2017 World Teams 16-27 June

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Chris Rice
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Re: 2017 World Teams 16-27 June

Post by Chris Rice » Mon Jun 19, 2017 11:05 am

Mick Norris wrote:chess.com report

Pity the women's draw had China v Russia in the first round, but I suppose it shows it wasn't fixed
ChessBase report Perhaps they should have fixed it so a little bit of excitement could build? This competition is rather disappointing so far, there are not that many teams and it appears some players and teams are not taking it that seriously. Reminds me a bit of the Davis Cup in tennis. There are so many tournaments all year around the top players have to take their breaks somewhere and they quite often ditched this competition to concentrate on the slams or the lucrative Masters series. It's a shame as Sutovsky says that a calendar of events, perhaps arranged in tiers like tennis, can't be arranged between the various organisers. Of course in tennis the financial commitment for slam events are incredible (Wimbledon for instance is close to £15 million) but if you drill down to the lower tier events they aren't a million miles away from some chess events http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/tournaments.

Have to say, pretty decent coverage from Chess24 except that after 15 minutes gone in today's match it wasn't clear how many draw offers the Ukrainians had made to the Russians.

LawrenceCooper
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Re: 2017 World Teams 16-27 June

Post by LawrenceCooper » Mon Jun 19, 2017 3:42 pm

Leonard Barden wrote:Seems that both events may already be virtually decided since China's men are by far the strongest and are up for it whereas Russia (four draws v Turkey?!) and Ukraine are probably not, while in the women's event the key match already occurred in round 1 with Russia (perhaps stimulated by the former Balmain watches ambassador being stripped of her wrist watch) walloping China.
China were held by the US and share 2nd= with Russia who beat Ukraine. Poland are the only team on 100%.

Russia are 2-1 down in the women's event to Azerbaijan (although likely to make it 2-2).

LawrenceCooper
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Re: 2017 World Teams 16-27 June

Post by LawrenceCooper » Mon Jun 19, 2017 4:23 pm

LawrenceCooper wrote:
Leonard Barden wrote:Seems that both events may already be virtually decided since China's men are by far the strongest and are up for it whereas Russia (four draws v Turkey?!) and Ukraine are probably not, while in the women's event the key match already occurred in round 1 with Russia (perhaps stimulated by the former Balmain watches ambassador being stripped of her wrist watch) walloping China.
China were held by the US and share 2nd= with Russia who beat Ukraine. Poland are the only team on 100%.

Russia are 2-1 down in the women's event to Azerbaijan (although likely to make it 2-2).
Russia & Ukraine lead the women's event on 5 match points with Georgia & Poland on 4.

Chris Rice
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Re: 2017 World Teams 16-27 June

Post by Chris Rice » Mon Jun 19, 2017 4:36 pm

Some unexpected results occurring in both the events which has led to some excitement. Really enjoyed today's game between Nepo and Korobov. Korobov should have played 22...Qa6 when Nepo was going to play 23 Qxb4 with a very unclear game. However, after a long think he blundered with 22...d5 and got absolutely hammered. The finish was exquisite.

Nepomniachtchi, Ian (RUS) - Korobov, Anton (UKR)

World Teams Championship 2017 round 03

Chris Rice
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Re: 2017 World Teams 16-27 June

Post by Chris Rice » Tue Jun 20, 2017 8:59 am

FIDE World Teams:

Standings after Rd 3 - MP (GP)
1 Poland 6 (8), 2= China, Russia 5 (8), 4 Turkey 4 (6½), 5 USA 3 (6), 6= India, Ukraine, Norway 2 (5½), 9 Belarus 1 (4), 10 Egypt 0 (3)

Round 4 pairings:
Belarus - Russia
Norway - Ukraine
Poland - Turkey
China - Egypt
India - USA

FIDE World Teams (Women)
Standings after Rd 3:

1 Russia 5 (8), 2 Ukraine 5 (7), 3 Georgia 4 (8), 4 Poland 4 (7½), 5 Azerbaijan 4 (6½), 6 India 3 (6), 7 China 3 (5½), 8 Vietnam 2 (6½), 9 USA 1 (5), 10 Egypt 0 (0)

Rd 4 pairings:

Ukraine - Vietnam
Azerbaijan - China
Georgia - Russia
USA - Egypt
India - Poland

Chris Rice
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Re: 2017 World Teams 16-27 June

Post by Chris Rice » Tue Jun 20, 2017 12:06 pm

Controversy as Ms Sorokina the Chief Arbiter at a Press Conference explains that the Georgian bus broke down and the players were late for the start. However, as it was only a couple of minutes late and there was no zero tolerance rule (you can turn up 15 minutes late) there was no problem. Not very controversial at all really. Seems like more of a desperate attempt to inject some more interest in the tournament.

LawrenceCooper
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Re: 2017 World Teams 16-27 June

Post by LawrenceCooper » Tue Jun 20, 2017 12:23 pm

Chris Rice wrote:Controversy as Ms Sorokina the Chief Arbiter at a Press Conference explains that the Georgian bus broke down and the players were late for the start. However, as it was only a couple of minutes late and there was no zero tolerance rule (you can turn up 15 minutes late) there was no problem. Not very controversial at all really. Seems like more of a desperate attempt to inject some more interest in the tournament.
Unfortunate that it happened just before a crucial match against the hosts. One for the conspiracy theorists to ponder over.

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Re: 2017 World Teams 16-27 June

Post by JustinHorton » Tue Jun 20, 2017 2:49 pm

India look to be trouncing the USA.
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LawrenceCooper
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Re: 2017 World Teams 16-27 June

Post by LawrenceCooper » Tue Jun 20, 2017 4:09 pm

Poland's loss to Turkey has allowed China & Russia to take the lead on 7 points.

