Tips & Etiquette for Asking for an Autograph at London Chess Classic

Hello everyone, it's the first time I'm going to attend to a super tournament tomorrow (London Chess Classic), and 3 people that I deeply admire will be there, namely Kramnik, Anand and Judit Polgar. I desperately want to have their autographs, but I have no idea if it is possible to even approach the players, when and where to do that, etc.

Has anyone here been to the London Classic before? I don't want to impose anything or cause the slightest the inconvenience for the players or the organizers, so I would appreciate anyone to share their experiences about this. How to do this, when and where? Do players just dissappear after the game immediately or is there some place they hang around for a little where the press and fans can approach and talk to them?

Just a guess, but it's probably easier after a win. :)

While they are playing chess walk up to them and (ignoring their looks of rage) calmly ask for an autograph.

In other words, I have no idea.

Are you actually playing in any of the various competitions there, or just going to watch? If you are playing yourself, there's a possibility that the top players might sometimes use the same analysis facilities as everyone else. Watching them analysing their game might be a decent chance to ask for an autograph, as well as a great learning opportunity. I'm sure they won't mind, chess players are usually quite down-to-earth. Also, it might help if you have a book they've written and tell them how wonderful it is and ask them to sign it, could help massage their ego...!

Failing that, a friend of mine is playing in the women's section (Olivia Smith), I'm sure she'll be happy to give you an autograph

Indeed :)

Just some common etiquette things:

• have a pen or marker (for signatures on your chess board!) in hand ready to hand over
• Don't shove it in their face, wait till they ask and politely hand it over
• Don't try to have a big long conversation, get signature and thank them, but don't tie them up (other fans are waiting too!)
• Do introduce yourself and thank them for inspiring you
• Say "Please" and "Thank You."
• Don't interrupt them
• Don't bother them if they're with their family

Philidor - Its really relaxed. I have been to the Chess Classic twice.

Last year Kasparov was there doing a book signing. He signed my book.

Then Magnus Carlson walked by, so I asked him, and then Vishy Anand.

So now I have Kasparov's book with three signatures..

They did not seem to mind and were very pleasant. 

I did not see anyone else asking for autographs though. Maybe if everyone did it they might not be so pleasant.

you are lucky :(

I know, I was practically fainting after I shook Kasparov's hand..

He fainted too Ruby. He told me so

Did he Bron? Maybe that was after the Security Guard took me away.... 

Thanks to all the suggestions! Just thought I should give an update on what happened, in case someone wants to ask a similar question and searches the forums.

Here's what happened: I was targeting mainly three people, Polgar, Kramnik and Anand. My first hunt was on Polgar, but unfortunately she lost her game on the round I was there. Apparently it's much more difficult to get an autograph when that happens, they walk off more quickly and less people gather around them, I guess it's a reasonable etiquette.

I was, however, successful with Kramnik and Anand. After they go over the game in the analysis room with the audience and walk into the main hall to leave the building, a lot of fans gather around them, and they do kindly spend a few minutes if they have not lost the game. That is how I managed to approach them both, when I chased them they were already stopped by others, standing and signing.

I got Kramnik's, Anand's and Aronian's autographs, and uttered a few words like "I'm a huge fan, you're a great inspiration for me, this means a lot to me, thank you very much" etc. to all (which were absolutely true), and the warmest response was from Aronian. He was very polite, he smiled, said "thanks I appreciate that," or something close.

I was kind of surprised by Kramnik's and Anand's rather indifferent response. They just nodded and didn't say anything, or maybe just murmured a small thanks or something without any eye contact. That was the first time that I realised these guys are extremely rich, extremely high profile proffessionals and they act like it. But I understand, this happens to them every round, every tournament, so many times a year, and their minds are loaded from the game that has just finished.

PLUS, when I left the building, I stopped to try to locate myself in the map on my phone , and I saw Kramnik walk out too, by himself! He just passed right in front of me. I could in fact stalk him and maybe force a small chat with him or something like that but fortunately I'm not a crazy person and didn't want to bother him at all. I just said good night and he nodded back and swiftly walked away.

BTW, the book that I most enjoyed in my life and that inspired me most is From London to Elista, (stories and analysis about Kramnik's world championships), I collect extracts of every interview of these guys in a text file that has now become huge, I post pictures of them on my facebook etc. So that's how important these autographs are for me. I keep them in my diary like a teenager!

First of all, seems like you're back posting. That's good to see. It was interesting to hear your personal experiences of the players. Anand and Kramnik almost ignored you? lol. I guess they're just used to being admired by chess fans so another person admiring them doesn't necessarily mean that much to them? :D

I'm sure I'd be like a groupie too if I even came close to meeting these guys. Barring that, I can only talk of them in the total abstract, with no real experience of them at all. I would imagine that now you have a much better idea of their "true" personality now that you have actually experienced them instead of just watching them or listening to interviews?

It just struck to me that the 2 coldish of the 3 have worn the crown. I think that might be a factor, WCs instantly get drained in publicity. They make up 99.9% of the chess coverage of mainstream media, they *are* chess for the great majority of the public, so probably some random fan's inspired approach has lost its magical spark for them. So I wouldn't say I saw their "true" personality, it would be wrong to judge them on a 10 second interaction which has understandably turned into something monotonous and mechanical for them. But still, it was something that I hadn't anticipated. 

Ha!  I was just browsing through your player page and discovered this post.  I wrote something very similar here:

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-players/proper-etiquette-and-autographs-with-gms-at-2018-pro-chess-league-finals