Alekhine Memorial

[Angus French]

Fantastic start for Mickey - to my inexpert eyes he played the first two games very well.

I see Grischuk is up to 4 on the live rankings (ahead of Anand). Although, in truth, only 15 points separate the players in positions 4 to 12.

Nice game by Vachier-Lagrave. It looks like he out-prep'd Wing and was ready for 7... Nf6.

[John Moore]

Mickey is, I think, struggling to hold his ending against Gelfand in Rd 3. His Black squared bishop looks impressive but does nothing apart from prevent the further infiltration of White's King. White can gradually improve his position and we will see.

[John Moore]

Oh er. Mickey has just gone 56 ..f6. Doubt that works very well.

[Andrew Bak]

A shame Mickey lost, however it's no shame to lose with Black against Gelfand!

[Christopher Kreuzer]

In round 4, with the other games long finished, Mickey is still battling valiantly to draw his game against Fressinet. I've not a clue what is going on, but surely the f-pawn and h-pawn for White mean it is drawn if the bishop is exchanged for the knight (i.e. a rook endgame) even if Black loses the g-pawn. Is it just drawn or is there more to it than that? EDIT: Oh, as I typed that, the game was agreed drawn!

[LawrenceCooper]

In round 4, with the other games long finished, Mickey is still battling valiantly to draw his game against Fressinet. I've not a clue what is going on, but surely the f-pawn and h-pawn for White mean it is drawn if the bishop is exchanged for the knight (i.e. a rook endgame) even if Black loses the g-pawn. Is it just drawn or is there more to it than that? EDIT: Oh, as I typed that, the game was agreed drawn!

Ironically Kramnik could have had rook, f & h pawn v rook in his game yesterday and with hindsight probably wished he had gone for that option.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Kramnik's game today - WTF??!!??!!

[Roger de Coverly]

Kramnik's game today - WTF??!!??!!

There are a few players around who show little respect for the Reti or Catalan and use a d5,Nc6, Bg4, Qd7, 0-0-0 plan against it. You don't expect to see that style of chess work at elite GM level.

[Paul Dargan]

Good system - Alex Raetsky tried to sell me it when we were both in Abu Dhabi. I think he wrote a chapter on it "Alex's broken toy" in a book that eventually got translated into English "No Passion for Chess Fashion" perhaps? I saw it when it was work in progress. There's a brilliant TN buried in some analysis we did tofether that I'm afraid will never see the light of day - so I may just need to send it to a letters column in some magazine... or maybe use it to kick-off my Chess.com blog?

Paul

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Kramnik's game today - WTF??!!??!!

Worth posting here in full and analysing. I may do so later (posting the game, not analysing it!). One of the other games was good as well (the one that ended in a mating net with the White king trapped by the Black pawns, bishop, knight and rook.

[Mick Norris]

Kramnik's game today - WTF??!!??!!

Worth posting here in full and analysing. I may do so later (posting the game, not analysing it!). One of the other games was good as well (the one that ended in a mating net with the White king trapped by the Black pawns, bishop, knight and rook.

http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/alekh ... -for-anand

[Simon Brown]

Looks like Mickey is winning again as black v Aronian

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Looks drawn now (move 40 - hope Mickey didn't lose on time!). Were you talking about the position at move 37? Computer engines are saying that 37...fxg4 was wrong and lost the winning advantage.

[John Moore]

Brave of Mickey to do the press conference after making a half from a position that was winning. But g4 was a great try by Aronian.

[Andrew Bak]

This is one of the craziest games I have seen for a while! Definitely not one to show to a beginner!

