Proof

First off - Hikaru this year is playing like the champion of the tournament. He has scored 2.5 out of 3.0 with a fantastic win over Shirov yesterday. Go Hikaru! Meanwhile...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRxakN0atgA

I was checking to see if my YouTube links I am posting were working - and yes they are - when I found this clip from last year that actually proves I was there. It was a post-game analysis where Kramnik was basically lecturing Van Wely about he had him no matter what Van Wely tried. This clip was good natured but there were some nastier comments by Vlad. I found out later Van Wely had been Vlad's second at one point so they knew each other well.

I was the new kid on the block and just understanding we really could crowd around and record their "private" conversation. Very cool. You can see me sneak in about half way thru the clip. Eventually I ended up sitting next to Kramnik from the very perspective of this videographer! (At first I thought this was my video!)

The memorable moment for me, though, was when they went through a line and then backed up to a starting position and I thought Kramnik had lost track of something. So, to be helpful, I pointed out to Kramnik that he was in check. Doh! What was I thinking???? I made a blog about it last year.