Having a chat

Despite the prohibition on disturbing your opponent during a game, some people can't help but talk while playing. Of course it is rare in serious games, but in allegro's (G/15m) and Blitz it is much more common. In fact a previous organiser of Street Chess even had a rule which went "non-aspersal mutually agreeable banter is allowed". Of course it is all fun and games until someone drops a piece. Even then I've seen it happen in serious (club) games, although the worst offenders are also the most likely to complain when their concentration is disturbed.

But there is an attempt to bring the art of conversation to serious chess. GM Nigel Short and GM Ehsan Ghaem Maghami have just a match in Tehran where the players talk about the game while it is in progress. Every 5 or so moves the players would go to a recording booth at the side of the stage and talk about their position. As the players aren't talking to each other (only the spectators can hear the comments), part of the fun is comparing the two players opinions. The match consisted of a mixture of classical, rapid and blitz games, with Short winning both the Classical and Rapid matches 3-1 while I believe the blitz finished 4.5-3.5 in Short's favour.

The event website is here and the final game seems to have just been completed. However if you go to the 'Schedule Table' you can look at the completed games, and even replay the comments from the players.