Players bat for spectators in chess but with caveats

Las Vegas & Riyadh showed there is appetite for marketing game

- SWAROOP SWAMINATHAN @Chennai

AT the chess World Championship in Singapore, one senior journalist was asked to leave the arena because 'you keep talking'. At Norway Chess, casual fans had to keep exiting the arena to understand if games were about to finish. They had access to live boards but of course the eval bar was switched off. At the ongoing Chennai Grand Masters, a ticketed event, the priciest ones set you back ₹3500 (VIP ticket) to watch Sagar Shah and his guests discuss games in real time. The eval bar is available on tap. They are also allowed full time access to the playing hall but sans phones. To see them, first, they will have to deposit their mobile phones, walk through a corridor before entering the playing hall. There, they will again be asked to 'maintain silence'.

It's basically one of chess' biggest quirks. You pay for the privilege of watching the world's best but you won't be allowed to behave like a normal match-going fan. If you like to shout, chess may not be the game for you. For decades, the game's organisers have been fine with this attitude. With respect to noise from inside the playing hall, it's like Wimbledon on steroids in terms of decorum and etiquette.