Clash of Blames

Clash of Blames was a high-profile chess event organised by World Chess Plc (LSE: CHSS) from 19 to 21 August 2024 in London. It was a rematch between former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik and Grandmaster José Martínez Alcántara (also known as "Jospem"), and sought to address controversies over cheating and fair play in online chess.^[1][2]

Clash of Blames at the World Chess special match
Venue	Guild Esports, Shoreditch
Location	London, United Kingdom
Date	19–21 August 2024
Competitors	2
Match score	19–17
Website	worldchess.com/clash-of-blames
Medalists
Vladimir Kramnik   José Martínez Alcántara

Background

The event followed an earlier match called Clash of Claims, held in June 2024 in Madrid, where Martínez defeated Kramnik 14.5–11.5 in a hybrid format. That contest was controversial: Kramnik raised concerns about technical problems during the online portion, including clock synchronisation and software updates.^[3]

Following criticism from the chess community, World Chess renamed the rematch Clash of Blames.^[3] The title referenced the disputes over cheating and responsibility in the digital era.

Format

The match lasted three days (19–21 August 2024) with a total of 36 games. Each day included six online games and six over-the-board (OTB) games.^[2] The time control was blitz: 3 minutes plus 2 seconds increment per move.^[1]

The OTB games were played at Guild Esports in Shoreditch, London, while the online games took place on the official FIDE Online Arena platform operated by World Chess.^[2]

Fair play measures included the involvement of security company Pinkerton, which oversaw anti-cheating protocols such as metal detectors and technical monitoring.^[4]

Result

Kramnik won the match narrowly, by 19–17.^[1] Martínez had been leading earlier but was overtaken on the final day. Reports noted that Martínez played despite the recent death of his mother, after declining an offer to postpone the match.^[1]

Reception

Supporters saw the event as an important experiment in addressing online cheating, combining hybrid formats with independent fair-play oversight.^[4] Critics questioned whether the technical issues of the first match had been adequately addressed, and whether the marketing of the event overshadowed sporting considerations.^[3]

The match has been described as significant for highlighting both the possibilities and limitations of hybrid online-OTB competitions.^[5]

Link to World Chess

• Clash of Blames* was created and staged by World Chess, which operates the FIDE Online Arena and has a history of organising top-level chess events, including the World Chess Championship 2016 and World Chess Championship 2018.^[2]