18 May 2017

Bright Colors of Grand Prix

Boris Dolmatovsky’s photographic impressions from the FIDE Grand Prix leg in Moscow 

Women

It goes without saying women are the beauty of our life, the chess part of it being no exception to that. However, the overwhelming majority of female spectators remain invisible to us while quietly watching games on their home screens. This said, let's take a closer look at those who are in our plain view. They fill a tournament hall’s black and white colors with their beauty, grace, and bright colors of their clothes. Their professionalism is indisputable, movements impeccable, pictures interesting and unforgettable.

Just have a closer look at how the photojournalists Eteri Kublashvili, Maria Emelianova and Anastasiya Karlovich go about their work. Their photos are widely known around the chess world; they are published abroad in the leading chess magazines. Their English is impeccable, smiles charming, behavior correct... They are good judges of chess. Besides, video broadcasts, watched around the world, are also run by a woman – grandmaster Anna Burtasova.

The tournament's jewel, however, is a four-time World Champion Hou Yifan. Men are often seen giving her flowers during the tournament.

This is not surprising at all that many representatives of the stronger sex look forward to being photographed with female reporters. Editor in Chief of "64" and Chesspro.ru Maksim Notkin is among them.

Meanwhile, the volunteer girls root for their idols with a lot of emotions. Ernesto Inarkiev is one of them.

 

Photography

Sergei Yesenin "Sunrise” (fragment)

 

When a ray shoots back,

By the sky rejected,

He takes a welcome hug instead

From his fellow replacement.


Hit by a golden light

The earth is as bright as snow.

Stretching far beyond sight

Is the blue sky’s plateau.

 

There is no any sacred meaning behind my choosing this particular poem by Sergei Yesenin. This is perhaps because everyone has to say a lot about the sun, not just a poet! Meanwhile, light is known to be everything for a photographer. The Greek word photography, after all, stands for the art of recording with light.

On the other hand, the current Grand Prix participants have had no luck with the sunny weather as it either rains or snows... All in all, it is all about cold. There were only a few warm days. Chess players do not play outdoors, however, but it would be so nice to take a walk to the tournament venue through a beautiful Moscow warmed by a gentle sun. How much joy it gives you to go back home from a game when the warm May breeze congratulates you on a successfully completed mission. Naturally, nothing will please your eye when you lose.

The sun has been a rare guest into the tournament hall so far. When it happens, though, it enables taking pictures, which I now offer to your attention.