance of unification, good or bad but unity all the same. This is about completion of a very, very long term process. Thank you. dk

[1]: Brief Versus Long Psychotherapy, James Paul Gustafson as well as his Self Delight in a Harsh World, point out with delay, subservience, and overpowering, the three social modes. Here we witness excess delay.

By: hektor

hektor — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 01:24:44 +0000

Topalov is a great chess player and everybody know that. He make the chess more interesting and his games usually are nice pleasure for all chess lovers in the world. So please don’t speak only bad about him… He deserved his number 1 in the rating list (which will be official after 2 days).
About Silvio Danailov – yes, he do a many conflicts, but he do a lot of good thinks for chess too. For exaple: the Bilbao score sistem and Sofia rules was a big step ahed for all chess fans, because we wach a great games and beautiful result games…
About Stefan Sergiev which is president of Bulgarian chess federation – his letter to Ilyumzhinov is very normal. It’s not good for FIDE and Ilyumzhinov that 2 monts before the semifinal match nobody don’t know any information about it…
About Anand-Kramnik: I wish to them good luck! Lets see an interesting and fight games. I like more Anand, but the Kramnik is fantastic player too.
P.S. Sorry for my bad english…

By: MvE

MvE — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:31:40 +0000

Hey,

Why can’t the Bulgarian chess federation not just send a private letter to Ilhumzhinov? Why must their worries be shouted all over the (chess) world? Why must I know about it?
I know, an open letter puts more pressure on the addressee. But this practice is not ‘chic’.
By posting this comment I am already spending too much attention on the issue…

By: Michel83

Michel83 — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 15:03:37 +0000

P.S.: Oh, and of course the last two points you mentioned are right, I overread them. The things about the “other” WC match and “Number 1″ are of course a joke.

By: Michel83

Michel83 — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 15:00:37 +0000

@ Lajos

Danailov being shady + toiletgate: Agreed.
But:

- He made a negative picture against draws
- He made chess players to play in an aquarium

What the hell is shady about that? If you disagree with those things, fine, but they are hardly objective arguments against Danailov.
There are quite a few chess players who did like the Anti-Drawing-Rules and the Auquarium? Do you think all of those chess players are shady too?

- Nigel Short, a true gentleman
- Topalov, arrogant

Again: This is your very personal opinion. I personally find Nigel Short quite arrogant, but this is also just my very own opinion and hardly objective (besides, I wonder what the question wether he is a gentleman or not has to do with the idiocy Cheparinov did, it’s of no importance- you simply use propaganda methods here, you try to lower down Cheparinov (who, yes, behaved badly) by elevating Nigel Short).

The only objective things you mention are toiletgate, Topalov accepting Danailov as his manager and Cheparinov not shaking hands. I agree there with you.

Everything else is your very personal views; you might diagree with the aquarium or the Drawing-Rules, but they surely do not make Danialov shady or a disgrace (I think he does enough other things that make him that ).
Unless of course you consider your opinion the main criterion for everything and everybody disagreeing with you is a poor fool..

By: Theo

Theo — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 01:53:31 +0000

The only good thing about Bulgarian chess is Antoanetta Stefanova!

By: pete

pete — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 00:25:11 +0000

@Lajos Arpad: it is alway amuzing to read your anti Topalov/Danailov/Cheparinov comments. However, shouldn’t u concentrate more on the performace of your “hot” favourite player Leko and his “great” chess?

By: IG

IG — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 23:43:00 +0000

@ Lajos: Ignorant as I am in many chess matters, I can say from my personal experience that Topalov is not an arrogant person at all. Quite the contrary, to be honest. And I don?Ç¬¥t know what kind of criteria you follow normally to decide which GM?Ç¬¥s are gentlemen and which aren?Ç¬¥t… I agree, Cheparinov?Ç¬¥s was a diplomatic mistake, but I don?Ç¬¥t think that a GM?Ç¬¥s public image and acts should determine whether or not they are “a true gentleman”… in many cases you could be surprised.

By: jurgen

jurgen — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 21:53:56 +0000

To me Topalov is a great player and has well deserved his no 1 position on the forthcoming (official!) Elo-list.
Furthermore I can justly place the worries of both (!) players concerning the organisation of this match.