London Classic Grand Tour

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Mike Truran
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Re: London Classic Grand Tour

Post by Mike Truran » Sat Dec 17, 2016 3:29 pm

Grouse you clean the sink with.
Tautology?

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: London Classic Grand Tour

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Sat Dec 17, 2016 6:24 pm

Disaster strikes Topalov again :oops:

Giri has a clear advantage against Kramnik, who seemed to overpress earlier - but will he still find a way to draw?
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

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JustinHorton
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Re: London Classic Grand Tour

Post by JustinHorton » Sat Dec 17, 2016 7:17 pm

Well he did - but when did you think he had the clear advantage?
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: London Classic Grand Tour

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Sat Dec 17, 2016 7:59 pm

4 pawns for a piece, computers (yes I know) also had him almost a pawn ahead?
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

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JustinHorton
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Re: London Classic Grand Tour

Post by JustinHorton » Sat Dec 17, 2016 8:26 pm

Did they? I missed that.

I thought he was the only one with winning chances, but the pawns were a long way back so I assumed those chances were negligible.
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

John McKenna

Re: London Classic Grand Tour

Post by John McKenna » Sat Dec 17, 2016 9:37 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Carl Hibbard wrote:Grouse you clean the sink with.
Truth

What, another connoisseur?

Does this forum harbour a secret whisky club? (Hands up if you're a member.)

My Grouse is a small one that I did not hunt down. I got on it on impulse when offered;a choice of it, or Tescos' own-brand, and no other.

Grouse is not famous for being far, far better than the best drain fluid or far superior to any mouthwash, you know.

It is a whisky, like it or not.

And, gentlemen, I'll have you know that my previous tipple (sipped from a shot glass emblazoned with GIBRALTAR) was from a £35 bottle made by Nikka and purchased at Waitrose with hard cash, not a plastic card!!

I saw that Nikka... Sorry, Naka and Aronian drew, quickly.

I'm a bit behind schedule, but now I've done the cleaning I'll see what's cooking...
Mike Truran wrote:
Grouse you clean the sink with.
Tautology?
'Tauntology' is the word, Mike.

Has anyone heard me grousing about cleaning the sink, etc?

Or, whining about losing two Classic games of chess this week that I had all but won?

Well, you have now.

John McKenna

Re: London Classic Grand Tour

Post by John McKenna » Sun Dec 18, 2016 11:11 am

The 9th (final) round starts at 14:00 hrs. GMT.

The matched pairs are -

Aronian 4 pts. v. Topalov 1 pt.
Anand 4.5 v. Kramnik 4.5
Giri 4 v. Caruana 5
So 5.5 v. Vachier-Lagrave 3.5
Adams 3.5 v. Nakamura 4.5

My attention will naturally be focused on that last one, above. What will happen when the English iceberg meets the Japanese-American volcano!?

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: London Classic Grand Tour

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Sun Dec 18, 2016 6:28 pm

Giri does it again! :D
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

Tim Harding
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Re: London Classic Grand Tour

Post by Tim Harding » Sun Dec 18, 2016 8:04 pm

Matt Mackenzie wrote:Giri does it again! :D
But Topalov doesn't. His seventh decisive game in the event - but this time a win!
Tim Harding
Historian and FIDE Arbiter

Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: London Classic Grand Tour

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Sun Dec 18, 2016 8:19 pm

From a highly, erm, "speculative" sacrifice too. Aronian will *not* be happy about that.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

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Christopher Kreuzer
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Re: London Classic Grand Tour

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Sun Dec 18, 2016 9:11 pm

Aronian seemed a bit under the weather. Coughing a bit and looking not too happy (though that could have been his position by that point).

Without an engine, the pawns looked strong and the bishop on g7 was a monster and the White knights a bit pathetic. There was a point where one of Aronian's rooks was entombed on a3 by his own pieces.

I got Topalov's autograph afterwards and (rarely for me) commented on the game by congratulating him on the win. He just puffed his cheeks out and made a sort of sound of relief!

PS. Since Giri started playing in elite GM tournaments, what are his win/draw/loss stats?

benedgell
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Re: London Classic Grand Tour

Post by benedgell » Mon Dec 19, 2016 3:05 pm

I went to the Classic as a spectater yesterday. Malcolm and everyone involved with the event deserves huge credit. It was tremendously well organised and run. Also, a special mention to the arbiters in charge of the rapidplay. Can't have been easy keeping a tournament of that size running smoothly, but all credit to them, they did.

In the Classic yesterday I would say 4 of the 5 games were duds. Maybe its more a problem with the all- play- all format then the players itself, but it would be nice to see a situation where all of the players actually fight for results in the last round. Everyone knew So- Vachier- Lagrave was going to be drawn yesterday, but watching them almost blitz their way to the inevitable was depressing. The other draws took longer to get there, but I think you'd struggle to find much entertainment in any of them. Nakamura is one of the most dynamic players in top level chess at the moment, so what on Earth has inspired him to take up the Berlin?! Aronian- Topalov was the only game of interest yesterday, and full credit to Topalov for his brave play in spite of how badly the tournament was going for him. It was a scrappy effort, but still far more entertaining then the other games.

On a more positive note, the rapidplay was tremendous fun to watch. Watching Gunina regularly get 20+ minutes up against players supposedly several hundred points stronger then her, and go on to win one game after another was a tremendous sight. Add in getting to see a lot of the top British players facing off as well and I more then felt I got my money's worth as a spectator.
Last edited by benedgell on Tue Dec 20, 2016 11:14 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Christopher Kreuzer
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Re: London Classic Grand Tour

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Mon Dec 19, 2016 3:54 pm

Seems like staying in the main auditorium to just watch the Classic games was a mistake. Though to be fair, as this was the only day I was there and I wanted to get all the players' autographs, I didn't have much choice. Pity, as it sounds like it was great fun watching the Super Rapidplay.

I wonder if there would be a way to have display tablets or some way to display in the main auditorium the games going on elsewhere? Was there a screen anywhere showing the Super Rapidplay games, or did you have to cram around the boards? I know it is possible to follow the games online, but as there were screens showing the Classic games, it seems like screens showing the other games being played might have been a useful addition. Did the commentary room, for example, ever stray from the Classic games and look at other games? Or would that breach various contractual obligations to show the Grand Chess Tour and nothing else?

Roger de Coverly
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Re: London Classic Grand Tour

Post by Roger de Coverly » Mon Dec 19, 2016 4:06 pm

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:I wonder if there would be a way to have display tablets or some way to display in the main auditorium the games going on elsewhere?
There didn't seem to be. At the British Championship and Hastings, they have screens acting as demo boards. There was nothing similar to enable the British KO match or the top boards of the FIDE Open to be watched from a slight distance.

John McKenna

Re: London Classic Grand Tour

Post by John McKenna » Mon Dec 19, 2016 5:48 pm

Ben, you're always a good read, but even you can fall foul. E..g. from above "... tremendous site."

That spelling leaves you open to interpretation by the insertion of a possible missing "h". May I suggest that you revisit "site", drop the "e" and then insert "gh" :?: