Candidates: predict the last two rounds

[John McKenna]

No more predictions, please. Play has commenced.

I know this poll is closed, but check this scenario from Chessbase knitter 'Zdrak' -

As a fantasy only, imagine this:

Round 13:
Anand-Giri 1/2
Caruana-Svidler 0-1
Aronian-Karjakin 1-0
Topalov-Nakamura 0-1

Round 14:
Svidler-Anand 1/2
Giri-Topalov 1-0
Karjakin-Caruana 1/2
Nakamura-Aronian either 1/2 or 1-0

This leaves a monstrous six-way tie, with Anand, Svidler, Giri, Caruana, Karjakin and (Aronian or Nakamura) all at 7.5/14. Tiebreaks are left as an exercise for the reader

[JustinHorton]

I think every possible result has been predicted by one contestant or another, except that nobody thinks

(a) that Giri will beat Anand today with Black
(b) that Topalov will beat Giri tomorrow with Black.

[Mick Norris]

For Giri to qualify

Unlikely, I agree, but I reckon by the next Candidates he will be stronger, I would put him as early favourite

[LawrenceCooper]

For Giri to qualify

Unlikely, I agree, but I reckon by the next Candidates he will be stronger, I would put him as early favourite

Does that include if Magnus is in the tournament?

[Mick Norris]

For Giri to qualify

Unlikely, I agree, but I reckon by the next Candidates he will be stronger, I would put him as early favourite

Does that include if Magnus is in the tournament?

Ok then, yes

[JustinHorton]

Thinking about it, Karjakin's the only man in the field who can really play for the draw today, excluding the two players who are already out (and they have prize money to think about).

[JustinHorton]

Lawrence and Christopher both had Nakamura beating Topalov. A point to both of them.

[JustinHorton]

They also both had Anand drawing with Giri, as did everybody else except Paolo and John. Those two are on zero, Lawrence and Christoper are on two, and everybody else is on one.

[John McKenna]

Thanks for the standings, Justin.

I've been left relying on Russian tenacity to avoid the dreaded duck.

[JustinHorton]

Aronian-Karjakin is drawn. Everybody had this except Mick and Christopher, so Lawrence now leads outright on three, Paolo and John are off the mark on one and Mick is also on that score. Nick, Barry, Alistair, Christopher and myself are on two.

[JustinHorton]

Lawrence also had Caruana-Svidler as a draw, so hats off to him - he's got a full house, four out of four.

Mick, Nick, Barry and Paolo also had the draw, so the overnight standings are:

4 - Lawrence
3 - Nick, Barry
2 - Justin, Mick, Paolo, Alistair, Christopher
1- John

[Mick Norris]

Mystic Lawrence has Svidler-Anand and Karjakin-Caruana as draws tomorrow, so that's the excitement over then

Karjakin goes to New York (unless the US authorities refuse him a visa)

[JustinHorton]

I guess I should be looking at different combinations of results to see who can still come first and who can't

[LawrenceCooper]

Lawrence also had Caruana-Svidler as a draw, so hats off to him - he's got a full house, four out of four.

Mick, Nick, Barry and Paolo also had the draw, so the overnight standings are:

4 - Lawrence
3 - Nick, Barry
2 - Justin, Mick, Paolo, Alistair, Christopher
1- John

I got a welcome message from BT that my internet may be off for 48 hours just as Caruana started the R&B v R phase

[JustinHorton]

Mine actually did go off just when he was winning. This happens quite often: I live in a rural area and we don't have very good internet. It usually comes back on after half a minute or so, but in this instance by the time everything was restored the drama was nearly past. This after what, seven hours?