London Chess Classic 2017

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NickFaulks
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by NickFaulks » Tue Dec 05, 2017 12:47 pm

Jonathan Rogers wrote:
Tue Dec 05, 2017 11:54 am
Plus, as Yermo says on chessbase, the psychological aspects; everyone is happy to draw with black, and may find it difficult to switch even if White does overpress.
I've been making this point for years. Many top players routinely glide into draws with Black from positions where, if the pieces were merely repainted, they would probably press on with White. I understand the psychological difficulty ( at least in theory, it has no application to the game I play ), but being able to play any position purely on its merits must be a skill worth a few points over a year.

I'd say that Carlsen doesn't ( didn't? ) suffer from it, Topalov certainly doesn't. Adams shows symptoms, Short doesn't.

Similarly, in financial trading it is difficult to be unaffected by whether the position you are handling is showing a profit or a loss. But good traders know that you should be.
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Brian Towers
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Brian Towers » Tue Dec 05, 2017 7:10 pm

Jonathan Rogers wrote:
Tue Dec 05, 2017 11:54 am
everyone is happy to draw with black, and may find it difficult to switch even if White does overpress.
Time to give the wild card to Adorjan.
Ah, but I was so much older then. I'm younger than that now.

Paul Dargan
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Paul Dargan » Tue Dec 05, 2017 7:58 pm

In the FIDE Open ... OMG 33. ...Bf2 in Simon Williams' game. will his opponent see it?

Paul

LawrenceCooper
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by LawrenceCooper » Tue Dec 05, 2017 8:02 pm

We have a winner :shock:

MartinCarpenter
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by MartinCarpenter » Wed Dec 06, 2017 1:36 am

Lovely game too :) Absolutely classic Sicilian center and bishops.

Brian Towers
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Brian Towers » Wed Dec 06, 2017 12:50 pm

Paul Dargan wrote:
Tue Dec 05, 2017 7:58 pm
In the FIDE Open ... OMG 33. ...Bf2 in Simon Williams' game. will his opponent see it?

Paul
No, they both missed the move 2 moves in a row.

According to the timings on chess24.com, Williams took 6 min 1 sec over the initial blunder (Rbe1), his opponent took 26 sec to not see it and play Kh8, Williams then took 37 sec to repeat the blunder by playing a6 instead of something like h4 or f4 and his opponent reciprocated with Rhg7 in 31 sec removing the threat.

Looks like time pressure for the opponent who was playing his moves in about the increment time of 30 sec. Williams not so much with a couple of 3 min thinks before shaking hands on the draw.
Ah, but I was so much older then. I'm younger than that now.

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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by David Robertson » Wed Dec 06, 2017 1:59 pm

MartinCarpenter wrote:
Wed Dec 06, 2017 1:36 am
...center...
What?? :shock: :shock:

Tim Harding
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Tim Harding » Wed Dec 06, 2017 5:05 pm

Nakamura having his first think of the game at move 19 (Black in a Dragon against Adams).
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JustinHorton
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by JustinHorton » Wed Dec 06, 2017 7:57 pm

That looked a bit on the ungreat side from Anand
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Christopher Kreuzer
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Thu Dec 07, 2017 11:47 pm

Five rounds, 25 games, 23 draws and 2 wins.

Seven of the players have had five draws in a row.

How likely is it that some of those seven players will end up with four more draws for a 'Giri'? (9 draws?)

Jonathan Rogers
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Fri Dec 08, 2017 8:11 am

Well, Adams has made nine draws out of nine already in one of these recent Grand Tour versions of the Classic. Not, of course, that he can be blamed for that, as the lowest rated player (and wildcard) both then and now.

LawrenceCooper
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by LawrenceCooper » Fri Dec 08, 2017 9:07 am

Jonathan Rogers wrote:
Fri Dec 08, 2017 8:11 am
Well, Adams has made nine draws out of nine already in one of these recent Grand Tour versions of the Classic. Not, of course, that he can be blamed for that, as the lowest rated player (and wildcard) both then and now.
He has to face Carlsen & Caruana with black so he has plenty of hard work still ahead of him. Ironically Anand, possibly followed by Karjakin (or So) might have been my two tips for nine draws pre-tournament whilst Aronian, Carlsen, Nakamura, Nepo and MVL would have been lower on my list.

Alexander Hardwick
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Alexander Hardwick » Fri Dec 08, 2017 9:41 am

Glancing briefly over at the FIDE Open side of things, does anybody know which players may be on track for a norm?

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Christopher Kreuzer
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Fri Dec 08, 2017 10:25 am

Jonathan Rogers wrote:
Fri Dec 08, 2017 8:11 am
Well, Adams has made nine draws out of nine already in one of these recent Grand Tour versions of the Classic. Not, of course, that he can be blamed for that, as the lowest rated player (and wildcard) both then and now.
I had forgotten that, well remembered!

It was in 2015:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Ch ... 3_December

Caruana also did the same (nine draws). Maybe it is not as rare as I thought.

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Christopher Kreuzer
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Fri Dec 08, 2017 10:36 am

Alexander Hardwick wrote:
Fri Dec 08, 2017 9:41 am
Glancing briefly over at the FIDE Open side of things, does anybody know which players may be on track for a norm?
Ranking list after round 7 of 9:

http://www.chess-results.com/tnr317477. ... =30&wi=821

Two Indian IMs on 5.5/7, plus Hambleton (thought he was already a GM?) and a Mongolian IM and a Vietnamese WGM.

Several FMs and untitled players on 5/7, but difficult to tell without looking at the individual TPRs which can vary a lot.

And in case anyone has forgotten, David Howell and Luke McShane are playing the final of the British Knockout Championship (not sure if there is a separate thread for this). It is an 8-game final: 4 classical games, and 4 rapid games. Draw followed by two Black wins (David then Luke) has left the match level after three games.

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