The Russian & Ukraine women lead on 7 points.

Tim Harding
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Re: 2017 World Teams 16-27 June

Post by Tim Harding » Tue Jun 20, 2017 4:18 pm

Today it finished: India 3.5 USA 0.5 (ouch); Poland 1.5 Turkey 2.5 (super-ouch); Belarus 1 Russia 3; Norway 1 Ukraine 3, and China 3.5 Egypt 0.5.

Now that Turkey have downed Poland, they face China in a crunch match tomorrow.

Standings after Rd 4 - MP (GP)
1. China 7 (11.5); 2. Russia 7 (11); 3. Poland 6 (9.5); 4. Turkey 6 (9).
Also ran: India 4 (9); Ukraine 4 (8.5); USA 3 (6.5); Norway 2 (6.5); Belarus 1 (5); Egypt 0 (3.5)

Round 5 pairings:
Turkey - China
Ukraine - Poland
Russia - Norway
USA - Belarus
Egypt - India

I'll let somebody else post the women's standings.
Tim Harding
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Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
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Jonathan Rogers
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Re: 2017 World Teams 16-27 June

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Tue Jun 20, 2017 4:48 pm

Confirmation, if any were needed, that Turkey (as well as Iran, see last year's Olympiad) should be added to the list of teams who can compete with the best, and with whom England should be very happy just to draw in say, ten year's time.

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Re: 2017 World Teams 16-27 June

Post by David Sedgwick » Wed Jun 21, 2017 8:40 am

In a few hours, the first round of the world's men and women's world championship will be held in Khanty. The tournament, which logically has to be one of the most prestigious competitions in the calendar, this year seems strange.

The USA have no Caruana, Nakamura and So, Russians have no Kramnik, Karjakin, and Grishchuk, Ukrainians without Eljanov and Ivanchuk, Norwegians without Carlsen and Hammer. This is all because of the very bad timing of the tournament. As Fide has managed to impose the Stavanger dates and the stages of the grand prix tour (Paris and Leuven)on the calendar, I do not understand.

Okay, the dates were made in order to torpedo the competition. It was obvious that all the fittest would simply abandon this competition. Moreover, as I know, due to this timing, the teams of Azerbaijan and Armenia refused to participate in Khanty, deciding that without their leaders (Mammadyarov and Aronian), there is no chance of success. As a result, we received almost the most unrepresentative team world championship in history. Of course, it will still be a tournament, but it's painful.
I'm not sure exactly what is being alleged here, but I'd better explain what happened.

In 2016 FIDE changed the dates of the Baku Olympiad sis months beforehand. Such short notice caused problems for many people and orgnisations, including the Grand Chess Tour, as the new dates overlapped with those announced for the Sinquefield Cup.

Fortunately the Sinquefield Cup was able to find new dates. That would have been very difficult had it been the London Chess Classic which had been affected.

When planning for 2017, the organisers of the Grand Chess Tour and of the Altibox Norway Supertournament put past issues behind them and cooperated to produce dates for the events in Stavanger, Paris and Leuven which did not clash with each other or with any other major events. These dates were announced and widely publicised.

At that time the World Team Championships were scheduled to be held from 15th to 27th May, as is recorded in the minutes of the FIDE Congress in Baku.

Then, out of the blue, FIDE changed the dates without any consultation. Not surprisingly, the Grand Chess Tour was not prepared to allow its carefully scheduled plans to be disrupted again.

As a result, FIDE have severely weakened their own major event.

Chris Rice
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Re: 2017 World Teams 16-27 June

Post by Chris Rice » Wed Jun 21, 2017 10:39 am

Tim Harding wrote:Today it finished: India 3.5 USA 0.5 (ouch); Poland 1.5 Turkey 2.5 (super-ouch); Belarus 1 Russia 3; Norway 1 Ukraine 3, and China 3.5 Egypt 0.5.

Now that Turkey have downed Poland, they face China in a crunch match tomorrow.

Standings after Rd 4 - MP (GP)
1. China 7 (11.5); 2. Russia 7 (11); 3. Poland 6 (9.5); 4. Turkey 6 (9).
Also ran: India 4 (9); Ukraine 4 (8.5); USA 3 (6.5); Norway 2 (6.5); Belarus 1 (5); Egypt 0 (3.5)

Round 5 pairings:
Turkey - China
Ukraine - Poland
Russia - Norway
USA - Belarus
Egypt - India

I'll let somebody else post the women's standings.
Women's Standings after Rd 4:
1= Russia, Ukraine 7 (10), 3 India 5 (8½), 4 Georgia 4 (9½), 5 Poland 4 (9), 6 Azerbaijan 4 (8½), 7 China 4 (7½), 8 USA 3 (8½), 9 Vietnam 2 (7½), 10 Egypt 0 (½)

Rd 5 pairings:
Poland - Ukraine
Egypt - India
Russia - USA
China - Georgia
Vietnam - Azerbaijan

Tim Harding
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Re: 2017 World Teams 16-27 June

Post by Tim Harding » Wed Jun 21, 2017 3:38 pm

Turkey fighting hard for a draw on board 4 after drawing the top three against China.

Russia have won 3-1. The other matches are still live.
Tim Harding
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Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
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Jonathan Rogers
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Re: 2017 World Teams 16-27 June

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Wed Jun 21, 2017 3:57 pm

Poland have beaten Ukraine, and are thus back in the race. Arguably a full point swing on top board, and a good illustration of why the Najdorf Sicilian is regarded as a practical choice even at this level.

Turkey have made their latest draw with a world super-power!