Candidates Matches 3rd - 27th May 2011

[Geoff Marchant]

Radjabov's been watching too much "Only Fools & Horses".

[benedgell]

Think Grischuk took the scathing criticism from Chessbase of his first game against Kramnik to heart, and is trying to make the English look interesting.

[LozCooper]

I don't like the idea that you have months to prepare for the first match and then 2-3 days for the semi and final.

Why should the players do that?
In fact, they have months to prepare against any of the other candidates.
Nobody forbids Topalov to prepare against Kramnik today... and if the match does not happen at that time, the preparation is unlikely to get wasted.

If you were in any doubt that more than two days preparation were required for top level matches you may wish to cast your eye over the openings in the semi-finals and compare them to the opening round

[Ben Purton]

Well Instead of Nc3 , Bd6 gave Gelfand good winning chances, he is not playing his best stuff.

[LozCooper]

Well Instead of Nc3 , Bd6 gave Gelfand good winning chances, he is not playing his best stuff.

Amazing that Kamsky escaped from that bind.

[LozCooper]

Two hard fought draws today with Gelfand-Kamsky played down to R+1 v R+1 with Kamsky holding what looked like a very unpleasant middle game and then a slightly worse rook ending. Kramnik was a pawn up but unable to convert, eventually ending up in a bishop v knight ending where black had a blockade despite being a pawn down. Better players than me will be able to say if Kramnik was right to win the pawn or if he could have played another way.

[benedgell]

Really hope Grischuk knocks Kramnik out in the blitz matches. Kramnik successfully ruining these Candidate matches with his unremittingly dull play.

[Ben Purton]

I know what you mean Ben , Theres this somerset based player who plays for Sharks whos drawn about 80% of his games !

I am also cheering for Grischuk

[Thomas Rendle]

I don't see why people are so down on Kramnik. It's not about entertainment he just wants to win the match, and drawing easily with Black game after game is part of that. He tries pretty hard to win every time he is White after all.

[Thomas Rendle]

Really hope Grischuk knocks Kramnik out in the blitz matches. Kramnik successfully ruining these Candidate matches with his unremittingly dull play.

The matches were ruined before they began. Kramnik losing in a blitz match to Grischuk would be terrible for the Candidates. Obviously we needed longer matches and Carlsen to be playing. Or alternatively (as many people have said) a DRR tournament which would find a worthy winner.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Have to disagree with Ben. It was possible for Grischuk to play on in the final position, but he is happy to draw as white, as he was v Aronian, because he thinks his chances are better in rapidplay (rightly so, it seems). But don't blame Kramnik for being happy to draw with Black! He will certainly play with White himself.

Agree of course with Tom's comments.

[Mick Norris]

Really hope Grischuk knocks Kramnik out in the blitz matches. Kramnik successfully ruining these Candidate matches with his unremittingly dull play.

The matches were ruined before they began. Kramnik losing in a blitz match to Grischuk would be terrible for the Candidates. Obviously we needed longer matches and Carlsen to be playing. Or alternatively (as many people have said) a DRR tournament which would find a worthy winner.

Longer matches - yes, need to find the money for that

Carlsen - he could have played but chose not to - ideally, you would have a qualification system that was fixed for a whole cycle, preferably one that resulted in the best players being Candidates without unfairly excluding anyone from having a chance

Double Round Robin - definitely not, the technique of qualifying via tournaments (of which there are lots) and matches is quite different - the World Championship should remain a match not a tournament, hence so should the Candidates to give people match practice as it were

[LozCooper]

Really hope Grischuk knocks Kramnik out in the blitz matches. Kramnik successfully ruining these Candidate matches with his unremittingly dull play.

The matches were ruined before they began. Kramnik losing in a blitz match to Grischuk would be terrible for the Candidates. Obviously we needed longer matches and Carlsen to be playing. Or alternatively (as many people have said) a DRR tournament which would find a worthy winner.

Agreed. Four games matches are that short that players are reluctant to take any risks. The main excitement has been in the rapid and blitz. It makes me think that blitz & rapid are entertaining to watch but for a world championship either have longer matches or a tournament between the winners of top events of the year, not losers of matches from a year or so ago.

[Jonathan Rogers]

meanwhile, embarassing Kamsky White game v Gelfand, number 94. Why couldn't he recapture on d5 on move 16?

[Thomas Rendle]

meanwhile, embarassing Kamsky White game v Gelfand, number 94. Why couldn't he recapture on d5 on move 16?

presumably because of 16...Qc6 17.Bg2 e4!

The pawn sac looked interesting but maybe 19.Bh3 or Be3 were stronger.

Still, a messy position and Gelfand getting short of time. Not sure Kamsky can be ruled out from here - I think his position isn't as bad as it looks!