The Chess World Cup 2017

[Kerry Liles]

Re: The Chess World Cup 2017

Both Aronian and Liren dressed up for the finals, as we can see from the pictures. Liren seems to have casual shoes (maybe for comfort, OK), but at least he's got a shirt and jacket. Aronian is looking wonderful with is blue suit and light green shirt.

Who would have guessed? Aren't these guys full patch gypsies who can dress however the hell they want? With an army of poor chess players supporting them?

Anyone here still supporting the gypsy style?

We get it ... YOU clearly think players should be wearing a suit (+/- a tie, I guess)(+/- casual shoes, I guess). Unless you have more to add, perhaps you can give it a rest.

[Mathieu Cloutier]

Re: The Chess World Cup 2017

Both Aronian and Liren dressed up for the finals, as we can see from the pictures. Liren seems to have casual shoes (maybe for comfort, OK), but at least he's got a shirt and jacket. Aronian is looking wonderful with his blue suit and light green shirt.

Who would have guessed? Aren't these guys full patch gypsies who can dress however the hell they want? With an army of poor chess players supporting them?

Anyone here still supporting the gypsy style?

[Wayne Komer]

Re: The Chess World Cup 2017

The Chess World Cup 2017

September 25, 2017

Final (Round Seven)

Game Three

Robin says he is broadcasting from Kingston, Ontario near Queen’s University. Yasser is in Hilversum, Holland.

Robin is taking commerce courses. Two practical ones are data management for business intelligence and digital marketing.

Yasser says that he started a small business in the late ‘80s. It was called International Chess Enterprises which published the magazine Inside Chess and they also sold chess books and chess software. The problem at first was finding enough customers. As a former businessman then, he is intrigued by the big companies like google that data mine their customers and then produce ads based on their likes and needs.

Ding has been playing like his solid self and was never in trouble as black in this game.

Round 7, Game 3, Sept. 25, 2017
Aronian, Levon – Ding, Liren
A13 English, Neo-Catalan

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Bd7 6.Qxc4 c5 7.Ne5 Qc8 8.Qd3 Nc6 9.Nxd7 Nxd7 10.Qb3 Be7 11.Nc3 O-O 12.O-O Rd8 13.d3 Nb6 14.Be3 Nd4 15.Bxd4 Rxd4 16.Rfc1 Rd7 17.a4 Qd8 18.a5 Nd5 19.Nxd5 exd5 20.d4 cxd4 21.Rc2 g6 22.Bh3 Rc7 23.Rac1 Rxc2 24.Rxc2 b6 25.Bg2 Rc8 26.Rxc8 Qxc8 27.Bxd5 Qf5 28.Qc4 bxa5 29.b3 d3 30.exd3 Bd8 31.Qe4 1/2-1/2

After three games of classical chess, the score is Ding Liren-Aronian 1.5-1.5

________

On Ding Liren's escape in yesterday's game:

Aronian made one strong move after another and constantly posed his Chinese opponent with problems to solve. Every move had to played accurately by Ding in order to avoid defeat. The 24-year-old grandmaster did fare well until a certain point, but then went wrong. Mistakes in chess do not happen in vacuum. It was this incessant pressure from Aronian that made Ding go wrong. The biggest opportunity for Levon came on move 53. Levon had two choices in front of him - grab the pawn on f3 or move the knight to b3. With time running low on the clock, such decisions are extremely difficult to make. However, Aronian could have gained the full point by playing Nb3+.

Levon, however, couldn't calculate the consequences of Nb3+ accurately and hence went for the safer route with Nxf3. The position is still be winning, just not as clear as Nb3+. For Ding things were not at all bright. Not only had he lost a pawn, but he was down to his last few seconds. This is when the Chinese player made the decision of playing fast. And it worked. Within five moves, it was Ding who had three minutes as compared to Aronian playing in seconds. Somehow the pressure of defending a worse position for Ding had been converted into the pressure of winning a won game for Aronian.

Miraculously Ding Liren survived and he is yet to be beaten in the World Cup 2017 in Tbilisi.

http://en.chessbase.com/post/fide-wo...ue-falls-short

[Wayne Komer]

Re: The Chess World Cup 2017

The Chess World Cup 2017

September 24, 2017

Final (Round Seven)

Game Two

It is 28°C in Tbilisi. The spectators are lightly attired. That is the same as in Toronto, which is having its highest readings of the year. In the Isle of Man Tournament, the players have jackets on for 14°C temperatures.

