FIDE Grand Swiss 2021

[NickFaulks]

Anyone care to pick a winner yet?

I thought that Firouzja was the ante post favourite, although I would not have backed him at 10/1. I would do that now.

If you wish to put something on Shirov, you know where to find me.

[Mick Norris]

Firouzja v MVL and Caruana v Howell in round 5

[Paul Cooksey]

I'm looking forward to watching today.

Strong as it is, I'm a bit surprised it isn't stronger. 13 players 2700+, compared to 25 at the world cup.

[LawrenceCooper]

Health Protocol gets off to an early start...

"Following the Health Protocol, the Chief Arbiter at the Grand Swiss is currently in isolation after informing the organisers that he has been in touch with someone positive for Covid-19 before arriving in Riga."...

Perhaps worth mentioning that the aforementioned Chief Arbiter is England's very own Alex Holowczak...

The Chief Arbiter has been released from his captivity today, I understand that it is entirely coincidental that it is halloween

[NickFaulks]

The Chief Arbiter has been released from his captivity today, I understand that it is entirely coincidental that it is halloween

I was thinking that was tomorrow. This would explain why he now has better things to do than answer my calls.

edit : I have done Alex a complete injustice. It now appears that I missed his call.

[Matt Mackenzie]

I'm looking forward to watching today.

Strong as it is, I'm a bit surprised it isn't stronger. 13 players 2700+, compared to 25 at the world cup.

As already related, the circumstances of the event have resulted in some high profile absentees.

[Mick Norris]

Shirov and Firouzja on 4/5; I assume Najer is going to join them

[Mick Norris]

round 6 pairings

Shirov (4) v Firouzja (4)
Najer (4) v Caruana (3.5)

Women very close with 5 players on 4 and another 4 on 3.5

Jovanka v Pia Cramling

If two (2) or more players score the same points, the tie is to be decided by the following criteria, in order of priority: a) Buchholz Cut 1; b) Buchholz; c) Sonneborn-Berger; d) Direct encounter between the players in tie; e) Drawing of lots. All tie-breaks are calculated as described in C.02.13 of the FIDE Handbook

so no playoffs

[Chris Rice]

He's still got it:

Saric, Ivan (CRO) - Shirov, Alexei (ESP)
FIDE Chess.com Grand Swiss 2021 round 5

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. c3 d6 8. a4 Rb8 9. d4 Bb6 10. a5 Ba7 11. h3 Bb7 12. Be3 Nxe4 13. Re1 exd4 14. cxd4 d5 15. Nbd2 Ne7 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. Ne5 O-O 18. Qg4 Bd5 19. Bxd5 Qxd5 20. Rac1 c5 21. dxc5 Qxe5 22. Bf4 Qxb2 23. Qd7 Ng6 24. Bd6 e3 25. Rf1 exf2+ 26. Kh1 Rbe8 27. Rcd1 Bb8 28. Bxf8 Kxf8 29. g3 Bxg3 30. c6 Qc2 0-1

[benedgell]

I was just on Chessbomb looking through the rd. 4 games from the Women's event. Does Chessbomb have anyone who moderates comments on there, or is it just anything is permissible? The same offensive comments from the same offensive handle alongside every game.

[NickFaulks]

I was just on Chessbomb looking through the rd. 4 games from the Women's event. Does Chessbomb have anyone who moderates comments on there, or is it just anything is permissible? The same offensive comments from the same offensive handle alongside every game.

The ones you are talking about are now banned, but Chessbomb struggle to stop them from coming back.

[benedgell]

They may be banned, but the comments are still there on all the rd.4 games. Someone should surely be monitoring the chat and deleting inappropriate comments. These games happened 2 days ago, right?

[Kevin Thurlow]

"They may be banned, but the comments are still there on all the rd.4 games. Someone should surely be monitoring the chat and deleting inappropriate comments. These games happened 2 days ago, right?"

Yes. The first thing I do when watching chess feeds is try to work out how to disable comments. (and that's just when some idiot is looking at stockfish and screaming "blunder", 0.1 seconds after the move has been made.)

[Mick Norris]

Rest day tomorrow, possibly with a Blitz

round 7 pairings

Women

[Ian Thompson]

Rest day tomorrow, possibly with a Blitz

Chess Results says it's due to take place on 8 November.