Tata Steel 2017

[Mick Norris]

Ok, that seems reasonably straightforward, let's hope he can win then

[Carl Hibbard]

Starts a lot earlier today it seems at 11?

[Barry Sandercock]

Yes, 11 a.m. Carlsen needs to win today, but how likely is that against Karjakin ?

[Carl Hibbard]

Yes, 11 a.m. Carlsen needs to win today, but how likely is that against Karjakin ?

I expect So to take an early draw and Carlsen who is not playing well to lose.

[Nick Burrows]

So Gawain definitely qualifies for the masters if he wins, but likely to be pipped if he draws.

Therefore a Dragon?

[Nick Burrows]

Yes, 11 a.m. Carlsen needs to win today, but how likely is that against Karjakin ?

I expect So to take an early draw and Carlsen who is not playing well to lose.

Amusing answer from Karjakin!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaPOplB0KKw

[Mick Norris]

So Gawain definitely qualifies for the masters if he wins, but likely to be pipped if he draws.

Therefore a Dragon?

It would appear not

[JustinHorton]

Well I really thought Eljanov was holding that.

Makes for a really intriguing last round though.

Been lost for ages I stopped watching but he was a lot better out of the opening.

Baburin in Chess Today considers it more drawn than lost. I wonder if it was at least theoretically drawn before he dobbed Carlsen the second pawn.

[Jonathan Rogers]

There are quite a few forced draws in the Dragon though, and White does not need to win. 1...e5 from gawain makes sense, and if it is a boring opening, well, at least he can hope to equalise quickly and there will still be lots of pieces on the board.

I've been very impressed with Gawain these last two games, and actually feel quite optimistic about his chances today.

[JustinHorton]

My eyes are popping out at Carlsen-Karjakin.

[Barry Sandercock]

Interesting knight sac. for two pawns by Magnus. Looks quite good.

[JustinHorton]

I'm completely gobsmacked (and it's not just me) that Karjakin should let that happen at such an early stage, and such a thematic one for that opening.

[Roger de Coverly]

such a thematic one for that opening.

Didn't many English schoolboys of a past era know that as a rule of thumb, you should be cautious about the combination of castling first in the Italian and playing h3/ h6 and g4/g5? In the B section today, in a similar opening, Gawain Jones played an early .. h6 to prevent Bg5.

[JustinHorton]

Yes, that's kind of why I think that even if he thought he was following the theory, that would have been a good time to hesitate.

There's apparently been a lot of theory in that opening voer the past couple of years and I've not followed it, but it's a strange mistake on more than one level.

[Nick Burrows]

Looks like So has it.