It seems so quiet with just two players after having a room full of people a week ago.

Yasser says that Ding has impressed him all through the World Cup. He and Robin van Kampen are presently discussing the position at move 34 with black to play. Probably a draw with Ding having to work for it.

Levon Aronian to play his 34th move



Robin and Yasser go through tons of variations.

Yasser is happy with the two games so far. It is not like some of the matches in the World Cup where the classical games were drawn in favour of going to the rapid. These are like World Championship games with each one hard-fought.

Yasser confesses that his worst day as a commentator was at Tata Steel 2015 with Giri playing So. The ending was queen and pawns and so complex that Yasser finally had to turn himself off and check the computer to see its evaluation. And this evaluation depended on lines 20 moves long!

You can see the game at:

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1782844

Round 7, Game 2, Sept. 24, 2017
Ding, Liren – Aronian, Levon
E05 Catalan, open, Classical line

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.O-O dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.a4 Bd7 9.Qxc4 Bc6 10.Bg5 a5 11.Nc3 Na6 12.e3 Nb4 13.Rfd1 Nd7 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.e4 Rfd8 16.Rd2 Nb6 17.Qe2 Be8 18.b3 c5 19.Qe3 Rac8 20.Rc1 c4 21.d5 Qc5 22.Qxc5 Rxc5 23.dxe6 Rxd2 24.Nxd2 fxe6 25.Bf1 cxb3 26.Nxb3 Rc7 27.Nxa5 Nxa4 28.Na2 Rxc1 29.Nxc1 Nc5 30.Ncb3 b6 31.Nxc5 bxa5 32.Bc4 a4 33.Kf1 a3 34.Nb3 Ba4 35.Nc1 Bc2 36.Ke2 Bxe4 37.Bxe6+ Kf8 38.Kd2 Ke7 39.Bb3 Nd5 40.Ne2 Kd6 41.f3 Bb1 42.Kc1 Bg6 43.Nd4 Nc7 44.Ne2 Kc5 45.Nf4 Bf5 46.g4 Bd7 47.g5 Nb5 48.Bg8 Bf5 49.Nh5 g6 50.Ng3 Bd3 51.Bxh7 Nd4 52.Ne4+ Kb4 53.Bg8 Nxf3 54.Nf6 Kc5 55.h3 Kd4 56.Ba2 Nxg5 57.h4 Ne4 58.Nd7 Nc5 59.Nf6 Ke5 60.Nd5 Bf5 61.Ne3 Nd3+ 62.Kc2 Nb4+ 63.Kb3 Nxa2 64.Kxa2 Ke4 65.Nc2 Kf4 66.Nd4 Kg4 67.Kxa3 Kxh4 68.Kb2 Kg3 69.Kc3 Kf2 70.Kd2 Bg4 71.Nc2 g5 72.Ne3 Be2 73.Nd5 Bg4 74.Nf6 Bf5 75.Kd1 1/2-1/2

Ding was lost but Lev let the win slip through his fingers.

________

During the long and difficult endgame, this joke, which I have not heard before, was posted on the chessbrah chat-room:

An engineer, a physicist, and a mathematician are each asked to compute the volume of a little red rubber ball. The mathematician finds the equation for the surface, performs a triple integral, and computes the volume. The physicist dunks the ball in a pool of water, and measures the volume of the displaced water. The engineer looks up the value in his Book of Little Red Rubber Ball volumes.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: The Chess World Cup 2017

The Chess World Cup 2017

September 23, 2017

Final (Round Seven)

Game One

The playing hall is a tiered semi-circle with the players at the centre and four levels of benches for the spectators. The amphitheatre is in the Biltmore Hotel, which is right in the heart of the Tbilisi. The playing arena is arguably the most exquisite that you will ever see.

There is a bit of a ceremony at the first with Zurab in a dark suit. The two players are in dark suits. The table is specially designed for a good view for the cameras. No containers are allowed on that table.

The first game ended peacefully with a draw by repetition of position. The players discuss the game after and Aronian comes in for an interview.

Aronian confessed to being caught out in the opening, knowing he had nothing objective. "I wasn't expecting this d4. My reaction was a safe one, but I knew there was nothing. Black can play anyway. He can even make a long castle instead of Qe6."

