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Game result (chess) B. Ozen, 2269 N. Wilson, 2121 1/2-1/2 See game 152323 |
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Here are 100 results for de Vassal in the games.
Game_151730 Game_151729 Game_151728 Game_151727 Game_151726 Game_151725 Game_151724 Game_151723 Game_149548 Game_149547 Game_149546 Game_149545 Game_149544 Game_149543 Game_149542 Game_149541 Game_149467 Game_149466 Game_149465 Game_149464 Game_149463 Game_149457 Game_149451 Game_149444 Game_148058 Game_148057 Game_148056 Game_148055 Game_148054 Game_148053 Game_148052 Game_148051 Game_147903 Game_147902 Game_146771 Game_146770 Game_146768 Game_146765 Game_146761 Game_146756 Game_145140 Game_145139 Game_145138 Game_145137 Game_144982 Game_144981 Game_144980 Game_144979 Game_144978 Game_144972 Game_144121 Game_144120 Game_144118 Game_144115 Game_144111 Game_144106 Game_142691 Game_142690 Game_142688 Game_142685 Game_142681 Game_142676 Game_142639 Game_142638 Game_142637 Game_142636 Game_142635 Game_142629 Game_142623 Game_142616 Game_142582 Game_142581 Game_142580 Game_142579 Game_142578 Game_142572 Game_141281 Game_141279 Game_141277 Game_141274 Game_141270 Game_141265 Game_139692 Game_139691 Game_139690 Game_139686 Game_139682 Game_139677 Game_139189 Game_139188 Game_139187 Game_139186 Game_139185 Game_139184 Game_139177 Game_139176 Game_139175 Game_139174 Game_139169 Game_139164
There are at least 100 results for de Vassal in the forum.
Thibault de Vassal (2026-05-29 16:21:07)
Cheating / Forfeiting
Hello George. Feel free to tell me why (in private messages). Any feedback may be useful.
Thibault de Vassal (2026-05-25 14:21:01)
Call referee about game ...
Rule 11.5 says: "Finally, if players do not agree the result, please let the clock run out of time, a referee will confirm or correct the result later."
So yes, I can set the clocks fairly to fix a situation... It happened in some cases and it will happen again.
Maybe I should add such an example in the rules to reassure.
Thibault de Vassal (2026-05-18 16:07:40)
Call referee about game ...
I see every call... There is no need to act in most cases, that's why I take some time (added to the 1 month rule when the game is decided) to answer.
Thibault de Vassal (2026-05-11 23:38:32)
Berlin Defense
Yes, #12 #104 & #105
Thibault de Vassal (2026-05-11 23:36:59)
Call referee about game ...
Hello Herbert, I don't remember if you sent me an email about that game... please just do it if necessary. Thanks!
Thibault de Vassal (2026-04-16 13:51:22)
PGN
In example this one:
https://ficgs.com/user_page.php?page=viewer&game=149787
Do you see the (download) link at the bottom of the page?
Thibault de Vassal (2026-04-16 13:24:19)
Cheating / Forfeiting
Indeed. I observe it for years, but obviously rating is not the motivation so...
Thibault de Vassal (2026-04-16 13:22:54)
PGN
For what game number in example?
Thibault de Vassal (2026-04-16 03:05:15)
Too many groups for tourneys
Done... Let's try new ranges, somewhat more coherent with current ratings.
Thibault de Vassal (2026-03-13 23:17:02)
Post-tickets FICGS
The long answer:
FICGS story is a quite simple & classic one, the reasons why it's declining are quite obvious, and unfortunately the solutions aren't. A bit of story:
1. Luckily, FICGS.com was created when there were a demand, just after IECG stopped... It grew very quickly, and I was in a rush to code it (FICGS was the very first dynamic website I ran from A to Z), there were ideas from everywhere. FICGS.com was the shortest domain name available, but not a so good one. Quite hard to remember, hard to tell, not clear for search engines (unlike chess.com which is a perfect one). Maybe it was a mistake to choose it, I can't tell. Either it meant "Free Internet Chess Games Server" or "Free Internet Correspondence Games Server", so I added another game, Go (Weiqi), to FICGS, which is a quite heavy decision: After that, FICGS is not only a chess server anymore.
2. A few years after, there are several thousands players (a few hundreds active). The number of new players slowly decreases month after month but a few sponsors come. Obviously, the way I coded FICGS made it more and more difficult to fully update from a PHP version to another one, or to change it in deep. Even now, I'm not sure to regret it though cause I couldn't have done it differently, so it is what it is. At this time, chess.com was less interesting than FICGS (my taste), but success is already here thanks to a perfect marketing formula: best domain name & pay for options. On the contrary, I chose to keep FICGS completely free.
3. Chess engines explode, correspondence chess continues its evolution (human's thinking decreases in moves decision), finally I add another game that is in a hype: poker texas holdem. New sponsors come, I still play correspondence chess myself but now I play another game even more: Google. FICGS also extends this way and it works in some ways. At its peak, FICGS is about the 32,000th most visited website worldwide. But the number of players continues to decrease, Android & phones started to change the landscape already. Chess.com released its app and added probably its best feature: a quick Stockfish analysis with evaluation & explanation for each move (which is excellent for blitz games but quite a non-sense for a correspondence chess website).
4. The number of players suddenly declines very quickly, I react by creating FICGS apps for Android, a dozen apps... On some apps, you can play against the machine, virtual opponents, chess 960, blindfold & so on. But the way to maintain it is not easy at all for many reasons, but the main one is that Google (Playstore) constantly change technical things & rules. After a few years, I even have to completely remake it, losing what was acquired. And some apps still fail to re-appear at Playstore, that's why I just made the APK files available to direct download. But these applications confirm something clear: blitz is more fun and attracts much more players. Changing rating ranges for correspondence chess tournaments or championships formats won't be a solution for this.
