Sinquefield Cup 2019

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • #31
    Referring to post 27 maybe its schadenfreude

    Comment


    • #32
      4 ticklers in the Ding game and Nd6, Ne4, Nf6+, Ne8. I highly approve! Fan rating *****

      Comment


      • #33
        Sinquefield Cup 2019

        August 26, 2019

        Round Nine

        On the screen, the team put up a photo of Pal Benko with the dates July 15, 1928 to August 26, 2019. Maurice said he knew him primarily as a composer. He was composing into his nineties. The three said that they first saw all his compositions in a book, self-published by Pal entitled Chess Endgame Lessons (1989/1990).

        Yasser talked about the Benko Gambit, which was one of the most popular defences in American tournaments. In 1980 he was captain of the U.S. Team for the Olympiad in Malta and that is when Yasser first met him. Jennifer said that Pal was the captain for a youth tournament she was playing in.

        Many players will have a copy of Pal Benko: My Life, Games and Compositions (2007) by Jeremy Silman and Pal Benko. It is a huge (1.5 kg) book with 668 pages.

        This review on amazon.ca:

        To be honest, I've never been a huge fan of Benko... until I read this book! I must have more than 100 chess books in my collection, yet this volume stands out, head and shoulders above the rest. Why?
        For starters, it is a tremendous effort by two of the best writers in the business: Jeremy Silman and John Watson. They took 5 years to put this together - 5 years! Most chess books nowadays are written in a few months with the help of large databases and computer analysis. Not this one. Care was taken to find some amazing old photographs with lots of stories about legendary players. It was also a very enjoyable read, with stories woven into instructive games. Finally, the way it is presented is very pleasing - hardcover with lots of big diagrams and clear fonts.
        At $30, this is truly a bargain. Together with My Great Predecessors I and II, this book should be on every chessplayers' bookshelf.

        There is actually someone publishing pamphlets today with English Descriptive Notation. In tribute to Pal, I bought one from him entitled Clash of Titans: Bobby Fischer and Pal Benko, the 19 games they played in their encounters, plus photos and analysis.

        No. 3 plays No. 2

        Round 9, August 26
        Ding, Liren – Caruana, Fabiano
        D37 QGD, Hastings variation

        1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 b6 7.Bd3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 Ba6 9.Bxa6 Nxa6 10.Qe2 Qc8 11.O-O Qb7 12.a3 c5 13.Nb5 Rac8 14.b4 Nd5 15.bxc5 bxc5 16.Rab1 Rc6 17.Be5 Rb6 18.a4 Nac7 19.dxc5 Bxc5 20.Rbc1 Nxb5 21.Rxc5 Nd6 22.a5 Rc6 23.Bxd6 Rxd6 24.Rfc1 h6 25.h3 Rfd8 26.Ne5 Nf6 27.Nc6 R8d7 28.a6 Qb6 29.Ne5 Rd8 30.Rc8 Qa5 31.f4 Rd2 32.Qf3 Rd5 33.R1c7 Kh7 34.Kh2 Rxc8 35.Rxc8 Qxa6 36.Ra8 Qb7 37.Rf8 Rb5 38.Qf1 Qd5 39.Nxf7 Nd7 40.Rd8 Rb8 41.Rxb8 Nxb8 42.Qb1+ Qf5 43.Qb7 Nc6 44.Nd6 Qc5 45.Ne4 Qc2 46.Nf6+ Kg6 47.Ne8 Qc3 48.e4 a5 49.Qd7 a4 50.Qxe6+ Kh7 51.e5 Nd4 52.Qd7 Kg6 53.Qxg7+ Kf5 54.Nd6+ Kxf4 55.Qf6+ Ke3 56.e6 Kd3 57.e7 1-0

        Final position

        

        It was quite fascinating to follow the endgame via the sesse supercomputer, which was saying things like Mate in 24 moves and to see if Ding Liren was playing the right moves.