Final, Game 1, Sept. 23
Aronian, Levon – Ding Liren
A18 English, Mikenas-Carls variation

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.e5 Ne4 6.Nf3 Bf5 7.Be2 d4 8.Nxe4 Bxe4 9.Bc4 Bd5 10.Qb3 Bxc4 11.Qxc4 Nc6 12.O-O Qd7 13.d3 Qe6 14.Qxe6+ fxe6 15.Ng5 Kd7 16.f4 Be7 17.Ne4 Raf8 18.Bd2 g5 19.g3 Rhg8 20.Kh1 gxf4 21.gxf4 Rg6 22.Rac1 Rfg8 23.a3 a5 24.Rf3 b6 25.Rh3 R8g7 26.Ng3 Nd8 27.b4 axb4 28.axb4 b5 29.Kg2 Nc6 30.Rb1 Rf7 31.Rh5 Rg8 32.Rh6 Bf8 33.Rh3 Be7 34.Rh6 Bf8 35.Rh3 Be7 1/2-1/2

_____

In an earlier interview with Aronian

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfU0H3-Tum0

he was asked why he always ties his shoelaces before a game. It is not a superstition, he buys his shoe size but in time they get loose. He doesn’t take care of his shoes as well he does with his pawns.

In a week he is getting married.
________

- First game drawn. That playing hall....wow.

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: The Chess World Cup 2017

Levon Aronian - perseverence and brilliance! WoW!!

I have often felt that of those near the top for many years, Levon was the one best suited to being a World Chess Championship Challenger.....but he never seemed to quite rise to the occasion. He is often somewhat derided as a "Coffee House" player, because his penchant for some off-beat and risky moves. But he has always been much more than that...........

Now he has his chance!

Bob A

[Hans Jung]

Re: The Chess World Cup 2017

Levon Aronian - perseverence and brilliance! WoW!!

[Wayne Komer]

Re: The Chess World Cup 2017

The Chess World Cup 2017

September 21, 2017

Round Six Playoffs
Game Nine
Armageddon

(5 minutes for White, 4 minutes for Black with draw odds.) 2 sec increment after move 60

Round 6, Game 9, Sept. 21
Armageddon
Aronian, Levon – MVL
A48 King’s Indian, London System

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.Nc3 d5 5.Nb5 Na6 6.e3 O-O 7.h3 c6 8.Nc3 Nc7 9.Be2 b6 10.O-O Bb7 11.Bh2 c5 12.a4 a5 13.Ne5 Nd7 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.Bg4 e6 16.Qd2 Bc6 17.b3 Rfc8 18.Ne2 cxd4 19.Nxd4 b5 20.axb5 Nxb5 21.c3 Nxd4 22.exd4 a4 23.b4 Bb5 24.Rfc1 a3 25.Be2 Qc6 26.Bxb5 Qxb5 27.Bd6 Rc6 28.Bc5 Rca6 29.Ra2 Qc4 30.Qe2 Qxe2 31.Rxe2 a2 32.Ra1 Ra3 33.Rc2 Bf8 34.Kf1 e5 35.Bxf8 Kxf8 36.dxe5 Ke7 37.Ke2 Ke6 38.f4 d4 39.cxd4 Kd5 40.Rd2 Kc4 41.d5 Kxb4 42.d6 Kb3 43.Kf3 Kc3 44.Rf2 h5 45.Kg3 Kd4+ 46.Kh4 Kd5 47.Kg5 Ke6 48.g4 hxg4 49.hxg4 R3a5 50.Re2 f6+ 51.Kxg6 Rg8+ 52.Kh6 Rxg4 53.f5+ Kxf5 54.e6 Ra8 55.Rf1+ Rf4 56.Rxf4+ Kxf4 57.Rxa2 Rxa2 58.e7 Rd2 59.e8=Q Rxd6 60.Qe7 Rd4 61.Qxf6+ Ke3 62.Kg5 Rd5+ 63.Kg4 Rd4+ 64.Kg3 Rd3 65.Qe5+ Kd2+ 66.Kf2 Kc2 67.Qc5+ Rc3 68.Qf5+ Kb2 69.Ke2 Rc2+ 70.Kd3 Rc3+ 71.Kd2 Rb3 72.Qe5+ Kb1 73.Qd4 Rh3 74.Qb6+ Ka1 75.Qf6+ Ka2 76.Qe6+ Rb3 77.Kc2 Ka1 78.Qa6+ 1-0

Equal on time near the end but Levon with a queen versus a rook for MVL.

