Enough of the self-imposed moratorium after the wounds this country has picked. The world has nt stopped spinning because we sat back for a week and whined away. Time life started going on as before and hope instead of reacting as always, we act now.... Nuff for this thread.
Chess world is off on a tail-spin. FIDE has pulled some rabbits out of its derriere and changed the rules for the next yr's challenger qualification formats. Magnus Carlsen, Nigel Short, Alexei Shirov and many many others have decided to stay away from the new bullshit format. That plus, the drug testing avoidance ban+fine on big-man Ivanchuk has not gone well with the community. {Ivanchuk lost a game and was asked to take a drug test. He said, I want to relax and cool down, so eff off.} Shirov has asked in an open letter and I quote him, "IOC has never guaranteed that chess would become the Olympic sport, so the FIDE policy in licking their posterior is at least questionable."
Open revolt seems the order of the day. MagnusC has time on his side to become a world champion. So his father has taken on an openly confrontational position now against the flow of others. Topalov is a one-man show, he has the support of the Govt of Bulgaria to piss everyone off. Ivanchuk, I am sure is no happier with fide given the flow of events. Anand is his own damn "Dont bother me, I am on a break... Even if not, I will just play chess" routine. Kramnik is outta favor with the Soviets cos he lost the crown that "they" rightfully own. Kamsky is a crazy guy who noone can predict. Shirov has revolted. The assorted Russians like Moro, Kasim, Radjabov etc will swing the Fide way as expected. Whats left are Aronian and Judit. Its not clear what they will do.
This means either FIDE go back to where it was before with its tail well-folded. Or the next year's challenger series to Anand is going to be the usual Fide level bakwaas show. In any case, Topalov wont step back given that its so close yet so far. Kamsky has come out swinging against bullshit rules and murder threats. The losers are clearly Fide, the winners are the assorted new Chinese players who have state backing. A new order is setting in. If only Anand were less diplomatic and vengeful, he can make his presence felt here. But Anand is an iceberg, ruthless and mammoth when the show happens, cool/cold to developments around him. Makes one good reality tv in a chess time-scale. If only someone gets to see this unfolding chain of events, it will be so drama-like.
IOA gets two more months to run hockey affairs
According to sources, the Delhi High Court, hearing the petition filed by outgoing IHF President KPS Gill, has postponed next hearing to February 6. This gives another two months time for the IOA controlled ad-hoc committee on hockey to continue administer the sport in the country. In August this year, the court heard the case and fixed December 4 for next hearing. This has now been postponed to February next year.
An ‘illegal’ AGM of the KPS Gill faction noted with confidence some of the observations of the court that were made in August, and were eagerly waiting for a favourable decision today. Accordingly to the minutes of the ‘illegal’ AGM, the court has asked the IOA to deliver a time frame for holding the election. Another faction of the IHF, headed by Sahara scion JB Roy, was also looking forward to today’s court proceedings. This Group, after having demonstrated two-third majority amidst the IHF electoral college, must have been frustrated as the dates for election getting eluded. It now seems they have to wait at least two more months if the court is the only answer for the IHF election. However, if the IOA decides to call election before that, they will be the happiest lot. For those who wish visible and effective improvement in the functioning of hockey, too, pray for early election. So that the Gill virus can once for all be eradicated. And then expect some fresh air with the incoming of a business house into hockey.
As of now, it is certain the ad-hoc committee is firmly entrenched in the saddle. Let us hope, the Committee grabs the chance it has got, and do something worthwhile so that hockey lovers can remember their work. At least, the IOA can organize the Senior Nationals without any further delay. Domestic hockey is in limbo, except those teams who play this Cup or that Cup rather routinely. We are not sure why suddenly the proposed holding of Nationals in Pune never got announced. It's ages before the City hosted the Nationals, and it is right time it get again. If the ad-hoc committee accords importance to Nationals, some of the accusations it faces of inactivity, might well be forgotten.
As I said before, AK Bansal, the jr coach is now thanking his stars for the cancellation of the jr hockey series in bakisatan. Initially, he seemed skeptical and so did Diwakar Ram about what gain they will have in participating in the Nehru Cup. Now after winning seven games in a row against very tough opposition {some of the creme de la creme of hockey clubs in India} and taking the Nehru cup, AK Bansal sir and Diwakar Ram agree that "Fck pakistan, we saved our lives staying back and whats better, we also got some good exposure/practice with senior players and this made our confidence a world of good." This is the jr Indian team. Indian hockey has not had a short supply of quality players, ever and I say that with a perfectly straight face. If the writing on the wall is clear, the players will continue to be talented. The bakwaas show of the IHF administration-bummers, if corrected, like with the politicians that ruin this country, things will start looking bright and crystal clear to even the most vociferous fatalist. Gold medal in 2016 is very likely! Willing to take bets on that this early
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Noone has noticed it in a big way in India yet. But the beatch, Brenda, is now the former FIH president..... Down with such retards. The new guy is in, another gora. Like Yogi Berra said, i hope it is not deja vu all over again!
