Andrew Paulson

[John Fairbairn]

Possibly of interest to energetic organisers or, say, someone (Peter Shotwell?) looking for speakers at a future seminar...

The man who is now in entrepreneurial charge of the FIDE Grand Prix for chess, Andrew Paulson, has given an interview of about 5,000 words for the latest issue (September 2012 of the British paper magazine "Chess". In it, he reveals that he has played go avidly, and says "It is a sublime game."

By my reading of events, chess players were very sniffy when Paulson took on the FIDE contract, seeing it an another example of what they regard as Borat-like administration by previous FIDE partners, but Paulson loves to talk to (and interview) journalists and it seems he is winning them over. The various technical innovations he has planned have not kicked in yet in the current Grand Prix in London, but people seem to be convinced they will happen. When they do, they will include measuring the heart beats etc of not just players but of the audience (so no snogging in the back row, then?), but more impressive it seems to me are his plans for non-tehnical improvements. These include finding commentators with the sort of voice and presence of Harry Carey, Joe Buck or John Arlott, and it is telling that he understands the traditions of Test Match cricket and sipping Pimms - he attended Highgrove School in London. He is American and was educated in New Haven, so he obviously knows and understands the excellence of commentary teams and traditions there, too. He seems to see chess-spectating as akin to listening to baseball or cricket on a lazy afternoon in the company of a knowledgeable commentator with a voice like smooth brandy, but aided by all the latest whizz-bang technology. This is slow, traditional chess we are talking about, as well - not Mickey Mouse blitz games. A beguiling prospect, if it works, and clearly applicable to go.

Apart from his experiences on both sides of the Pond, Paulson's Yale degree was in French and he has made his fortune in Russia based on the media and the internet, so he clearly has a wide range of cultural and business experiences to draw on (he's even worked out how to make chess sound green!). If he succeeds in his chess venture, I'd be amazed if he did not turn his attention to go as well. The Far East is already in his sights for chess, of course. The chess circus will be taken there in 2015.

I have no idea whether he will succeed, but he seems to have made a promising start and has stated (and acted as if) he is giving this a long-term shot. In one area I do know well, I can at least say that he is - at long, long last, Hallelujah - an organiser who really understands journalism.

In addition to the interview, there is a summary of chess player statistics from a survey Paulson has commissioned from the polling organisation YouGov. Referring to these will be important for go organisers, too, I believe. The gist is that there is more chess activity beneath the surface than most people suppose, which means chess is (according to the CEO of M&C Saatchi Sports) the "sleeping giant" of the sports/entertainment world, and has the special and rare feature (maybe not applicabe to go) of being "untainted by previous branding".

[Phelan]

Interesting news, thanks!

To anyone (specifically english native speakers):

(he's even worked out how to make chess sound green!)

By "sound green", does john mean "sound economically viable"? I've never heard the phrase before, and googling doesn't help.

[jts]

I assumed John means "environmentally friendly". The green party, green jobs, green spaces, ....

[aokun]

Thanks for the post, John. Lots to think about and some to do.

Andy

[yoyoma]

A beguiling prospect, if it works, and clearly applicable to go.

How is this different from what Go has now with live TV channels such as baduktv? I guess the fact that it will be in English(?) and targeted at Western countries is the biggest difference?

[cyclops]

I assumed John means "environmentally friendly". The green party, green jobs, green spaces, ....

fresh, cool ?

[gowan]

As from Kermit: "It isn't easy being green"

[gogameguru]

Thanks for the news John.

It will be interesting to see where this goes and whether they hit on any successful ideas that we can pinch borrow.

One of things I've noticed with Asian Go broadcasts is that while basically all the commentators are pros who are more than capable of explaining the game, a lot of them don't seem to have much of an idea about how to work the audience. When you see one who does (Kim Seongryong is one example) the difference is startling.

[Javaness2]

He seems to have been broadsided by the Bulgarian Chess Federation, who have called in CAS.

The first event in London was devoid of any of the promised innovations, lets hope, assuming he survives the umbrella, that his future grand prix events bear more fruit.

[gowan]

Thanks for the news John.

It will be interesting to see where this goes and whether they hit on any successful ideas that we can pinch borrow.

One of things I've noticed with Asian Go broadcasts is that while basically all the commentators are pros who are more than capable of explaining the game, a lot of them don't seem to have much of an idea about how to work the audience. When you see one who does (Kim Seongryong is one example) the difference is startling.

One of the best go commentators for public go events was the late Nakayama Noriyuki 7p. His manner of presentation was entertaining in itself. A public commentator should, in my opinion, put on a good show, not just explain the moves. The baseball commentators referred to above all did this. They knew baseball but they weren't necesssarily good players or former players. In these sports situations the announcer has a colorful personality but there is a "color" man, usually a former good player, who explains the technicalities. In the best baseball broadcasts the announcer and the color man have an entertaining relationship between themselves, too.