MVL eliminated and Levon Aronian to go on and meet Ding Liren in the final on Saturday, September 23. Yasser Seirawan and Robin van Kampen to broadcast the finals.

Now Ding Liren and Levon Aronian are in the Candidates with Sergey Karjakin.

Eric Hansen to shower and pack and a flight to take for the Isle of Man Tournament.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: The Chess World Cup 2017

The Chess World Cup 2017

September 21, 2017

Round Six Playoffs
Games Seven and Eight
5+3

Round 6, Game 7, Sept. 21
5+3
Aronian, Levon – MVL
A48 King’s Indian, London System

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.Nc3 d5 5.Nb5 Na6 6.e3 O-O 7.h3 c6 8.Nc3 Nc7 9.Be2 Bf5 10.O-O Rc8 11.Bh2 Ne4 12.Nxe4 Bxe4 13.c3 Re8 14.Qb3 Rb8 15.Ne5 Bf5 16.Rfd1 Be6 17.Rac1 Qc8 18.c4 Ra8 19.cxd5 Bxd5 20.Qa3 f6 21.Nd3 e5 22.dxe5 fxe5 23.Nc5 b6 24.e4 Bf7 25.Nd7 c5 26.Qc3 Re7 27.Bxe5 Bxa2 28.Bxg7 Rxd7 29.Bh6 Be6 30.Qe5 Bb3 31.Rd3 Be6 32.Rcd1 Rf7 33.Bg5 Rf8 34.Bh6 Rf7 35.Bd2 Nb5 36.Be3 Qe8 37.R3d2 Nc7 38.Bg5 Bb3 39.Rd8 Bxd1 40.Rxa8 Qxa8 41.Bxd1 Qe8 42.Qc3 Qxe4 43.Bb3 Nd5 44.Qc1 Qd4 45.Kh1 b5 46.Be3 Nxe3 47.Bxf7+ Kxf7 48.fxe3 Qe5 49.Qf1+ Kg7 50.Qxb5 Qxe3 51.Qd7+ Kh6 52.Qxa7 Qe1+ 53.Kh2 Qe5+ 54.Kh1 c4 55.Qf2 Qe4 1/2-1/2

- both effed up, fair result
- great hold by MVL
- such an important match to be decided by time pressure
- now Aronian must survive with black
- most exciting draw I have ever seen

Comment of the day - These games are great. I just wish there was a round of blindfold rapid!

Yasser is on the chessbrah channel via Skype, presumably from his kitchen. He lives in Hilversum. In the background, his wife Yvette is doing the dishes.

From the Dutch Wikipedia: Yvette Nagel (Hilversum, 21 July 1964) is a Dutch chess player. She is an FIDE master. In 1988 she earned a degree from the University of Amsterdam. Yvette is married to grandmaster Yasser Seirawan and she is the daughter of the famous politician Jan Nagel.

Round 6, Game 8, Sept. 21
5+3
MVL – Aronian, Levon
C84 Ruy Lopez, Closed

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a3 O-O 9.Nc3 Na5 10.Ba2 Be6 11.b4 Bxa2 12.Rxa2 Nc6 13.Bg5 Nd7 14.Bd2 Nf6 15.Qb1 d5 16.Bg5 dxe4 17.dxe4 Qd6 18.Qb3 Nd4 19.Nxd4 exd4 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.Ne2 Rfe8 22.Ng3 c5 23.bxc5 Qxc5 24.a4 h5 25.axb5 axb5 26.Rxa8 Rxa8 27.Rb1 Rc8 28.Qxb5 Qxb5 29.Rxb5 h4 30.Nf1 Rxc2 31.Rd5 Re2 32.h3 Rxe4 33.g4 Re8 34.Kg2 Rd8 35.Rxd8+ Bxd8 36.Kf3 g6 37.Ke4 Kg7 38.Nd2 Bb6 39.f4 Bc7 40.Nf3 d3 41.Kxd3 1/2-1/2

The last game of the match goes to Armageddon shortly

[Hans Jung]

Re: The Chess World Cup 2017

Big win by Ding Liren. Congratulations. First Chinese to enter the Candidates in history.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: The Chess World Cup 2017

The Chess World Cup 2017

September 21, 2017

Round Six Playoffs
10+10
Game Six

Yasser says that Kevin Spraggett is one of the best-prepared North American grandmasters he ever faced.