        Round 9, August 26
        Anand, Vishy – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
        C54 Giuoco Piano

        1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.O-O h6 7.Re1 O-O 8.Nbd2 Ne7 9.d4 Bb6 10.a4 c6 11.dxe5 Ng4 12.Rf1 Nxe5 13.Nxe5 dxe5 14.Qh5 Qd6 15.Nf3 Bc7 16.Nh4 b5 17.axb5 cxb5 18.Bxb5 Bb7 19.Qe2 Bb6 20.Ba6 Bc6 21.Nf3 f5 22.Bd3 Rae8 23.exf5 Nxf5 24.Be4 Kh8 25.Nd2 Qe6 26.Kh1 Bd7 27.Bd3 e4 28.Nxe4 Bc6 29.f3 Qe5 30.Bd2 Bc7 31.g3 Bxe4 32.Qxe4 Qd6 33.Bf4 Qd7 34.Qb7 Qxd3 35.Qxc7 Re2 36.Qc5 Rfe8 37.Rf2 a5 38.Raf1 Rxb2 39.Kg2 Ree2 40.Qxa5 Kh7 41.h4 Ne3+ 42.Bxe3 Qxe3 43.Qf5+ Kh8 44.Qf8+ Kh7 45.Qf5+ Kh8 46.Qf8+ Kh7 47.Qf5+ 1/2-1/2

        The other players have been saying all week that they wish they could get the winning positions that Anand has been getting (but unable to force through the win).

        Round 9, August 26
        So, Wesley – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
        A30 English, symmetrical

        1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 g6 4.e3 Nf6 5.d4 cxd4 6.exd4 d5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Qb3 e6 9.Bb5 Bg7 10.O-O O-O 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Na4 Qd6 13.Re1 Rb8 14.Qd1 Ne7 15.b3 Nf5 16.Bb2 Rd8 17.Qc2 Nxd4 18.Bxd4 Bxd4 19.Nxd4 Qxd4 20.Rad1 Qf6 21.Rxd8+ Qxd8 22.Rd1 Qe8 23.h3 e5 24.Qc5 a6 25.Qa5 Kg7 26.Rd8 Qe7 27.Nb6 Qxd8 28.Qxe5+ Qf6 29.Qxb8 Be6 30.Qg3 h5 31.Na4 Qa1+ 32.Kh2 Qxa2 33.Nc5 Qe2 34.Qc3+ Kg8 35.Qd4 Bd5 36.Nd7 Qe6 37.Nf6+ Kf8 38.b4 Qd6+ 39.Kg1 Ke7 40.Ng8+ Ke6 41.Qf6+ Kd7 42.Qd4 Qb8 43.Nf6+ Ke6 44.Ne4 Bxe4 45.Qxe4+ Kd7 46.Qc4 Qe8 47.Qd4+ Kc8 48.Qb6 Qe1+ 49.Kh2 Qe5+ 50.g3 Qb5 51.Qa7 Qb7 52.Qc5 Qc7 53.h4 Kb7 54.Qf8 Qd7 55.Kg1 Qd5 56.Kh2 Kc7 57.Kg1 Kd7 58.Kh2 Qc4 59.Kg1 Qe6 60.Qc5 Qe2 61.Qd4+ Ke6 62.Qc5 Qb5 63.Qe3+ Kf6 64.Qc3+ Ke7 65.Qd4 Ke6 66.Qe3+ Kd7 67.Qa7+ Ke8 68.Qd4 Qd5 69.Qb6 Qc4 70.Qb8+ Ke7 71.Qe5+ Kd7 72.Qb8 Ke6 73.Qe8+ Kf5 74.Qe7 Qd5 75.Qe2 Qb5 76.Qe7 Qc4 77.Qe8 Qe6 78.Qd8 Ke4 79.Qd2 Qc4 80.Qe3+ Kf5 81.Qe7 Kg4 82.Qd7+ Kf3 83.Qd2 f6 84.Qe3+ Kg4 85.Kg2 Kf5 86.Kh2 g5 87.hxg5 fxg5 88.Qd2 Qd5 89.Qe2 Qd4 90.Kg1 Qxb4 91.Qf3+ Ke5 92.Qxh5 Qb1+ 93.Kg2 Qf5 94.Qd1 a5 95.Qd8 Ke4 96.Qd2 Qd5 97.f3+ Kf5 98.g4+ Ke6 99.Qc2 Kd6 100.Kg3 Qe5+ 101.Kg2 Qf4 102.Qg6+ Kc7 103.Qh7+ Kb6 104.Qb1+ Qb4 105.Qc1 Qc5 106.Qb2+ Ka6 107.Qa2 Qb5 108.Qg8 a4 109.Qa8+ Kb6 110.Qd8+ Kb7 111.Qe7+ Ka6 112.Qf8 Qe2+ 113.Kh3 Qe3 114.Qa8+ Kb5 115.Qb7+ Qb6 116.Qg7 Qc5 117.Qb2+ Ka6 118.Qe2+ Ka7 119.Qd2 a3 120.f4 gxf4 121.Qxf4 Qc3+ 122.Kh4 Qh8+ 123.Kg5 Qg8+ 124.Kh5 Qd5+ 125.g5 a2 126.Qa4+ Kb6 127.Qb4+ Qb5 128.Qd4+ Ka6 129.Qd8 Qe2+ 130.Kh6 Qe6+ 131.g6 Qh3+ 132.Kg5 Qg2+ 0-1

