How much is a GM´s name worth? 50$ perhaps?

[Javier]

Last night I was reading about the Rybka 3 - Roman Dzindzichashvili match, and I have to be honest with you: what I read MADE ME SICK.

The article, published on the chessbase site, is a pathetic piece of publicity trash. Yes, TRASH.

 

I'm pretty sure Rybka can beat many GMs at rapid chess and even slow chess, I have no doubts about its strength (although potential buyers should remember that any old version of Fritz will beat them, so you really have to question whether you really need the latest versions of these programs, which are not cheap).

 

But this is not the point. First of all, I find some of the things it says a little manipulative:

 

"GM Roman Dzindzichashvili (FIDE 2548, but at one time among the world’s top ten and still extremely strong in blitz and rapid chess"

 

I'm sure Roman is still really good, and I hope I can have a fresh mind like that at his age, but why is it that they "forget" to mention that he's 64 years old?.

 

When you read on, you find this:

 

"The match was broadcast on Playchess.com. It took place at my home in Potomac, Maryland USA (near Washington D.C.). “Dzindzi” received a small fee plus $50 per point scored, so he was playing not only for pride."

 

WHAT??? 50$??? WOW!!! You guys should be ASHAMED of yourself for trying to cash in on Dzindzichashvili's reputation for just... 50 DIRTY DOLLARS??? For God's shake, a copy of the program itself costs more than 100 bucks!

How can you say that "he was not only playing for pride".

On second thoughts, you are bloody right, he was not playing for pride because if he had any, he probably lost it when you offered that MISERABLE amount. You hear me? MISERABLE AMOUNT. MISERABLE.

 

By the way, Mr. Larry Kaufman, have guts and tell us what the "small fee" was. 100? 200?

 

The truly disgusting point of all this is that the whole thing shows how much you guys think that a GM's name is worth. Sadly, it is not very much...

[Guest Brett-T]

 

What a ridiculous amount of money to be paid per point in an event.

Surely any event Dzindzi plays in, he would recieve more to play.

 

Its such a lopsided match anyway. The computer gives pawn odds so right from the word go the challenger is under more pressure to win the game.

 

Also the quicker the game the more chance the human challenger has of stuffing up. The human can lose on time which a computer cant do! Computers also dont make simple blunders which players are more prone to make in such a short period of time.