2016 Candidates Moscow 10-29 March

[JustinHorton]

The chess24 computer is giving Giri-Caruana as +1.29. That said, its preferred line leads to a pawn ending that is patently lost for Black.

[Mick Norris]

Anand beats Aronian to join Karjakin on +2
Aronian slips back to +1, which is where I assume Caruana will be
Giri heading for draw number 9

[Matt Mackenzie]

So, has Aronian choked?

Maybe it is unfortunate for Vishy (or fortunate, for those of us who don't want Anand-Carlsen III) that Karjakin seems to be made of sterner stuff.

[Michael Farthing]

And Giri concedes the draw..

[JustinHorton]

Very big deal, I think: a win would have put Giri right in there and for that matter, Caruana possibly out of it.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Yes, and getting a draw out of that may well feel like a win for Fab......

[JustinHorton]

Caruana is White against Anand next round.

[Mick Norris]

TWIC round 9 report

chess.com

Rest day today

Tomorrow:

Karjakin (5.5) - Giri (4.5)
Caruana (5) - Anand (5.5)
Aronian (5) - Topalov (3)
Svidler (4) - Nakamura (3.5)

[Jonathan Bryant]

I don’t know what Svidler’s recent history is regarding taking on the Berlin, but I think his game with J’adoubie is the best chance of getting a Wall today.

[MartinCarpenter]

I seem to remember him mentioning something when commenting sometime about doing a mass of work vs the Berlin before some super tournament, getting it in the games, still not doing at all well and deciding to avoid it instead

It has actually looked a little like in this tournament that they might have decided that there just isn't anything left worth trying in the endgame. Anand doing very nicely with these slow d3 things of course!

[Roger de Coverly]

It has actually looked a little like in this tournament that they might have decided that there just isn't anything left worth trying in the endgame.

I could believe that White might find a line to guarantee an advantage, but that appears not so.

Anand doing very nicely with these slow d3 things of course!

In the variation 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5, 5. Bxc6 can be tried. This is with the logic that Black's pieces are misplaced by reference to the Exchange Spanish. Against that, Bologan, in his massive book on 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 reckons that .. f6 can and should be avoided in the line 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O by either 5. .. Be7 or 5. .. Ne7 both of which lead to tactical sequences if White seizes the undefended e pawn.

[Jonathan Bryant]

Anand doing very nicely with these slow d3 things of course!

In terms of results, yes. Theoretically, less so. I’m sure he doesn’t give a fig about that, mind.


As for the proper Berlin - afaik nobody’s come up with anything specific against the line that follows 9 ... Ke8, 10 h3 h5 as played in the last Carlsen-Anand match (can’t remember who was black in that one).

Anyway, it’s all going to happen tomorrow not today.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

If Anand does manage to win, will he set new records?

Smyslov, Spassky, Korchnoi and Karpov have all won through qualifying twice in a row (at least) to challenge for the title.

Anand has done so twice already, and has reached the final stages of no less than seven world championship cycles (including Mexico City, plus more if you include the FIDE ones). That is a stunning achievement. Even Kasparov has only reached that stage seven times (and Karpov seven) if I am counting correctly (the 1985 replay doesn't count for either of the two Ks).

If Anand wins this Candidates, From 2007 to 2016, he will have been in all the matches/tournaments for the World Chess Championships for 10 years (though Kasparov did this for 15 years, there was a five-year gap between 1995 and 2000).

Of course, now I've said this, he likely won't win. But it would be so impressive if he did.

[MartinCarpenter]

If you count the post war tournament then seemingly Botvinnik did it for around 15 years straight, although obviously no qualifiers inbetween! 7 matches and the tournament.

[JustinHorton]

Anand doing very nicely with these slow d3 things of course!

The super GMs still to discover that 4...d6 is the move