Candidates 2014

[LawrenceCooper]

A brave decision by Svidler to avoid the simplification available after 27...Nxd4

[Colin S Crouch]

A draw between Anand and Kramnik, with Anand's king out in the open, but a pece up. Inevitably a perpetual, and presumably already known in theory. Anand, although giving away the advantage of the White pieces, will presumably be happy with this, maintaining his +2 score.

Which leaves the critical Aronian - Svidler game. Aronian sacrificed a piece for a pawn, opening up Black's king, and creating two passed pawns in the centre. He used a lot of effored trying not to take the invitation of a draw by repetition much esrlier on, and he was able to try out something in the opening that Svidler had not been able to analyse in depth in advance. Svidler thought for ages at move 27, with the usual dilemma of whether to try to refute Aronian's play - tempting - or whether to keep things steady, maybe with a repetition. Eventually, he decided to keep things solid, aiming to develop all his pieces. Maybe the position is still balanced?

Aronian keeps his reputation of being the most creative player!

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Aronian keeps his reputation of being the most creative player!

Svidler's king... what is the word I'm looking for? Exposed! That's it.

[Jonathan Bryant]

Aronian keeps his reputation of being the most creative player!

Svidler's king... what is the word I'm looking for? Exposed! That's it.

The whole game feels a little old fashioned to me - compared to the Anti-Marshalls, the Catalans and the Berlins that we often see at the higher levels. And all the more welcome for that.

[Matt Fletcher]

Aronian keeps his reputation of being the most creative player!

Svidler's king... what is the word I'm looking for? Exposed! That's it.

The whole game feels a little old fashioned to me - compared to the Anti-Marshalls, the Catalans and the Berlins that we often see at the higher levels. And all the more welcome for that.

Amazing game so far - it almost looks as if Black's and White's positions come from different games.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I'm tempted to ask what the engines are saying. Balanced?

[Roger de Coverly]

I'm tempted to ask what the engines are saying. Balanced?

The Stockfish at chessbomb regularly changes its mind, but it suggests equal chances at least some of the time. Amazingly they've both still got plenty of time left, but they did rattle out the opening moves very quickly.

[Colin S Crouch]

Yes, it is starting to look like an 1830s Evans Gambit. We can be sure however that Svidler will defent with much greater resolution than mid-19th century players.

According to the computers, probably still balanced after 34...Kf8 35.e6 Nd6 36.Qa4 R8c5 37.Qa4 R5c4, with the possibility of counter-attack with the rooks. Svidler is however thinking for a long time.

[Colin S Crouch]

And indeed he plays 34...Qd7. Is this wise?

[Christopher Kreuzer]

After 43.Re1, is Aronian close to winning now?

[Colin S Crouch]

Just quickly to note that Mamedjarov won, against Andreikin. A releif to him, and to the tournament. No-one can feel comfortable if a player is stuck to the basement.

Svidler is close to getting zugged.

[LawrenceCooper]

No-one can feel comfortable if a player is stuck to the basement.

Isn't that the likely fate that awaits Andreikin?

[Colin S Crouch]

Well, someone has to come last.
Andreikin at least managed to draw two games in the firts three rounds. The danger here for Mamedjarov was that he had lost two really dreadful games in rounds 2 and 3, and a round 4 loss would have led him into a tail-spin. He was playing sub-200 chess. There has been no sign of Andreikin playing that badly.

Oh, looks like Aronian is about to win.

[Simon Brown]

Am I the only one who found 48...Rf8 (thereby managing to castle both normally and manually in the same game) very satisfying?

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Am I the only one who found 48...Rf8 (thereby managing to castle both normally and manually in the same game) very satisfying?

Heh. That was the queen's rook that did manual kingside castling, not the king's rook. Does that count?