5. FICGS is now 20 years old! Internet completely changed over the years but it survived longer than Messenger, Skype & many other great services. If you look at many websites, new versions of their modern interfaces are often worst (bugs or options) than previous ones. FICGS was never perfect, maybe even clear, but at least it remained coherent. Now Google (just like all major services) is mainly governed by AI, sponsors left - that does not change anything, FICGS will continue to run. I created other websites, but none so far successfully helped in a way or another to solve the problem we encounter here: how to increase the number of correspondence chess, Go or poker players again? If FICGS becomes a pure correspondence chess site again with a brand new interface, I'm quite sure that wouldn't change anything or almost. I might be wrong of course, but according to me, this is a deep problem, connected to society evolutions, computers, phones, our attention, time, even health & so on... In my personal case, I wish to play correspondence chess again, but still cannot find the time to do it. Finally I have no idea what internet will look like within 5 years, but FICGS will be there. Maybe an AI will find a solution soon ^^ Meanwhile, I received many ideas to improve FICGS and I have to thank you very much for this. Few ideas were released for reasons I explained here (but new ones are always wecome), I hope you'll better understand it by reading this.
Have good games & take care!
Thibault de Vassal (2026-02-27 15:19:43)
Post-tickets FICGS
Now 3 players in the rapid M, 2 in the rapid A... but the main point remains, it takes too long to fill waiting lists.
The short answer to "What have you done?" may be: FICGS did not evolve these last 10 years. But I'm not sure it's so simple. I'll write the long answer soon.
Thibault de Vassal (2026-02-07 00:21:18)
following the knock out stage of wch 28
Yes, the candidates final #28 will start as soon as this one finishes.
Thibault de Vassal (2026-01-31 22:56:08)
Poker ELO
Hello Yeturu & very sorry, for some reason I completely overlooked that post.
Of course I agree that ELO is not ideal for poker, I quickly changed some parameters to make it a bit more stable.
There are many many ways to do it different & probably better, particularly when not only H2H is played, but the idea was to do it looking like chess, so this is just a choice among many others.
Reaching elo 2000 with constant all-in does not shock me much as players under this rating probably do not play as many as hands (it takes time & many games to gain points)...
Thibault de Vassal (2026-01-31 03:35:38)
WCH_STAGE_2_GROUP_01__000029
Rounds number now fixed as well...
Thibault de Vassal (2026-01-31 01:20:35)
WCH_STAGE_2_GROUP_01__000029
Because I'm distracted :)
Sorry about that, I've added the missing games... (some had started already)
By the way, I made a mistake that affected about all previous tournaments (rounds number), it will be fixed soon as well.
Thibault de Vassal (2026-01-29 02:03:26)
Too many groups for tourneys
... but well, I'm not completely opposed to such a change for a try, even if I think that problems come from elsewhere.
Thibault de Vassal (2026-01-29 02:00:04)
Too many groups for tourneys
Changing rating bands is not a big effort (at all), but it would ruin coherence of each category... and we should change it again if the number of players evolve again. That's quite like suddenly playing best of 2 and only 1 serve at Roland Garros. Why tennis does not evolve (while it is seriously concurrenced by Padel) more? Quite the same reasons IMHO.
Well, FICGS is not Roland Garros... of course, but I already made too many mistakes that ruined coherence there and there, with not so good consequences.
Thibault de Vassal (2026-01-27 13:55:57)
start third stage chess WCH 28
Candidates final 27 started, at last.
Thibault de Vassal (2026-01-27 13:55:04)
following the knock out stage of wch 28
You mean this one?
FICGS__CHESS__WCH_KNOCKOUT_FINAL__000028
Just click Tournaments, then:
FICGS__CHESS__WCH_KNOCKOUT_FINAL
Thibault de Vassal (2026-01-23 12:08:41)
Ghost player
Most probably he connected on Jan 18 and never disconnected since that time.
Thibault de Vassal (2025-11-22 00:12:16)
Next thematic tournament
Done, Clodomiro... best wishes to you. (please just send me an email for such inquiries)
Thibault de Vassal (2025-11-19 16:17:50)
Clarification of Rating Groups
Hi all,
Garvin & Ulises points are very good actually... I never thought about a button or something to remind that rule in the waiting lists.
I'll do it right now...
Thibault de Vassal (2025-11-12 15:24:31)
Russian flag replaced
As for me, I don't trust in testimonies, I trust consensus & serious proofs. Nowadays, war crimes are documented. I'm not in a hurry, let's wait & see.
Thibault de Vassal (2025-11-12 15:16:04)
Increasing the Number of Games in Progre
Hello Bahadir and Ulises,
That's an old debate... unfortunately I had to add this rule to protect other players from these too numerous unfinished games. Penalizing was not really useful as most of forfeiting players do not come back again. It works fine since that time, even if it can be a bit frustrating. In my opinion this is a good & efficient rule.
Thibault de Vassal (2025-10-27 18:45:17)
Cheating / Forfeiting
I understand... I'll have a look at that soon.
Thibault de Vassal (2025-10-27 18:42:49)
DNS failure last week
Ofir, XFCC is not possible, sorry about that.
Thibault de Vassal (2025-10-27 18:42:15)
Banning players who forfeit too much
Hello George... I didn't see that, please send me details by email (I have many emails late, sorry).
Thibault de Vassal (2025-10-27 18:41:02)
Russian flag replaced
I don't intend to remake the whole debate here or anywhere else... I have other things to do. But in brief, IMO:
1. The situation was complex before oct.8
2. Hamas (terrorist org) started it.
3. More than 75% (!) of Gaza buildings were destroyed.
4. How many people killed, how many terrorists?
5. What are the limits of acceptability?
It seems possible to commit war crimes and/or a genocide after being attacked, right?
There can be absolutely no link between estimating that Israel commits a genocide and proving antisemitism, right?
There are other wars in the world, that's right (of different natures).
I'm not in a hurry to take any action... it will take time yet.
