Webmaster - Ilya Manakov
Shahcom Company, © 2003
The distance chess match
Saint-Petersburg vs. Paris took place May 28 2003, at the day
of celebration of the 300 years anniversary of Saint-Petersburg.
The technology of distance chess and the electronic equipment (chess boards
and clocks) are developed and patented by the Saint-Petersburg
Company "Shahcom", which provided
the technical part of the match in Saint-Petersburg and Paris and online
broadcast of the games on its site www.ruschess.com
For the Saint-Petersburg team played:
1. Aleksander Khalifman - The Winner of the FIDE World Chess
Championship 1999, Champion of Russia, many times Champion of the World Chess
Olympiads; International Grandmaster
2. Peter Svidler - three-times Champion of Russia, many times
Champion of the World Chess Olympiads; International Grandmaster
3. Victor Korchnoi - two times took part in the finals of
the World Championships, many times Champion of the World Chess Olympiads;
International Grandmaster
4. Konstantin Sakaev - The Champion of Russia,
many times Champion of the World Chess Olympiads; International Grandmaster
Reserve chessplayer - the youngest Grandmaster of Russia Evgeny Alekseev.
The commentators in Saint-Petersburg's studio - ex-World Chess
Champions Anatoly Karpov and Boris Spassky.
The chief of the Saint-Petersburg press-centre - 5 times Champion
of Leningrad, Champion of USSR, Champion of the World Chess Olympiad,
International Grandmaster Mark Taimanov.
For the "NAO chess club" team played:
1. Vladimir Kramink - The Classical World Chess Champion; International Grandmaster
2. Teimour Radjabov - The Finalist of the Moscow FIDE Grand Prix 2002; International Grandmaster
3. Laurent Fressinet - The Champion of Paris in 2002; International Grandmaster
4. Sergey Karjakin - The youngest Grandmaster in the World (12 years old).
Reserve chessplayer - International Grandmaster Igor-Alexandre Nataf.
The commentator in Paris's studio - Joel Lautier.
The chief arbiter - International arbiter Geurt Gijssen (Netherlands).
He was a referee in Saint-Petersburg.
The arbiter in Paris was an International arbiter Yakov Damsky (Russia).
The opening ceremony started at 4 p.m. Moscow time (+3 GMT). The first game
has begun at 4-15 p.m. (+3 GMT). The games have been played one after another.
The interval between the games - 10 minutes.
The press-conference of the match has been held 26 May at 4 p.m. (+3 GMT) in
the International Media Centre of celebration of the 300 years anniversary
of Saint-Petersburg, on the Italianskaya street 27.
In the press-conference took part:
the ex-World Chess champions Anatoly Karpov and Boris Spassky,
the participant of the match Victor Korchnoi and the chief of
the press-centre Mark Taimanov. The Great Grandmasters pointed
the perspectives of the Distance chess in a future.
See the photoreport
about the preparation for the match.
Besides, see
the web page of the "NAO chess club" dedicated to
the match.
The opponents were located on the long distance between each other.
The Saint-Petersburg team
played in the S.-Petersburg's studio on the Italianskaya street, 27,
meanwhile the French one in its club "NAO chess club" in Paris.
The moves by players were transmitted on the opponent's
clock over the internet and the video images of the partners and spectators
along a special video channel.
Each player has played with his opponent only one game.
The time control is 15 minutes + 15 seconds per game. The games have been
played one after another and all participants free of the play annotated
the games, discussed the course of the match along with the
commentators and spectators, gave the interview to the journalists.
In the playing studios one could watch the games
and annotations on the screens.
The match was broadcasted online on the sportive channels with the
professional comments and later will be shown as a film on the national
channels in Russia and France.
The chess games and video coverage about the match one could to
watch online on our site.
The score of the match 2.5:1.5 in favour of Saint-Petersburg.
The results:
1. Karjakin - Sakaev ½
2. Korchnoi - Fressinet 1-0
3. Radjabov - Svidler ½
4. Khalifman - Kramnik ½
See the photoreport
about the match.
Read
an article written about the match by
Yuri Vasilev, the reporter of the most popular Russian sport
newspaper Sport-express.
Some extracts from the article:
Aleksander Zhukov, the President of the Russian Chess Federation:
"Surely, we will arrange such events in the future, as the teams of any level
even of the highest one can take part in them. The Match was very spectacular.
Especially I liked the annotations of Spassky and Karpov."
Kirsan Ilumzhinov, the President of FIDE:
"This match is an excellent method of the popularization of chess!
Now it is possible to arrange the matches between continents, countries and
cities without expenses for planes and hotels. I do not exclude that this
invention can be used in the qualification competitions of the FIDE World
Championships."
Geurt Gijssen, the Chief arbiter of the match:
"The match is an exceptionally important event! Nowadays, when the organizers
have the serious troubles with the getting of money for the expenses
connected with the arrangement of chess tournaments Distance chess opens
the excellent perspectives."
Peter Svidler, Grandmaster, the participant of the match:
"It is very important that the arbiter is being presented at the same
playing room. And if you can see your opponent on a monitor then all the
questions are dropped.
We have to support the people who try to invent something new in our game.
I do not think that this kind of chess can be used in the official
events, but I think Distance chess can be as a standard of such shows
which unite the Chess World and gain a grandiose
auditorium."
Vladimir Kramnik, the Classical World Chess Champion:
"A lot of people play in internet. I play there rather rarely because
I do not wield the PC mouse so good. But it was rather pleasured to
play over the "live" chess board and I had a full feeling that I played a
normal tournament game. I think Distance chess has a good future."
Joel Lautier, Grandmaster, the annotator of the match in Paris:
"The most important in this match is that the new technologies
come in chess, now it is possible to play not going far away.
It is good that people will come to chess clubs more often to take part in
such events. Today's match is a great achievement."
The organizational committee will appreciate
any of suggestions regarding the distance chess development.
Please, write yeshan@ruschess.com