Chess Masters: the Endgame

[Ian Thompson]

Is there still a British Master title?

That became defunct in the 1980s
The ECF has an English National Master equivalent
https://www.englishchess.org.uk/master-points-system/

The current National Master title is well short of being equivalent to the British Master title. To get the BM title you needed 4 years of grades of 213 or higher, amongst other qualification routes. It's level was between FM and IM standard.

[Ian Thompson]

I enjoyed this week's show, but the playoff game on Iplayer showed that Navi was struggling knowing how to win the game when he just kept moving his Queen rather than push his passed d pawn.

Was it winning for White? Black could have put one rook on f7, defended by the King, and the other rook on the d-file behind the pawn. That would have stopped the pawn advancing any further than d6. Did White have any way of making progress in that position (e.g. forcing the rook off the d-file)? I don't know, because I haven't analysed it, but I thought that was Black's only possible defence so it had to be tried.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

The moves to the games: https://lichess.org/study/meIbV3b7/4Mb7kexk

Are the moves from Navi vs Cai in episode 2 available yet?

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I enjoyed this week's show, but the playoff game on Iplayer showed that Navi was struggling knowing how to win the game when he just kept moving his Queen rather than push his passed d pawn.

Was it winning for White? Black could have put one rook on f7, defended by the King, and the other rook on the d-file behind the pawn. That would have stopped the pawn advancing any further than d6. Did White have any way of making progress in that position (e.g. forcing the rook off the d-file)? I don't know, because I haven't analysed it, but I thought that was Black's only possible defence so it had to be tried.

I thought that too. But then I managed to horribly mess up an online game yesterday, so don't trust my judgement any more.

If time pressure gets to someone, as a player, what advice would you give? Is it a combination of experience of playing in time trouble, plus knowing how to keep a position under control? I had not experienced that moment before (this was on Lichess) when the clock got below a minute and the display turned red with a beeping sound. It disturbed me more than I thought it should have. I felt like saying "SHH! I KNOW I ONLY HAVE A MINUTE LEFT"... I wonder if that 'feature' can be turned off?

[Matt Mackenzie]

Compared to most of the millions of chess players in the UK they are Chess Masters.

Sorry, Chess Master is a defined term. There is no Relative Chess Master title.

Have to say that whilst I am willing to cut the programme some slack in several respects, this is a "red line" for me.

Sue Perkins could have totally truthfully said something like "these players are much better than 99% of those who know how to play chess".

Instead we got a "strongest players in the country" fib as well as the "masters" thing.

[LawrenceCooper]

The moves to the games: https://lichess.org/study/meIbV3b7/4Mb7kexk

Are the moves from Navi vs Kai in episode 2 available yet?

Not that I know of.

[Roger de Coverly]

If time pressure gets to someone, as a player, what advice would you give? Is it a combination of experience of playing in time trouble, plus knowing how to keep a position under control? I had not experienced that moment before (this was on Lichess) when the clock got below a minute and the display turned red with a beeping sound.

When you play 5 0 on lichess, it's a relatively frequent experience in a longer game. What I find a little offputting is where players with seconds left are able to move without using any clock time. Presumably that's by using the premove technique. As well as being able to flout touch move with impunity, that's another difference between on-line and OTB chess.

[GrahamStuart]

I enjoyed this week's show, but the playoff game on Iplayer showed that Navi was struggling knowing how to win the game when he just kept moving his Queen rather than push his passed d pawn.

Was it winning for White? Black could have put one rook on f7, defended by the King, and the other rook on the d-file behind the pawn. That would have stopped the pawn advancing any further than d6. Did White have any way of making progress in that position (e.g. forcing the rook off the d-file)? I don't know, because I haven't analysed it, but I thought that was Black's only possible defence so it had to be tried.

True, it looked like this should be played, but it is not so clear, the computer gives it as +4, but you would have to play something like h4 and then f4 after the pawn gets to d7 which is certainly something more advanced. I think eventually once both the f and d pawns are on the 7th White would pick up a Rook. The below was where Navi started to repeat Queen moves and maybe Cai should have been allowed to claim a draw?

