Radical Chess Coverage Plans Revealed
With the 2013 Candidates Tournament reaching its conclusion in London today, the full extent of future plans for coverage of major events in the World Chess Championship cycle have been revealed.
The organisational rights for the World Chess Championship and associated qualifying events belong to AGON, headed by technology entrepreneur Andrew Paulson.
The "Chesscasting" system used in the coverage of the London Candidates Tournament is just the start of a raft of new ideas to modernise the coverage of chess to appeal to a broader audience.
The Chesscasting metrics used during the Candidates have simply been derived from the computer engine's evaluation of the position, into these factors:
- Material
- King Safety
- Pawn Structure
- Mobility
London Candidates coverage showing the position evaluation broken down into factors
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However, in future events, the players will be wired up to take biometric measurements as well. These should include:
- Blood Pressure
- Pulse
- Skin Resistivity (sweating)
Ultimately the plan is to track eye movements as well, so the audience can tell where the players are looking! Chesscasting's motto is "making the invisible, visible". They're not kidding!
Of course, the organisers will need the approval of the players concerned for this sort of testing, and some may not be happy to have their vital functions measured during a game. So whether such biometric testing becomes a standard part of the internet coverage remains to be seen.
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Andrew Paulson photo by Ray Morris-Hill.
