English Chess Forum

In passing, an arbiter once intervened in one of my games due to a dress code issue.

I was wearing a t-shirt with a cartoon of a spider on it. My opponent raised arachnophobia with Jack Spiegel. I put my jumper back on.

Giri - Ivanchuk. (white to play)

r1bqr1k1/1ppn1pbp/p2p1np1/8/2PNP3/2N3P1/PPQ2PBP/R1B2RK1 w - - 0 11

A known position, Giri has never had it. Ivanchuk once as white back 2006.

Geoff Chandler wrote: A known position, Giri has never had it. Ivanchuk once as white back 2006.

Sometimes known as the Gallagher variation. Black's usual idea is to lash out with c5 and b5 at some stage.

(after White's move 23) It looks more like a Modern Benoni now, .. c5 was duly played .

[SetUp "1"]<br> [FEN "r3r1k1/1p3p1p/3p2p1/p1pP4/3nPP2/1P4P1/PR3KBP/4R3 b - - 1 24"]

Bu-Svidler & Grischuk-MVL were uneventful draws. Elsewhere Aronian is a pawn down and Giri is worse in his must win game.

Jonathan Rogers wrote:Well, for me the trouble for Jobava is when he plays White!

Agreed, although today's position looks quite promising.

Giri - Ivanchuk (Black to play)

r5k1/1p2r3/3p2pp/p1pP1p2/3nPPPP/1P1K4/PR4B1/4R3 b - - 0 28

Giri taking risks to mix it, WAs not looking too good for him.
Once that Knight dug in on d4 it was always difficult. Only thing I
could think of as a must win was chop the knight for a Rook, nick
the re-taking pawn with the King and invade deep into the queenside
with the King.

Only five minutes difference between the times.

"Only thing I could think of as a must win was chop the knight for a Rook, nick the re-taking pawn with the King and invade deep into the queenside with the King."

Geoff, that's worse than wearing shorts and tantamount to going commando - leaving yourself totally exposed in front and behind- John.

Giri - Ivanchuk Black to play

8/4r1k1/r2p2p1/pppPP2p/3nRPpP/PPK5/1R4B1/8 b - - 0 35

It does appear Giri is trying save it rather than win it.
White needs a big unforced blunder.

Times practically level. TT will not be an issue unless Giri
tries the old get into time trouble trick but Ivanchuk is to
long in the tooth to fall for that one.

Hi John,

Drastic action was called for. The Knight has to go to make any progress. Giri must win.

Played with confidence and a poker face these things work....sometimes.

surprising to think that of all the 16 left, it should be Giri who is most obviously on his way out right now.

Dubov perhaps being the next "troubled"

Not sure who is to move on that position given by Geoff, above, but not expecting Rxd4 anytime at all.

Fedoseev v Rodshtein is interesting: White's mishandled the liquidation to get the draw he needs to progress and while he presumably still ought to get it, it's not so simple.

Also it will surprise me if Giri bothers significantly beyond move 40, if at all

we can probably also pencil in Ding Liren, who can then spend tomorrow hoping that he too doesn't have to play Rapport.