Candidates Tournament 2013

[Andy Howie]

I would guess if there is a delay in transmission, they are using wireless boards. This doesn't happen with the wired ones. I know from talking to Agon at the Grand prix last year, they were keen to use wireless.

[Jonathan Bryant]

The weird thing is that the official site was often behind ChessBomb today. Perhaps partly/entirely? because the page didn't seem to be refreshing properly.

[Trefor Owens]

I am heading for the candidates, and looking forward to the experience, I was going to make a trip the the London Chess Centre too - is the shop at the candidates a worthwhile place to browse chess books, or should I leave a bit earlier and do the LCC earlier?

Thanks

[Colin Patterson]

Trefor, it depends on what you might be tempted to buy. The LCC has a vast range of choice and back catalogue, so if your tastes extend to the archives, the more obscure, rarer or older books, then you will benefit from a visit. If on the other hand you have no special items you are seeking out or would be more likely to buy recent releases, then I'm sure the venue bookstall would suffice. I would also imagine, from past experience, that the bargain box will be quite similar at both places.

[David Sedgwick]

Excellent report by Christopher Kreuzer. I feel as though I've been there!

I've only just had the chance to read the report, but I echo your sentiments (although I was there, of course).

I have a few comments:

The arbiters included David Sedgwick, and there seemed to be one arbiter for each game.

Not quite. The complement is actually three arbiters, although Adam Raoof will be joining us a a fourth on a number of the days.

Werner Stubenvoll of Austria is the Chief Arbiter and Carlos Dias of Portugal is the third member of the team.

The opening round was started by someone who I did not recognise, but who was presumably the Chief Arbiter.

It was indeed Werner Stubenvoll.

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov (FIDE President) and someone else whose name I didn't catch (possibly a SOCAR representative) made the first moves in Radjabov's game. There was a slightly awkward moment when it seemed there was some confusion over the name of this SOCAR representative, and there was a chuckle from the audience. That chuckle seemed to pick up on the underlying tension, as the players seemed to be more on edge here than at other events, understandable considering what is at stake.

I don't recall there being a SOCAR representative present at that point. Kirsan was accompanied by his assistant, Berik Balgabaev.

The chuckles in the audience, which I felt lifted the tension somewhat, were actually caused by a slip of the tongue from Werner Stubenvoll. He intended to announce that Kirsan would make the ceremonial opening move in the Gelfand - Radjabov game, but actually said "Anand - Rajabov". Fortunately, Boris Gelfand himself found this most amusing.

It reminded me of the occasion when the snooker commentator introduced Steve Davis as Dennis Taylor.

[Matthew Turner]

Today was a good day for the candidates. Aronian won and Radjabov won, so there is a challenge set down to Carlsen. Tomorrow we see if that challenge can be reaffirmed. Radjabov, Aronian and Carlsen have Black so a draw is a good result, but a win would seriously elevate their position.

Predictions
Gelafnd 0-1 Carlsen
Ivanchuk 0-1 Aronian
Svidler 0-1 Radjabob
Kramink Draw Grischuk

[Roger de Coverly]

(although I was there, of course).

Obscure technical point, but does the 30 second increment click in when the 60th move by Black
has been played, or when three hours has elapsed by one of the players?

When this time rate was used in the 2000 match between Kasparov and Kramnik, it was expected that the clocks would be substituted or at least reset at move 60.

[Colin S Crouch]

Just added some notes on Radjabov - Ivanchuk, in addition to notes yesterday on Svidler - Kramnik.

In Shakthinking.

My impression is that Radjabov is capable of reaching the top, but on the basis of his game against Ivanchuk, he is capable of making mistakes under time pressure.

[David Sedgwick]

(although I was there, of course).

Obscure technical point, but does the 30 second increment click in when the 60th move by Black has been played, or when three hours has elapsed by one of the players?

When this time rate was used in the 2000 match between Kasparov and Kramnik, it was expected that the clocks would be substituted or at least reset at move 60.

