Promising moves on TV
CHENNAI, November 21, 2013
Updated: November 21, 2013 23:42 IST
WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2013
This was always expected to be the most followed World chess championship ever. What wasn’t expected was that the television coverage would attract so many eyeballs, around the world.
“I have been producing television coverage for more than 25 years and have covered all the World championships since 2000, but I too am surprised by the reach of this match,” says Vijay Kumar, the man in charge of the much-appreciated live chess show from the venue.
“DD Sports, which airs all the games live, is available in 48 countries, in many of which there is a huge interest for chess, and we are also providing the visuals to channels in Russia and Norway.”
Because the organisers have decided to make available the full television coverage on the Internet — not only on the official website (chennai2013.fide.com) but also on YouTube — it has ensured that one need not be in front of the television.
“Millions have been watching the game on our website and we have ensured enough servers for uninterrupted coverage,” says Bharat Singh Chauhan, CEO, All India Chess Federation. “I think one of the reasons the coverage has succeeded is because our commentators have made the game easier to follow.”
Grandmasters Susan Polgar (former women’s World champion) and R.B. Ramesh, and International Masters Lawrence Trent and Tania Sachdev are the regular commentators.
“Polgar is very experienced as a player and Trent is a fine broadcaster. We roped in Ramesh and Tania as the two Indian voices,” says Vijay. “Tania also provides the glamour element, which we need for television.”
The commentators have become overnight celebrities. One can see them signing autographs and posing for photographs with fans outside the studio at the venue. Tania saw her followers on Twitter have gone up from 40-odd to close to 2500 during the course of the match. “My followers too went up by more than a thousand, I guess,” says Trent.
Vijay feels the World championship has proved that chess had possibilities on television. “When I was requested by the organisers to cover chess for television, I was told them it had no scope on television,” he says. “I am happy to have been proved wrong. I would have been happier had Anand won today and made a match of it.”
Source: http://www.thehindu.com
I enjoyed the commentary.. Ok Tanya was bit loud at times.. Ramesh for his first stint was A+ .. measured voice.. Trent, i have his DVDs and I think he always put his best effort.. Susan is the boss..Overall Chennai WC gave a boost to chess. Yeah, Team Carlsen would have found out there was no need for cooks and doctors..NONE of the foreign contigent fell sick..
It was great.
The commentary was great. I only know the way chess pieces move, my iPhone beats me with a “1400 Elo” (I don’t know how accurate this is). And yet, I felt that to some degree I was following the complexities and depth of a World Championship.
Some people complained on Twitter because the commentary was “too basic”. But it was worthwhile losing that audience to gain the wider audience.
People watch football or tennis even if they don’t play. It is hard to generate the same engagement from non-chess players, but the commentary helped in that direction.
The commentary was great. I only know the way chess pieces move, my iPhone beats me with a “1400 Elo” (I don’t know how accurate this is). And yet, I felt that to some degree I was following the complexities and depth of a World Championship.
Some people complained on Twitter because the commentary was “too basic”. But it was worthwhile losing that audience to gain the wider audience.
People watch football or tennis even if they don’t play. It is hard to generate the same engagement from non-chess players, but the commentary helped in that direction.