The London Chess Classic, Day 2

I really don't remember being this nervous last year just before the event started.  In fact if I am honest, I was more nervous than when Eilidh and Euan were born.  That was more of an anticipation.  This is more raw terror.

Noon approaches.  Malcolm (the Big boss) approaches and asks if we can change the presentation so that when he mentions the death of John Lennon, a white board appears, when he mentions his Charity, Chess in Schools, a slide on that appears.  Sounds easy?  We also need it to roll seamlessly with the presentation we have already.  Quick think and I work out how to it.  Projector on extended mode (Windows 7 I love you) control on my screen and all is well.  Set up 2 presentations and launch the second when Malcolm starts speaking on topic.

It worked a treat:)  Unfortunately the next bit went horribly wrong.  Play starts and I am looking up at the huge projector screen from behind.  To my utmost horror, board 2. Luke McShane against Magnus Carlsen, the moves are not displaying!!

I am so grateful that a) I am an arbiter, b) I am quite good at opening theory c) We put webcams on boards 1 and 2 and d) I am at my best when you throw hand grenades at me.  Using a combination of all three (and a bit of the last one as well) I worked out the moves and we inputted them manually until  the board started behaving.

Panic over, now lets check on the other room.  In the festival hall, we have the Open and Ladies tournaments.  All games from the Ladies and the top 6 from the open are being broadcast, well they were until a one of the Ladies who shall rename nameless put a heavy handbag against the wall right onto a pivotal cable junction.  Murphy and his law stuck and despite considering a sacrifice to the Chess God, nothing could bring the Ladies tournament back.

I'll update later as the games finish

Time controls are a wonderful thing, they really make or break a player.  Today we saw the first (of hopefully many) shocks as the World Number 1, Magnus Carlsen  was beaten in 38 moves by Luke McShane.  If Vishy wins as his current position appears to be leading, we are going to be looking at the 4 winners playing the 4 losers tomorrow.

To complete the tales of woe, the server gave up in the middle of the games.  We are looking into what happened but preliminary analysis seems to be that ether one of the hamsters died or there are more people around the world who want to watch these matches than we thought.  I am trying to get detailed load information so I can work out how we are going to sort this one out.  Come to think of it, what is it always me who has to!