Someone at FIDE has (re)discovered the ultimate way to kill off chess or at least any chance of it gained public attention.

From the mouth of the latest FIDE “Cheif Executive Officer – Development” has come the absolutely silly idea “…free data broadcasting, which is not always precise and correct, will never help the development of interest towards chess and its commercial success.”

Let’s ignore the fact that copyrighting the game score isn’t supported by the laws of any nation. The description of the intents and plans, the anticipation of consequences to a move are copyrightable, not the move itself, just as the description of the flight of the ball is copyrightable, and not the fact that A-Rod hit a home run with two on base.

But let’s get to the heart of the matter. Does FIDE actually think news outlets, already desperate for cash and failing all over the world, will pay for the moves of a chess game? Not Bloody Likely.

Instead, chess will disappear even farther from the popular press. Great idea, that. Increase the game’s popularity by reducing the number of people exposed to it.