Monday 25 March 2013

Change of Procedure at the 'Chess Crucible'?

Looking round at the IET Lecture Theatre today, it struck me that the FIDE World Candidates' Tournament resembled the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield where they hold the World Snooker Championship every year. The partition between the two sides of the playing area adds to this effect, as do the dark suits of the arbiters as they start the clocks and generally move amongst the boards.

A snooker referee 'j'adoubing' a ball...

Assistant arbiter Adam Raoof in particular looks the part, in his smart suit. I suggested to him that in future rounds he puts on a pair of white gloves. In addition, I recommended a change of procedure to him: rather than having the players j'adoube their own pieces, they should summon a white-gloved arbiter to the board and point to the ill-positioned piece. The arbiter would then pick up the offending piece, place a small marker on the square where it belonged, polish the piece carefully with their gloves, and then replace it precisely and ostentatiously on the square.

I do hope Adam rises to the challenge...

The 'Chess Crucible' - chief arbiter Stuebenvoll would look better wearing white gloves, wouldn't he?

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