Gashimov Memorial

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Chris Rice
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Gashimov Memorial

Post by Chris Rice » Wed Apr 16, 2014 6:44 am

This starts on Sunday. Looking forward to the Carlsen v Nakamura clash.

http://www.shamkirchess.az/index.php?op ... ntent&id=3

Mick Norris
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Re: Gashimov Memorial

Post by Mick Norris » Wed Apr 16, 2014 7:48 am

Any postings on here represent my personal views

Colin S Crouch
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Re: Gashimov Memorial

Post by Colin S Crouch » Wed Apr 16, 2014 11:54 am

This could be interesting.
Carlsen is of course an obvious favourite, but ...

The obvious question is whether Carlsen will countinue to strengthen his play, maybe nudging a little closer to 2900. Or, whether one of the other players (Caruana? Karjakin?) will make a big step forward.

Karjakin had far too many draws at the Russian League, especially compared with Grischuk's outstanding performance.
Caruana? Maybe. He reached 2800 briefly last year, but with a few losses, he has not quite maintained his standard of performance. Cutting down his losses, as Carlsen managed to achieve not so long ago, is crucial in keeping and maintaining a chase to the top. So long as he consolidates in this event, and chases Carlsen hard, it would be a good tournament for him.

The big advantage for Carlsen would be if his opponents suddenly starts to over-press. Then players will start an alternation of wins and losses, and the losses become more numerous.

Sad of course that Vugar Gashimov is not there to play in this event.

Mike Truran
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Re: Gashimov Memorial

Post by Mike Truran » Wed Apr 16, 2014 12:29 pm

To be fair, if Gashimov were still with us there wouldn't be an event.

Colin S Crouch
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Re: Gashimov Memorial

Post by Colin S Crouch » Wed Apr 16, 2014 12:45 pm

If he were still alive, and had been in good health, he would of course have played a lot more tournaments, and not just in his native country.

Mick Norris
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Re: Gashimov Memorial

Post by Mick Norris » Sat Apr 19, 2014 5:28 pm

Round 1 Sunday 11 am

Carlsen - Mamedyarov
Nakamura - Caruana
Karjakin - Radjabov

Carlsen also has white in round 2 v Nakamura

Pairings here:
http://www.shamkirchess.az/?options=content&id=21
Any postings on here represent my personal views

Colin S Crouch
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Re: Gashimov Memorial

Post by Colin S Crouch » Sun Apr 20, 2014 12:35 pm

It's still very much out of the opening. At the time of writing, the average number of games so far is around 16.

The first impression while going through the games is that Carlsen is the only player as White who has kept a stight edge. It might only be minimal, +0.1 rather than +0.0, but it is something to work on. Even a tiny plus score is better than pure equality. Is this part of the reason why Carlsen keeps so many outstanding results? Squeezing something out, while other top grandmasters just keep things ultra-solid.

While writing these notes, Carlsen has broken through in the centre with the pawns. Naturally, there is not going to be an immediate smash. Carlsen has gained something, but also risked something, and Mamedjarov has ensured that he has good counterplay on the queenside (if Carlsen were to play the aggressive 19.cxd5, rather than the quieter 19.Rxd5).

Something is already happening.

Colin S Crouch
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Re: Gashimov Memorial

Post by Colin S Crouch » Sun Apr 20, 2014 1:00 pm

Well, Carlsen goes for the quieter line, chances for a minimul edge, if any.
It is of course easy enough, with the help of computer-sight, to suggest that 19.cxd5 might have been better. Carlsen thought for a long time, but rejected it. Something to analyse in depth at a later stage?

Worth noting too that in the all-American encounter (Italy versus Japan), Caruana, with a Hedgehog Defence, has been able to equalise quite comfortably against Nakamura.

Colin S Crouch
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Re: Gashimov Memorial

Post by Colin S Crouch » Sun Apr 20, 2014 1:14 pm

Looking at very small matters of chess technique, it is interesting to note that after 16...h6 17.Be3, Mamedjarov spent only 12 seconds in redeveloping his knight with 20...Ng6. He had evidently decided beforehand that this was the most natural developing move.

