Why couldn’t my days in the chess club have been as interesting as this?
REUTERS Oddly Enough Headlines
Wednesday April 26 7:41 AM ET
Chess Players Face Bans Over Punch-Up
CANBERRA (Reuters) - Two chess players are facing possible bans from the gentle sport of intellectuals after a punch-up during Australia’s premier Grand Prix tournament.
Australian Chess Federation (ACF) president Graeme Gardiner said on Wednesday that he was waiting for a report on Monday’s brawl before deciding what action to take. It is quite possible there will be a ban (but) I want to be in full possession of the facts,'' Gardiner said. I am waiting on a written report which I will then discuss with my colleagues on the ACF council.’’
The two players, David Beaumont and Alexander Gaft, came to blows during the fourth round of the prestigious Doeberl Cup in Canberra. The fight began after Beaumont complained that Gaft, who had completed his own match, was disrupting him while he was playing another opponent. Witnesses said the argument soon turned violent as the pair started trading punches and grappling with each other until they were eventually pulled apart by other players. We have had people thrown out of the tournament before but never for fighting,'' chief arbiter Shaun Press said. Beaumont was sorely provoked but retaliation is no excuse.’’ Beaumont returned to his seat to complete his match but was told that he and Gaft had both been disqualified.
One startled onlooker, Tony Oliver, said: It is one of the most disgusting things I have seen at a chess tournament. How can an intellectual pursuit degrade itself in this way?’’
