London Chess Classic Super Rapidplay

[JustinHadi]

Hope, Sadler, Howell and Speelman can get to 5/5.

Looks like Sadler and Howell are getting to 5/5.

[Sean Hewitt]

It seems the start of round 2 was delayed because a game hadn't finished (or took a very long time to finish). The perils of increment time controls.

In round 1 we had KRNvKRP which became KRNvKR which took 50 moves before it was drawn. That put us 25 minutes behind. That said, we got back on schedule by the end so hopefully players weren't too inconvenienced.

Round 6 draw will be published at 10am tomorrow. Should be some good pairings!

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Probably best to keep discussion of the rapidplay in this thread (some are using the main London Chess Classic festival thread).

[Christopher Kreuzer]

That's a missed opportunity. Sadler should have won that game against Nakamura in round 6.

[Chris Rice]

That's a missed opportunity. Sadler should have won that game against Nakamura in round 6.

I'm sure you're right at a classical time limit but I was mightily impressed with the counterplay (or should it just be tricks?) Naka kept coming up with. At this time limit he really is a monster.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Yeah. McShane should have lost to Williams as well. But it is amazing how at this time limit, as you say, the top-rated players keep pulling tricks out to keep the game alive. I've watched some of the World Blitz championships, and am not sure how this compares - it is a longer time limit. There was also a World Rapidplay championships - can't remember what time limit they used there.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Round 7 draw:

http://chess-results.com/tnr154459.aspx ... =YES&css=1

Giri-Caruana
Nakamura-Adams
Anand-Sadler
McShane-Agdestein

Is Mickey late to the board? Clock has been running for three minutes...

[John Moore]

Where's Mickey and Jonathan Hawkins as well come to that.

[John Moore]

Mickey has arrived at least.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

McShane was lucky to avoid a lost position against Agdestein: 28...Qd8 was winning for Black.

[Jonathan Rogers]

47 ...Be5+ in Hebden's game: impressive!

[Barry Sandercock]

A very clever move, diverting the rook.

[Martin Benjamin]

I am surprised that Jon Speelman gave Gawain Jones a draw in that position. Black looks a lot better, based on a swift glance at the position.

[Martin Benjamin]

Also, not knowing any Caro-Kann theory whatsoever, was Johnny Hector's Nxe6 theory or (to put it kindly) an extremely dubious punt?

[Martin Benjamin]

47 ...Be5+ in Hebden's game: impressive!

Yes, I admired that. I was assuming he was just going to win the exchange down ending anyway after Rxb8, but Be5+ ties it up very nicely.