        Position after White’s 100.Kg3

        

        Round 9, August 26
        Giri, Anish – Karjakin, Sergey
        A29 English, Bremen, Smyslov System

        1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Bg2 O-O 6.Nd5 Bc5 7.b4 Nxb4 8.Nxb4 Bxb4 9.Nxe5 d5 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.O-O Be6 12.Rb1 a5 13.a3 Bd6 14.Nf3 Nb6 15.Qc2 Re8 16.h4 h6 17.Nd4 Bc8 18.Nf5 Bf8 19.e4 Be6 20.d4 a4 21.d5 Bxf5 22.exf5 Bd6 23.Bf3 Ra7 24.Kg2 Nd7 25.Rd1 Qe7 26.Rd4 Rea8 27.Re4 Qf8 28.Qc3 Re8 29.Rxe8 Qxe8 30.Bb2 Qf8 31.Re1 Ra8 32.Bd1 Nf6 33.Qc4 b5 34.Qxb5 Rb8 35.Qe2 Re8 36.Qd2 Rxe1 37.Qxe1 Bxa3 38.Bxf6 gxf6 39.Bxa4 Qe7 40.Qxe7 Bxe7 41.Bb3 Bc5 42.Ba4 Be7 43.Bb3 Bc5 44.Ba4 Be7 1/2-1/2

        Round 9, August 26
        Aronian, Levon – Carlsen, Magnus
        B31 Sicilian, Nimowitsch-Rossolimo Attack

        1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.c3 Nf6 5.Qe2 Bg7 6.O-O O-O 7.d4 cxd4 8.cxd4 d6 9.h3 Nd7 10.Rd1 a6 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Be3 a5 13.Qc2 c5 14.Nc3 cxd4 15.Bxd4 Bb7 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Nd4 Rc8 18.Qd2 Re8 19.Qe3 Qb6 20.e5 dxe5 21.Nb3 Nc5 22.Qxe5+ Kg8 23.Qe3 Qc6 24.Nd5 Nxb3 25.axb3 Qc5 26.Rac1 Qxe3 27.Nxe3 Rxc1 28.Rxc1 Rb8 29.Rc5 Bc8 30.Nd5 Be6 31.Nxe7+ Kf8 32.Nc6 Rxb3 33.Nd4 Rxb2 34.Nxe6+ fxe6 35.Rxa5 h5 36.Ra6 Kf7 37.Ra5 Rb1+ 38.Kh2 Rb2 39.Kg1 Rb1+ 40.Kh2 Rb2 41.Kg1 1/2-1/2

        Round 9, August 26
        MVL – Nakamura, Hikaru
        B10 Caro-Kann, Two Knights variation

        1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Ne4 5.Ne2 Qb6 6.d4 e6 7.Ng3 c5 8.Bd3 Nxg3 9.fxg3 cxd4 10.O-O Nc6 11.Qe2 h6 12.a3 Bd7 13.g4 Be7 14.b4 a6 15.Rb1 Na7 16.Bb2 Nb5 17.Qf2 Qc7 18.Nxd4 O-O 19.Ne2 f6 20.Qe3 fxe5 21.Bxe5 Bd6 22.Bxd6 Nxd6 23.g5 Nf5 24.Bxf5 exf5 25.gxh6 Rae8 26.Qd2 Qb6+ 27.Nd4 Qxh6 28.Qxh6 gxh6 29.Rf3 Re4 30.c3 Kg7 31.h3 h5 32.Rbf1 Kg6 33.g3 Rc8 34.Kh2 b6 35.h4 f4 36.gxf4 Bg4 37.Rd3 Kf6 38.Rf2 Re7 39.Nf3 Bf5 40.Rxd5 Rxc3 41.Ng5 Rc6 42.a4 Rec7 43.b5 axb5 44.axb5 Rc2 45.Kg2 Rxf2+ 46.Kxf2 Rc2+ 47.Ke3 Rc3+ 48.Kd2 Rc2+ 49.Kd1 Rc4 50.Rd6+ Ke7 51.Rxb6 Rxf4 52.Rb7+ Bd7 53.Kd2 Rxh4 54.Ke3 Rb4 55.Ne4 Rxb5 56.Rxb5 Bxb5 57.Ng3 h4 58.Nf5+ Kf6 59.Nxh4 1/2-1/2

