2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

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Mick Norris
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Re: 2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

Post by Mick Norris » Sun Sep 17, 2017 2:50 pm

Indeed
Might see all 4 in the Candidates
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Jonathan Rogers
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Re: 2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Sun Sep 17, 2017 3:00 pm

properly speaking, Svidler's elimination is a mini-story. Played in all of the round robins San Luis 2005 and Mexico 2007, candidates 2013, 2014, 2016. No one else did. But he never looked like actully winning one, even though he tried, and I suppose people won't complain about his likely non-participation in 2018 because they'd like to hear his commentary.

Chris Rice
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Re: 2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

Post by Chris Rice » Sun Sep 17, 2017 3:12 pm

In the semis I would expect So to beat Ding but Aronian v MVL, who would call that one? OK, its going to Armageddon and whoever gets Black in that game wins.

Chris Rice
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Re: 2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

Post by Chris Rice » Mon Sep 18, 2017 12:06 am

England's last representative is out of the FIDE 2017 World Cup.

Peter Doggersreports on a very short day. One match and two games. The first game lived up to expectations and was a titanic struggle leading to a 76 move draw.

The second game was awful due to what Doggers says was a poor choice of opening by Svidler.

Svidler, Peter - Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime
FIDE World Cup 2017 round 10-2

0-1

Doggers report highlights this:

"Probably unwisely (though that's easy to say in hindsight) Svidler then repeated the sharp line in the English that we also saw in their first classical game, but this time MVL knew exactly what he was doing. "I was surprised once again that he would repeat a line that I thought was more or less dubious." Black was comfortable out of the opening, but things remained "tricky," said MVL. "It all comes down to my move 21...Kc7 which, I have to admit, I didn't see in advance. I was a bit lucky there to have this move." The position where MVL played 21...Kc7! protecting the queen and unpinning his g-pawn. Afterward Svidler agreed that the move was very strong.

"But it was a nice move to spot because without this discovery it works for him, and he's not in time anymore. I am just going to take on f5 and get a very pleasant endgame." "Then I felt he could have defended better in the endgame but it's very tough because I have threats from everywhere. He also has some sort of threats with his rooks but overall, with the knight on e3, the position should be dominant and I should prove it."

The ChessBase report by Sagar Shah also highlights the key move in the second game:

"21...Kc7!! was a very strong move. Now let's understand why. The move was missed by Peter Svidler and also MVL spotted it only when it was his move. After the game Svidler said to MVL, "Kc7 is such a nasty move." This little king move, spoils all of White's plans on the kingside. His main idea is to take hxg6. But now that move will be met with ...hxg6 and after Qxh8 Rxh8 Rxh8 there is no check as there is no king on c8. On the other hand, the king supports the queen on d6 and Black now threatens to play gxf5. Another important point that must not be missed is 22.Rc1 looks strong, but Black nonchalantly goes ahead and plays 22...gxf5 and asks White where's your discovered check? White has no way to take advantage of the king's position as Bxf7+ (or any other bishop move) is met with Bc6 and Black is slightly better. After Svidler saw the power of the move 21...Kc7, his faith in white's positon declined rapidly and within a few moves he landed in a completely lost position."

However, the Chess24 report has a slightly different take on the game. "Svidler now had the white pieces and seemingly the initiative, but he took the fateful decision to repeat the strange opening from their classical game where White loses the right to castle on move 7. It was understandable in the sense that Peter had a close to winning advantage in that game, but Maxime sprung a surprise a move earlier than he had in the classical game with 10…e6 instead of 10…Nbc6. It’s hard to believe Peter hadn’t looked at the move, but instead of replying 11.Nb5 as he had against 10…Nbc6 in the classical game he switched to a different plan with 11.Bf4, and only after a 4-minute think. Things escalated fast, and soon instead of a safe position in which the white king’s early outing made no difference, there was a razor-sharp position with opposite-side castling. Svidler was committed to making something work on the kingside when MVL defended his queen with the unusual 21…Kc7!

This was a key moment, though, since either 22.Rc1 immediately or 23.Rc1+ after 22.Bxf7 gxf5, as happened in the game, seems to work out better for White. The white bishop (or knight) is forced to block on c6 and no longer control the f5-square. It’s not straightforward, though, since e.g. after 23.Rc1+ Bc6 24.Qxd6+ Rxd6 White apparently shouldn’t play 25.exf5 immediately but instead get the king out of Dodge with 25.Ke1!