Obscure or not, it's an important technical point and the arbiters covered it in some detail at the pre-tournament Technical Meeting with the players.

The Regulations for the Candidates specifically state that the increment applies from move 61, so the clocks have been set accordingly. (With the DGT XL, it's not necessary to change or reset the clock.)

This is different from the situation at the London Chess Classic, where the increment clicked in after one of the players had used three hours.

[Ray Sayers]

Predictions
Gelfand 0-1 Carlsen
Ivanchuk draw Aronian
Svidler draw Radjabov
Kramnik 1 - 0 Grischuk

[Roger de Coverly]

The Regulations for the Candidates specifically state that the increment applies from move 61, so the clocks have been set accordingly. (With the DGT XL, it's not necessary to change or reset the clock.)

The rather ridiculous provision in the Laws of Chess that you are supposed to wait until a flag falls before checking that a time control has been reached has been ignored.

With all the novelties in coverage, have the DGTs been upgraded so that the arbiter, at least, knows how many moves the clock thinks have been made, that it's in sync with everything else?

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Excellent report by Christopher Kreuzer. I feel as though I've been there!

I've only just had the chance to read the report, but I echo your sentiments (although I was there, of course).

Many thanks to you both for the kind comments, and in particular to David for his corrections and additions.

The chuckles in the audience, which I felt lifted the tension somewhat, were actually caused by a slip of the tongue from Werner Stubenvoll. He intended to announce that Kirsan would make the ceremonial opening move in the Gelfand - Radjabov game, but actually said "Anand - Rajabov". Fortunately, Boris Gelfand himself found this most amusing.

It reminded me of the occasion when the snooker commentator introduced Steve Davis as Dennis Taylor.

Ah, that explains it then! From where I was sitting, I could only see Radjabov, and he looked slightly annoyed, but that's only speculation on my part (it couls equally have been surprise or puzzlement). I couldn't see Gelfand's face at all, as he had his back to me. I'm going to go back and edit my original post, pointing to your post above and taking the liberty of correcting a few typos as well.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Eg 3 f4 Kf5 3 Ka2 Ke4 4 Kb3 Kd3 5 f5 a2 6 Kxa2 Kc2, etc.

I think you may mean 4 Kc2 rather than 3 Ka2

I meant 4 Ka2 ...!

[Jonathan Rogers]

Today was a good day for the candidates. Aronian won and Radjabov won, so there is a challenge set down to Carlsen. Tomorrow we see if that challenge can be reaffirmed. Radjabov, Aronian and Carlsen have Black so a draw is a good result, but a win would seriously elevate their position.

Predictions
Gelafnd 0-1 Carlsen
Ivanchuk 0-1 Aronian
Svidler 0-1 Radjabob
Kramink Draw Grischuk

I am interested to see that, after noting that Ivanchuk and Gelfand were "tested" in the opening round, they went on to lose in the second. It may be that the other younger players have (independently) decided to target in particular these over 40s (sorry, dinosaurs). But I was more impressed with Aronian's win than with Radjabov's.

Eve so, the dinosaurs will not lose easily with White, indeed will be desperate to at least draw and steady the ship. Carlsen will be impatient to start winning, and so for me Gelfand v Carlsen will actually be the most telling game so far regarding Carlsen's prospects. My view is that Gelfand will have strength enough to hold at this early stage of the tournament.

But I worry seriously about Ivanchuk, whose opening choice yesterday was incomprehensible. So I predict

Gelafnd Draw Carlsen
Ivanchuk 0-1 Aronian
Svidler Draw Radjabob
Kramink 1-0 Grischuk

[JustinHorton]

Eg 3 f4 Kf5 3 Ka2 Ke4 4 Kb3 Kd3 5 f5 a2 6 Kxa2 Kc2, etc.

I think you may mean 4 Kc2 rather than 3 Ka2

I meant 4 Ka2 ...!

Ah yes

[reconsiders policy of posting about chess when drunk]