Author: Larry Proffer
Date: 02:46:09 05/03/01
Go up one level in this thread
On May 02, 2001 at 11:41:29, Mogens Larsen wrote: >On May 02, 2001 at 07:50:10, Larry Proffer wrote: > >>Sounds right but muddled ordering gives a wrong impression. >> >>BGN wanted to make a Kramnik-program match. >> >>BGN wanted a pre-program match to generate publicity and interest. >> >>BGN do not know much about computer chess and they came from a particular >>direction that led them to first Ossi, and then Chessbase. >> >>Ossi didn't want any competition for 'his' program. 100% win chance. >> >>Chessbase wanted their programs in but no others. Win chances increased. >> >>Chessbase proposed using Enrique as 'Linares of Computer Chess' organiser. >> >>Somehow SSDF became involved. >> >>Enrique made a deal to autoplay the tournament and was told which programs would >>be in. He didn't choose anything. >> >>The choice of programs effectively became Chessbase's. BGN just relyed on what >>they were advised and were not too bothered which programs competed. >> >>Chessbase, as a result of being cooperative with BGN, with thanks to the Ossi >>temper tantrum, got a very attractive deal - a 100% winning chance before the >>event. > >That sounds like a very plausible explanation. The correspondance between >Enrique and Rebel was essentially pointless, since he didn't seem to have any >influence on the arrangement except running the actual match. This is, as yet, unclear. Ed and Christophe are making a lot of noises that Enrique did have power. Enrique has not properly confirmed or denied. Reading those texts in the public domain does seem to suggest that the final contenders to play was still open while Enrique and Ed and Ossi were still 'discussing'. If the contract had already been signed with Chessbase and specifically excluded other competitors, apart from the self-destructing Ossi, then it would have been completely unacceptable of Enrique to have been apparently 'negotiating' a already closed deal with Ed and Christophe. So unacceptable, I can't believe he would have been doing it and, at the same time, CC-ing to Thoralf and Bertil of SSDF. It would look very bad on Enrique if it subsequently came out that the deal was closed. How could he have trusted SSDF not to have blown his cover while he 'toyed' with Ed? A pre-signed and sealed exclusion contract doesn't make sense. Ed also quoted Keene as suggesting it sounded ok for Rebel to participate. That also doesn't suggest a pre-signed and sealed exclusion contract. Therefore, I don't believe it was a closed deal at that time. I'm just surprised >that he would participate in such a scam. Not a closed deal, therefore not a pretend-to-negotiate scam. > >The involvement of SSDF was apparently an attempt to give it an aura of >legitimacy. The reference to international computer rating lists, which don't >exist AFAIK, as a prerequisite for selection implies that conclusion. >Unfortunately, the attempt didn't work if you discount elements of the media. > >>This is all irrelevant anyway. Whether they had or didn't have SMP versions. > >Agreed. The one thing that bothers me is the pretense, ie. seemingly >contemplating the suggestion by Schröder and then finding a way to make it >impossible. Not that I supported the suggestion, but the deceit is disgusting >IMO. It is very difficult to resist the conclusion that Schroders programs (and others) were being deliberately kept out. The US 2 mn. contract with the Emir would not be under threat simply because they were still messing with playing the comp-comp prelims. They could have brought in more programs. They could have opened up a time window for it. There can't be some Emir-contract reason or a Kramnik-contract reason for stopping that. The Emir would like a 'clean' deal, and Kramnik is unlikely to care which prg he plays, he just wants to see the thing beforehand. Keene would prefer a clean deal to sit on, not a pile of shit. So the question is still there. Why didn't 'they', basically meaning Enrique, make some effort to find a way to open the competition up. Then they deal with the criticism and seem fair and reasonable people. Everybody benefits from a clean and above-board deal. The Emir, Keene, Enrique, Thoralf, Bertil, Kramnik. Apparently they would all benefit. Or? > >>Other programmers have strong SMP versions, possibly better than Fritz and >>Junior. > >Most likely. Both known SMP programs and experimental and/or secret versions. > >>The key to it is that all the other possible contenders were simply ignored. > >That would be true as well. They were never looking for SMP programs beyond the >simplest possible solution, so offers and suggestions were pointless from the >start. The closed nature of the arrangement and the tight schedule illustrates >the intentions quite well. > I don't see it. The whole thing was in the hands of BGN. They have absolutely zero agenda to sit on a deal with that much controversy. They want the change from the 2mn US less 0.8mn fee to Kramnik with maximum PR benefit and minimum fuss. There was no advantage whatsoever to BGN to be excluding programs, especially when they could see the aggravation it was making. Enrique was advising them (also Bertil), from Enrique's CC-list also possibly Thoralf. What was the advice, and why? What did they, as the brought in impartial experts, represent? >Regards, >Mogens
This page took 0.01 seconds to execute
Last modified: Thu, 15 Apr 21 08:11:13 -0700
Current Computer Chess Club Forums at Talkchess. This site by Sean Mintz.