European Individual Chess Championship 2015 (Jerusalem)

[Stewart Reuben]

The very essence of a rating system is that it provides predictability. All Jonathan was saying is that, on the basis of his results in the last 7 months, he was likely to qualify. It was not suggesting there had been witches muttering incantations.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Yes, I think you're reading something into my words that I didn't intend, Mike. As for "perhaps it was not meant to be", I just meant that one's opponent has to make a number of mistakes to allow one to win. It didn't happen today and perhaps it wouldn't have happened however David had decided to open.

So I was saying that he deserved to qualify on the basis of his results over the last seven months, this being a better measure of his strength and his place within the world top 100 than his results in the last four rounds of this event. Of course one sees the need for qualifying events and "doing the business when it counts". Thus my comment that it's a tough old life. If you get a unco-operative opponent who doesn't seem to want to play for a win himself "when it counts" ...

[Mike Truran]

I expect we're violently agreeing. Whatever the reasons, David failed to qualify. 'Deserved to' is not the same as 'was likely to', and the stars have nothing to do with it. I like your words about 'doing the business when it counts'.

[Jonathan Rogers]

This reminds me of an old issue of Chess, where then editor BH Wood offered the thought to aspiring young prodigies and their parents that the best advice was still "don't put your daugter on the stage, Mrs Worthington"! (Can you imagine an editor of a chess magazine saying that nowadays?). But it is a most unrewarding profession, given the dedication and talent needed, as well as needing a bit of luck when it counts.

[NickFaulks]

Whatever the reasons, David failed to qualify.

He can still get one of the three places available online.

[David Robertson]

For heaven's sake, what's going on with people? Is it the super-moon?

"Deserves to" surely means "earned enough to (...on merit)". As in "Mike Truran's comments deserve to be treated with respect...(normally)". But, alas, circumstances conspire so that sometimes he talks tosh...(but never mind)

[Chris Rice]

Final standings: The top 23 players qualified for the World Cup but as five of them had already qualified last year (Navara, Eljanov, Motylev, Smirin & Cheparinov) then the list extends to 28th place. As it turns out David Howell finished in 54th place on 6.5 but if he had won it is likely that his tie-break would have been superior to Goganov's. Pity. David seemed to be going quite well until he got demolished by Nepomniachtchi who similarly got battered the next day and barely qualified himself. Very tough tournament and David's performance rating of 2628 wasn't far off his current grade of 2663. He dropped 4 Elo in the end but a decent showing. Of course this tournament will be forever remembered for the utterly stunning finish in the round 10 game between Russian Denis Khismatullin and Ukrainian Pavel Eljanov.

1. GM Najer Evgeniy RUS 2634 – 8.5
2. GM Navara David CZE 2735 – 8
3. GM Bartel Mateusz POL 2631 – 8
4. GM Khismatullin Denis RUS 2653 – 8
5. GM Vovk Yuri UKR 2588 – 7.5
6. GM Korobov Anton UKR 2687 – 7.5
7. GM Ipatov Alexander TUR 2592 – 7.5
8. GM Eljanov Pavel UKR 2727 – 7.5
9. GM Volokitin Andrei UKR 2646 – 7.5
10. GM Matlakov Maxim RUS 2695 – 7.5
11. GM Sjugirov Sanan RUS 2678 – 7.5
12. GM Moiseenko Alexander UKR 2695 – 7.5
13. GM Motylev Alexander RUS 2665 – 7.5
14. Iljiushenok Ilia RUS 2450 – 7.5
15. GM Kempinski Robert POL 2625 – 7.5
16. GM Smirin Ilia ISR 2650 – 7.5
17. GM Cheparinov Ivan BUL 2681 – 7.5
18. GM Sargissian Gabriel ARM 2668 – 7.5
19. GM Popov Ivan RUS 2639 – 7.5
20. GM Laznicka Viktor CZE 2670 – 7.5
21. GM Rodshtein Maxim ISR 2660 – 7.5
22. GM Brkic Ante CRO 2586 – 7.5
23. GM Nisipeanu Liviu-Dieter GER 2654 – 7.5
24. GM Grachev Boris RUS 2670 – 7.5
25. GM Nabaty Tamir ISR 2585 – 7.5
26. GM Can Emre TUR 2555 – 7.5
27. GM Nepomniachtchi Ian RUS 2714 – 7
28. GM Goganov Aleksey RUS 2605 – 7

[Mick Norris]

WC qualifiers

[David Robertson]

Is there anything in the view that life for David Howell may have been even harder for being the sole ENG (or native English speaker) present? That is to say, he'd have had limited options for solace and support (presuming no competent second on hand) following a painful defeat.`I'd have thought there would be a sizeable psychological burden in being alone in front of an advancing phalanx of 2650+ GMs, thoroughly daunting even for a well-equipped GM like David. But what do I know. Maybe GMs at this level shrug off concerns like this.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Would be interesting to know if he had a second. And how many of the other GMs had seconds as well. Maybe some of them prepare with their seconds remotely, so as not to incur travelling costs? Some might well have not been able to afford seconds. Maybe some of those who have qualified for the World Cup will splash out now they have a pay day arriving?

