Never one to wait until the last second when the last minute will do, FIDE has announced the new location of the fourth tournament on the Grand Prix circuit. It's Nalchik, in the Caucasus a few miles from the border with Georgia. The slogan is "Come for the chess, stay for the artillery barrage!" I jest of course. Why, it's been over three years since a massive armed assault on the city claimed dozens of lives. Apart from hosting the occasional terrorist onslaught, Nalchik was also the site of last year's women's world championship, won by Kosteniuk. As with the last leg of the Grand Prix that was moved to Elista after Doha canceled, this leg of the Grand Prix was also originally planned for someplace visible on more maps; in this case, Montreaux. The 14-player round-robin runs April 14-29; the FIDE press release and more at Chessbase.
But to break custom and be fair for a moment, despite scaring off sponsors and players alike with these breakdowns, the events have taken place, money has mostly gone out, and the tournaments themselves have been hard-fought and entertaining elite events. It was sad to lose Adams and Carlsen, who decided they were tired of being jerked around. (Al-Modiahki and Pelletier were booted when their nations' ceased to be hosts.) It was quickly proven, however, that there there is never a shortage of players eager to be jerked around by FIDE. This Nalchik event will be the strongest of the series with this field: Akopian, Alekseev, Aronian, Bacrot, Eljanov, Gelfand, Grischuk, Ivanchuk, Kamsky, Karjakin, Kasimjanov, Leko, Mamedyarov, Svidler. Current Grand Prix standings leaders Radjabov, Wang Yue, and Gashimov take a break. Grischuk will be the only player to have participated in all four events and so is almost sure to become the new leader.
What's with the horseshoe in the logo for the tournament (see for instance at: http://nalchik2009.fide.com/ )?
Is FIDE finally, after all these lost centuries, introducing an element of luck into the chess regulations? (Probably to be announced seconds before the first move in the tournament.) ;-)
Or could Nalchik city have a tradition of horse-racing, horse-opera or horse-doctors etc?
Or, more likely, does the arrangers want us to make comments like "now they are really flogging the dead Grand Prix horse"?
Jens in Stockholm
The word "Nalchik" means "small horseshoe" in Kabardian – it is a diminutive of nal, the Turkic and Turkish word for "horseshoe".
Good guesses though.
Why isn't Radjabov playing? He was supposed to I think.
His USB has been stolen, and he wasn't properly compensated.
It looks like those clowns in Fide have done it again. What a bunch of clowns.
I hope the sky swallows your English too..
Happily living in a small city like Stockholm I don't mind tournaments not beeing held only in major Metropols.
But I wouldn't mind if someone at FIDE tried to be more humble in how they present the host cities of the Grand Prix in the current situation.
At http://nalchik2009.fide.com/ they refer to the host cities as "leading world cities".
Baku? Sochi? Elista? Nalchik?
Jens
At least Baku is a big city (~ 2 mil people) and capital of a country. There other three are three are small towns in Russia with some connections of various degrees to Illumzhinov. Interesting that with the next Grand Prix to be held in Erevan, all 5 host cities are in the same region of former USSR between Black and Caspian sea. At least this region has good chess traditions and plenty of fans - that should compensate for being possible high-risk area.
"Current Grand Prix standings leaders Radjabov, Wang Yue, and Gashimov take a break."
The question is: Why is Radjabov taking a brake when he was scheduled to play in this Grand prix?
"Grischuk will be the only player to have participated in all four events and so is almost sure to become the new leader."
Only best 3 results count for the Grand Prix standings, so it is not at all clear why he should take the lead.
- Radjabov asked for a break because he would be tired after the Russian League, and FIDE wasn´t bothered by his petition.
"It was quickly proven, however, that there there is never a shortage of players eager to be jerked around by FIDE".
The thing is, is that a good thing at all? (I know your assertion was ironic, so I thought I could mention it). The only people who proved themselves against this attitude were Carlsen and Adams when they quit the cycle, plus Ponomariov when he refused to enter, plus a shy protest by Aronian, but in my opinion effective results are brought by actions, not just hollow words. The thing is, if there´s only a small number of players who will fight for their rights and make some sacrifice, while others take the "dirty money", in the end they will all accept any lousy situation FIDE creates.