2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

[Roger de Coverly]

Ding-So on move 8 of an unusual Catalan with 6 b3.

They briefly rejoined a line with nearly 200 games at move 9, only for So to strike out for new territory with Ne1

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. b3 b6 7. O-O Bb7 8. Nc3 Nbd7 9. Bb2 c5 10. Ne1 *

[JustinHorton]

Ding-So on move 8 of an unusual Catalan with 6 b3.

They briefly rejoined a line with nearly 200 games at move 9, only for So to strike out for new territory

Ding

[LawrenceCooper]

Ding-So drawn after 58 moves.

[Chris Rice]

Ding-So drawn after 58 moves.

Ending with bare kings while the other game was agreed drawn after 19 Qd2 which prompted Susan Polgar to pen this Why are draw offers allowed in chess?.

[Chris Rice]

Peter Doggers report on todays action, or lack of it thereof. Both matches going to the tie-breaks:

"Kramnik will be rooting for So, because that would make it a lot easier for the former world champion to qualify by rating. Meanwhile, if Ding or MVL don't make it they still have a chance to qualify via the Grand Prix in November. For Aronian, winning tomorrow is the only way to be certain of participation."

[Jonathan Rogers]

The biggest day of the eevnt in many ways, then. Certainly we can be excused for switching off during the relatively unimportant final, as the players themselves might do.

Predictions for today? (Aronian and So for me).

[JustinHorton]

I suspect Ding missed his chance yesterday.

[Graham Borrowdale]

The biggest day of the eevnt in many ways, then. Certainly we can be excused for switching off during the relatively unimportant final, as the players themselves might do.

Predictions for today? (Aronian and So for me).

I have to agree - it feels more like a qualifier for the Candidates than an event in its own right.
As for predictions, difficult to disagree with Jonathan, but, as ever, we should expect the unexpected.

[Mick Norris]

Peter Doggers report on todays action, or lack of it thereof

Thanks Chris; Chess Mind analysis of Ding's missed winning chance

Should be 2 very interesting semi-finals today, just a shame there aren't a couple more classical games to decide the most important part of the event i.e. the Candidates spots

[LawrenceCooper]

The biggest day of the eevnt in many ways, then. Certainly we can be excused for switching off during the relatively unimportant final, as the players themselves might do.

Predictions for today? (Aronian and So for me).

MVL & So but will be cheering on the underdogs.

[Matthew Turner]

I'll go for MVL and So. Aronian seems a bit hit and miss and that ought to catch him out eventually.

[Paul Cooksey]

my head agrees with Matthew. But I'll be supporting Aronian and Ding as the players I'm hoping to see in the candidates.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Why the popular preference of Ding over So? I actually share it, but cannot really explain it to myself. Perhaps we just think it's time a Chinese player made a breakthrough like this, and that it might add more intrigue to the candidates?

[Mick Norris]

Why the popular preference of Ding over So? I actually share it, but cannot really explain it to myself. Perhaps we just think it's time a Chinese player made a breakthrough like this, and that it might add more intrigue to the candidates?

I hope So wins, and then Ding does well enough in Palma to make the Candidates too

[Chris Rice]

The rating differences between So and Ding at the different time controls may yet be significant. In Classical on the current live ratings not a great deal of difference with So at 2787 and Ding at 2770 so a couple of hard fought draws could be expected.

The first two rapid games today would be expected to favour So as his rapid is 2815 while Ding is 2725. If it goes to 10' + 10" its difficult to tell, depending on whether you consider that to be rapid or blitz.

But if those two games are drawn and it goes to pure blitz then it's not So but Ding who would be considered to be favourite. So's blitz rating is currently 2747 but Ding's is way higher on 2875.

I'll still go with So though, Ding cracking in the rapids and no wins for either player in the MVL-Aronian match which will go to Armageddon, another draw, so whoever gets Black wins.