MADRID, Spain —The 2022 Candidates kicked off in Madrid today, and, in a surprising twist, the playing conditions were professional and considerate of the player’s needs. “I’m stunned,” said American GM Fabiano Caruana. “The playing hall is beautiful, well lit, and absolutely silent. It’s a complete contrast to previous editions I have played.” Caruana’s comments are a reference to the 2018 Candidates, which is best remembered for its poor organization and dreadful playing conditions. Most notably, there had been only a single individual toilet for the players and at times it was even used by spectators. This led to Russian GM Alexander Grischuk bringing his own bottle with him in case things got desperate.
The bottle has been enshrined in the RCF chess museum, in Moscow.
Chinese GM Ding Liren, the only other player in this field who was also present in Berlin, shared Fabiano’s sentiments. “I’m also amazed at the improvement in playing conditions. We even have more than one toilet. Although I can’t say I’m too happy about that because I spent a great deal of my preparation before the tournament trying to perfect the bottle technique pioneered by Grischuk. I don’t wanna brag or anything, but my aim is godly now. I even brought my own bottle and everything. Oh well, life’s full of disappointments.”