Thibault de Vassal (2025-10-24 12:22:24)
DNS failure last week
Ahaha :) Thank you very much Yeturu... I could have sent an email to everyone sooner, but I always hoped to solve the problem quickly... I was wrong, obviously.
About the DNS config (ns.ficgs.com, dns.ficgs.com), I just can't remember what I exactly did maybe 15 years ago, but the fact is that it suddenly stopped to work, and I don't know why. So I had to change it.
Thibault de Vassal (2025-10-22 02:39:31)
DNS failure last week
<3 thank you Nelson!
Thibault de Vassal (2025-10-21 17:27:39)
DNS failure last week
Hello everyone...
Finally FICGS is back!
Noone should have lost any game on time, I added about 7 days to all players expected to move, and 2 days to their opponents (time for new DNS to spread all over the internet)
I still have no idea why previous DNS ns.ficgs.com didn't work anymore, but well, I had to change it after having solved another (bigger) issue with the server provider.
Sorry all for the inconvenience...
Thibault de Vassal (2025-10-08 15:24:10)
Russian flag replaced
I agree, I'm thinking about that for a while.
Thibault de Vassal (2025-09-01 03:38:46)
start third stage chess WCH 28
Finally it started...
Thibault de Vassal (2025-07-20 00:02:38)
Изменение учетной записи
Please send an email to info at ficgs dot com.
Thibault de Vassal (2025-07-06 14:02:48)
50 moves rule
Please just send me the game number... I'll have a look.
Thibault de Vassal (2025-05-18 01:26:50)
Changing in Poker game.
Hi Stanislas, could you send a screen capture to my email please? Many thanks!
Thibault de Vassal (2025-03-27 23:35:56)
The future of cheating over the board?
"Scientists create sound that can curve through a crowd and reach just one person
Engineers at Penn State have introduced a breakthrough audio system called “audible enclaves” that can send sound directly to one person without anyone else hearing it—and all without the use of headphones.
The system relies on ultrasound waves, which travel silently through the air. When two beams with slightly different frequencies cross paths, they generate an audible tone right at that meeting point, allowing only the intended recipient to hear the message.
Even more impressive, the sound can curve around obstacles to reach its target. In initial tests, it worked effectively up to three feet away. This innovation opens the door for private audio experiences in shared spaces and better control of sound in noisy environments, though it's not yet ready for commercial use."
(Source: Facebook)
Account deleted (2025-03-26 01:45:54)
Delete account
@Thibault de Vassal
Thibault de Vassal (2024-12-11 03:09:53)
New Tie Break System
Hi Garvin,
I can only say: Yes, this tie break system is good (probably better even if it remains subjective) & interesting.
But I don't think that changing this rule would be so good, it would lose in coherence & simplicity, and complexify the understanding of past tournaments... So, I'll go to the 2nd option, let's make 9+ players round-robin groups (as far as possible).
Thibault de Vassal (2024-11-16 03:42:12)
stage 2 WCH 000028
Hello! It will start soon... There is no hold up, "leaders" or "winners" are players who got the most points, but it does not mean that these players (or others who got less points) go to next stage.
Thibault de Vassal (2024-10-24 00:03:34)
Conditional Moves Method
Hello Bahadir,
No, sorry, at least not before years... As I explained in previous forum posts, it won't be feasible without making very big changes that I can't do for now (many things to do for FICGS before this).
All the best, Thibault
Thibault de Vassal (2024-10-06 00:09:38)
Chess Cup-1st Stage
Sometimes some players want to play the until the very end in quite obvious positions... not exactly a dead man defense (it could last much longer and I would intervene in such case) so I prefer not to adjudicate it.
Finally, the chess cup final stage just started.
Thibault de Vassal (2024-08-31 13:38:04)
Russian flag replaced
@Vjacheslav: sure, done.
@A.T.S.: I agree that other countries flags could be suspended sometime... we'll see.
Thibault de Vassal (2024-07-14 03:15:45)
poker reflection time
We must consider all points here: If games are shorter, ratings will be less accurate. I understand the point, but there is no easy solution.
Thibault de Vassal (2024-07-06 15:53:42)
Poker Rating
You were unlucky in this one, but you played better. Just a statistical happening.
Thibault de Vassal (2024-05-31 19:21:52)
Extreme case in a Go game
I couldn't imagine such a case, but it happened:
Two players reached this position, now alternately pass... and one player just asked me to adjudicate the game. It could have been a good joke, but...
Now I just don't know what to do ^^
https://ficgs.com/user_page.php?page=viewer&game=142645&move=413
https://ficgs.com/game_142645.html
Thibault de Vassal (2024-05-25 01:24:12)
Conditional
Hello Peter. It isn't cause we don't...
That is a quite recurrent discussion, you'll find other threads dealing with it on the forum.
Thibault de Vassal (2024-03-27 02:33:38)
Next thematic tournament
Let's wait for the current waiting list to finish, then we'll try Fried Liver attack (e4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4 Nf6 Ng5 d5 exd5 Nxd5), and then we'll try Philidor Defence...
Thibault de Vassal (2024-03-27 02:27:15)
Big Chess in NebiyuAlien engine
Never heard of this engine before... I have no idea :/
Thibault de Vassal (2024-03-18 15:41:26)
message for Thibault regarding...
Hello. Sure... I saw that you started all your games in class M, so you would like to withdraw from WCH ?
Thibault de Vassal (2024-02-13 02:26:33)
Next Ficgs World Championship Tournament
Next FICGS WCH will start on March 15th, 2024 (initial date was March 1st). Waiting lists are now open!
Reason for this is that FICGS apps encounter technical problems on Play Store. I hope I'll be able to solve it before these next WCH tournaments start.
Thibault de Vassal (2024-01-01 01:10:03)
Fried Liver analysis on rybkaforum.net?
Hmmm... should be a thematic tournament some time ;) Happy new year Ilmars!
Thibault de Vassal (2023-12-15 01:51:10)
Referee Adjudication
Well, I thought that a one month limit for the game to finish could satisfy everyone...
