– Today’s event will remain as a very sad day in the history of the American Chess Championship. That’s what tournament referee Chris Bird writes on X after the incident that has shocked the chess community. SHOCKED: Head referee Chris Bird has been a chess referee for a number of years, but never experienced such behaviour. Photo: Lennart Ootes / Saint Louis Chess Club For in the fifth round of the American Championship last week, it completely boiled over for the 17-year-old American grandmaster Yoo. After losing to Fabiano Caruana, he picked up the scoring form and violently tore the slip and the form apart. It showed a video that was posted on X. But the mind did not calm down there. After he left the chess table, the 17-year-old is said to have hit a photographer from behind on his way out of the venue. news has been in contact with the Saint Louis Chess Club, which organized the tournament, which refers to an official statement sent out afterwards. TALENT: Christopher Yoo is considered one of the great American chess talents. He was only 14 years old when he became grandmaster. Photo: Lennart Ootes / Saint Louis Chess Club There they claim that Yoo hit the photographer who was immediately supervised after the incident. The police were reportedly called and referee Bird threw Yoo out of the tournament, which ends on Thursday. At X, Bird claims that the photographer did nothing wrong and that the blow was unprovoked. At the same time, he takes issue with those who claim the opposite. – It is sickening, and in my opinion just nonsense, to claim that Yoo was provoked. Stop it, he writes. – Shameful Yoo, who is ranked number 199 in the world and among only twelve participants in it, has not made a statement following the incident. news has sent a number of questions to Yoo, but has not yet received an answer. In a post on Facebook, however, the parents of Christopher Yoo have written that the 17-year-old is working on an apology, and will publish it when it is ready. – Like his parents, we are still in shock over the incident and wonder how we could have prevented this. As his father and chess parent, I feel a special responsibility for how this has affected an innocent photographer, my son and everyone this event has touched. I apologize profusely, writes Young-Kyu Yoo. Photo: Screenshot Facebook / Young-Kyu Yoo The parents write that they have never experienced anything like this before. They also write that they hope things go well with the female photographer, both physically and emotionally. – Christopher has no excuse for his behaviour. He is just very sad and ashamed that he behaved in that way, the parents write. The opponent: – There is no excuse So far, no photos or video of the incident have been published, but the situation is hotly debated on social media and various chess forums. – Violence is never acceptable unless it is chess boxing. It is a gross overreaction by Yoo, says news’s chess expert Kristoffer Gressli. Yoo’s opponent Fabiano Caruana tells the podcast C-Squared that there was a special atmosphere after the game. He describes Yoo as “very angry”. – There are five people in the room, and while I go to get my wallet and mobile phone, I hear someone say “Christopher, you can’t do that!”, says Caruana. He goes on to say that he did not see the incident itself, because he was in front of Yoo. He therefore initially thought that Yoo had thrown something, but explains that he quickly realized that something had happened to the photographer. – It was a very random act of violence. There is no excuse for that. It was very surprising, but I think it was handled well afterwards. He obviously couldn’t go on and in general he has to find a way to deal with things like that, so he’s not violent. Grandmaster Levon Aronian claims to have seen the incident. – I have seen the video and it is terrible. It was a planned attack on a completely innocent person. The reaction from the club is very mild, I can assure you of that, he writes on X. GRANDMASTER: Levon Aronian is from Armenia, but since 2021 has represented the USA. He also participates in the American Championship. Photo: Carina Johansen / NTB Another person who has thrown himself into the discussion is the Russian grandmaster Jan Nepomnjashchij, who takes the 17-year-old in defence. – I don’t know all the details, but I think this decision is too harsh. Emotions (sometimes too strong and painful to handle) are an integral part of the game. It seems to me that the organizers and judges could have been less strict and limited themselves to the first and last warning, writes Nepomnjasjtsjij on X. CHAMPIONS: Magnus Carlsen and Jan Nepomnjasjtsjij when they met during Norway Chess in 2022. Photo: Carina Johansen / NTB – When you are 17 years old, you do stupid things The news expert does not agree with this argument from Nepomnjashchij. – Even if he is 17 years old, it is … There is nothing excusing it. Because violence is never okay. Chess is supposed to be a game of war, but not in that way, says Gressli, who believes it is indecent of Nepomnjashchij to defend such an incident. This is the first time the news expert has heard that someone has referred to violence in the aftermath of a party. news EXPERT: Kristoffer Gressli has previously been in the back room and answered the audience’s questions during the chess broadcasts. Now he will go out to the main studio and take over the role of Atle Grønn. Photo: Jørund Wessel Carlsen / news Gressli supports the reaction of the American championship organizer and the club that has thrown Yoo out. At the same time, he reminds of Yoo’s young age – without that making the situation any less serious, he believes. – When you are 17 years old, you do stupid things. Who hasn’t done a stupid thing before they turn 18, like? So I think you have to keep that in mind here too, says Gressli. – We must recognize that chess is a very tough sport, mentally speaking. It is important to be aware of mental health and training for young players, writes Aronian. Published 21.10.2024, at 19.18
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17-year-old Christopher Yoo kicked out of the American chess championship after violence – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