[Stewart Reuben]

Had David wanted a second, he received support from the ECF and Brambles Administration, which could have been used towards that purpose.
The English players are rather mavericks. I didn't discuss the issue with David.
No doubt some of the players did have seconds, possibly remotely. England are not strong in this area and never have been, Some of our players have formed 'collectives' in the past to mutual benefit.

[Chris Rice]

Of course this tournament will be forever remembered for the utterly stunning finish in the round 10 game between Russian Denis Khismatullin and Ukrainian Pavel Eljanov.

Does it help to know your classics? Take a look at this analysis from the game Korchnoi-Spassky, Candidates Final, Belgrade in 1977 and see if you agree that Korchnoi provided the inspiration for Khismatullin....

https://chess24.com/en/read/news/did-ko ... f-the-year

PS also check out Malcolm Pein's article in the Telegraph describing the game Korobov-Solak where Black was in trouble in the final position and attempted to castle out of it having moved his king already. An alert arbiter saved the day....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/ches ... ships.html

[Brian Towers]

PS also check out Malcolm Pein's article in the Telegraph describing the game Korobov-Solak where Black was in trouble in the final position and attempted to castle out of it having moved his king already. An alert arbiter saved the day....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/ches ... ships.html

I strongly doubt your and the headline writer's interpretation. Note that the writer of the article doesn't write the headline. That is usually done by a sensationalist.

The article actually says:

When the arbiter and his bemused opponent begged to differ

From experience I would say players, who are much more embedded in the game, spot and call illegal moves long before the arbiter has stopped his wool-gathering. The only time I've called an illegal move which hadn't already been pointed out by a player was when one of a couple of under 10's tried to castle out of check.

[Chris Rice]

From experience I would say players, who are much more embedded in the game, spot and call illegal moves long before the arbiter has stopped his wool-gathering. The only time I've called an illegal move which hadn't already been pointed out by a player was when one of a couple of under 10's tried to castle out of check.

Knowing Malcolm I'm fairly confident he writes his own headlines but of course I could be wrong. Not quite sure what you're strongly doubting on the interpretation Brian, the alert arbiter saving the day was done tongue in cheek to be honest. Just to be clear, there is, of course, no such thing as an alert arbiter so apologies if what I said was misleading.

I did find a couple of notable examples of castling problems by experienced players:

Viktor Korchnoi, in his 1974 Candidates final match with Anatoly Karpov, famously asked the arbiter if castling was legal when the castling rook was under attack. The answer was in the affirmative, and Korchnoi ended up winning the game.

Three castlings occurred in the game between Wolfgang Heidenfeld and Nick Kerins, in Dublin in 1973. Of course, the third one (the second one by White) was illegal. The game is as follows:

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Be3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Nf3 Qb6 8.Qd2 c4 9.Be2 Na5 10.0-0 f5 11.Ng5 Be7 12.g4 Bxg5 13.fxg5 Nf8 14.gxf5 exf5 15.Bf3 Be6 16.Qg2 0-0-0 17.Na3 Ng6 18.Qd2 f4 19.Bf2 Bh3 20.Rfb1 Bf5 21.Nc2 h6 22.gxh6 Rxh6 23.Nb4 Qe6 24.Qe2 Ne7 25.b3 Qg6+ 26.Kf1 Bxb1 27.bxc4 dxc4 28.Qb2 Bd3+ 29.Ke1 Be4 30.Qe2 Bxf3 31.Qxf3 Rxh2 32.d5 Qf5 33.0-0-0 Rh3 34.Qe2 Rxc3+ 35.Kb2 Rh3 36.d6 Nec6 37.Nxc6 Nxc6 38.e6 Qe5+ 39.Qxe5 Nxe5 40.d7+ Nxd7 0–1

[Clive Blackburn]

This is the above game:-
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Be3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Nf3 Qb6 8.Qd2 c4 9.Be2 Na5 10.0-0 f5 11.Ng5 Be7 12.g4 Bxg5 13.fxg5 Nf8 14.gxf5 exf5 15.Bf3 Be6 16.Qg2 0-0-0 17.Na3 Ng6 18.Qd2 f4 19.Bf2 Bh3 20.Rfb1 Bf5 21.Nc2 h6 22.gxh6 Rxh6 23.Nb4 Qe6 24.Qe2 Ne7 25.b3 Qg6+ 26.Kf1 Bxb1 27.bxc4 dxc4 28.Qb2 Bd3+ 29.Ke1 Be4 30.Qe2 Bxf3 31.Qxf3 Rxh2 32.d5 Qf5 33.0-0-0 Rh3 34.Qe2 Rxc3+ 35.Kb2 Rh3 36.d6 Nec6 37.Nxc6 Nxc6 38.e6 Qe5+ 39.Qxe5 Nxe5 40.d7+ Nxd7 0–1