[Event "Renova Grand Prix"] [Site "Zug, SUI"] [Date "2013.04.29"] [Round "9.2"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Kasimdzhanov, Rustam"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [LiveChessVersion "1.4.1"] [ECO "A34"] 1. c4 {[%clk 1:59:57]} Nf6 {[%clk 1:59:10]} 2. Nf3 {[%clk 1:59:35]} c5 {[%clk 1:58:54]} 3. Nc3 {[%clk 1:58:26]} d5 {[%clk 1:58:27]} 4. cxd5 {[%clk 1:57:39]} Nxd5 {[%clk 1:58:21]} 5. e4 {[%clk 1:57:13]} Nb4 {[%clk 1:55:35]} 6. Bc4 {[%clk 1:57:03]} Nd3+ {[%clk 1:53:41]} 7. Ke2 {[%clk 1:56:55]} Nf4+ {[%clk 1:53:30]} 8. Kf1 {[%clk 1:56:50]} Ne6 {[%clk 1:52:06]} 9. b4 {[%clk 1:54:49]} cxb4 {[%clk 1:49:13]} 10. Ne2 {[%clk 1:52:31]} Nc5 {[%clk 1:28:44]} 11. Ng3 {[%clk 1:44:49]} Be6 {[%clk 1:27:50]} 12. Bxe6 {[%clk 1:42:25]} Qd3+ {[%clk 1:16:23]} 13. Kg1 {[%clk 1:34:59]} Nxe6 {[%clk 1:16:14]} 14. Bb2 {[%clk 1:33:07]} Nc6 {[%clk 1:13:46]} 15. Rc1 {[%clk 1:31:57]} Rd8 {[%clk 1:11:35]} 16. h4 {[%clk 1:30:37]} h5 {[%clk 1:02:00]} 17. Kh2 {[%clk 1:28:34]} Nf4 {[%clk 0:49:36]} 18. Ne5 {[%clk 1:16:23]} Qb5 {[%clk 0:37:59]} 19. Rxc6 {[%clk 1:11:09]} bxc6 {[%clk 0:32:37]} 20. Qf3 {[%clk 1:10:42]} f6 {[%clk 0:32:21]} 21. Qxf4 {[%clk 1:10:32]} fxe5 {[%clk 0:32:13]} 22. Bxe5 {[%clk 1:10:16]} Rd3 {[%clk 0:30:56]} 23. Nf5 {[%clk 1:07:10]} Rg8 {[%clk 0:28:59]} 24. Nd4 {[%clk 1:03:46]} Qc4 {[%clk 0:23:01]} 25. Rc1 {[%clk 0:36:06]} Qxc1 {[%clk 0:20:40]} 26. Ne6 {[%clk 0:36:01]} Qc4 {[%clk 0:11:28]} 27. Qf5 {[%clk 0:35:51]} g6 {[%clk 0:10:38]} 28. Nc7+ {[%clk 0:35:44]} Kd8 {[%clk 0:10:34]} 29. Ne6+ {[%clk 0:35:42]} Kd7 {[%clk 0:07:55]} 30. Nxf8+ {[%clk 0:35:11]} Ke8 {[%clk 0:07:52]} 31. Nxg6 {[%clk 0:35:09]} Rd7 {[%clk 0:04:14]} 32. Bb8 {[%clk 0:29:47]} Qf7 {[%clk 0:02:21]} 33. Qxf7+ {[%clk 0:29:42]} Kxf7 {[%clk 0:02:19]} 34. Ne5+ {[%clk 0:29:41]} Ke6 {[%clk 0:02:16]} 35. Nxd7 {[%clk 0:29:36]} Kxd7 {[%clk 0:02:12]} 36. Bxa7 {[%clk 0:29:33]} Ra8 {[%clk 0:01:58]} 37. Bc5 {[%clk 0:29:29]} Rxa2 {[%clk 0:01:55]} 38. Bxb4 {[%clk 0:29:25]} Ra4 {[%clk 0:01:52]} 39. Bc5 {[%clk 0:21:27]} Rxe4 {[%clk 0:01:45]} 40. Kh3 {[%clk 1:21:09]} Ke6 {[%clk 1:00:10]} 41. f3 {[%clk 1:04:56]} Rc4 {[%clk 0:55:27]} 42. Be3 {[%clk 1:02:08]} Kf5 {[%clk 0:51:08]} 43. Bg5 {[%clk 1:01:26]} e5 {[%clk 0:43:54]} 44. Be3 {[%clk 0:55:40]} Ra4 {[%clk 0:26:34]} 45. Bf2 {[%clk 0:46:24]} Rc4 {[%clk 0:21:14]} 46. Be3 {[%clk 0:45:48]} c5 {[%clk 0:16:52]} 47. g4+ {[%clk 0:43:18]} Kg6 {[%clk 0:13:17]} 48. Kg3 {[%clk 0:42:12]} Rc1 {[%clk 0:12:59]} 49. Kf2 {[%clk 0:35:56]} c4 {[%clk 0:12:49]} 50. Bg5 {[%clk 0:35:32]} Ra1 {[%clk 0:10:03]} 51. Ke3 {[%clk 0:34:57]} Re1+ {[%clk 0:09:53]} 52. Kf2 {[%clk 0:34:55]} Ra1 {[%clk 0:09:45]} 53. Ke3 {[%clk 0:34:48]} Ra4 {[%clk 0:09:18]} 54. gxh5+ {[%clk 0:34:16]} Kxh5 {[%clk 0:09:10]} 55. Bf6 {[%clk 0:33:18]} Ra3+ {[%clk 0:06:46]} 56. Ke4 {[%clk 0:33:03]} c3 {[%clk 0:06:32]} 57. dxc3 {[%clk 0:32:59]} Rxc3 {[%clk 0:06:29]} 58. Bxe5 {[%clk 0:32:55]} Rxf3 {[%clk 0:06:25]} 59. Kxf3 {[%clk 0:32:52]} Kxh4 1/2-1/2