We’re dwelling on this moment, since after 23.Qxd6+ Kxd6 24.exf5 Nxf5 25.Ne4+ Ke7 26.Bb3 Ne3+ it was close to game over. An exchange sacrifice didn’t bring any relief for White and Peter resigned after 34…Rb7"

The Chess Mind report has pretty much the same analysis as the Chess24 report but puts a positive spin on Svidler's exit (On move 11) "Svidler already started to think here, which wasn't a particularly good sign for his fans. (But maybe I should say something like "fans of his play". Fans of his commentary may be thrilled; one may hope that he'll appear before the microphone somewhere for the semi-finals or at least the finals.) "

So we finally get to the first rest day of this gruelling event. At least in theory, my guess is the four players will all be doing intense preparation during Monday.

Chris Rice
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Re: 2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

Post by Chris Rice » Tue Sep 19, 2017 7:53 am

Appears the Kovalyov incident has opened up a business opportunity How to Dress Like a Grandmaster by IM Vitaly Neimer:

"In an effort to highlight the importance of uniform and dress in chess, the World Chess Hall of Fame, in partnership with the Saint Louis Fashion Fund, featured a fashion event called Pinned! A Designer Chess Challenge to showcase six designers and how they imagine a chess player should dress (with assistance from notable chess mentors). This event was in favor of a grand style that included comfort. A chess game can last up to 6 hours and in order to win, a player must dress for the role. After all, how would you checkmate your opponent bothered by your clothes? For more information on this event and wardrobe expectations for a chess player...."

Clive Blackburn

Re: 2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

Post by Clive Blackburn » Tue Sep 19, 2017 8:11 am

Chris Rice wrote: in partnership with the Saint Louis Fashion Fund, featured a fashion event called Pinned! A Designer Chess Challenge to showcase six designers and how they imagine a chess player should dress
Designer outfits for chess players? :roll:

Now I have heard everything! :lol:

MartinCarpenter
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Re: 2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

Post by MartinCarpenter » Tue Sep 19, 2017 12:17 pm

Ah no, outfits designed for chess players. A subtle but rather significant difference :)

Nice blitz game Aronian and MVL had going on! Aronian seems to be thinking now.

Jonathan Bryant
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Re: 2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

Post by Jonathan Bryant » Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:15 pm

Curiously after three slower - but not slow - moves and a couple taken after a minute or so’s thought, Aronian is back to taking seconds over his 29th and 30th.

My guess is he’s still in his prep.

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JustinHorton
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Re: 2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

Post by JustinHorton » Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:16 pm

Can we use fortress as a verb? I assume MVL is going to be fortressing it.
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Mick Norris
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Re: 2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

Post by Mick Norris » Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:21 pm

Draw agreed
Any postings on here represent my personal views

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JustinHorton
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Re: 2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

Post by JustinHorton » Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:22 pm

In fact he's going to be drawing it instead. Down to So-Ding for today then.
"Do you play chess?"
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Jonathan Bryant
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Re: 2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

Post by Jonathan Bryant » Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:32 pm

Jonathan Bryant wrote: My guess is he’s still in his prep.

If that was true it would beg the question of what Aronian was up to today. Actually even if he wasn’t, you have to wonder.

Maybe he really was winging it as IM Trent suggested - despite what Svidler might have thought.

https://twitter.com/polborta/status/910107119709454338

Geoff Chandler
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Re: 2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

Post by Geoff Chandler » Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:35 pm

Got pulled up once by a nit-picker for using fortress's. (gaff)

Being one of the old school ; ' I saw what your wrote but knew what you meant.'
I never bother with such things. But this lad was furious.

Here is his post on chessgames. he's been a member for 4 years and to date this is his only post!

""Fortress's are good things." Jesus Christ! "Fortress's"??!!

Why do people think adding apostrophes is the universal way to make plurals!? 99.99% of the time it's wrong.

It's FORTRESSES"

Of course I thought of replying by saying: "I know nothing about apostrophe's"
but I think he would seek me out and kill me.

Watching the games live. Miroshnichenko is doing a great job on the commentary.

They are on a break, the sponsors have the board around the wrong way.

Image
Last edited by Geoff Chandler on Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Mick Norris
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Re: 2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

Post by Mick Norris » Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:36 pm

Jonathan Bryant wrote:
Jonathan Bryant wrote: My guess is he’s still in his prep.

If that was true it would beg the question of what Aronian was up to today. Actually even if he wasn’t, you have to wonder.

Maybe he really was winging it as IM Trent suggested - despite what Svidler might have thought.

https://twitter.com/polborta/status/910107119709454338
Well, that's the most interesting bit, which shows how much better it would be if the match was over 4 (or even 6) classical games

Puts MVL as marginal favourite to go through
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Jonathan Bryant
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Re: 2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

Post by Jonathan Bryant » Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:47 pm

Mick Norris wrote: Puts MVL as marginal favourite to go through
I would think so.


Chess24 would have us believe that neither player knew what they were doing.

https://twitter.com/chess24com/status/9 ... 0147204096



Chinny reck-on, as we used to say in Essex.