2017 World Cup 2-27 September, Tbilisi

[LawrenceCooper]

Fedoseev-So managed 19 moves before clocking off.

[Mick Norris]

Yes, another 0.8 rating drop for So, but I imagine he'll be pleased with an easy draw with black

[IM Jack Rudd]

Aronian is 50 minutes up on the clock. On move 10.

[LawrenceCooper]

Aronian is 50 minutes up on the clock. On move 10.

Rumours that Zurab has forced Ivanchuk to buy a new pair of trousers mid-game have yet to be confirmed

[Mick Norris]

MVL made 8 knight moves in his first 10; is he playing a recognised line?

[LawrenceCooper]

MVL made 8 knight moves in his first 10; is he playing a recognised line?

Yes, albeit only 5 games with h4. One example:

[Event "67th ch-RUS 2014"]
[Site "Kazan RUS"]
[Date "2014.12.02"]
[Round "5.4"]
[White "Svidler, P."]
[Black "Nepomniachtchi, I."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A34"]
[WhiteElo "2743"]
[BlackElo "2714"]
[PlyCount "60"]
[EventDate "2014.11.28"]

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nb4 6. Bc4 Nd3+ 7. Ke2 Nf4+ 8.
Kf1 Ne6 9. h4 Nc6 10. d3 Ned4 11. Nb5 Nxb5 12. Bxb5 Qb6 13. Ba4 Bd7 14. Be3 e6
15. b4 Nxb4 16. Bxd7+ Kxd7 17. Ne5+ Ke8 18. Rb1 Qa6 19. Qh5 g6 20. Qf3 f5 21.
Rxb4 cxb4 22. exf5 Bd6 23. Nc4 Be7 24. fxg6 hxg6 25. Qg4 Qb5 26. Qxe6 Qc6 27.
Qe5 Qf6 28. Qb5+ Qc6 29. Qe5 Qf6 30. Qb5+ Qc6 1/2-1/2

[JustinHorton]

9 b4 used to get played a lot (9...g6!). There's a section on it in one of Watson's books

[Simon Brown]

Ivanchuk just resigned in a position which looked unpleasant but not resignable. Move 24 with 10 minutes plus increments left.

[Chris Rice]

Ivanchuk just resigned in a position which looked unpleasant but not resignable. Move 24 with 10 minutes plus increments left.

Sokolov saying it was lost but to resign so quickly was the sign of a nervous breakdown.

[David Robertson]

Chucky chucks it in after #24. You'd say 'how bizarre', but it's ivanchuk!

[David Sedgwick]

Aronian is 50 minutes up on the clock. On move 10.

Have you been training him?

[JustinHorton]

Ivanchuk just resigned in a position which looked unpleasant but not resignable. Move 24 with 10 minutes plus increments left.

Sokolov saying it was lost but to resign so quickly was the sign of a nervous breakdown.

No, just that Bad Vasily was with us today.

[Mick Norris]

Ivanchuk just resigned in a position which looked unpleasant but not resignable. Move 24 with 10 minutes plus increments left.

Sokolov saying it was lost but to resign so quickly was the sign of a nervous breakdown.

Or maybe good match strategy i.e. not to waste more energy and save it for tomorrow and the need to win with white?

[LawrenceCooper]

Svidler-MVL drawn after 41 moves.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Svidler-MVL drawn after 41 moves.

Thought Svidler might have got more out of that.

And I can't speak for their level, but even the final position would be played on by White in 4NCL.

Ivanchuk does indeed have a long history of just resigning when he is disgusted with his position (or his play), even though nothing like a clear winning line is in sight for his opponent. I think we will still see at least a real effort tomorrow. (He seems to have his wife with him, which might also help).