These games: Seirawan-Spraggett 0-1, New York Open 1984
Seirawan-Spraggett 1/2-1/2, Montpellier Candidates 1985
Seirawan-Spraggett 1/2-1/2, Manila 1990
Sierawan-Spraggett 1/2-1/2, Barcelona 2011

Round 6, Game 6, Sept. 21
10+10
MVL – Aronian
C84 Ruy Lopez, Closed

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a3 O-O 9.Nc3 Na5 10.Ba2 Be6 11.b4 Bxa2 12.Nxa2 Nc6 13.c4 Nd4 14.Be3 Ne6 15.Nc3 c6 16.h3 h6 17.Qb3 Nh7 18.cxb5 axb5 19.d4 exd4 20.Nxd4 Nxd4 21.Bxd4 Bf6 22.Rfd1 Re8 23.Qc2 Ng5 24.Qd3 Ne6 25.Bxf6 Qxf6 26.Ne2 c5 27.Qxb5 Reb8 28.Qd3 cxb4 29.Qe3 Ra4 30.Rab1 Rxa3 31.Rxb4 Rxe3 32.Rxb8+ Kh7 33.fxe3 Qg5 34.Nf4 Nxf4 35.exf4 Qxf4 36.Rd8 1/2-1/2

This match goes on to 5+3

Round 6, Game 6, Sept. 21
10+10
Ding Liren – So, Wesley
A60 Benoni Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 d6 5.e4 g6 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.Bd3 exd5 8.exd5 O-O 9.O-O Bg4 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Nfd7 12.Qd1 Re8 13.Bd2 Na6 14.a3 Qh4 15.Qg4 Qxg4 16.hxg4 Nc7 17.Rfe1 h6 18.Rxe8+ Nxe8 19.g3 Nef6 20.f3 Ne5 21.Be2 g5 22.Kg2 Re8 23.Re1 a6 24.Bf1 Kf8 25.b3 b6 26.a4 Rb8 27.Ne4 Nxe4 28.Rxe4 Nd7 29.Re1 Ne5 30.Bc3 Ng6 31.Bd2 Ne5 32.Bc3 Bf6 33.Bxe5 Bxe5 34.Bd3 Kg7 35.Re2 Kf6 36.Re1 Rb7 37.Re2 Rb8 38.Re1 Rh8 39.Re4 Rg8 40.f4 Bc3 41.Kf3 Rh8 42.Re2 Bd4 43.Rh2 Re8 44.Re2 Rh8 45.Rh2 Kg7 46.fxg5 hxg5 1/2-1/2

Ding Liren wins the match. He will be in the Candidates in Berlin and the first Chinese ever in the Candidates.

He turns 25 next month.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: The Chess World Cup 2017

The Chess World Cup 2017

September 21, 2017

Round Six Playoffs
10+10
Game Five

Comments online on games 3 and 4

- Aronian wins with an amazing piece sacrifice!!!! Both games go to 10-minutes rapid tiebreak now. This is very exciting!

- Wow, L. Aronian struck back in with a #Kasparov like 26 mover

- What an incredible win from Aronian to level the score

- Levon has won very quick. He is really fascinating player

- Drama in progress, So survives game 1 and Aronian goes all-in against MVL, after a loss. Will we see an Armageddon today?

