Norway 16-29 April 2016

[Christopher Kreuzer]

It is not totally winning yet. I am never quite sure how good engines are at evaluating positions where one side is up or down an exchange. It may not be easy to convert if a lot of pieces come off. Black's a8 rook does have problems, though...

[Mick Norris]

Magnus won, everyone else drew

Kramnik-Giri press conference was fun

[Ray Sayers]

Kramnik-Giri press conference was fun

Unstoppable ego meets immovable calculator...

[Mick Norris]

MVL up to number 4 on the Live ratings, which is particularly interesting given the France v England comparisons in the presentation to the ECF Finance Council last Saturday

TWIC

Round 3 standings: Carlsen 2.5pts, Vachier-Lagrave, Kramnik 2pts, Li Chao, Topalov, Giri, Aronian 1.5pts, Eljanov, Harikrishna 1pts, Grandelius 0.5pts.
Rest day Friday:
Round 4 pairings Saturday 23rd April 3pm BST: Eljanov-Topalov, Li Chao-Carlsen, Giri-Aronian, Vachier-Lagrave-Kramnik, Grandelius-Harikrishna.

[Roger de Coverly]

It's a slightly strange move rate they are using.

From
http://norwaychess.no/en/reglement/

The time control is 100 min for 40 moves + 50 min for 20 moves, + 15 min for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move, starting from move 61. Participant is obliged to record the moves on the score sheet, starting from the first move.

Usually with that move rate, the increment is from move 1 giving an implicit two hours for the first 40. Alternatively the forty in two rate is reinstated by 120 for 40, then 60 for 20 with the increment coming into action at move 61.

40 moves in 100 minutes is a weekend Congress rate, although they aren't being forced to complete the game in a remaining 20 as you would be in a Congress.

[David Sedgwick]

Rest day Friday:
Round 4 pairings Saturday 23rd April 3pm BST: Eljanov-Topalov, Li Chao-Carlsen, Giri-Aronian, Vachier-Lagrave-Kramnik, Grandelius-Harikrishna.

That's not correct. Round 4 is in progress as I write.

The rest day is tomorrow (Saturday).

[Mick Norris]

True enough - it was just copied from TWIC, so Mark must have got that wrong

Talking of mistakes, chess24live has the 30 sec increment starting at move 41, so maybe the time control has confused everyone

[Matt Mackenzie]

Giri still has his plus score against Magnus, then

[Barry Sandercock]

Looks as though Magnus will get a draw, even though a piece down for two pawns. (move 54)

[JustinHorton]

Carlsen can't beat Giri but all of a sudden, everybody else can.

[Barry Sandercock]

Today (Tues. April 26 ) is another rest day.

[Mick Norris]

Magnus - Vlad today

[Christopher Kreuzer]

This looks (move 17) like the sort of position where Magnus could grind out a win.

[Roger de Coverly]

This looks (move 17) like the sort of position where Magnus could grind out a win.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 c6 6. e3 Bf5 7. Qf3 Bg6 8. Bxf6 Qxf6 9. Qxf6 gxf6 10. Nf3 Nd7 11. Nh4 Be7 12. Ne2 Nb6 13. Ng3 Bb4+ 14. Kd1 Na4 15. Ngf5 Kd7 16. Rb1 Ke6 17. Bd3 Rhc8 18. Ke2 *

It's a line of the Exchange Variation that Nigel Short and doubtless Kramnik think is OK for Black, arguing that the Bishop pair compensates for the dodgy pawns.

I think chessbomb's Stockfish doesn't really know what should be played. The four displayed choices (move 18) give a white advantage ranging from 0.60 to 0.67, all about the same effectively.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Yes, well move 19 from Kramnik was a shocker. Black is going to get completely tied up in knots. I was wondering what a WCC match between Kramnik and Carlsen might have looked like. Bit like this, I guess.