While my opponent was perfectly entitled to do so under current regulations, there is an interesting philosophical question as to if this practice should be allowed. If we are to pretend that chess is a proper sport, why, indeed, are players permitted to arrive late at all? If you would try to do that in tennis or football, or just about any serious sport, you would be forfeited immediately.

Even if you take the view (as I do) that a certain amount of leeway should be given, one hour for a 25 minute game does not make any sense whatsoever. Furthermore I would argue that one hour is a ridiculous amount of time to have to wait to claim a victory even in classical chess. If your opponent cannot be bothered to show up within 15 minutes of the proper starting time, "tough luck" I would say. For rapid chess the time for forfeiture time could come after, say, five minutes.

Now doubt people will write in to say that it is my own stupidity for failing to win with such a massive advantage. I agree. In mitigation I would say that psychologically it is difficult to play under such circumstances. Had Baramidze merely been late, rather than absurdly late, I do not believe I would have been any way disturbed. However at some point it became clear that unless he entered the room more or less instantly, the game was over. It was at precisely that moment he actually arrived.