Candidates Tournament 2013

[Roger de Coverly]

"Major security risks" such as?

Also, as one of the arbiters, what kind of guarantee have you been given that the tablet being distributed do not pose any security risk?

Just trying to understand what worries you and what kind of reassurance makes you stop worrying.

I suspect several issues here.

If the organisers are supplying gadgets valuable outside of the playing area, they need some security measures to ensure they stayed there. A simple no tablets through this check point can handle this.

One of the interviews suggested that the tablets were configured so the only software available was the chesscasting one, which whilst it gives evaluations doesn't suggest moves. This isn't a condition that could be imposed on visiting phones or tablets.

From the arbiters' viewpoint, they don't want spectators being in a position to suggest moves to the players. From the sponsor and players' viewpoint, they wouldn't want it possible for someone to raise issues of suspected cheating.

So a pair of security risks, one that the tablets go walkies, the second that cheating accusations are made.

[John McKenna]

Paolo C>Just trying to understand what worries you (arbiter David Sedgwick) and what kind of reassurance makes you stop worrying.<

Greek worry beads (kompoloi) might be the appropriate arbiters' accessory except they are probably in short supply right now due to the financial crisis in Cyprus.

[John McKenna]

And Grischuk reacting to his win, so they'll probably settle for a draw today. If it is a Spanish the odds on a draw increase unless Grischuk tries that half-backed defence he lost to Carlsen with, and if he plays a Sicilian then he going for the win. Should Svidler start with any move other than 1.e4 the outcome is less clear to me.

Svidler has played d4 to confuse you

Grischuk has managed to unbalance the position with 12...Nxc4

Yes, has Grischuk confused us all with the move Lawrence refers to? And, more importantly has he confused Svidler or himself with what has transpired since that sac??

[Greg Breed]

Grischuk has managed to unbalance the position with 12...Nxc4

Yes, has Grischuk confused us all with the move Lawrence refers to? And, more importantly has he confused Svidler or himself with what has transpired since that sac??

One helluva line. Is it theory? the computers have black as equal all the way despite the extra white pieces. Is this because its easier for Black force a perpetual?

[John McKenna]

You may be right Greg - computer now says 0.00 but looks unclear to me.

[Roger de Coverly]

One helluva line. Is it theory?

All the moves to 12. f4 have been seen before. It all looks logical Kings Indian play . The new move appears to be 12. .. Nxc4

[JustinHorton]

Well, just for a moment there on Saturday, I thought Aronian might win this tournament...

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I see Ivanchuk managed to win that rook endgame (does anyone know what time it ended?), so now everyone in the tournament has a win to their name, but only Carlsen and Kramnik are undefeated. That rook endgame looks worth playing through - someone said they wanted a rook endgame, and the players provided two of them!

[Mick Norris]

SNIP - someone said they wanted a rook endgame, and the players provided two of them!

http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.c ... -rook.html

[Christopher Kreuzer]

After nine rounds, the scores are:

Carlsen 6/9 (+3) [+3=6-0]
Aronian 5.5/9 (+2) [+3=5-1]
Kramnik 5/9 (+1) [+1=8-0]
Grischuk 4.5/9 (0) [+1=7-1]
Gelfand 4.5/9 (0) [+2=5-2]
Svidler 4/9 (-1) [+1=6-2]
Ivanchuk 3.5/9 (-2) [+1=5-3]
Radjabov 3/9 (-3) [+1=4-4]

So Carlsen has edged ahead for the first time in the tournament, half a point ahead of Aronian after the latter ran headlong into a resurgent Gelfand who is on a run of 2/2 and plays Carlsen on Wednesday after the rest day. Radjabov, after starting with 2.5/5 has dropped off the deep end with 0.5/4 and two successive losses in rounds 8 and 9. I wonder how tired some of the players will be heading into the final rounds?

In the individual match-ups: Carlsen and Aronian drew both their games with each other; Gelfand drew with Radjabov and then beat him with Black; Grischuk and Kramnik won their mini-matches with Ivanchuk and Svidler respectively, both drawing with Black and then winning with White; Carlsen and Kramnik and Svidler and Grischuk drew both their games with each other; while in the mini-matches between Radjabov and Ivanchuk and Aronian and Gelfand, all four games were decisive and won by White. That last bit is quite surprising, how often does that happen in tournaments like this?

[Jonathan Bryant]

SNIP - someone said they wanted a rook endgame, and the players provided two of them!

http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.c ... -rook.html

Yeah, it was me. And tonight for the first time in several days I had to cut my spectating short at 5:30pm so I effing well missed them!

[Jonathan Rogers]

...in the mini-matches between Radjabov and Ivanchuk and Aronian and Gelfand, all four games were decisive and won by White. That last bit is quite surprising, how often does that happen in tournaments like this?

Quite often, perhaps, if the wins are with White? In previous candidates/World Championships, Kramnik v Morozevich 2007 swapped wins, I believe Anand and Kasimdjanov * in 2005: Caruana and Carlsen at an event last year, Topalov and Mamedyarov * in 2006, and that just off the top of my head.

But swapping black wins - now that would be a challenge at this level.

* It's late: if I have misspelt, too bad.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Yeah, it was me. And tonight for the first time in several days I had to cut my spectating short at 5:30pm so I effing well missed them!

Eh. You can still play through them. Watching queen sacrifices and mating attacks live is good stuff. Watching super GMs play rook endings is like watching paint dry. The Gelfand-Aronian rook endgame was interesting, if only to see how Gelfand maintained his concentration and seeing Aronian slump deeper and deeper into his chair as the inevitable approached.

In the Kramnik-Carlsen game, it was fascinating to see how Carlsen maintained his activity, and how Kramnik managed to lose the nagging edge the computer insisted he had. There were points where Carlsen looked a bit rattled, but at the end it was Kramnik who, when the time control was reached in his game, took the time (with Carlsen) to lean back in his chair and watch the Gelfand-Aronian game approach the time control, and seeing that Gelfand was winning, Kramnik offered the draw with what may have been a wry smile on his face.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

In case anyone wasn't aware of or reading the round-by-round reports on the official site, they are well worth reading, as they have some great quotes from the players. This is the round 9 report:

http://london2013.fide.com/en/main-page ... to-gelfand

The drug testing is mentioned: "Aronian [...] had to skip the press conference because of a drug test (which Carlsen, Kramnik and Svidler also had to perform)." The article also touches on Gelfand's close friendship with Aronian, and Radjabov blaming his inactivity for his results so far.

[Jonathan Bryant]

Eh. You can still play through them.

Not the same as watching the moves come in when you don't know what the result's going to be. But better than nothing, I grant you.

Watching super GMs play rook endings is like watching paint dry.

How very dare you!