A Q vs R ending

Round 6, Game 5, Sept. 21
10+10
So, Wesley – Ding Liren
D78 Neo-Grunfeld


1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.d4 Nf6 5.c4 c6 6.O-O O-O 7.Nbd2 a5 8.b3 a4 9.Bb2 Bf5 10.e3 Nbd7 11.Qe2 Ne4 12.Nxe4 Bxe4 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Qb5 Ra5 15.Qxb7 Nc5 16.Qb4 Nd3 17.Qd2 Rb5 18.Bc3 axb3 19.Ng5 b2 20.Rab1 Nxf2 21.Qxf2 Bxb1 22.Rxb1 e5 23.Nh3 exd4 24.exd4 Qc7 25.Qd2 Rfb8 26.Nf4 Qc4 27.Bxd5 Rxd5 28.Nxd5 Qxd5 29.Rxb2 Rc8 30.Rb3 h5 31.Bb2 Kh7 32.h3 Qe4 33.Qd3 Qe1+ 34.Qf1 Qd2 35.Qf2 Qd1+ 36.Qf1 Bxd4+ 37.Bxd4 Qxd4+ 38.Kh1 Qd5+ 39.Rf3 Rc3 40.Kg2 Qc6 41.h4 Kg8 42.a4 f6 43.a5 Kg7 44.a6 Rc2+ 45.Kg1 Rc1 46.Rxf6 Rxf1+ 47.Rxf1 Qxa6 48.Kg2 Qe2+ 49.Rf2 Qe4+ 50.Kh2 g5 51.hxg5 h4 52.Rf4 Qe2+ 53.Kh3 hxg3 54.Kxg3 Kg6 55.Rf2 Qe3+ 56.Kg2 Kxg5 57.Rf3 Qe2+ 58.Kg3 Qe1+ 59.Kg2 Kg4 60.Rf2 Qe4+ 61.Kh2 Kh4 62.Ra2 Qe5+ 63.Kg1 Qd4+ 64.Kh2 Qd6+ 65.Kg1 Qc5+ 66.Kh2 Qc7+ 67.Kg1 Qb6+ 68.Kg2 Qb7+ 69.Kh2 Qb8+ 0-1

Final position in So vs Ding Liren



Black wins in 9 moves after 70.Kg2

_______


Round 6, Game 5, Sept. 21
10+10
Aronian, Levon – MVL
D97 Grunfeld, Russian, Byrne variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 O-O 7.e4 Nc6 8.Be2 e5 9.d5 Nd4 10.Nxd4 exd4 11.Qxd4 c6 12.Qc4 b5 13.Qxc6 Bd7 14.Qd6 Re8 15.Bg5 b4 16.Qxb4 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 Qxg5 18.O-O Rab8 19.Qd6 Bh3 20.Nf4 Bg4 21.Bxg4 Be5 22.Qd7 Qxf4 23.g3 Qf6 24.Rad1 h5 25.Be2 Re7 26.Qd5 Rxb2 27.Rd2 Rxd2 28.Qxd2 Bd4 29.Qc2 Kg7 30.Kg2 Rb7 31.Qc4 Rb2 32.f4 Bb6 33.Rd1 Qe6 34.Kh1 Qxc4 35.Bxc4 h4 36.e5 Kf8 37.a4 Rc2 38.Bb5 g5 39.fxg5 hxg3 40.hxg3 Rc5 41.g6 fxg6 42.e6 Ke7 43.Bd7 Rc2 44.Rf1 Rf2 45.Rc1 g5 46.Rc4 Rd2 47.Rc8 Bd4 48.Rg8 Bf6 49.Kg1 Re2 50.Kf1 Re4 51.Ra8 Bd4 52.Re8+ Kd6 53.Rg8 g4 54.a5 Ke7 55.a6 Bb6 56.Rb8 Bc5 57.Rb7 Rb4 58.Ke2 Rxb7 59.axb7 Bd6 1/2-1/2

[Wayne Komer]

Re: The Chess World Cup 2017

The Chess World Cup 2017

September 21, 2017

Round Six Playoffs
25+10
Game Four

Ding Liren was so upset by letting the last game get away that he agreed to a quick draw (Yasser)

Round 6, Game 4, Sept. 21
25+10
Ding Liren – So, Wesley
D39 QGD, Ragozin, Vienna variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 c5 8.e3 cxd4 9.Bxf6 1/2-1/2

Two stunning blunders by MVL on moves 24 and 25 and he has lost the game

Round 6, Game 4, Sept. 21
25+10
Aronian, Levon – MVL
E60 King’s Indian Defence


1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.Nc3 e6 6.e4 Bg7 7.Nge2 O-O 8.Ng3 a6 9.a4 h5 10.Bg5 Qc7 11.Qd2 exd5 12.cxd5 Nh7 13.Bh6 h4 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Bc4 hxg3 16.hxg3 Rh8 17.e5 Qe7 18.O-O-O Nd7 19.exd6 Qxd6 20.Ne4 Qe5 21.d6 g5 22.Rhe1 b5 23.Bd5 Rb8 24.f4 Qd4 25.Qe2 Qb4 26.Qh5 1-0