But were there other better moves with the rook? The knight is already happy enough on g8. The computer suggests that 20...Rcd8, 20...Rc7 or 20...Re7 would (perhaps) have been solidly equal.

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Gashimov Memorial

Post by Geoff Chandler » Sun Apr 20, 2014 1:17 pm

Hi Colin.

Analysis without a diagram is meaningless, and this:

"+0.1 rather than +0.0..."

Please none of this gumph. A chess skank like me could have posted that.

You are a GM, I bet you don't think in terms of +0.1 etc.
A diagram as to why you think White has a slight would explain much more
and someone may learn something.

Is this is how it's going to be. No diagrams just 0.01+
Carl might as well pull everyone's post, plug in Fritz and post it's evaluation numbers every 10 minutes.

Mick Norris
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Re: Gashimov Memorial

Post by Mick Norris » Sun Apr 20, 2014 1:31 pm

You can see the live games, with analysis etc, here
http://www.shamkirchess.az/?options=content&id=46
Any postings on here represent my personal views

Colin S Crouch
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Re: Gashimov Memorial

Post by Colin S Crouch » Sun Apr 20, 2014 2:13 pm

Hi Geoff, you moron!

Quite clearly you know very little about chess, so why pretend otherwise? What is your grading? Or equivalent?

As it happens, I have recently written a book on Magnus Carlsen, on everyman, written in depth. You I beleive have written some extremely random stuff on some magazine.

I have analysed every game by Carlsen at the 2013 London Classic, and Wijk aan Zee 2014. What is your knowledge or understanding on Carlse's play? Hey, termite brain?

If you had a better understanding about how things work, what you could perhaps do is to look up the official website, and go through the game, plus notes. But you do not have the intelligence. Stronger players than yourself would be able to see the position and game.

Goodbye clown, and I hope I don't hear from you again.

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Carl Hibbard
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Re: Gashimov Memorial

Post by Carl Hibbard » Sun Apr 20, 2014 2:32 pm

Colin S Crouch wrote:Goodbye clown, and I hope I don't hear from you again.
Far from polite and uncalled for please apologise.
Cheers
Carl Hibbard

Colin S Crouch
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Re: Gashimov Memorial

Post by Colin S Crouch » Sun Apr 20, 2014 4:09 pm

Yes, OK Geoff, I apologise. Perhaps I did not take into account the extraordinary work you have done with Ray Keene, and the great support you have achievexd from John Saunders.

I am sure that if you post something to me at a later stage, I will, if required, make a graceous reply. Sometimes I can easily forget that forum writers have their own points of view, and that in technical questions of chess interpretation or analysis, I should not shoot down people who make inaccurate sugestions, when this suggestions can be completely wrong.

I do wish to note that I am completely fed up when players of extremely moderate strength start shouting off that an IM is a weakie, and that only GMs are of importance, and that a moderate player knows things better. Talk to any IM or GM on this issue, and they will know their irritation.

So please, an apology from Geoff. And preferably, try to work hard to become an IM or GM, before making such contentious comments. I did not start the dispute. I merely replied, and did not hide the fact that his comments were outrageous.

On a different matter, I see that, much as I expected, Carlsen gradually kept a slight advantage, squeezed for more, and eventually won. An unnamed person suggests that it was level from the opening.

Now to go through some of the old stuff by Steve Giddins. Perhaps he was right in suggesting that no good player would ever get involved in the ECForum.

MartinCarpenter
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Re: Gashimov Memorial

Post by MartinCarpenter » Sun Apr 20, 2014 5:14 pm

Well suspect we can all agree that the idea of +0.1 really isn't meaningful in any sense :) Also of course long established that Carlsen doesn't need objective advantages to win!

Still I really do wonder about the the computer evaluation around move 17-20 this time. I mean look at this position (black to move, move 21):


The online comp claims 0.00 at this point ;) Yes black is compact and everything but really? Black's got a genuinely stupid bishop on a3, a lot less space and no obvious plan. White has very obvious potential to cause a major accident on the kingside/center, either snap or long term.

I'd be very uncomfortable indeed trying to play black. You might survive in practice of course, but you'd expect to suffer and I'm not at all surprised that it went downhill quite fast. That bishop never did make it back into play until far too late.

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