IMO, that's quite strange to end a game when some players do NOT use 7-pieces tablebases and still could make mistakes in a winning or drawish position...
Thibault de Vassal (2023-11-30 01:19:44)
Next thematic tournament
Let's go for this... Thanks for your suggestions!
Thibault de Vassal (2023-11-27 22:21:47)
Battle of Kings
Did anyone else try it around here? Worth a try!
Thibault de Vassal (2023-11-25 23:15:04)
Referee Adjudication
The later is best :)
Do not forget that 50 moves rule does NOT apply at FICGS.
If there is a checkmate to come, according to the rules: after you ask, your opponent still gets 30 days to play a few moves more. Not everyone uses tablebases and some may want to see how it ends...
Thibault de Vassal (2023-11-25 23:11:04)
A Public Appeal to Chess Organisations
This discussion has now ended for good... (hopefully)
Juri Eintalu (2023-11-25 22:00:10)
A Public Appeal to Chess Organisations
Thibault de Vassal:
"Juri, you probably spread fake news:..."
"In doubt, such news (probably fake news) have no place here... Thanks in advance."
I have NOT shared that video here, on the Forum, neither a link to it. And I have NOT mentioned that video here, on the Forum.
You are a sick slanderer, Mr. Thibault de Vassal.
Don't worry, I will not play a single chess game on the platform FICGS anymore. I decided so already half a year ago.
Thibault de Vassal (2023-11-20 19:41:39)
Battle of Kings
Thanks for information... I'll probably play it more when I have some time. And I really hope it will be investigated by chess programmers :)
Thibault de Vassal (2023-11-20 19:39:27)
A Public Appeal to Chess Organisations
Juri, you probably spread fake news:
___________________________
Social media users recently circulated video footage they claimed shows an Israeli helicopter killing Israelis at an Oct. 7 concert in Israel.
Stew Peters, a far-right radio host and the filmmaker behind the anti-COVID-19 vaccine films "Died Suddenly" and "Watch the Water," shared the 14-second video clip on X, formerly Twitter.
"VIDEO PROVES and ISRAEL ADMITS it slaughtered its own people on Oct. 7th," Peters wrote Nov. 9. "This attack was NOT made by goat herders on paragliders. Footage from Israeli helicopter shows the IDF killing many people at October 7 concert in Israel. IDF helicopters fired on civilians fleeing the PsyTrance Music Festival."
Other social media users shared Peters’ post, and it was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.) We also found this video clip misrepresented on TikTok.
(...)
GeoConfirmed, a group that works to geolocate video footage, analyzed the Israel Defense Forces’ video, and concluded it was not filmed at the site of the Nova music festival.
We found no evidence to support Peters’ claim that the video clip showed Israeli forces killing people at an Oct. 7 concert in Israel. A group that works to geolocate video footage analyzed the Israel Defense Forces’ video and said it was not filmed at the music festival site.
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2023/nov/17/stew-peters/no-this-video-doesnt-show-israeli-military-killing/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57UQKWdZRco
_________________________
In doubt, such news (probably fake news) have no place here... Thanks in advance.
Now we heard your message (and I did respond to your public appeal), feel free to let chess organizations decide what they have to do, no need to discuss it more here.
Juri Eintalu (2023-11-20 02:21:47)
A Public Appeal to Chess Organisations
"Israeli Security Establishment: Hamas Likely Didn’t Have Advance Knowledge of Nova Festival"
Haaretz, 18 November 2023
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-11-18/ty-article/.premium/israeli-security-establishment-hamas-likely-didnt-have-prior-knowledge-of-nova-festival/0000018b-e2ee-d168-a3ef-f7fe8ca20000
"Hamas had not planned to attack music festival, Israeli report says"
Al Jazeera, 18 November 2023
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/18/hamas-had-not-planned-to-attack-israel-music-festival-israeli-report-says
'“An investigation into the incident revealed an [Israeli military] combat helicopter that arrived at the scene from the Ramat David base fired at the terrorists and apparently also hit some of the revelers there,” the Haaretz report cited an unnamed police official as saying.'
The funniest thing is that after Mr Herbert Kruse claimed that I should be in jail for not thinking that the official narrative on the 07 October attack was entirely true and proven - the very next day Israeli newspapers reported that some unspecified number of civilians were killed not by Hamas but by Israeli helicopter.
The sad thing is that the discussion of the 07 October events is absolutely irrelevant to my Public Appeal.
As I have explained above several times.
Suppose that all the 1200 people killed on 07 October were civilians. Suppose that Hamas is a terrorist organisation (I have not checked their background, I heard the name "Hamas" first time in my life on 07 October). Suppose that the 07 attack was a terrorist attack and all the civilians were killed intentionally.
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING can be inferred concerning my Public Appeal.
I have explained already several times that Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip are in no way justified by 07 October events.
It follows from the international conventions, from the entrenched definitions of "war crime", "genocide", etc.
I have also explained, already in my Public Appeal, that there is no need to impose sports sanctions on Hamas, as Hamas has been announced to be a terrorist organisation by the European Union, shortly after the 07 October events.
Moreover, I have explained above, that one cannot expel Hamas from the chess organisations like FIDE or ICCF, because it has never been there.
I do not want to talk to such demagogues as Herbert Kruse and Thibault de Vassal.
Among other things, both have completely ignored my arguments and the actual text of my Public Appeal.
There is an ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip. Compared to the enormous crimes of Israel, the scale of killing unarmed civilians, the Russian Chess Federation has been sanctioned for small things, while the current racist, fascist Nazi-Israel has remained untouched, with impunity.
Thibault de Vassal (2023-11-19 04:40:50)
A Public Appeal to Chess Organisations
Oh well, you surely cannot be sure of anything, but still it seems that you know many things... No, that's not a crime as far as I know. I just wonder what looks like your process to decide what the truth is. Maybe you "make your own researches".
