2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

[Jonathan Rogers]

Well, who finds moves like 54...Raa4, anyway?

The right players went through, on the basis of the chess today - happily also the ones I wanted.

[Roger de Coverly]

I believe the stats really favoured black when the time was 6 v 5, and moving to the 5 v 4 they are using was intended to level it out. But I'm not sure if it worked

Increments from move 61 must make a difference. It would be a huge difference if you reached move 60 with a technically winning position with White or a technically drawn position with Black but no time. At least that means that winning on time with King and Knight against King and Knight is now very unlikely and arbiters can enforce a draw if they spot a five times repetition or count up to 75 without a pawn move or capture. Actually I suspect the rules may allow a player's claim of threefold or 50.

[IM Jack Rudd]

Actually I suspect the rules may allow a player's claim of threefold or 50.

The rules always allow that. It's just that establishing such claims at these time controls can be challenging.

[David Robertson]

Well, who finds moves like 54...Raa4, anyway?

I've just caught up with what this means. And having now seen SF's preference, I still can't see how it's [0.00]

Of the finalists, I'm just glad it wasn't So

[Jonathan Rogers]

Again! Other than the fact that So refers to Him in his interviews, why?

[JustinHorton]

Mysterious ways

[Jonathan Rogers]

Ha! Yes, well, he does come across as odd, and that is not the only time his behaviour must have distracted his opponent, but do we think he does things like that in order to distract his opponent?

(There is a very strong player in England who is, or at least might be, considerably more distracting than that at the board. I won't name him but most of the stronger players can probably guess whom I am thinking of).

[Chris Rice]

I did expect So to go through but he clearly was comprehensively outprayed by Ding.

[Jonathan Bryant]

Again! Other than the fact that So refers to Him in his interviews, why?

Say it ain't So for me as well. It's not because he's religious and talks about it.

It's because he expresses himself and his religion in such a thoroughly unpleasant way.

[David Shepherd]

Mysterious ways

Not so mysterious - he has 19 seconds left and the queen is close to clock so I think he is just moving it out the way

[JustinHorton]

Though it's not actually his move.

[Tim Harding]

Again! Other than the fact that So refers to Him in his interviews, why?

Say it ain't So for me as well. It's not because he's religious and talks about it.

It's because he expresses himself and his religion in such a thoroughly unpleasant way.

I too am pleased at this result and think Di Liren's presence will make the Candidates interesting. (Of course So may get there by another route, though I rather hope not.)

In the post-match interview Ding came over as a rather good and modest guy whereas I find Wesley So and his associates a bit creepy.

I like the line about him being outprayed, He was certainly outplayed. Especially when you consider that in the classical games, So had his one chance to win just after the time control when he had received an extra 30 minutes. He only used 2-3 minutes to reject the winning line, whereas Ding's missed win in the classical came just before the time control and was harder to see, and his missed win in the first rapid cycle was also time-affected. Since he outplayed So twice with Black he is certainly a worthy winner. (The MVL-Aronian playoffs were rather a lottery by comparison.)

I have taken against Wesley So ever since Bunratty 2015 when he showed great disrespect to the sponsors and organisers by not turning up for the somewhat delayed prizegiving, though he was staying another night in the hotel, and turned up for the blitz later. Nigel Short, on the other hand (who finished second) did attend, although he then faced a long drive back to Dublin afterwards, followed by two flights early the next morning to get to Dresden via London to represent England in the World Senior Teams.

So may have grown up a bit since then but I am always happy to see him lose a game.

[David Robertson]

Again! Other than the fact that So refers to Him in his interviews, why?

Oh, I've just taken against So, and frankly that's the end of it. But I guess you'll be expecting more than brute prejudice from me. Very well. Probably started with this incident. Now normally, I confess, I'll side with the Player against the Arbiter. But in So's case, he's behaved like such an egregious t!t that the Arbiter has my sympathy. Astonishing, but true. And then there's the God stuff. And the odd stuff. And - oh come on - brute prejudice will surely do in this case: it's So appealing. Of course, if it emerges than So has emotional and/or mental health issues, or is simply a confused and unhappy young man, then I'll set it all aside and take a different view. But for now...

[Chris Rice]

Peter Doggers report on the semi-final tie breakers. The report notes how both matches were won with Q v R but the speed of the technique shown by Ding and Aronian to win them in a handful of moves was impressive as was the fact that Aronian won twice on demand.

What is yet more impressive is MVL's sportsmanship after losing in the Armageddon game which must have been crushing for him.

This is what he tweeted :

"Warm Congrats to @LevAronian - that was intense! and I'm sure I'll see you in Berlin with my speedy recovery program" to which Aronian replied

"Thank you brother! That’s what friends are for, to challenge one another and face the inevitable..."

Finally, there are unconfirmed reports that Azmaiparashvili has told Ding to wear a suit for the final. Have to admit Ding did look a bit scruffy today.

[Roger de Coverly]

Peter Doggers on the semi-final tie breakers.

Now the event is over as far as Candidates places is concerned, do we think that chess.com and other long-established chess sites did a better job of coverage and attempting to reach audiences than the monopolists of Agon?

Even on ecforum, it was possible to discuss games in progress without looking over shoulders as to whether Agon might threaten legal action.