- amazing comeback by aronian
- that was a real blunder
- mate in all lines already

[Wayne Komer]

Re: The Chess World Cup 2017

The Chess World Cup 2017

September 21, 2017

Round Six Playoffs
25+10
Game Three

Two exciting games. Miraculous save by Wesley So, great win by MVL

Round 6, Game 3, Sept. 21
25+10
MVL-Aronian, Levon
C84 Ruy Lopez, Closed

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a3 O-O 9.Nc3 Bg4 10.Be3 Nd4 11.Bxd4 exd4 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.Bxd5 Rc8 14.Bc6 Bf6 15.a4 Bd7 16.Bxd7 Qxd7 17.Qd2 Qc6 18.b3 Rfe8 19.Rfe1 Qc5 20.g4 b4 21.Re2 c6 22.Rae1 g6 23.Kg2 Re6 24.h4 Rce8 25.Ng5 R6e7 26.f4 a5 27.Nf3 h5 28.g5 Bg7 29.Rf1 Qa7 30.Qe1 c5 31.Qg3 Qd7 32.Qh3 Qc6 33.f5 Ra7 34.Nd2 Rc7 35.Qf3 Ra7 36.Rfe1 Qc7 37.Nc4 Be5 38.Rf1 Qd8 39.Ref2 Bg7 40.Qf4 Rd7 41.Kg1 Kh7 42.Qg3 Kg8 43.Rf3 d5 44.exd5 Rxd5 45.f6 Bf8 46.Re1 Rxe1+ 47.Qxe1 Bd6 48.Qe4 Bc7 49.Rf2 Qd7 50.Re2 Kh7 51.Qg2 Qf5 52.Re4 Rd7 53.Qf1 Qd5 54.Qf3 Qb7 55.Kg2 Qc8 56.Qe2 Qb7 57.Kg1 Qd5 58.Ne5 Bxe5 59.Rxe5 Qd6 60.Kg2 Rd8 61.Qe4 Rd7 62.Re7 Qc7 63.Kh3 Qc8 64.Qe6 1-0

Round 6, Game 3, Sept. 21
25+10
So, Wesley – Ding Liren
A13 English, Neo-Catalan

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.O-O a6 6.a4 Nc6 7.Qc2 Na5 8.Na3 Qd5 9.Rd1 Bd7 10.d4 Qf5 11.Bd2 Qxc2 12.Nxc2 Nb3 13.Ra2 Bc6 14.Ne5 Bd5 15.Bc3 c5 16.a5 Rc8 17.Ra4 cxd4 18.Nxd4 Nc5 19.Raa1 Nce4 20.Bxe4 Nxe4 21.f3 Nxc3 22.bxc3 f6 23.Ng4 Bc5 24.Kf1 Ke7 25.Rab1 Rhd8 26.e4 Bxd4 27.cxd4 Bc6 28.Rb4 Bb5 29.Ne3 c3+ 30.Kf2 Rc6 31.Nc2 Rdc8 32.Na3 c2 33.Rc1 Bd3 34.Rxb7+ R6c7 35.Rb2 Rc3 36.Ra2 f5 37.e5 g5 38.Ke1 f4 39.Kd2 Bf5 40.gxf4 gxf4 41.Nxc2 R8c4 42.Rb2 Rxf3 43.Rb7+ Ke8 44.Nb4 Rxd4+ 45.Ke2 Re3+ 46.Kf1 Be4 47.Rg7 Kf8 48.Ra7 Rd8 49.Nxa6 Bd3+ 50.Kg1 Rxe5 51.Rd1 Rxa5 52.Nc7 Rxa7 53.Nxe6+ Ke7 54.Nxd8 Bb5 55.Rb1 Bd7 56.Nb7 Ra2 57.Nc5 Bc6 58.Nd3 Rg2+ 59.Kf1 f3 60.Rb6 Bd5 61.Rb4 Rxh2 62.Ne1 Ke6 63.Rf4 Rh1+ 64.Kf2 Rh2+ 65.Kg3 Re2 66.Nxf3 Re3 67.Kf2 Rxf3+ 68.Rxf3 Ke5 1/2-1/2

- Ding Liren has blundered away a victory... had about -4.5 advantage
- draw
- sad for Ding Liren, he played such a great game
- absurd, blitz
- are both of them drunk?
- damn draw
- what a save!

