ChessTech Conference 2020 announced
The traditional London Chess Conference moves online, being rebranded as “ChessTech Conference 2020”. It will be held from December 5-6, in parallel with the FIDE Congress. The FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovic will be one of the main speakers. Over the past seven years, the London Chess Conference has grown in importance, establishing itself as a reference in chess and education, and the world’s premier chess-related conference overall. With a particular focus on topics like chess in school programs and chess and female empowerment, the event brings together specialists from all over the world, stimulating the exchange of ideas and experiences. Since its inception in 2013, this conference has been held alongside the London ChessClassic, being initially run by Chess in Schools and Communities (CSC), and in the last few years, by the company ChessPlus. Unfortunately, this year’s edition of the London Chess Classic has been canceled due to the pandemic (it will be back in the summer of 2021), so ChessPlus has moved the whole event online, rebranding it as ChessTech Conference 2020. Accordingly, the event will also see its focus shifting to “chess and technology”, while still maintaining the education connection. No longer under the wing of a world-class tournament, the conference will be this time embedded in a different context, taking place in parallel with the first online edition of the annual FIDE Congress. Delegates, Council, and commission members are encouraged to follow the conference, while Arkady Dvorkovich has been confirmed as one of the main speakers. FIDE has also contributed to the budget through a continental ECU grant, while early commercial sponsors are Tornelo.com and Chess.com. If you are a chess merchant and you want to support this initiative, you can check your options and packages on this document. “We are inviting industry leaders, pioneers, and startups alike. We are expecting 400+ attendees, mostly decision-makers, technologists and multipliers, and 25+ businesses to be present. In 30+ sessions of different formats, the conference will reflect on the fast developments since the start of the pandemic and offer glimpses of what we can expect in the near future,” explain the organizers. A detailed program has been announced on a new website with its usual mix of keynote speeches, workshops, debates, and interviews, which will bring together the world’s leading experts in chess and technology. These are some of the main topics: Playing Platforms Anti-Cheating Chess Streaming Chess Databases Tournament Trackers Tournament Administration Classroom Software Online Training Academies Training Utilities Study Systems Chess Engines “The conference will use a mix of platforms to boost learning, interaction, and networking”, reads the website. “Practitioners, decision-makers, and researchers from around the globe will share their knowledge. Platforms and producers will exhibit their latest developments.” The conference is free to attend, and registration is already other through this link. People representing companies are expected to pay for a professional ticket (£50) or to sponsor the event. This ticket gives access to some extra benefits. Dates: December 5-6 Conference Director: John Foley Contact: info@chessconference.org Website: www.chessconference.org
SCC Round of 16: Duda eliminates Caruana
GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (@Polish_fighter3000) started with three losses but ended up beating GM Fabiano Caruana (@FabianoCaruana) 17-9 in the Roud of 16 of the 2020 Speed Chess Championship Main Event. Remarkably, the players had never played online before. “The shorter the time control is, the bigger are my chances,” said Duda before the match and the course of the encounter proved that he was absolutely right. After two 5+1 and 3+1 sections, the Polish GM edged ahead by one point but dominated the proceedings in the fastest 1+1 part and won the match by a large margin. The 2020 Speed Chess Championship Main Event is a knockout tournament among 16 of the best grandmasters in the world who will play for a $100,000 prize fund, double the amount of last year. The tournament will run November 1-December 13, 2020 on Chess.com. Each individual match will feature 90 minutes of 5+1 blitz, 60 minutes of 3+1 blitz, and 30 minutes of 1+1 bullet chess.