I suggest you to watch the dozens of videos there:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=october+7+hamas
Do you estimate it's all made by an AI? Hollywood? Israel studio? In a single day?
Anyway, your message was heard... If you want to read it, my opinion is that you awkwardly try to bring confusion where there are facts and on the nature of these facts.
Obviously you are not in a hurry to decide what actually happened on 07 October 2023, but you seem in a hurry to appeal chess organizations to treat Israel & Russia in another way than they do. Why not waiting for a few years to be sure?
I do not have to accept your attitude too, by the way. Are you one of these confusionist propagandists? Are you some kind of Qanon or Trumpist?
Finally I do not demand that you believe anything, that would be totalitarist & stupid, indeed. I just give my opinion on your comments as well.
Thibault de Vassal (2023-11-18 19:42:16)
A Public Appeal to Chess Organisations
Juri, when you say << For example, I am not sure that Hamas "chose" to kill civilians. >>, I'm not sure if your topic is determinism or something else but obviously you cannot be sure of anything. Did you watch the videos? Anyway, any army killing or kidnapping civilians is a war crime for sure and that's most probably terrorism in this case.
On Israel response, many experts say different things, so it remains unclear yet to me. (it is important not to listen what one want to hear only)
About your text, you seem to neglict all contextual elements to compare Russia, Thaïland, Congo, North Korea, China or whatever situation in any country... No chess organization reacted much when Peng Shuai (chinese tennis star) disappeared, but tennis world reacted! For Rohingya, Karabakh or about war in Irak or Afghanisatan. How many chess players in these countries? That is not the same. Russia & Ukraine are among the most influential chess nations in the world. Russia is the biggest country, has the most nuclear weapons. That's why it seems pertinent that chess players and organizations take position towards not just peace (undermeaning "do what Russia wants"), but a fair and right peace.
You say : "Concerning your political views about the real intentions of Russia when starting a war against Ukraine, what you present dogmatically and without evidence"
The evidence is in Putin's speeches, "Russia defends its interests", obviously Ukraine (another country for a while) should not be free of his choices, in example to join an alliance to protect itself just like Finland or other countries... Obviously Ukraine is Russia's interest and should not join OTAN. Did ever OTAN attack Russia?
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Dgy4vYTp_Jo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxS9YIBeJbY
Watching full speeches is even more instructive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akzr0K0CE0M
Putin's rhetoric remains both crude and manipulative, appealing to people's conservative reflexes. And it works on most people who get outraged at the slightest conspiracy theory, it's no coincidence.
Finally, the argument saying that there shouldn't be politics in chess or sports has no foundations other than a subjective point of view.
You say that these bans by FIDE were out of international laws and that the same restrictions should apply to israeli playesrs... well, so just prove it and make appeal I guess. Karjakin probably thought about that already!?
Meanwhile, these discussions are only point of views.
Juri Eintalu (2023-11-18 03:57:22)
A Public Appeal to Chess Organisations
to Thibault de Vassal:
"Recently, Hamas chose to attack civilians instead of Israel (this is a war crime, no ambiguity there), Israel now does everything to destroy Hamas, making many victims among civilians. But this may not be war crimes according to definition. Nothing obvious there, we'll see."
The 07 October attack is quite recent, and I would not say that all the circumstances are clear. For example, I am not sure that Hamas "chose" to kill civilians.
The only thing that is sure is that some number of civilians were killed by Hamas. It is sure, because Israel accuses Hamas of killing the civilians, and one of Hamas leaders has publicly admitted, that during that attack, Hamas killed some civilians "accidentally".
Killing civilians may make it a war crime. Intentionally killing civilians may make it an act of terrorism.
After the 07 October attack, Israel has killed awfully many civilians in the Gaza Strip. I totally agree with those experts who say that such a bombing of the sieged territory is not self-defence and it is a war crime - at the very least.
Note that during the 07 October attack, approximately 1200 people were killed, some of them were soldiers, and the others were civilians, many of them unarmed civilians.
Under Israel's bombs, in the Gaza Strip, during one month, more than 10,000 unarmed civilians were killed. Most of them were women and children. And it has not yet ended.
As of now, no one of the participants in the present discussion has said anything at all about the content of my Public Appeal. It seems that no one has even read it, despite I inserted the link into my initial post. I did not try to present the text directly here, on the Forum, as it was perhaps too lengthy for the Forum.
I shall provide the link to my Public Appeal again:
https://medium.com/@eintalu/a-public-appeal-to-chess-organisations-on-the-bombing-of-the-gaza-strip-be56afd3f5ca
Concerning civilian causalities of the Gaza bombing, and the comparison of the Ukraine war and the Israel war, I provided the following information in my Public Appeal:
<International organisations confirm that Israel has managed to kill more children in the Gaza Strip in one month in 2023 than were killed in all the war zones on the planet in the whole of 2022. In fact, significantly more children have been killed by Israeli bombs in one month than in two years of war in Ukraine. See also, e.g.:
“GAZA: 3,195 CHILDREN KILLED IN THREE WEEKS SURPASSES ANNUAL NUMBER OF CHILDREN KILLED IN CONFLICT ZONES SINCE 2019”
Save the Children, 29 October 2023
https://www.savethechildren.net/news/gaza-3195-children-killed-three-weeks-surpasses-annual-number-children-killed-conflict-zones# >
Now, while talking about the attacks on civilians, you (as other participants of the discussion) simply ignore my Public Appeal.
Concerning your political views about the real intentions of Russia when starting a war against Ukraine, what you present dogmatically and without evidence - the only sober reply is that dogmatically and without evidence, one could as well assert whatever about the Israeli real intentions concerning the Gaza war.
However, we have direct evidence from the public speeches of Israel's leadership, that the intentions of the Gaza war are genocidal.
I conclude that you are trying to whitewash Israeli large-scale war crimes and crimes against humanity while ignoring the text of my Public Appeal.
