World Teams 2019

[Leonard Barden]

Adams accepts draw when engine shows him +2 and when McShane, the only one still going, stands worse against Grischuk.

This looks to me like a variant on the "move after the time control is always a blunder" syndrome.

The postion has been level for a while, but a draw cannot be agreed in less than 30 moves. Grischuk, who had been planning for a while to offer a draw on move 31, makes a poor move before doing so. Adams accepts without realising that he suddenly stands much better.

Nice rationale except that Adams was playing Nepo!

[Chris Rice]

Can't believe the Swiercz-Jumabayev game at move 41 of the USA-Kazakhstan game where there are 3 white pawns and 2 black pawns on the f-file.

With two Kings on the f-file as well it looks even better.

[Alex Holowczak]

Adams accepts draw when engine shows him +2 and when McShane, the only one still going, stands worse against Grischuk.

This looks to me like a variant on the "move after the time control is always a blunder" syndrome.

The postion has been level for a while, but a draw cannot be agreed in less than 30 moves. Grischuk, who had been planning for a while to offer a draw on move 31, makes a poor move before doing so. Adams accepts without realising that he suddenly stands much better.

One other explanation - was Bb1 actually played? Perhaps the board was being reset, and the live board detected the B going to b1 rather than c1.

[JustinHorton]

One other explanation - was Bb1 actually played? Perhaps the board was being reset, and the live board detected the B going to b1 rather than c1.

Come again?

Whatever happened, McShane and Grischuk have agreed a draw, and that makes the match a draw as well.

[JustinHorton]

Sweden are about to beat Azerbaijan.

[NickFaulks]

.

[David Sedgwick]

One other explanation - was Bb1 actually played? Perhaps the board was being reset, and the live board detected the B going to b1 rather than c1.

Come again?

Alex's suggestion is intelligent.

Adams offers a draw and Nepomniachtchi accepts. Nepomniachtchi then starts to reset the pieces by placing the bishop on c1. He slides it across b1 or drops it on that square.

This is unlikely, but certainly plausible. Active arbiters see this sort of thing happen quite frequently.

[JustinHorton]

Ah Ok, I see what is being driven at now. Do the boards take any notice though of what square has been vacated?

[NickFaulks]

I'll stay with David's suggestion. 31.Rb1 is not an absurd move, it just doesn't turn out well. Grischuk knew that Mickey had spent the whole game intending to draw with Black ( not a small achievement ) and would grab his hand.

[David Sedgwick]

Nice rationale except that Adams was playing Nepo!

Thanks. I have corrected my initial post.

[Tim Harding]

The American reserve Izoria lost, but they can still draw with Kazakhstan if Lenderman wins, which looks likely.
China-India looks like ending 2-2 because Ganguly and Bu seem to be winning (1.40pm).
Iran have beaten Egypt.
England v India in the next round.

[David Sedgwick]

Ah Ok, I see what is being driven at now. Do the boards take any notice though of what square has been vacated?

My impression is that they do, but they don't stop you moving into check.

For example, suppose White has a Bishop or a Knight on a2, as in the game. The board will allow Bb1 and Nc1, but not Bc1 and Nb1.

However, if the White King is on f3 and the Black King on f5, the board will allow White to play Ke4.

Hence we often see games supposedly ending with King moves that were never played, some of them illegal and others legal but silly.

Alex's suggestion is a variation on the theme.

[Roger de Coverly]

Hence we often see games supposedly ending with King moves that were never played, some of them illegal and others legal but silly.

I thought the DGT boards had a design "feature" that you indicate the end of the game by playing an illegal move. It's only when that has been executed that it recognises the Kings to the central squares as the means of signifying the result.

Why they chose a convoluted method rather than one involving a button to press etc. to indicate the result is perhaps lost in the mists of time.

[Mick Norris]

The American reserve Izoria lost, but they can still draw with Kazakhstan if Lenderman wins, which looks likely.
China-India looks like ending 2-2 because Ganguly and Bu seem to be winning (1.40pm).
Iran have beaten Egypt.
England v India in the next round.

Russia 7
India, USA, England 6
Iran 5
Kazakhstan 4
China 3

[Chris Rice]

Can't believe the Swiercz-Jumabayev game at move 41 of the USA-Kazakhstan game where there are 3 white pawns and 2 black pawns on the f-file.

With two Kings on the f-file as well it looks even better.

With a live photo for full effect.