[Event ""] [White "Ravi"] [Black "Cai"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "5k2/pp3r1p/6p1/3PQ3/8/5P1P/P1r3PK/8 w - - 0 0"] [PlyCount "23"] [GameId "2157174014572731"] {[#]} 1. d6 Kg8 2. Qe8+ Rf8 3. d7 Rd2 4. h4 Rd1 5. h5 gxh5 6. f4 b5 7. f5 b4 8. f6 Rd2 9. f7+ Kg7 10. Qe5+ Kxf7 11. Qf5+ Ke7 12. Qg5+ *

[Mick Norris]

The moves to the games: https://lichess.org/study/meIbV3b7/4Mb7kexk

Are the moves from Navi vs Kai in episode 2 available yet?

full game on iplayer

[Neill Cooper]

Sorry, Chess Master is a defined term.

Where and how is "Chess Master" defined? I could not find it in the FIDE Title Regulations.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

The moves to the games: https://lichess.org/study/meIbV3b7/4Mb7kexk

Are the moves from Navi vs Kai in episode 2 available yet?

full game on iplayer

So someone could write out the moves? Where are liveboard chess consultants when you need them...

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I enjoyed this week's show, but the playoff game on Iplayer showed that Navi was struggling knowing how to win the game when he just kept moving his Queen rather than push his passed d pawn.

Was it winning for White? Black could have put one rook on f7, defended by the King, and the other rook on the d-file behind the pawn. That would have stopped the pawn advancing any further than d6. Did White have any way of making progress in that position (e.g. forcing the rook off the d-file)? I don't know, because I haven't analysed it, but I thought that was Black's only possible defence so it had to be tried.

True, it looked like this should be played, but it is not so clear, the computer gives it as +4, but you would have to play something like h4 and then f4 after the pawn gets to d7 which is certainly something more advanced. I think eventually once both the f and d pawns are on the 7th White would pick up a Rook. The below was where Navi started to repeat Queen moves and maybe Cai should have been allowed to claim a draw?

[Event ""] [White "Ravi"] [Black "Cai"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "5k2/pp3r1p/6p1/3PQ3/8/5P1P/P1r3PK/8 w - - 0 0"] [PlyCount "23"] [GameId "2157174014572731"] {[#]} 1. d6 Kg8 2. Qe8+ Rf8 3. d7 Rd2 4. h4 Rd1 5. h5 gxh5 6. f4 b5 7. f5 b4 8. f6 Rd2 9. f7+ Kg7 10. Qe5+ Kxf7 11. Qf5+ Ke7 12. Qg5+ *

The position Ian is talking about is a bit before that. If you have the rooks firmly anchored on d7 and f7, White has work to do.

PS. NAVI not RAVI and CAI not KAI (I made the latter mistake). Anyway, let's see if Cai makes waves in his acting career:

https://www.bucksherald.co.uk/arts-and- ... ry-2322219

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Regarding Master titles, there are now the Arena titles – I think these are FIDE Online titles – not sure if anyone takes them particularly seriously or how they equate to OTB ones."

For some reason, proper tournaments do seem to display the "Arena titles" next to players' names, which is wholly unsatisfactory. I played an overseas tournament and pointed out that my CM title did not appear and was informed that CM was not a proper title, so they omitted it! It's more proper than an Arena title...

[NickFaulks]

For some reason, proper tournaments do seem to display the "Arena titles" next to players' names, which is wholly unsatisfactory.

It is a requirement imposed some years ago by Ilya Merenzon's company Agon, which may or may not still control FIDE policy in these matters.

[Brendan J Brown]

Watching Chess Masters, I did cringe at some elements (do they have nice salads in the ‘balcony of dreams’?) but overall I was happy that chess was back on the BBC.

I think players of most strengths can produce an entertaining game if they are prepared to take the risk. There were some exciting games from the old Mastergame series. Quinteros v Browne was my favourite. That was so good they had to split it over 2 episodes! However, there were some rather dull draws and even Bill Hartston got a bit upset at the lack of ambition shown by some of the masters.

If the BBC do a follow up programme “Mastergame: The Reunion” here are my 8 pics:
Miguel Quinteros - oh my garrr!
RDK
Nigel Short
Bill Hartston - going for the treble
Anatoly Karpov
Larry Christiansen - maybe I can give him a knuckle sandwich
Dr John Nunn
Micheal Stean

I’m showing my age.


BTW - does anyone know if the Mastergame series from 1975 to 1979 are available anywhere? I’ve seen the books with all the commentary but not the video.