Isle Of Man International (Fide Grand Swiss)

[Nigel White]

Does anyone know why on Friday the Open is starting at 11:30am and the Women's at 1pm, rather than both at the usual 2:30pm? It's not that they are squeezing two rounds into that day, nor is it the final round (when they start just 30 minutes earlier than usual), and there doesn't appear to be a change of venue.

"Fireworks and music show on the promenade outside the hall"

Thanks - but it seems odd that they are starting the Open and Women's at different times.

[LawrenceCooper]

Does anyone know why on Friday the Open is starting at 11:30am and the Women's at 1pm, rather than both at the usual 2:30pm? It's not that they are squeezing two rounds into that day, nor is it the final round (when they start just 30 minutes earlier than usual), and there doesn't appear to be a change of venue.

"Fireworks and music show on the promenade outside the hall"

Thanks - but it seems odd that they are starting the Open and Women's at different times.

Yes. They do have different time controls though so they must think that minimising the round time change for the women outweighs them arriving after the open has started.

[LawrenceCooper]

It must be really good experience though

I know he needs the required performance level for a GM norm, but is there a minimum score as well? Given the strength of his average opponent, he can get a relatively high performance level while scoring well below 50%

His average including round 7 is 2650 so a minus one score (eg 4/9) would be fine. Without knowing his future opponents 2/3 for a 9 round norm seems a reasonable estimate.

A great result today for Shreyas beating the Turkish grandmaster Vahap Sanal rated 2603.
https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tourn ... 023/7/1/54

[Matt Mackenzie]

He doesn't seem fazed by the strength of his opposition at all, which is itself a good sign.

[LawrenceCooper]

He doesn't seem fazed by the strength of his opposition at all, which is itself a good sign.

With white he has two wins and two draws all against 2600+ GMs.

[Mick Norris]

That's a good result

[Mick Norris]

Vidit takes the lead on 5.5; 11 players I think on 5

Vitiugov on 4.5 so not out of contention

[LawrenceCooper]

He doesn't seem fazed by the strength of his opposition at all, which is itself a good sign.

With white he has two wins and two draws all against 2600+ GMs.

After seven rounds his performance is exactly 2600. He is black against GM Raunak Sadhwani rated 2641 tomorrow.

[NickFaulks]

They do have different time controls though

I hadn't realised that until now. It looks odd - is it what the women players wanted?

[IM Jack Rudd]

Royal is one of three IMs in the tournament currently performing at or above the GM norm level; the others are Rodrigue-Lemieux (playing at 2649) and Zhalmakhanov (playing at 2755). The latter is probably getting a GM norm even if he loses his next two games.

[Mick Norris]

I see that Zhalmakhanov already has 1 GM norm

[LawrenceCooper]

They do have different time controls though

I hadn't realised that until now. It looks odd - is it what the women players wanted?

The women have the standard FIDE time control but the open has a much longer one meaning that their games often last into the seventh hour.
It's certainly not what the open players wanted from the small sample of player interviews I've seen. I can only think that FIDE wanted them to have different time controls so that the time scrambles (if they can still be called that with increment) happen at different times, possibly an experiment that will carry forward into the jointly hosted Candidates.

[NickFaulks]

possibly an experiment that will carry forward into the jointly hosted Candidates.

I do hope not. Of all the possible reasons, that would be a very poor one.

[LawrenceCooper]

possibly an experiment that will carry forward into the jointly hosted Candidates.

I do hope not. Of all the possible reasons, that would be a very poor one.

I totally agree.

[LawrenceCooper]

He doesn't seem fazed by the strength of his opposition at all, which is itself a good sign.

With white he has two wins and two draws all against 2600+ GMs.

After seven rounds his performance is exactly 2600. He is black against GM Raunak Sadhwani rated 2641 tomorrow.

A comfortable draw with black against Sadhwani gets him off the mark with black and quite possibly leaves him needing a draw tomorrow depending on who he plays.