Mark Plotkin wins Banff Open 2021
The fifth edition of Banff Open attracted a record number of one hundred and one participants. Once again, there was lots of fighting chess with very few quick draws and a photo finish. Going into the last round two players shared the lead on 4.5/5. Canada’s FIDE Representative and the captain of many Canadian Olympiad teams, FM Victor Plotkin was pitted against twenty-two-year-old International Master Mark Plotkin, who is coincidently Victor’s son! If the game was a draw, this could mean up to five players fighting in an Armageddon playoff until the winner was determined. Mark played a solid positional game and eventually ground down his father, much in the style that Victor is famous for. This resulted in IM Mark Plotkin finishing clear first with 5.5/6. International Grandmaster Joel Benjamin made two draws and finished clear second with 5/6, a half-point behind the champion. This year’s tournament faced many challenges, not the least of which was whether the government would allow it to take place. Two months before the tournament, there was a sudden surge in COVID-19 cases – roughly 1,600 new cases a day in the province of Alberta. The government imposed new restrictions, but they also launched a Restrictive Exemptions Program, which basically meant if people were fully vaccinated and wore masks, then you could proceed as usual. The Banff Centre was extraordinary in checking for vaccinations, providing hand sanitizing stations, as well as giving us a generous amount of extra space for social distancing. FIDE generously donated €1,000 to the event as part of its Aid Package Program for open tournaments. As a result, the organizers were able to have special female and veteran prizes and invite the first grandmaster in the tournament’s history, GM Joel Benjamin. Kudos to an anonymous donor for donating the $500 Armageddon prize, which goes to 1st place, but in the event of a tie, it is given to the winner of the playoff. He also was instrumental in suggesting bringing a grandmaster to the tournament and paying for most of his appearance fee. The Banff Centre stepped up in that they had just reopened and were magnificent in helping us be COVID-19 compliant and giving extra space for social distancing. The Society of Chess Aficionados donated Banff Open Chess pins this year, which everyone loved. Final standings: 1 Plotkin, Mark 2549 5.5 2 Benjamin, Joel 2640 5 3 Ng, Gary 2368 4.5 4 Mackinnon, Keith 2259 4.5 5 Cummings, David 2416 4.5 6 Plotkin, Victor 2428 4.5 7 Findlay, Ian 2316 4.5 8 Haessel, Dale 2216 4.5 9 Tolentino, Patrick Angelo 1936 4 10 Miller, David 2224 4
New set of FIDE regulations covering FIDE Titles and Ratings published
A new set of regulations covering FIDE titles, rapid and blitz games and ratings will come into force on January 1, 2022. Worked out by FIDE Qualification Commission (QC), the new regulations came out after a lengthy period of consultation with other Commissions, federations, individual players, and chess supporters worldwide. Two important meetings, one limited to the QC members and another open to all, took place in 2020. The most significant point of interest was the minimum time controls for games to be rated by FIDE. After many different views were expressed, the QC put together a detailed questionnaire, again open to all (but not anonymously). There was then another worldwide Zoom meeting where final decisions were taken. As a result, 3-hour games (90+90) will be accepted provided that both players are rated below 2400, an increase from 2200. Hopefully, it will help the organisers of tournaments with shorter time controls to submit their events for FIDE rating. FIDE Rating Regulations effective from January 1, 2022 FIDE Rapid & Blitz Regulations effective from January 1, 2022 FIDE Title Regulations effective from January 1, 2022 “I would like to thank all QC Councillors and members for their help in this major task, as well as Management Board and FIDE Council for their input,” said Nick Faulks, QC Chairman. It should be noted that these regulations are intended for the long term. Chess is now returning to normal after almost two years of lockdowns and quarantine, but the damage to the rating system caused by this gap in results is yet to be assessed. Possibly, some short term adjustments will be required. If so, the chess community will be kept informed, although the consultations might not be as lengthy.
FIDE World Championship Dubai 2021: branding and design
We are proud to share with you the branding developed for the FIDE World Championship Match 2021, in partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai. After evaluating the proposals of some of the top branding agencies in the world of sports, FIDE decided to hire the services of Morillas, a Spanish international agency founded in 1962 that has worked with Leo Messi, Davis Cup, FC Barcelona, and Nike Spain. “Developing a strong brand for an event like the FIDE World Championship match can help build credibility, engagement, recognition, and support. This will benefit not only the event, but FIDE in general, and chess as a whole”, said FIDE Chief Marketing and Communications Officer David Llada, who oversaw the creative process. “Having the opportunity to contribute to a project capable of uniting and inspiring the world like this is simply amazing. Looking forward to meeting the FIDE team in Dubai next week!” said Marc Morillas, CEO of the company, who was personally involved in the creative process. Event branding and design create the look and feel of an event. This comprises printed materials, signage and structural elements, video, digital assets, and sonic branding. In the case of a world championship match, even the smallest elements, like the scoresheets, are branded. Of course, merchandising is a crucial part of the branding, and very soon, you will be able to buy memorabilia from Dubai 2021 at the official website fideworldchampionship.com The FIDE World Championship match between the reigning champion Magnus Carlsen and the challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi from November 24 to December 16, 2021, will be held in Dubai, UAE, alongside the Expo 2020 Dubai.