Wijk aan Zee 9th- 25th January 2015

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Looks like a sixth win in a row for Carlsen. He will be only ten ELO points away from his peak rating and if he finishes off Radjabov he will play Ivanchuk tomorrow with Black. Will another 7/7 run (like Caruana did) be possible?

[Jonathan Rogers]

Possible of course but we are seeing a relatively stable Ivanchuk who has just lost one game in a sharp opening line where his opponent was better prepared; and whereas Ivanchuk used to lose often to Carlsen, I believe their last games were in the London candidates where Ivanchuk managed +1.

So it is possible of course, but even Carlsen will need to be at the top of his game. I'd actually bet on a draw.

Today's game was quite something. Radjabov may well have predicted that opening line and everyone still thinks it is quite harmless - but he was just helpless all the same! It must be quite funny to be a coach to someone trying to prepare for Carlsen with Black:

"Look, I've nothing against Bxc6 bxc6 in the Lopez, this is silly, i'll play the French!"

"But we haven't prepared for 3 exd5 in that ..."

"Caro-Kann?"

"We neve really looked at 2 Nf3 and 3 Nc3, nor 3 exd5 and 4 Bd3 ..."

etc, etc

[David Sedgwick]

I agree that it would be helpful if DGT were to change the design.

What actually is the correct sequence, particularly when King to central square is a legal move?

There is no single right course of action. The safe thing to do is to remove a man from the board*, thus creating an illegal position. After placing the kings on the correct central squares, you can restore the missing man if you wish.

*Edit: But not from one of the four central squares - see Christopher's post below.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I agree that it would be helpful if DGT were to change the design.

What actually is the correct sequence, particularly when King to central square is a legal move?

There is no single right course of action. The safe thing to do is to remove a man from the board, thus creating an illegal position. After placing the kings on the correct central squares, you can restore the missing man if you wish.

To be pedantic, if the piece you remove is on one of those four central square, and can be taken by the first king you put on that same central square, it will get recorded as a move... I think I once saw a suggestion to pick up one of the kings, and put it next to the other one - that is always an illegal move. And to then place the kings centrally to record the result. I think it is actually an elegant way of recording the result (having a switch or button to record the result is something that can break and need repair). I think players and arbiters should learn how to record the result properly. Though I think I did it wrong the first time I used a live board...

[Carl Hibbard]

Jobava 9.... a5 has me beat.

[Chris Rice]

Round 9 results
Saric, I. - Van Wely, L. ½-½
Giri, A. - Ding, L. 1-0
So, W. - Vachier-Lagrave ½-½
Wojtaszek, R. - Ivanchuk, V. ½-½
Carlsen, M. - Radjabov, T. 1-0
Aronian, L. - Jobava, B. 1-0
Caruana, F. - Hou, Y. ½-½

Standings:
1 Carlsen 7
2-3 So, Vachier-Lagrave 6
4-5 Ivanchuk, Ding Liren 5.5
6-7 Giri, Caruana 5
8-9 Wojtaszek, Radjabov 4.5
10 Aronian 4
11.Hou Yifan, Saric 3
13 Van Wely 2.5
14 Jobava 1.5

Reports:
ChessBase http://en.chessbase.com/post/tata-steel ... by-a-point
TWIC http://www.theweekinchess.com/
Chess.com http://www.chess.com/news/carlsen-wins- ... d-mvl-4449
Chess Mind http://www.thechessmind.net/

Round 10 pairings which will be played in Den Haag (or The Hague). There is going to be a 30 minute delayed start time according to TWIC so should kick off at 1pm GMT:
Van Wely, L. - Hou, Y.
Jobava, B. - Caruana, F.
Radjabov, T. - Aronian, L.
Ivanchuk, V. - Carlsen, M.
Vachier-Lagrave - Wojtaszek
Ding, L. - So, W.
Saric, I. - Giri, A.

[Steven DuCharme]

In the challenger's section Yi Wei is closing in a 2700 rating before age 16! Looks like he and Navara will be in the Master's Group in 2016

[Barry Sandercock]

Carl Hibbard wrote:
Jobava 9.... a5 has me beat.

I think it was possibly to stop White playing a5, but it does seem to be a wasted move.

[Barry Sandercock]

On second thoughts, to let the Queen's knight out to a6.

[LawrenceCooper]

Carl Hibbard wrote:
Jobava 9.... a5 has me beat.

I think it was possibly to stop White playing a5, but it does seem to be a wasted move.

I think the idea was to play the knight to b4. Whilst it looks impressive at first glance it quickly became obvious that the rook swings over to the kingside via a3, the bishop points at g6 and the knight on b4 has nowhere to go and leaves black short of defensive cover on the kingside.

[Clive Blackburn]

Ivanchuk - Carlsen drawn in 18 moves, no great surprise really.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Three other draws, but three wins looking likely as well (actually, Hou Yifan has already resigned - pity as she has been playing better than her results suggest here). EDIT: Strange, I thought Jobava was losing when I looked at that game earlier. Looks more level now.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Not to worry, Jobava has somehow managed to chuck it away again

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Not to worry, Jobava has somehow managed to chuck it away again

Goodness. I see what you mean...
The position where Jobava was two exchanges down but still level was interesting.

Pity about him playing 51.Kg3 which lost swiftly (computer assessment of -19). It turns out that 51.Kf2 (computer assessment of 0) draws due to a perpetual that is very difficult to see, starting with a lovely quiet move.

This is the starting position:

3B2k1/5p2/p5pQ/8/1P2qPB1/P1p5/2Pn2K1/8 w - - 0 1

In the game, White (Jobava) played 51.Kg3 and after Caruana (Black) played 51...Qe1+, Jobava's king was swiftly in a mating net.

If he had played 51.Kf2 the game might have gone 51...Qd4+ 52.Ke2 53.Qxd8 and it seems that White's king is still rather exposed, but there is a lovely computer move here that forces a draw.

3q2k1/5p2/p5pQ/8/1P3PB1/P1p5/2PnK3/8 w - - 0 1

White to move. What is the best move to play here?

(Not sure if other moves draw as well, but the one the computer engine on Chessbomb was showing is really nice.)

[Paul Dargan]

Not to worry, Jobava has somehow managed to chuck it away again

Goodness. I see what you mean...
The position where Jobava was two exchanges down but still level was interesting.

Pity about him playing 51.Kg3 which lost swiftly (computer assessment of -19). It turns out that 51.Kf2 (computer assessment of 0) draws due to a perpetual that is very difficult to see, starting with a lovely quiet move.

This is the starting position:

3B2k1/5p2/p5pQ/8/1P2qPB1/P1p5/2Pn2K1/8 w - - 0 1

In the game, White (Jobava) played 51.Kg3 and after Caruana (Black) played 51...Qe1+, Jobava's king was swiftly in a mating net.

If he had played 51.Kf2 the game might have gone 51...Qd4+ 52.Ke2 53.Qxd8 and it seems that White's king is still rather exposed, but there is a lovely computer move here that forces a draw.

3q2k1/5p2/p5pQ/8/1P3PB1/P1p5/2PnK3/8 w - - 0 1

White to move. What is the best move to play here?

(Not sure if other moves draw as well, but the one the computer engine on Chessbomb was showing is really nice.)

Be6 appeals visually