Wesley So resigned after 6 moves

+Silentknighte5, cheating is a harsh word for So's forfeit. I think the rule about taking note was and is unclear to him.

"In a report on chess.com, Chief Arbiter Tony Rich said that So was writing encouraging sentences in a paper underneath his score sheet. So's opponent, GM Varuzhan Akobian, complained that the act distracted him."

More from: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/468826/sports/othersports/chess-pinoy-gm-wesley-so-loses-by-forfeit-for-doodling-during-match 

Here's another quote from Garry Kasparov:

"It is always fighting chess, something which I am sure everyone enjoys. It seems to me that Hikaru is winning, which is as expected.  

Though I am afraid that the championship might be remembered for a very sad accident in the 9th round, but hopefully it will not overshadow a great event. 

I don't want to judge the decisions made by Tony Rich becauser I understand they followed the rules. But the very fact that a bunch of idiots in FIDE created such rules tells you everything about that organisation.

I thought that, for instance, I could have been disqualified in every game, because I used to take notes of my time for each move. I think many players of my generation did it. I think it's quite amazing that now chessplayers should learn more about the rules, that are changed against them, than about opening preparation, because you can be disqualified by some stupid rule, invented by a bunch of senile idiots."  

No.  Story was Akobian was distressed and didn't want ref to forfeit game.  He just wanted to stop the note taking.   Akobian began to offer the ref a coupon good for two nights lodging at a nearby hot springs if he'd back off on how harshly to sanction So but as he began to offer the coupons he realized he was getting the stinkeye from the official so pretended he was digging in his pockets for his chapstick and just happened to haul out the coupons.  Also, someone said when So picked up on the fact Akobian was about to offer a bribe he gave him a fierce head shake when the officials attention was distracted for a moment.  So manned up and he wouldn't approve of people being so hard on Akobian, after all he said, "I know the rules I just didn't think these pussies would enforce it."   

I know being good at chess doesn't mean you're smart.

But I can't think of Wesely So as a stupid person.

I'm guessing this is the closest to the truth.

1. During play the players are forbidden to use any notes, sources of information or advice, or analyse any game on another chessboard.

AS NICE AS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR HIM NOT TO BE FORFITTED, HE WAS FORFIETTED AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WE NOR WESLEY CAN DO ABOUT IT EVEN AFTER HIS APPEAL FOR RATING POINTS WAS REJECTED. ALL YOU CAN DO NOW IS HOPE HE PLAYS HIS BEST AT GASHIMOV MEMORIAL AND HAS A PERFORMANCE SIMILAR TO TATA STEEL 2105

Reading those options the arbiter had, it does seem like Tony Rich chose the worst and most inappropriate course of action.

Will he take notes at the next tournament though which Tony Rich won't be at?  That will be an indication whether he knows it was wrong or not.  If he feels there was an injustice, then he should feel quite comfortable taking notes with a different arbiter then.  If not, then he knows "they" are for real.

It's not "wrong". It's against the rules.

"and their interpretation can be arbitrary"

Yes, they can be quite "arbiterary", get it?  Arbiter, arbitrary?

xD

This is one of the key differences between correspondence and live chess. Another is that it is acceptable to research the opening using books, databases, and other sources in correspondence. Pointing out that there are differences between correspondence and live chess rules is pretty much irrelevant to the discussion of GM So's actions.

Here's another quote from Garry Kasparov:

"It is always fighting chess, something which I am sure everyone enjoys. It seems to me that Hikaru is winning, which is as expected.  

Though I am afraid that the championship might be remembered for a very sad accident in the 9th round, but hopefully it will not overshadow a great event. 

I don't want to judge the decisions made by Tony Rich becauser I understand they followed the rules. But the very fact that a bunch of idiots in FIDE created such rules tells you everything about that organisation.

I thought that, for instance, I could have been disqualified in every game, because I used to take notes of my time for each move. I think many players of my generation did it. I think it's quite amazing that now chessplayers should learn more about the rules, that are changed against them, than about opening preparation, because you can be disqualified by some stupid rule, invented by a bunch of senile idiots."  

 This said it all, I rather take the word of ex-world champion than a really stupid rule of FIDE; Rich totally wrong and handled iy badly, the best decision was to forfeited the coward Akopian, that is better decision. :) Super grandmaster Wesley So would of given Akopian a good beating, that is real reason for such a coward act from Akopian, afraid to lost to GM. So.

"Super grandmaster Wesley So would of given Akopian a good beating, that is real reason for such a coward act from Akopian, afraid to lost to GM. So."

First, it is Akobian with a "b", Akopian is a different player.

I agree with Kasparov's views, but they are not applicable here.  So didn't have to prepare for this rule to stop taking notes.  He was warned without any punishment initially.

In the long run, it's just one game.  Neither Akobian nor So will benefit or lose much.  You have to consistently win games.

You have to find meaning in your own life.  If what society deems as value is your only barometer, then I pity you.  Look at Professional as example.  See the insane amounts of money that is showered down on someone putting a ball into a hole.  

Think about all the wasted resources as a result of the billions of dollars that is poured into sports.  Imagine an Alien looking down on planet earth and seeing science, medicine, research and development neglected in favour of sports.  It so common today, that we all but take it for granted. 

In my mind sports should always be played on the Amateur level only.  Those that love the game, will continue to play the game.  Money has destroyed sports. 

You make some good points about sports there, the most popular sports seem to be more of a buisiness than a sport these days.

But the problem isn't necessarily limited to sports - look at some of our celebrities and you'll find many whose fame is hard to explain. Sure, some of them have actual skill at acting or singing/performing, but others clearly do not.

Scientists and medical researchers should be our superstars, not it-girls and their like...

The difference between So winning and losing that game may be the difference between qualifying and not qualifying for the Candidates tournament.

SmyslovFan you mean as far as qualifying for the world cup? 

The two highest rated players that have not qualified by a different method (Grand Prix, world cup, etc), will automatically qualify for the candidates tournament. It's very close at the top of the rating list right now, so it's very possible that losing a game that you would have won against a much lower rates player could make all of the difference. For example, last candidates tournament, Aronian and Karjakin qualified by rating. If Nakamura had been 8 points higher he would have qualified instead of Karjakin. Losing a game you would have won costs 10 Elo. Several great players are going to get left out of the next candidates tournament. Every point counts. Tony Rich is not helping U.S. chess.

If Tony Rich didn't do anything, then other players would want to write stuff also on their scoresheet.  Write the moves and nothing else.  This can't be hard for a top GM to understand.

I didn't say he shouldn't do anything. He had seven options to penalize So, and he chose poorly. The only worse choice was expelling him from the event.