Juri Eintalu (2023-11-18 03:24:26)
A Public Appeal to Chess Organisations
to Thibault de Vassal:
It is beside the point whether the Russell Tribunal on Palestine was biased or not.
What is essential is that you have said nothing about the facts and statistic presented by that tribunal.
You are talking about the apartheid. But you ignore the context in which I mentioned the Russell Tribunal on Palestine. I was talking about that tribunal because it presented facts, that already in 2014, Israel's actions concerning the Gaza Strip were very close to genocide.
Thus, your remarks concerning the Russell Tribunal on Palestine are beside the point and avoiding the theme.
Moreover, independently of any Russel tribunals, it is evident and clear that there is an apartheid regime in Israel and occupied Palestine territories.
First of all, the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are surrounded by a high wall with barbered wire.
Thibault de Vassal (2023-11-17 21:18:54)
Battle of Kings
I agree.
What were (how many moves approximately) the longest & shortest games you played until there?
Thibault de Vassal (2023-11-17 20:54:53)
Battle of Kings
About evaluation of positions, the value of pieces is not obvious as well... that's the good point, but still, in such complex games, calculation becomes even more important. I hope to see Alphazero playing this game one day ;)
Thibault de Vassal (2023-11-17 20:52:46)
Battle of Kings
I understand your point of view. Indeed, it would be very tough to evaluate positions, but I think that pure calculation would be far enough to surpass human abilities there.
I agree that the bot is really weak :) After a second game, I realized that it had no strategy at all... and that the game is even more interesting!
Thibault de Vassal (2023-11-17 20:18:05)
Battle of Kings
Congratulations Vadrya, that is an excellent game! I like it much :) I just beat the bot for the first game, but I felt completely unsecure all the time ^^
Love it...
In my opinion, a strong engine would crush human though ;)
Thibault de Vassal (2023-11-17 20:03:54)
A Public Appeal to Chess Organisations
Then, it would be difficult not to make differences between Ukraine/Russia and Israel/Hamas... the war between Israel & Hamas is very old, very complex & obviously has no reason to end, while the war between Ukraine & Russia is more recent and there is still some hope that it may come to an end (IMHO).
Several things are quite sure to me:
- Israel made bad things for a while in this region. Hamas is an islamist movement that made bad things as well. Most civilians are probably victims of these systems. Recently, Hamas chose to attack civilians instead of Israel (this is a war crime, no ambiguity there), Israel now does everything to destroy Hamas, making many victims among civilians. But this may not be war crimes according to definition. Nothing obvious there, we'll see.
- Ukraine is attacked mainly because Poutine (at least) argues it historically belongs to Russia with no consideration of its recent history & international treaties (and among other reasons because he obviously sees nazis in every people open on what a man/woman/family could look like, meaning many europeans & americans). There are few doubts that war crimes have been committed there.
No, definitely the comparison seems not valid and I see no reason why it should lead FIDE, ICCF or any chess/sport organization to consider it.
Thibault de Vassal (2023-11-17 19:27:42)
A Public Appeal to Chess Organisations
First of all, Russell Tribunal in Palestine was criticized:
"Judge Richard Goldstone, writing in The New York Times in October 2011, said of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine that "It is not a 'tribunal.' The 'evidence' is going to be one-sided and the members of the 'jury' are critics whose harsh views of Israel are well known. In Israel, there is no apartheid. Nothing there comes close to the definition of apartheid under the 1998 Rome Statute."[34]
South African journalist and human rights activist Benjamin Pogrund, now living in Israel, described the Cape Town Session of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine as "It's theatre: the actors know their parts and the result is known before they start. Israel is to be dragged into the mud."[35]
After the Cape Town session, Israeli MK Otniel Schneller filed a complaint with the Knesset's Ethics Committee against MK Hanin Zoabi, who testified at the Tribunal that "Israel is an apartheid state".[36]
A group of Jewish South Africans protested against the court, and the organiser of the protest called it a "Kangaroo Court."[37]
Daniele Archibugi and Alice Pease have argued that it is a rather common practice that those accused of international crimes challenge the impartiality of their accusers. And it may be the case that the organisers of opinion tribunals, as of any other tribunal, might be biased or produce insufficient evidence. But to further develop the rule of law, those which are unsatisfied about the outcomes of these tribunals should be able to produce further evidence and legal arguments rather than unsubstantiated criticism. Legal discourse, they argue, is necessarily based on the opposition of contrasting views.[38] "
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Tribunal
Thibault de Vassal (2023-09-05 02:33:30)
Next Ficgs World Championship Tournament
It started, finally.
Thibault de Vassal (2023-09-05 02:32:16)
Next thematic tournament
Thanks for the suggestions (will be applied for next tournaments).
Thibault de Vassal (2023-08-17 03:52:00)
Next Ficgs World Championship Tournament
Did it ever start with 8 players? I think I always make the necessary in this way (and to follow rules that specify groups of 5, 7, 9, 11 or 13 players).
Thibault de Vassal (2023-08-13 02:11:55)
Next Ficgs World Championship Tournament
The 25th round-robin final just started... 7, 9, 11 or at most 13 players should qualify (2 from stage 1 SM group, 1 from each stage 1 M groups, so 4 in total from stage 1, added to the winners of stage 2 groups, 3 in total).
According to the stage 2 results, I added one co-winner (best TER) from each stage 2 groups + the next best TER cowinner (3rd in his group).
Total : 11 players (good luck everyone!)
Thibault de Vassal (2023-08-10 00:10:24)
FIDE BANS KARJAKIN
Unfortunately, and I find it quite sad myself, everything is politics (at some point at least).
In my opinion, deciding to attack a country, collaterally killing thousands of russian & ukrainian people (to "save" how many? [if it was really the purpose]), while hoping there will not be any other collateral consequences by arguing that sport, trading, culture & so on should not be politicized is surely not realistic. Of course this war was about culture, trading & even sport long time before to bring russian tanks in Ukraine.
