Did you know...?

PeterDoggers

Updated: Aug 31, 2011, 2:50 AM | 0 | Chess Event Coverage

That the first edition of the Amber tournament had rapid and blitz games, and blitz was changed for blindfold starting from the second edition? That players like Ivanchuk, Kramnik and Topalov always ask for a bulletin after the round? That Peter and Sofi Leko are very good in table football?

Did you know...

...that the tournament has reached its 18th edition and Melody Amber herself will turn 18 in August this year?
...that the first edition had rapid and blitz games, and blitz was changed for blindfold starting from the second edition?
...that the blindfold games have always been played with computers, but during the first few years with desktop computers?
...that none of the players brought a second to Nice?
...that most of the players brought family to Nice (Aronian both of his parents, Karjakin his father, Topalov his girlfriend and brother...)?
...that Ivan Cheparinov arrived in Nice yesterday and doesn't want to be treated as a second?
...that Peter and Sofi Leko are very good at table football?
...that Loek van Wely will arrive as a guest in Nice tomorrow, and is mostly looking forward to beating Peter and Sofi at table football?
...that Vassily Ivanchuk has watched all of our videos, and really likes them?
...that every now and then your editor-in-chief still can't belief he's kibitzing moves together with John Nunn and Ljubomir Ljubojevic?
...that Ivanchuk has watched all of our videos, and really likes them?
...that we're sorry for repeating that one but think it's the coolest thing ever?
...that breakfast in the hotel is till 10:30 AM?
...that Anand and Ivanchuk usually arrive around 10:25?
...that Carlsen hasn't shown up for breakfast at all?
...that players like Ivanchuk, Kramnik and Topalov always ask for a bulletin after the round?
...that Peter Leko is thinking of buying a new computer for his opening preparation?
...that he really likes the Mac Book Pros that Macauley and yours truly are working on, but agrees they might be more useful for other things?
...that Anand didn't want to say anything about whether he used his Bonn preparation for his games against Kramnik today?
...that Kramnik immediately admitted that he was outprepared again?
...that Anand continued the nonsense by declaring that he hadn't prepared for his rapid game but instead preferred to watch Carlsen-Topalov in his hotel room?
...that Topalov wanted to see the Anand-Kramnik blindfold game just before he had to play himself, "to get in a good mood"?
...that we think we've spent enough time on the theme "Amber preparation" now?
... that we're looking forward to writing articles in regular format again?

Peter Doggers

Peter Doggers joined a chess club a month before turning 15 and still plays for it. He used to be an active tournament player and holds two IM norms. Peter has a Master of Arts degree in Dutch Language & Literature. He briefly worked at New in Chess, then as a Dutch teacher and then in a project for improving safety and security in Amsterdam schools. Between 2007 and 2013 Peter was running ChessVibes, a major source for chess news and videos acquired by Chess.com in October 2013. As our Director News & Events, Peter writes many of our news reports. In the summer of 2022, The Guardian’s Leonard Barden described him as “widely regarded as the world’s best chess journalist.”

Peter's first book The Chess Revolution is out now!

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