[Wayne Komer]

Re: The Chess World Cup 2017

The Chess World Cup 2017

September 20, 2017

Round Six, Game Two

MVL-Aronian is a quick draw.

The game Ding Liren – Wesley So develops slowly and it is difficult to understand Ding’s plan.

Yasser: Somewhere in Sweden Ulf is revolted because White can’t win this ending

Note: Ulf Andersson started off as a player with wild attacking games but as a world-class GM played strategic masterpieces like Petrosian.

Yasser often alludes to Ulf. In one interview he said,” Little Ulf packs a big punch. If he were to write a book of his best games I’d take up a good chuck of the index.”

With the Ding Liren-So game going on slowly and long thinks on some moves, Yasser tells this anecdote:

There was an Austrian player, Josef Klinger, who was addicted to gambling. He was playing at Baden Baden or one of those other sites where the tournament is being played in a casino.

His opponent made a sacrifice, which Klinger didn’t like and so he made a sacrifice of his own. Then he went to the bar and ordered and downed a glass of whiskey.

At that time he saw the casino and went over and immediately lost 700 marks. He went back to the tournament, borrowed 700 marks from a friend and returned and wagered them and won 15,000. He paid back his friend, sat down to his game and found that 45 minutes had elapsed and his opponent still hadn’t moved!

Note: Klinger rose to fame in his native Austria as a chess player in the 1980’s but quit chess in in the ‘90s in favour of poker. I see a poker event from 2010 where he won a million euros at Monte Carlo. There is a Canadian, Andrew Chen, in the final table.

Yasser says that Ding was giving a clinic on how to win the end game but then he missed 37. Rh8 and playsd Rc6 instead.

Ding missed his chance and the result is a draw.
_____

Position before White’s 37th move



_______

Round 6, Game 2, Sept. 20
MVL – Aronian, Levon
C84 Ruy Lopez, Closed

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a3 O-O 9.Nc3 Bg4 10.Be3 Nd4 11.Bxd4 exd4 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.Bxd5 Rc8 14.h3 Bd7 15.Nxd4 c6 16.Bb3 Bf6 17.c3 Bxd4 18.cxd4 Qf6 19.Qd2 1/2-1/2

Round 6, Game 2, Sept. 20
Ding Liren – So, Wesley
E01 Catalan, Closed

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.b3 b6 7.O-O Bb7 8.Nc3 Nbd7 9.Bb2 c5 10.Ne1 cxd4 11.Qxd4 Bc5 12.Qf4 Bb4 13.Nd3 Bxc3 14.Bxc3 Qc8 15.Rfc1 dxc4 16.Bxf6 Nxf6 17.Rxc4 Qb8 18.Qxb8 Rfxb8 19.Ne5 Bxg2 20.Kxg2 Ne8 21.Nc6 Rb7 22.Rd1 Kf8 23.e4 Nf6 24.f4 b5 25.Rcd4 g6 26.Ne5 h6 27.Rc1 Ke8 28.Kf3 Nd7 29.Nd3 a5 30.Rc6 Ke7 31.a3 Raa7 32.Ke3 Nb8 33.Rc8 Nd7 34.Rc6 Nb8 35.Rc8 Nd7 36.Nc5 Nb6 37.Rc6 Rc7 38.Rxb6 Rxc5 39.e5 g5 40.Rd3 gxf4+ 41.gxf4 Rc2 42.h3 Ra2 43.b4 axb4 44.axb4 Rh2 45.Ke4 Rc7 46.Rxb5 Rc4+ 47.Rd4 Rc7 48.Rc5 Rxc5 49.bxc5 Rc2 50.f5 exf5+ 51.Kxf5 Rxc5 52.Rd6 Rc1 53.Rxh6 Rf1+ 54.Ke4 f6 55.exf6+ Rxf6 56.Rxf6 Kxf6 57.h4 Kg6 58.h5+ Kxh5 1/2-1/2

The play-offs for the semi-final are on September 21. Then, there is a rest day and then a four-game final and the playoff if necessary.

Eric says that he is commentating tomorrow for the tie-breaks then he jumps on the plane for JFK and then Dublin and Douglas, Isle of Man. Robin van Kampen and Yasser will be doing the commentating for the finals.