The fact that Karjakin is supporting this russian invasion (consequently banning himself) seems very secondary here...
Farewell (or not).
Juri Eintalu (2023-08-09 22:29:42)
FIDE BANS KARJAKIN
I have not made any political posts on the Forum.
Quite to the contrary: I have criticized politicizing sports.
I am shocked by the answers I received from Garvin Gray and Thibault de Vassal. I do not think their comments exemplify a civilized discussion. The problem is that they are not arbitrary chess players but chess organizers. I conclude that rational discussion with those who support politicizing chess is impossible.
I had already forgotten the FICGS server, but now I have received a notification that someone has commented on my old post.
Bogoljub Teverovski announces on 09 August 2023:
"A self-ban of karjakin continues"
No hints have been made about what event he is talking about—no references, links, or explanations.
I can only understand that Bogoljub regards the FIDE ban on Karjakin as a Karjakin's SELF-ban.
Let me add that 1 e2-e4 is the initial move of the Queen's gambit, and 1 Ng1-f3 is the most popular opening in checkers.
I am logging out from the FICGS not to receive any notifications anymore.
Thibault de Vassal (2023-07-27 19:06:48)
FIDE rating change proposal
Maybe you heard about this strange proposal made by a mathematician to make FIDE ratings (<2000) more coherent against some deflation...
http://en.chessbase.com/post/fide-seeks-proposals-rating-changes
http://www.chess.com/news/view/fide-mathematician-proposes-changes-to-improve-rating-accuracy
I'm somewhat doubtful about this idea to change some data rather than the algorithm, what do you think?
Thibault de Vassal (2023-07-27 18:47:42)
Next Ficgs World Championship Tournament
Poker WCH : 19 players in the list... 2 missing
Go WCH : 8 players in the list... 1 missing
Let's be patient, it shouldn't last much.
Thibault de Vassal (2023-07-06 18:10:05)
Next Ficgs World Championship Tournament
It will start today, but not all stage 2 tournaments can start yet.
Thibault de Vassal (2023-07-05 03:11:05)
GUI for Big Chess?
I guess it must be possible... Actually this may be a good idea for regular chess games as well.
Thibault de Vassal (2023-07-05 03:08:35)
allport_misha: Withdrawal from 2023 CWC
If you cannot play, there will be a replacement.
My very best wishes, Thibault
Thibault de Vassal (2023-05-27 03:36:48)
Problem players.
Hello Pavel, please send a private message to me mentioning the tournaments you think about... I'll have a look at it. Many thanks in advance.
Thibault de Vassal (2023-04-01 19:25:23)
Chess & Go in TV shows
Thanks for the tip Gregory!
Thibault de Vassal (2023-03-31 22:52:44)
RUSSIA AND BELARUS NOT SUSPENDED?
Sorry if I quoted you wrongly... Could you specify?
Yes, first you were talking about wether FIDE and ICCF decisions were justified, but our discussion went on the global case:
you said (quote):
"If country A starts a war against country B, the relevant question is whether that war is justified or unjustified, whether it is a war of aggression or, instead, the attacker has the right to do so. "
"You argue that any context should be analysed in-depth, but you fail to hint at why Russia should be punished and the US should not."
So let's separate discussions: one is about FIDE/ICCF decisions, the other one is about war & its justifications.
About ICCF, I am not aware of a process to ban the russian team just after the invasion, I'm not sure what it means as well... does this mean that the russian team should have played under a neutral banner (that could be understandable), or does this mean that the whole team (every player) was banned?
I have no problem to talk about US war crimes in these countries... if you read my post again, there is a link to a page that deals with it.
I have no problem to talk about war crimes commited by Ukraine as well. There were war crimes for sure. There are proofs of that.
Questions remain: how many, for what aim... Everything will be analyzed.
My additional questions were not provocative, these are real questions to better understand your point of view. But I did not understand your answer (or you did not answer ?!)
Feel free to continue the discussion, you're welcome.
Thibault de Vassal (2023-03-31 20:52:24)
RUSSIA AND BELARUS NOT SUSPENDED?
Few questions more, just curious:
1- Would you like your country (Estonia, I guess) to rejoin Russia's federation (under Putin's regime)?
2- What would you think if russian speaking people in Estonia wanted to cut it in two parts, to make an independant republic that will obviously join Russia's federation?
3- What would you think if Russia's argument to make war to Estonia (destroying many cities) was that there are nazis in Estonia who fight separatists? (I guess that there are nazis in Estonia just like everywhere... and obviously they would be quite happy to fight against separatists)
Thibault de Vassal (2023-03-31 16:56:17)
RUSSIA AND BELARUS NOT SUSPENDED?
Hello Juri,
Thanks for taking time to develop...
I agree that justification is the (never easy) key.
After thinking about it, I may also agree that it is possible in a certain measure to compare russians ignorance during Ukraine's war to americans ignorance during Iraq's war. A difference is that Russia's government acts like a dictator (russians are condemned as soon as they show against this war)
I do agree that US should probably be punished for some wars (at least for the the announced reasons and what actually happened - number of civil deaths, etc.), by an International Court of Justice.
On this topic:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_the_Iraq_War
I quite agree that the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq were aggressions 'stricto sensu', but...
- I cannot agree that the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq were similar to what happens in Ukraine. The aim was probably partly oil-related but AFAIK it was not to introduce separatism, it was not to annex territories, it was not to spread a dictatorship, it was not to force people to change their culture & national identity (but yes, this may happen in Ukraine just like it happens in Russia, for the same reasons)...
- Saddam Hussein was a true & violent dictator who was probably a reason enough to move his regime, just like it is the case with talibans, IMHO.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saddam_Hussein
It seems to me that it is very possible to justify to fight &/or to remove some dictatorships.
Russia should obviously be punished for many reasons:
- Annexion of territories (that has no nothing to do with their nazis justifications... their argument is mainly "history").
