2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

[Jonathan Rogers]

http://www.fide.com/component/content/a ... anada.html

.... Makro does himself and FIDE no favours by invoking the piles of money Azmai has raised as mitigation. ....

Sometimes people like Makro and Azmai seem determined to write Justin's blog entries for him...

[JustinHorton]

Fedoseev's clock is at 1:37 according to Chess24 which is pretty impressive after 19 moves and nearly an hour's play.

[LawrenceCooper]

MVL has declined a potential repetition (move 21)

[Mick Norris]

Of the quarter finalists, some have played far fewer games.

Ding, Rapport, Fedoseev and Svidler have not gone beyond four games in any of their matches.

Ding: 2+4+4+2 = 12 games
Rapport: 2+4+4+4 = 14 games
Fedoseev: 4+2+2+4 = 12 games
So: 2+6+2+4 = 14 games
Aronian: 2+6+8+2 = 18 games
Ivanchuk: 4+6+2+2 = 14 games
MVL: 2+2+4+6 = 14 games
Svidler: 2+4+2+4 = 12 games

Wonder how much difference that makes.

Is it the number of games that matters, or the number of days off?

Rapport has played 3 tiebreaks, the other have each played 2 (on the other hand, taking a quick draw in classical is almost like a day off)

[JustinHorton]

Think Rapport might have played his last tiebreak though

[LawrenceCooper]

Fedoseev's clock is at 1:37 according to Chess24 which is pretty impressive after 19 moves and nearly an hour's play.

He slowed down after missing 25 h4.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Think Rapport might have played his last tiebreak though

Ding certainly seems to have played perfectly so far, and after an exemplary white game v Wang in the previous round.

Some suggestion that all the eliminated Chinese players have stayed, and are presumably helping him now?

[JustinHorton]

Fedoseev's clock is at 1:37 according to Chess24 which is pretty impressive after 19 moves and nearly an hour's play.

He slowed down after missing 25 h4.

Still a tasty time differential though, albeit Ivanchuk v Aronian has a larger one.

[Jonathan Rogers]

any one wanting to make an outlandish prediction that all four QFs end today?

[Mick Norris]

any one wanting to make an outlandish prediction that all four QFs end today?

Which would be ironic, with a rest day to follow any tiebreaks, but ok, I'm about to go out, so yes, they'll all finish while I'm not watching

[JustinHorton]

I think we will see MVL and Svidler tomorrow.

[AustinElliott]

any one wanting to make an outlandish prediction that all four QFs end today?

Though if Ivanchuk wins...

Aronian is running Into time pressure, and you wonder if he dislikes his position as he is taking time every move. E.g. Four minutes for 32. ..a6, which seems an obvious 'hold the position' move if you're short of time.

Anyone else think Ivanchuk's strategy is to manoeuvre around, but make his moves fast so Aronian can't think on Chucky's time? That certainly seems to be the gist of it.

EDIT: having said which, a more extended Ivanchuk think over his 33rd move.

[LawrenceCooper]

I think we will see MVL and Svidler tomorrow.

A reasonable assumption as they've already drawn

[Jonathan Rogers]

Well, maybe Svidler has a team of eliminated Russians behind him too, working around the clock to find out how to play a forced win v MVL's Grunfeld.

The final position was hairy today, I suppose.

[JustinHorton]

I think we will see MVL and Svidler tomorrow.

A reasonable assumption as they've already drawn

To be fair, they had not when I made it.