OTB Tournaments after the COVID-19 pandemic
My Dear Chess Friends!
What will the world of chess look like after the Covid-19 pandemic? Of course, the pandemic has made adjustments in almost all areas of human life, and even when it is completely over, many things will remain with us forever.
Let's see what changes we still have to expect. First, it should be noted that online chess has become much more popular. Everyone who previously played in regular OTB tournaments and now doesn’t have this opportunity switched to online, where tournaments continue.
Offline chess, of course, didn’t benefit due to the pandemic. OTB tournaments are still banned in most countries, but they are already being played somewhere. For example, in Russia, but only tournaments with a limited number of participants.
For example, my student Vitalii is currently playing in Italy, Dolomites (these pictures were taken there). Beautiful place, as you can see from the photo!
And it is clear that the organizers have tried to maximize social distancing. In a large tournament hall, which would include 200 chess players, only 40 people play.
Moreover, the participants are separated by a glass that hangs over the board. As Vitalii told me, the glass slightly distorts the situation on the board: he miscalculated several times in the options. Although I think you can get used to it. In the end, the participants are on an equal footing.
If possible, chess players use masks, which, of course, reduces the flow of oxygen and slows down the thought process. So, the quality of the game is likely to drop.
It’s unlikely for massive OTB tournaments to happen right now. Firstly, you need to keep social distancing.
And, secondly, most likely, the number of seats will be limited. Not all tournament organizers will be able to equip the room and put dividers, as this requires additional costs. So, it is likely that tournament entry fees will increase.
At the same time, I want to note that offline chess will not go anywhere, and tournaments will be held. After all, this is the only way to achieve almost 99.9% fair play.⠀
Let's hope that we will be able to see each other live soon – at major open events in the US and Europe! In the meantime, play online and train harder!
Best Regards,
FM Viktor Neustroev