A change in guard at the highest level of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and the recent terror strikes in Mumbai are unlikely to have a bearing on India hosting the 2010 World Cup in Delhi. In his first interview to an Indian media ever since assuming office of president of the game's governing body (FIH), Leandro Negre told TOI on Thursday that he does not see any reason at the moment to move the game away from India. He, however, said FIH would be keeping a close watch on the situation in India, including political ones, in the run up to the event. {Eff you, thats my welcome to Mr Negre for this opening statement!}
"At this stage there is no reason not to host the 2010 men's World Cup in India. The FIH signed the memorandum of understanding for our showcase event in August this year and I don't see any reason for me to change this," Negre said in an email. "However, the FIH will monitor the situation in India carefully to make sure that the event will be organised at the highest possible level as we will have a close look on the political situation in India too." {Yea, same thing as above. Again cos the reporter was a dumbass who repeated the same content twice.}
The Spaniard, who replaced Els van Breda Vriesman, also suggested that the world body would continue supporting the project concerning revival of Indian hockey. "India is one of the key nations in hockey. The FIH started the project Promoting Indian Hockey in late 2006 and under my leadership this project will definitely not end." {Thank you, you keep your hands where it belongs and we will take care of our sorry state of hockey.}
In a bid to make the game grow in popularity, he said he was planning to bring in more professionalism to world level events. He also said the game's task would be to ensure it's presence in future Olympics. {Thats gonna be a fight, dear sir. Cos the forces that be have been conspiring to dump hockey from the world showcase arena. Best of luck though}
"Being present at the Olympic Games is still the most important task for hockey. The FIH Missions Statement (to encourage, promote, develop and administer hockey at all levels in order to maintain hockey as an Olympic sport on the Olympic Programme and maximise participation, standards, enjoyment and community involvement) is clear about that. {And yea, can you stop raping the rules for once?! That will help us third world colored folks some bloody misery.}
"To make sure that this will happen, the FIH should professionalise its World Level Events and this is one of the main tasks in the coming years."Negre said he would discuss different issues with people involved in the FIH in the coming couple of months "in order to be able to start in a proper way" as the FIH president. {Chai biskoot in the hockey world} "The FIH and hockey became more and more professional in the last years. I will continue to work in that way. All the decisions that will be made in the coming years will all be in the benefit of hockey in general," he said. {Even Brenda promised so much in her online manifesto, thank you FIH. On a sidenote, with a name like Negre, I am sure many of the gora clubs are going to have a field day in case you turn out to do something constructive for the world hockey instead of for the Oiropean rendition of the game. Best of luck, again. Stay away from Indian hockey as much as you can.}
A couple of big events seem to have been cancelled. Indian masters golf very different from Indian Open golf --- the show that started the rise of Indian golf. In contrast to the Bombay thing, this one has the financial meltdown to blame.
The Indian Masters, which was set to be played in New Delhi next February, was dropped from the 2009 European Tour schedule on Friday, becoming another victim of the global economic crisis. The tournament, which was also part of the Asian Tour, was set to take place from February 5-8 at the Delhi Golf Club. "We have done everything possible to ensure that the second edition of the Indian Masters was played in 2009," said Mohamed Juma Buamaim, vice-chairman and chief executive of organisers 'golf in Dubai'.
Ranking updates: PSA -- Saurav Ghosal stays flat at 39. Ritwik stays flat at 57. In the rear, Sid Suchde climbs 13 to 109. Naresh Kumar climbs 13 to 156. The big gainer is Harinder Pal Sandhu -- climbs 113 places to 185. Note that HPS has an all time high ranking of 120 odd and injury came along and he nose-dived. He is doing the Sania rendition of squash. Young and climbing...
Saina Nehwal wasn't even born when Ami Ghia became the first Indian woman shuttler to be ranked as high as No. 7 in the world in 1983. A quarter century later, Saina, all of 18 and now 10th in the world, has sent out a loud warning that cracking the top-five is next on her agenda. But the national champion knows it's a rough climb here on.
"I'm uncomfortable playing all the shuttlers who are higher ranked than me," Saina told TOI a day after the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) list was released. In fact, if one were to go by statistics, the Indian has beaten three shuttlers in the current top nine, but only one (China's No. 4 Zhu Lin) in the top five.
While Saina's win over world champ Lin in the China Masters in September proved that the Hyderabadi teen has the game to beat the best, Saina says she needs to work on her mobility to overpower the Chinese consistently. "They are very fast on the court. I need to increase my speed to match up to them," explained.
While the Chinese are the ones to beat, Saina says she's also uncomfortable playing the likes of World No. 1 Zhou Mi and 7th-ranked Pi Hongyan of France. "Zhou has a few shots which I just fail to anticipate, especially her flicks. I just cannot understand when she'll hit at the net or push the shuttle behind," explained Saina. If the Indian is candid enough to admit that there's a lot of work to do before she can consistently beat the best, Saina knows it's only a matter of time. "I need to improve no doubt, but at the moment some of them are winning close matches only on their experience. In the end, when it's a matter of 2-3 points, their experience of having been in a similar situation before bails them out. I'm confident that next year I'll be able to pull off a few wins over the top ones," she said.
Welcome back, Sania!! Sania has been seen swinging her racket at the DLTA complex. She seems to have put the injury season aside. The climb upwards should be normal for her.
. Do the Kolkattans overwhelmingly support one of the three big clubs depending on how their recent form has been? I get the feeling that EB has been enjoying the upper hand in the last ten or so years, but before that MB was the prima donna. Historically speaking, EB dominance among the big three has been rather recent. MS, I get the feeling lost most of its fan-base to the 47-aftermath, and hence, today is an also-ran. Am I correct?!
session is on in chessbase. They want the new tournament at Nanjing to be the "fourth" best in the world, or so chessbase claims. 
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