Cool Chess Arbiter at 13 - Nick Evans from Wales!

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,

The BBC has just put up this neat story: A 13-year-old boy from Swansea has passed a qualification to become a chess referee. Nick Evans who is also the under-14 Welsh chess champion, has already controlled events alongside experienced referees, known as arbiters. With his title he is now qualified to referee alone at both junior and senior levels. He started playing chess when he was seven years old and was taught the basics of the game by his grandfather.

Describing the role of an arbiter, Nick said: "He has to make sure people follow the rules properly. A bit like a referee in football or a referee in any other sport. "I decided I'd like to be an arbiter in January and arbited some tournaments for training, junior and adult tournaments across south Wales. I sat the exam just before I went to school at the start of September." He's going to be a real asset to the Welsh Chess Union in years to come”Kevin StaveleyWelsh Chess Union director Kevin Staveley, Welsh Chess Union director of Home Chess, said of Nick: "He's a brilliant player.

"As an arbiter he's got all the attributes you need. He's good at dealing with the public. He's going to be a real asset to the Welsh Chess Union in years to come."

Mr Staveley said it was unusual for someone so young to want to become a chess referee, especially as Nick was such a good player. He added that chess at junior level was becoming much popular after going through the doldrums about a decade ago.

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A chess arbiter's interesting view of the ongoing Candidates Matches in Kazan

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011

Hello everybody,

Chess arbiters are the silent and hard working people behind all these lovely chess tournaments that the rest of us enjoy so much. We seldom get around to thanking them or wondering how they view our intense battles on the board. 

Here is a very nice article by Alex McFarlane - one of three chess arbiters overseeing the candidates tournament in the Russian city of Kazan – the highest honour ever attained by any Scottish chess player or official. The winner of the elite eight-player knockout goes on to face world champion Vishy Anand in a match next year.
Alex talks about all the interesting stuff happening around in Kazan apart from the matches!!!

Some of these include:

• sniffer dogs and presence of military
• phone jamming stuff
• enthusiastic spectators almost coming to blows
• the 'historic' clock mess between Kramnik and Radjabov... and more.

One interesting observation by Alex McFarlane will make you smile:
The hotel seems to think I’m a chess player rather than an arbiter. On the first morning, my room was made up by 10am, but they now leave it until mid-afternoon. If it’s known that he’s with the chess, the assumption is that he will be in bed until midday.

Just a fun and nice article to read which you can access in full here.
Enjoy.

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From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com