Candidates Tournament in Berlin March 2018

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Candidates Tournament in Berlin March 2018

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Mon Mar 12, 2018 5:03 pm

Impressive start from Vlad, the big question is if he can keep it up.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Candidates Tournament in Berlin March 2018

Post by Roger de Coverly » Mon Mar 12, 2018 5:21 pm

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:
Mon Mar 12, 2018 4:25 pm
Looks like Kramnik may be the first sole leader, as he has a crushing position against Aronian (move 20).
Something of a declaration of intent at move 8



If one of your team mates suggested this, you would try to restrain them.

J T Melsom
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Re: Candidates Tournament in Berlin March 2018

Post by J T Melsom » Mon Mar 12, 2018 5:36 pm

I can think of at least one of your team mates who might play it!. After all although conventional wisdom suggests you might castle before launching such an attack, the king can always go long and isn't in immediate danger. I expect it might be the sort of thing to catch the eye of the lower rated, and be tried in similar positions, as indeed it often is.

Nick Burrows
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Re: Candidates Tournament in Berlin March 2018

Post by Nick Burrows » Mon Mar 12, 2018 6:25 pm

Jonathan Rogers wrote:
Mon Mar 12, 2018 4:50 pm
Probably a good moment to say that I voted for Kramnik the other day!
Sure you did :lol:

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Candidates Tournament in Berlin March 2018

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Mon Mar 12, 2018 7:01 pm

Well he came equal top in our poll with Aronian (who I voted for)
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

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JustinHorton
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Re: Candidates Tournament in Berlin March 2018

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Mar 12, 2018 7:28 pm

I was also on Kramnik, as it happens.

Didn't Sutovsky say something about Caruana failing to convert more won positions than any other leading player? (Not that he was necessarily winning.)
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Angus French
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Re: Candidates Tournament in Berlin March 2018

Post by Angus French » Mon Mar 12, 2018 7:33 pm

J T Melsom wrote:
Mon Mar 12, 2018 5:36 pm
I can think of at least one of your team mates who might play it!. After all although conventional wisdom suggests you might castle before launching such an attack, the king can always go long and isn't in immediate danger. I expect it might be the sort of thing to catch the eye of the lower rated, and be tried in similar positions, as indeed it often is.
Why wouldn't Black play ... Rg8? Arguably White has played unambitiously, given up a bishop for a knight and created a target with h3. Black has five pieces and some pawns ready to attack which is more than White has to defend. Black can castle queenside if need be but there's no rush so why not preserve options?

I also voted from KRambo!

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Re: Candidates Tournament in Berlin March 2018

Post by Chris Rice » Tue Mar 13, 2018 12:45 am

Peter Doggers report on round 3 featuring the remarkable Aronian-Kramnik game which will surely go down as one of the greatest games in chess history. Personally, I'm dreading the coaching tomorrow. "But sir, you said we shouldn't play moves like that...."

Leaderboard after round 3:
1 Kramnik 2½
2-3 Mamedyarov, Caruana 2
4-5 Grischuk, Ding 1½
6-7 Karjakin, Aronian 1
8 So ½

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JustinHorton
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Re: Candidates Tournament in Berlin March 2018

Post by JustinHorton » Tue Mar 13, 2018 10:22 am

What's Donner's line to the effect of when you become a grandmaster, you have to forget everything you've learned up to then?
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Candidates Tournament in Berlin March 2018

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Tue Mar 13, 2018 2:04 pm

And if anything, that is truer now than when he said it.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

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Re: Candidates Tournament in Berlin March 2018

Post by NickFaulks » Tue Mar 13, 2018 2:27 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Tue Mar 13, 2018 10:22 am
What's Donner's line to the effect of when you become a grandmaster, you have to forget everything you've learned up to then?
But that applies far more widely, for instance when getting a proper job after obtaining a university degree.
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JustinHorton
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Re: Candidates Tournament in Berlin March 2018

Post by JustinHorton » Tue Mar 13, 2018 2:36 pm

Not really: that's engaging in a different way of working, not unpicking the knowledge you've actually acquired.
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

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Re: Candidates Tournament in Berlin March 2018

Post by NickFaulks » Tue Mar 13, 2018 2:54 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Tue Mar 13, 2018 2:36 pm
Not really: that's engaging in a different way of working, not unpicking the knowledge you've actually acquired.
Can't agree, since much of what has been learned is not really knowledge at all, but just the currently dominant theology. What is taught in academia, economics being one good example, does serious damage when applied to the real world.

If only professional economists were judged by their results, as top chess players are, rather than by the elegance of their exposition.
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JustinHorton
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Re: Candidates Tournament in Berlin March 2018

Post by JustinHorton » Tue Mar 13, 2018 3:13 pm

Well up to a point, but even if I accepted that point (and it's worth reading, say, Simon Wren-Lewis on what economists as a group actually think) I'm not sure that professional economists outwith academia do have to reject what they've been taught. And more's the pity, sure.
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NickFaulks
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Re: Candidates Tournament in Berlin March 2018

Post by NickFaulks » Tue Mar 13, 2018 3:27 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Tue Mar 13, 2018 3:13 pm
I'm not sure that professional economists outwith academia do have to reject what they've been taught.
But if their rewards were results-based, like chess players, they would have no choice in the matter, because otherwise they would starve.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

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