London Chess Classic 2017

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Nick Ivell
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Nick Ivell » Sat Dec 09, 2017 7:52 am

What was that from Nakamura?

I know, it's easy for me to say. I've messed up many an ending in my time. Stress and fatigue take their toll. But really, I expect better from these guys.

What was going on? Nakamura was playing for tricks. No vestige of endgame technique, no hint of 'making haste slowly'.

It was all tactics. With 'technique' like that, I'm sorry to say that he will never be world champion. And I'm genuinely sorry, because his Dragons and enterprising play generally have rescued this tournament from the snoozefest it was becoming.

Nick Ivell
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Nick Ivell » Sat Dec 09, 2017 9:46 am

No such criticism of Adams. I don't think his defensive task was as trivial as Yasser was making out, not with his pawn on f4. I'm sure tiredness played a part too.

Incidentally, much though I love Yasser, why are we getting American commentary? I'm sure I remember a year when Trent and Gordon were chatting away.

David Sedgwick
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by David Sedgwick » Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:01 am

Nick Ivell wrote:
Sat Dec 09, 2017 9:46 am
Incidentally, much though I love Yasser, why are we getting American commentary? I'm sure I remember a year when Trent and Gordon were chatting away.
It's the standard practice for all Grand Chess Tour events.

There is a separate commentary for spectators on site, with Lawrence Trent among the commentators.

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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Nick Ivell » Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:16 am

Thanks for the clarification, David. I'm glad I'm not a 'spectator on site'. I would not want to spend hundreds of pounds travelling down to the big smoke to watch this stodgy fare. Quite happy listening to Yasser. And isn't Cristian good? I knew nothing about him before this tournament.

Magnus is clearly not at his best. I'm wondering if the era of the 'grindathon' is over...

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Sat Dec 09, 2017 12:03 pm

Interesting that the (relative) struggles of Magnus in classical chess recently haven't stopped him scaling new heights in the faster formats?
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JustinHorton
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by JustinHorton » Sat Dec 09, 2017 12:19 pm

Nick Ivell wrote:
Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:16 am
Thanks for the clarification, David. I'm glad I'm not a 'spectator on site'. I would not want to spend hundreds of pounds travelling down to the big smoke to watch this stodgy fare.
I thought it was good chess yesterday, for what it's worth. (Had to break off for guests just when Carlsen and Adams started coming under real pressure, unfortunately.)
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Jonathan Bryant
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Jonathan Bryant » Sat Dec 09, 2017 2:18 pm

Nick Ivell wrote:
Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:16 am
Magnus is clearly not at his best. I'm wondering if the era of the 'grindathon' is over...
Well, 1 f4 is an unusual Grinders’ Choice

NickFaulks
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by NickFaulks » Sat Dec 09, 2017 2:34 pm

Jonathan Bryant wrote:
Sat Dec 09, 2017 2:18 pm
Well, 1 f4 is an unusual Grinders’ Choice
Reverse Dutch is pretty solid, if you're confident that Black won't try 1...e5.
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Jonathan Bryant
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Jonathan Bryant » Sat Dec 09, 2017 2:39 pm

NickFaulks wrote:
Sat Dec 09, 2017 2:34 pm
Jonathan Bryant wrote:
Sat Dec 09, 2017 2:18 pm
Well, 1 f4 is an unusual Grinders’ Choice
Reverse Dutch is pretty solid, if you're confident that Black won't try 1...e5.
"Solid" and knights on a3/h4 don’t fit together that easily to my eyes.

Tim Harding
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Tim Harding » Sat Dec 09, 2017 3:04 pm

Jonathan Bryant wrote:
Sat Dec 09, 2017 2:39 pm
NickFaulks wrote:
Sat Dec 09, 2017 2:34 pm
Jonathan Bryant wrote:
Sat Dec 09, 2017 2:18 pm
Well, 1 f4 is an unusual Grinders’ Choice
Reverse Dutch is pretty solid, if you're confident that Black won't try 1...e5.
"Solid" and knights on a3/h4 don’t fit together that easily to my eyes.
Magnus is playing GM Henrik Danielsen's "Polar Bear System" and they were following the main line of his Chapter 2 up to 9...b6.
(There 9...e5 met by 10 f5! is the main theme of the chapter but Danielsen does also consider 9...d4 and 9...b6. In his book b7-b6 is more usual at move 8.)

Magnus spent 15 minutes on 10 e4 which in Henrik's book is the usual follow-up to most things. This particular sequence is only covered by one of his internet games (page 39 if you have the book).

LATER: Magnus has diverged from Danielsen's book with 11 Qa4!? Henrik's game went 11. dxe4 Ba6 12 e5, an idea the American commentators were discussing though they, too, don't seem to know about the Polar Bear.
I would expect Magnus to know the idea (if not the book) and maybe Mickey also. Carlsen has played 1 f4 a few times before but this seems to be the first time he has followed Danielsen's system of development.
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MJMcCready
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by MJMcCready » Sat Dec 09, 2017 3:45 pm

Isn't it just a reverse Lenningrad Dutch with a tempo up? Is he perhaps a little overconfident in playing it at such a high calibre opponent?

Jonathan Rogers
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Sat Dec 09, 2017 3:46 pm

Meanwhile the English Final between Luke and David reaches its climax. It has been a match of 1 e4 e5 mostly games which will not be remembered for their quality; Luke's KI win in game three has a much better chance of that. But, as if to distinguish it from you-know-what, those 1 e4 e5 games have at least provided some drama. Luke lost two good/excellent positions with White under the classic time control, but has won two rather bad positions with White in rapid today. They will presumably draw the present dull game, thus ending up all level after the classic and rapid combined, and go into blitz soon?

Jonathan Rogers
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Sat Dec 09, 2017 3:47 pm

MJMcCready wrote:
Sat Dec 09, 2017 3:45 pm
Isn't it just a reverse Lenningrad Dutch with a tempo up? Is he perhaps a little overconfident in playing it at such a high calibre opponent?
Well, Adams made 2.5/3 against my reversed Leningrad 1 f4 in the 1980s, that's all I can say.

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MJMcCready
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by MJMcCready » Sat Dec 09, 2017 3:52 pm

aha, perhaps Carlsen did not find these games on line?

Jonathan Rogers
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Sat Dec 09, 2017 3:59 pm

One of those games is alluded to in Adams' early book on how he became a grandmaster, when discussing how he started with 5/5 in a ten round rapid junior event, but lost steam towards the end, dropping a draw and then losing the last round (and finishing 2=). I was the unnamed opponent against whom he conceded the draw. (I was quite lost but surprisingly he allowed a perpetual check).

Ah, 1983, one of my favourite years in chess ...