        Standings after Round Nine

        1-2 Ding, Nepo 5.5
        3-4 Anand, Karjakin 5
        5-7 Carlsen, Caruana, Mamedyarov 4.5
        8-11 Giri, MVL, So, Nakamura 4
        12 Aronian 3.5

        Comment


        • #34
          Originally posted by Hans Jung View Post
          Referring to post 27 maybe its schadenfreude
          Ah... as in, I love it when Brad Marchand makes a mistake and gets clobbered with his head down. Or when P.K. Subban performs another hot-dog pirouette, "loses an edge", and gives the puck away leading to a goal? I think you are on to something Hans, for I admit to rooting for these sorts of "blunders" in hockey games!! And as far as chess goes, there is indeed a certain satisfaction in watching one of the top boys getting tortured and crushed.

          Comment


          • #35
            Magnus gets his first win of the tournament in rd 10. Is it too late?

            Comment


            • #36
              Nepo blunders and loses to MVL and Ding is now sole leader after drawing Levon Aronian. Ding has white against Shak in the last round tomorrow and the best chances for first.

              Comment


              • #37
                Sinquefield Cup 2019

                August 27, 2019

                Round Ten

                Round 10, August 27
                Nepomniachtchi, Ian – MVL
                A34 English, symmetrical, Three Knights System

                1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nb4 6.Bb5+ N8c6 7.d4 cxd4 8.a3 dxc3 9.Qxd8+ Kxd8 10.axb4 cxb2 11.Bxb2 f6 12.e5 Bd7 13.Bc4 e6 14.O-O Be7 15.b5 Nxe5 16.Bxe5 fxe5 17.Rfd1 Ke8 18.Nxe5 Bc8 19.b6 Bc5 20.Bb5+ Ke7 21.Nd7 Bd6 22.Rac1 Rd8 23.Nc5 Bxc5 24.Rxd8 Kxd8 25.Rxc5 axb6 26.Rc1 Ra5 27.Rb1 Bd7 28.Bd3 h6 29.Rxb6 Ra1+ 30.Bf1 Kc7 31.Rb2 b5 32.f3 Kb6 33.Kf2 Bc6 34.Bc4 e5 35.Bd3 Ra3 36.Bb1 Rc3 37.Ke2 Rc4 38.Kd2 b4 39.Ba2 Rd4+ 40.Kc1 e4 41.fxe4 Rxe4 42.g3 Bb5 43.Kd1 Kc5 44.Rf2 Bc4 45.Bb1 Re7 46.Kd2 Rf7 0-1

                

                The game had equal chances, then Nepo played 21.Nd7 and lost a piece. He intended to play Nc6+ but didn’t.

                Round 10, August 27
                Aronian, Levon – Ding, Liren
                C58 Two Knight’s Defence
                
                1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3 Nd5 9.Nf3 Bd6 10.O-O Nf4 11.Nc3 Nxd3 12.cxd3 O-O 13.b3 c5 14.Ba3 Nc6 15.Ne4 Nb4 16.Bxb4 cxb4 17.Re1 Bb8 18.Ng3 Qxd3 19.Nxe5 Bxe5 20.Rxe5 Be6 21.Re3 Qd4 22.Ne2 Qd6 23.d4 a5 24.h4 Rfd8 25.Qd2 a4 26.Rd1 axb3 27.axb3 Ra5 28.Rg3 Rf5 29.Ra1 Bd5 30.Qe3 h6 31.Rg4 Rf6 32.Ng3 Qe6 33.Qxe6 Bxe6 34.Re4 Bxb3 35.d5 Rb6 36.Rb1 Bxd5 37.Rexb4 Rxb4 38.Rxb4 Be6 39.f3 Ra8 40.Kh1 Rd8 41.Kg1 Ra8 42.Kh1 Rd8 43.Kg1 1/2-1/2

                In the post-game interview, Ding Liren revealed that he has no backup team and prefers to do the analysis himself.
                He played 5…Na5 and Yasser asked him if he was taught 5…Nxd5 when he was very young. It is one of the first things taught to American children. Ding said that he was shown it but it is better for White so he doesn’t play it. Yasser then revealed that it is called the Fried Liver Attack and Ding said again that he knows the move but not the name.