- Numerous crimes of war (that will be documented)
Finally, there are nazis quite everywhere, even in France. The question is "how many" and what do they do? The Russia's argument does not try to be subtle or precise on this matter, it just looks like "europeans turned nazi cause Europe helps Ukraine", right?
Juri Eintalu (2023-03-31 09:09:17)
RUSSIA AND BELARUS NOT SUSPENDED?
To Thibault de Vassal:
Thank you for taking a look at my open letter on Medium.
“... isn’t it a bit short to compare Russia’s war in Ukraine to what happened in Afghanistan, Iraq or Serbia? (that are quite different cases by the way, involving different groups of countries)”
If country A starts a war against country B, the relevant question is whether that war is justified or unjustified, whether it is a war of aggression or, instead, the attacker has the right to do so.
By now, it is a piece of common knowledge that the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq were wars of aggression.
Chess organisations FIDE and ICCF have punished Russian chess organisations for the Russian invasion of Ukraine while not punishing the US chess organisations for the US invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. FIDE and ICCF have not presented any comprehensive analyses about how justified or unjustified some of those wars are. You are turning the burden of proof around and accusing me of not delivering the arguments that FIDE and ICCF had to present.
“It seems that most russians in Russia still support this war (“special op”) while everyone ignored the truth about those weapons in Irak (in example). Any context should be analysed in depth IMHO.”
Excuse me, but I cannot follow what you are trying to say.
You argue that any context should be analysed in-depth, but you fail to hint at why Russia should be punished and the US should not. Your only fact mentioned, “everyone ignored the truth about those weapons in Irak”, remains mysterious. I do not understand in what context you are saying this.
We know already for ten years that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction.
Concerning your other remarks, I make only one reply. We know that there are saliently some Nazis in Ukraine.
Here, on the chess forum, I technically cannot answer in detail to your several remarks that, in my mind, are all somewhat inexact or vague.
Thibault de Vassal (2023-03-30 21:52:40)
RUSSIA AND BELARUS NOT SUSPENDED?
Extract from your open letter:
"Second, this decision was discriminatory and selective. For example, US correspondence chess players were not punished for the fact that the US had started wars in Afghanistan, Iraq or Serbia.
Well, many can agree that some US representatives should be judged for what looks like obvious lies but isn't it a bit short to compare Russia's war in Ukraine to what happened in Afghanistan, Iraq or Serbia? (that are quite different cases by the way, involving different groups of countries)
It seems that most russians in Russia still support this war ("special op") while everyone ignored the truth about those weapons in Irak (in example). Any context should be analyzed in depth IMHO. Would you accept to play chess with players from a country that just completely destroyed yours and who think at -randomly- 80% probability that it was a good thing (and incidentally that you are a nazi)?
Here, players from Russia & Belarus can still play chess under a neutral flag partly because I can't filter players geographically (I know russians who left their country because they are against this war) but this remain a complex question that depends on many things.
Thibault de Vassal (2023-03-21 04:49:08)
Chess Cup-1st Stage
Finally... I was waiting for the last game ending :) It should start today. It will be a (very) big tournament.
Thibault de Vassal (2023-02-05 20:53:53)
Advertising a win or a draw with 7th or
You found the right way (email or any way to contact webmaster)...
As of January 2023, rule is :
"11. 5. Adjudications
In some cases, the game continues but the result is obvious.
If time control is superior to 1 day and if a player doesn't want to resign (or accept draw) and obviously last the game, his opponent may report to referee a first time. If the player takes 30 days more to finish the game, his opponent may call referee another time, then the game will be adjudicated. An analysis submitted by a player should contain sufficient information so that no doubt is possible. This may include a sequence of moves, but in some circumstances it may be sufficient to claim a win or a draw on the basis of material or positional advantage. Final decision belongs to referee."
Thibault de Vassal (2023-01-02 03:19:59)
World Cup
I was almost ok on this one... but penalties was against my guess. Congrats Argentina!
Thibault de Vassal (2023-01-02 03:18:49)
poker reflection time
The prize is the one specified in the WCH waiting list page at the time it is awarded... it never changed so far so it will be 100 epoints.
Wow, different matter but I realize I never took the time to made the change discussed before. Thanks for the reminder.
Thibault de Vassal (2022-11-30 22:12:10)
I did not win a game since 3 years
Of course, it is rarely played (and maybe you count thematic tournaments)... but the aim is to find complex lines that decrease the rate of draws, right?
Thibault de Vassal (2022-11-30 00:59:29)
I did not win a game since 3 years
Did anyone "calculate" what opening leads to the lowest rate of draws in engines tournaments? (or Stockfish vs. Stockfish)
Thibault de Vassal (2022-11-30 00:51:58)
I did not win a game since 3 years
I still believe that Traxler counter attack could bring really good matches, tournaments & championships :)
Thibault de Vassal (2022-11-24 21:35:37)
World Cup
You probably mean Soccer / Football world cup? :)
I'll go for France ^^
Thibault de Vassal (2022-11-22 02:33:19)
I did not win a game since 3 years
By the way, the title would be:
"I did not win a game for 3 years"
Anyway, the topic is interesting... and tough!
Thibault de Vassal (2022-11-22 02:31:19)
I did not win a game since 3 years
Voilà un débat qui pourrait être intéressant...
Stanislas' message in english:
"I've been playing on this computer-assisted site for 15 years. Fifteen years ago to win a game you had to use several analysis programs depending on the game phases. I seem to remember that Hiarcs was better in the final than the other programs. Until a few years ago, it was possible to find fortresses that resisted the onslaught of the adversary, even when my program told me that I had lost. But it's been 3 years since I only won against players who played without the help of the computer or who made a mistake when playing their move. What I would like is that a solution be found to restore interest in the game by correspondence."
Thibault de Vassal (2022-10-30 21:39:28)
What about this position?
In such case, anyone can call the referee, but the game can continue during one more month even if it is proven that the win (or draw) is forced.
There are 100 results for de Vassal in wikichess.
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