2017 Korchnoi Zurich Chess Challenge

[LawrenceCooper]

Oparin hs now punted 6 Qd3 against the Najdorf

[Nick Burrows]

Whats with this trend of playing any 6th move vs the Najdorf?

[Chris Rice]

Standings after 7 rounds of the 45 mins + 30s stuff:
1-2 Nakamura, Nepomniachtchi 10
3 Anand 9
4-5 Kramnik, Svidler 8
6 Gelfand 5
7-8 Oparin, Pelletier 3

Next up the blitz which is really rapid which could be rated but it's not going to be or perhaps it is. Very creative these organisers. I believe next year they are going to introduce a blindfold segment where the players can see the board.

[LawrenceCooper]

Oparin hs now punted 6 Qd3 against the Najdorf

He has repeated this in the alleged blitz against Gelfand today.

[LawrenceCooper]

How difficult it can be to try and defend r v r&b with only seconds on the clock has just been shown in Nepomniachtchi-Kramnik.

[Chris Rice]

Round 8 results (back to 1 for a win and a ½ for a draw):
Anand, V. (9) 2786 ½ - ½ Kramnik, V. (8) 2811
Svidler, P. (8) 2747 ½ - ½ Nepomniachtc. (10) 2751
Oparin, G. (3) 2604 ½ - ½ Gelfand, B. (5) 2724
Pelletier, Y. (3) 2541 0 - 1 Nakamura, H. (10) 2793

Rd 9 results:
Pelletier, Y. (3) 2541 0 - 1 Anand, V. (9½) 2786
Nakamura, H. (11) 2793 1 - 0 Oparin, G. (3½) 2604
Gelfand, B. (5½) 2724 ½ - ½ Svidler, P. (8½) 2747
Nepomniachtc. (10½) 2751 1 - 0 Kramnik, V. (8½) 2811

Standings:
1 Nakamura 12 (16)
2 Nepomniachtchi 11½
3 Anand 10½
4 Svidler 9
5 Kramnik 8½
6 Gelfand 6
7 Oparin 3½
8 Pelletier 3

[Chris Rice]

Rd 10 results:
Oparin, G. (3½) 2604 ½ - ½ Pelletier, Y. (3) 2541
Svidler, P. (9) 2747 ½ - ½ Nakamura, H. (12) 2793
Kramnik, V. (8½) 2811 0 - 1 Gelfand, B. (6) 2724
Anand, V. (10½) 2786 ½ - ½ Nepomniachtc. (11½) 2751

Standings:
1 Nakamura 12½ (17)
2 Nepomniachtchi 12
3 Anand 11
4 Svidler 9½
5 Kramnik 8½
6 Gelfand 7
7 Oparin 4
8 Pelletier 3½

[Chris Rice]

Rd 11 results:
Oparin, G. (4) 2604 ½ - ½ Anand, V. (11) 2786
Pelletier, Y. (3½) 2541 0 - 1 Svidler, P. (9½) 2747
Nakamura, H. (12½) 2793 1 - 0 Kramnik, V. (8½) 2811
Gelfand, B. (7) 2724 ½ - ½ Nepomniachtc. (12) 2751

Rd 12 results:
Anand, V. (11½) 2786 1 - 0 Gelfand, B. (7½) 2724
Nepomniachtc. (12½) 2751 ½ - ½ Nakamura, H. (13½) 2793
Kramnik, V. (8½) 2811 ½ - ½ Pelletier, Y. (3½) 2541
Svidler, P. (10½) 2747 1 - 0 Oparin, G. (4½) 2604

Standings:
1 Nakamura 14 (19)
2 Nepomniachtchi 13
3 Anand 12½
4 Svidler 11½
5 Kramnik 9
6 Gelfand 7½
7 Oparin 4½
8 Pelletier 4

[LawrenceCooper]

1 GM Svidler, P. (11½) 2747 ½ - ½ GM Anand, V. (12½) 2786
2 GM Oparin, G. (4½) 2604 0 - 1 GM Kramnik, V. (9) 2811
3 GM Pelletier, Y. (4) 2541 0 - 1 GM Nepomniachtc. (13) 2751
4 GM Nakamura, H. (14) 2793 ½ - ½ GM Gelfand, B. (7½) 2724

k Name Score Rating
1 Nakamura, Hikaru 14½/20 2793
2 Nepomniachtchi, Ian 14/20 2751
3 Anand, Viswanathan 13/20 2786
4 Svidler, Peter 12/20 2747
5 Kramnik, Vladimir 10/20 2811
6 Gelfand, Boris 8/20 2724
7 Oparin, Grigoriy 4½/20 2604
8 Pelletier, Yannick 4/20 2541

[LawrenceCooper]

Final round pairings:

1 GM Anand, V. (13) 2786 — — GM Nakamura, H. (14½) 2793
2 GM Gelfand, B. (8) 2724— — GM Pelletier, Y. (4) 2541
3 GM Nepomniachtc. (14) 2751— — GM Oparin, G. (4½) 2604
4 GM Kramnik, V. (10) 2811— — GM Svidler, P. (12) 2747

[JustinHorton]

Nakamura wins after Nepo is never at the races against Oparin.

[LawrenceCooper]

1 GM Anand, V. (13) 2786 ½ - ½ GM Nakamura, H. (14½) 2793
2 GM Gelfand, B. (8) 2724 1 - 0 GM Pelletier, Y. (4) 2541
3 GM Nepomniachtc. (14) 2751 0 - 1 GM Oparin, G. (4½) 2604
4 GM Kramnik, V. (10) 2811 1 - 0 GM Svidler, P. (12) 2747

[Chris Rice]

Final standings:

1 Nakamura 15 (21)
2 Nepomniachtchi 14
3 Anand 13½
4 Svidler 12
5 Kramnik 11
6 Gelfand 9
7 Oparin 5½
8 Pelletier 4

Bit surprised to be honest as I expected Nakamura to have a dip in form following the intense efforts at the US Championships that had barely finished before this one began. Guess he just loves to play.

[LawrenceCooper]

Final standings:

1 Nakamura 15 (21)
2 Nepomniachtchi 14
3 Anand 13½
4 Svidler 12
5 Kramnik 11
6 Gelfand 9
7 Oparin 5½
8 Pelletier 4

Bit surprised to be honest as I expected Nakamura to have a dip in form following the intense efforts at the US Championships that had barely finished before this one began. Guess he just loves to play.

I think the time controls suited him and gave him the edge over the rest of the field. There were several games that were level for much of the game but he always seemed to have extra time and create practical problems which his opponents couldn't cope with. That said, it was only a surprise loss to Oparin that stopped Nepo catching him in the last round.

[Chris Rice]

How difficult it can be to try and defend r v r&b with only seconds on the clock has just been shown in Nepomniachtchi-Kramnik.

Chess.com adding some drills to stop people losing this difficult ending.