                Round 10, August 27
                Karjakin, Sergey – Anand, Vishy
                D37 QGD, Hastings variation

                1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 b6 7.Be2 Ba6 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 Qxd5 10.Bxc7 Qa5+ 11.Kf1 Bxe2+ 12.Qxe2 Nd7 13.h3 Rac8 14.Bg3 Rc6 15.Kg1 Rfc8 16.Kh2 Rc2 17.Qd3 g5 18.Rhb1 h5 19.Kg1 g4 20.hxg4 hxg4 21.Ne1 Rd2 22.Qe4 Nf6 23.Qb7 Re8 24.Rc1 Qf5 25.Rc7 Bd6 26.Rxf7 Bxg3 27.Rg7+ Kh8 28.fxg3 Rf2 29.Nd3 Qxd3 30.Kxf2 Ne4+ 31.Kg1 Qxe3+ 32.Kh1 Qh6+ 33.Kg1 Qe3+ 34.Kh1 Qh6+ 35.Kg1 Qe3+ 1/2-1/2

                Round 10, August 27
                Carlsen, Magnus – So, Wesley
                C50 Giuoco Piano

                1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 O-O 6.c3 d6 7.h3 h6 8.Re1 a6 9.a4 a5 10.Nbd2 Be6 11.Bb5 Na7 12.d4 Nxb5 13.dxc5 Na7 14.b3 Re8 15.cxd6 Qxd6 16.Ba3 c5 17.Nc4 Qxd1 18.Raxd1 Bxc4 19.bxc4 b6 20.Nh4 Rad8 21.f3 g6 22.g3 Nh5 23.Kf2 Nc6 24.Bc1 Kg7 25.Be3 Rxd1 26.Rxd1 Rd8 27.Rb1 Rb8 28.Ng2 Nf6 29.Ke2 Ne8 30.Bf2 Nd6 31.Ne3 Ne7 32.Nd5 Nxd5 33.cxd5 Rb7 34.Kd3 f5 35.c4 fxe4+ 36.fxe4 Rf7 37.Rxb6 Rxf2 38.Rxd6 Rf3+ 39.Ke2 Rc3 40.Re6 Rxc4 41.Rxe5 Rxa4 42.Re7+ Kf6 43.d6 1-0

                Final position

                

                Round 10, August 27
                Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Caruana, Fabiano
                E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical variation

                1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.e4 d5 6.e5 Ne4 7.Bd3 c5 8.Nf3 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nd7 10.Bf4 Qh4 11.g3 Qh5 12.O-O g5 13.cxd5 Bxc3 14.bxc3 gxf4 15.dxe6 Nxe5 16.Bxe4 Ng4 17.exf7+ Rxf7 18.h4 fxg3 19.fxg3 Ne3 20.Qb3 Nxf1 21.Rxf1 Kg7 22.Rxf7+ Qxf7 23.Qb4 Bh3 24.Bf5 a5 25.Qb5 Bxf5 26.Nxf5+ Kf6 27.Nh6 Qg6 28.Qb6+ Kg7 29.Nf5+ Qxf5 30.Qxb7+ Qf7 31.Qxa8 Qxa2 32.c4 Qb1+ 33.Kg2 Qc2+ 34.Kh3 Qf5+ 35.Kg2 Qc2+ 36.Kh3 Qf5+ 37.Kg2 Qc2+ 1/2-1/2

                Round 10, August 27
                Nakamura, Hikaru – Giri, Anish
                D38 QGD, Ragozin variation

                1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bd2 O-O 6.e3 b6 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.O-O Bd6 10.Rc1 c5 11.Ne5 Nc6 12.Ng4 Nxg4 13.Qxg4 c4 14.Bb1 Ne7 15.Nb5 f5 16.Qe2 a6 17.Nxd6 Qxd6 18.f3 b5 19.Be1 Ng6 20.Ba5 Ne7 21.Be1 Ng6 22.Ba5 Ne7 23.Be1 1/2-1/2

                Standings after Round Ten

                1 Ding Liren 6
                2-5 Carlsen, Nepo, Anand, Karjakin 5.5
                6-8 Caruana, MVL, Mamedyarov 5
                9-10 Giri, Nakamura 4.5
                11-12 So, Aronian

                Final Round Pairings

                Ding Liren-Mamedyarov
                MVL-Carlsen
                Caruana-Karjakin
                Anand-Nakamura
                Giri-Nepo
                So-Aronian

                Comment


                • #38
                  Originally posted by Hans Jung View Post
                  Nepo blunders and loses to MVL
                  Nice to see Nepo give the "fans" what they are looking for!

                  Hans, I do not have your amazing ability to think blindfolded more than one game, even playing one game with my eyes open is difficult enough. So I always choose one game to try to follow carefully, watch it on my computer, and then play the show on my television from my other computer. I have watched Anand every game this event, and one has to feel for the man. He gets great positions, then miss the critical winning lines. Is this a case of Vishy simply having a funny tournament, is he slowing a bit with age, or is it more a case of the fact that in the past we did not have engines to find all of the chances that he has missed and we did not realize therefore that he missed them?

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    Originally posted by Brad Thomson View Post

                    Nice to see Nepo give the "fans" what they are looking for!

                    Hans, I do not have your amazing ability to think blindfolded more than one game, even playing one game with my eyes open is difficult enough. So I always choose one game to try to follow carefully, watch it on my computer, and then play the show on my television from my other computer. I have watched Anand every game this event, and one has to feel for the man. He gets great positions, then miss the critical winning lines. Is this a case of Vishy simply having a funny tournament, is he slowing a bit with age, or is it more a case of the fact that in the past we did not have engines to find all of the chances that he has missed and we did not realize therefore that he missed them?
                    I think it is a combination of things for Vishy. #1 players defend a lot better than they did in the past. Ding Liren does not say die. As Mamedyarov said in his post game interview yesterday, he would get +10 on his computer against Liren and only draw! #2, the time controls are faster than in the past. #3 I think Vishy lost confidence, not putting his opponents away and he is not in his best form. He may have lost a bit of his ability to calculate but not much. Even in Magnus's win against So, Magnus made a big mistake in the rook and pawn ending which he pointed out in his post game interview. Chess is hard and the engines really point out human inadequacies.

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      Originally posted by Brad Thomson View Post

                      Nice to see Nepo give the "fans" what they are looking for!

                      Hans, I do not have your amazing ability to think blindfolded more than one game, even playing one game with my eyes open is difficult enough. So I always choose one game to try to follow carefully, watch it on my computer, and then play the show on my television from my other computer. I have watched Anand every game this event, and one has to feel for the man. He gets great positions, then miss the critical winning lines. Is this a case of Vishy simply having a funny tournament, is he slowing a bit with age, or is it more a case of the fact that in the past we did not have engines to find all of the chances that he has missed and we did not realize therefore that he missed them?
                      My ability is not what it once was. I struggle these days to do two boards blindfold but I love it and will be very sad if I cant do that anymore. I like your idea of watching one game carefully and also the show on the side. As far as Vishy Anand's result Ian's answer above hits the nail on the head. Anand himself is aware that he is a bit off form and is disappointed (gathered from interviews). In one interview Maurice asked how he would play in the last round (today) - he had already asked other players - and Anand said I dont know which drew a laugh from Yasser and Jen. Also in going over his game with Karjakhin there was long analysis about Anand's chosen move Bd6 (wildly tactical). Nothing was said about the computer's choice Nd5 which was very logical repulsing white's Rc7.
                      I am sure this topic has been discussed elsewhere by GM's (no less) and even Kasparov himself weighed in.
                      I also notice that the players as a whole (that includes Anand) are playing much faster than in the past. That must also play a role. So to sum up exactly what Ian said plus Anand is also aware that he is off form and probably wont know fully what went wrong until he tears the games apart with home analysis.
                      I hope its a quick fix and that Vishy Anand has many more years of 2800 chess in him.

                      Comment


                      • #41
                        I love it! Last round and 10.b3 from MVL to Magnus! Its going to be a fight!

                        Comment


                        • #42
                          I expected ...f5 from Magnus in reply but he doesnt bite and plays Nh6. Well I will have to settle in for a long and hopefully interesting game.

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            I was hoping for an exciting Vishy-Naka game but Hikaru chose the Berlin. Its wait and see for all the other games as well (except for one quick draw already by the two tail enders)

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              Vishy Anand draws. Only Ding, Magnus, Nepo and Karjakhin left in the hunt for first. (although technically Vishy could still tie for first in Ding loses)

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                Vishy just interviewed by Maurice: Magnus would have +6 with the positions I had.
                                His next tournament: Isle of Man

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X