Jeremy Good wrote on Sun, Nov 9, 2014 12:47 PM UTC:
Chess is definitely a sport (as well as art, science, arena for Em. Lasker-ian "struggle" and venue for AI exploration, among other things). Any serious chessplayer knows this. That's why it was so important to Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov (to name only a couple of the most prominent luminaries) to stay in great physical shape when training for important chess events. "CHESS" (by which I mean any viable variant) should definitely be added to the Olympics and broadcast on networks like ESPN which should have channels entirely devoted to chess and chess variants with great commentators like Svidler and Ashley being paid high salaries.
Our trick, as chess variant enthusiasts, is to show that chess variant traditions and innovations are what will revitalize the international chess scene of professional chess athleticism...
e.g., Look at the way (scroll to bottom of article) Carlsen and Anand talk, exactly like any sportsmen, football players or basketball players, golfers, etc...focus on the present, don't place too much importance on any past moment or future prospect, a bland way of speaking esp. downplaying any past accomplishment (there are exceptions of course, trash-talking and amusing conceit of Cassius Clay, e.g.) but a lingo deeply familiar to any and all sports fanatics (there is a scene in the film Bull Durham where a promising athlete is coached to speak blandly in interviews, underselling - something legendary Patriots coach Bill Belichick advises his players as a media strategy "don't believe or fuel the hype" - "manage expectations" - "ignore the noise")...
When asked if the last match had any bearings on this one Anand said, “I don’t see the point of keeping that in the background. There will enough problems in this match to deal with without adding that, so at least that’s not something I am trying to reflect on.â€
Carlsen agreed with his senior on the matter.
“What happened in the last match is in the past, I agree with Vishy that are going to be plenty of difficult and critical moments in the match, no point in dwelling in the past,†he said.
Our trick, as chess variant enthusiasts, is to show that chess variant traditions and innovations are what will revitalize the international chess scene of professional chess athleticism...
e.g., Look at the way (scroll to bottom of article) Carlsen and Anand talk, exactly like any sportsmen, football players or basketball players, golfers, etc...focus on the present, don't place too much importance on any past moment or future prospect, a bland way of speaking esp. downplaying any past accomplishment (there are exceptions of course, trash-talking and amusing conceit of Cassius Clay, e.g.) but a lingo deeply familiar to any and all sports fanatics (there is a scene in the film Bull Durham where a promising athlete is coached to speak blandly in interviews, underselling - something legendary Patriots coach Bill Belichick advises his players as a media strategy "don't believe or fuel the hype" - "manage expectations" - "ignore the noise")...
When asked if the last match had any bearings on this one Anand said, “I don’t see the point of keeping that in the background. There will enough problems in this match to deal with without adding that, so at least that’s not something I am trying to reflect on.â€
Carlsen agreed with his senior on the matter.
“What happened in the last match is in the past, I agree with Vishy that are going to be plenty of difficult and critical moments in the match, no point in dwelling in the past,†he said.