London Chess Classic 2017

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MJMcCready
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by MJMcCready » Sat Dec 09, 2017 4:27 pm

and to think Carlsen wasn't even born then.

Jonathan Bryant
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Jonathan Bryant » Sat Dec 09, 2017 4:59 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?
It’s easy to be wise after the event, of course, but given Carlsen’s massive score with White against Adams it does seem a bit odd to start messing around like this. That said, he does tend to punt (relatively speaking) ropey old poop at times. Sometimes it works out better than others. The 1 e4 g6, 2 d4 Nf6 against Adams in the Olympiad a few years back springs to mind as a time that didn’t exactly work out.

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MJMcCready
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by MJMcCready » Sat Dec 09, 2017 5:30 pm

And estimating the psychological impact of having someone playing slightly strange lines against you must be great when you are 2700+ yourself. There is some logic to it, Miles did it against Karpov once.

Nick Ivell
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Nick Ivell » Sat Dec 09, 2017 7:51 pm

It's looking like Magnus thinks he can play anything against Mickey and get away with it.

Although it would be a privilege to play Magnus, I would find his habit of fiddling with discarded pieces an irritation.

NickFaulks
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by NickFaulks » Sat Dec 09, 2017 7:57 pm

Nick Ivell wrote:
Sat Dec 09, 2017 7:51 pm
It's looking like Magnus thinks he can play anything against Mickey and get away with it.

Although it would be a privilege to play Magnus, I would find his habit of fiddling with discarded pieces an irritation.
Sadky, Mickey losing looked a fairly safe bet from when he didn't nail down the draw on move 42.
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MJMcCready
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by MJMcCready » Sat Dec 09, 2017 9:44 pm

Mickey was using a lot of time to maintain the small advantage that he had. He should not have allowed Carlsen to exchange queens when his pieces were so poorly placed.

Reg Clucas
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Reg Clucas » Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:02 pm

Early days, but it appears Sebastien Maze doesn't know how to mate with B+N vs K. For some reason he has declined to capture his opponent's last pawn, instead blockading it as one would in the ending 2N vs P.

Reg Clucas
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Reg Clucas » Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:14 pm

Reg Clucas wrote:
Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:02 pm
Early days, but it appears Sebastien Maze doesn't know how to mate with B+N vs K. For some reason he has declined to capture his opponent's last pawn, instead blockading it as one would in the ending 2N vs P.
Well, he's found a novel way of winning it!

Jonathan Bryant
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Jonathan Bryant » Sun Dec 10, 2017 8:24 am

Nick Ivell wrote:
Sat Dec 09, 2017 7:51 pm
It's looking like Magnus thinks he can play anything against Mickey and get away with it.
The evidence - 2010 Olympiad apart - does seem to be on his side

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MJMcCready
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by MJMcCready » Sun Dec 10, 2017 8:50 am

So is he going to play 1. f4 then 2. g4 in their next encounter? I hope so.

Martin Benjamin
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Martin Benjamin » Sun Dec 10, 2017 1:52 pm

I could not get down to the event today as intended because of travel problems, which is a pity as the blitz looks highly entertaining.

Anyone on site know the full story behind Luke McShane's ten move loss to Tim Rogers in the blitz? It was not on position, so was it mobile phone or something else? [Edit: It has now been changed on the chess-results server to 1-0 to Luke, but the original result (0-1) and position are still on Chess24, with Luke's time still at 2:44]

Anything can happen in blitz, so no slight against John intended by mentioning this result, but John Cox (2326) 0 Lucy Bennet-Stevens (1553) 1 must be one of the biggest rating upsets ever. I am guessing Lucy is a talented and up and coming junior, and therefore vastly underrated by the ELO system - just the type of opponent we oldies find it hardest to play against at speed!
Last edited by Martin Benjamin on Sun Dec 10, 2017 3:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Jonathan Bryant
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Jonathan Bryant » Sun Dec 10, 2017 2:17 pm

A more traditional grinder’s choice from the Norwegian Lad today: an Exchange Slav. Albeit via the curious 1 Nf3 c5, 2 c3 d5 3 d4


Anybody will to take a punt at explaining the point behind White’s second move?

Nigel White
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Nigel White » Sun Dec 10, 2017 2:51 pm

Martin Benjamin wrote:
Sun Dec 10, 2017 1:52 pm

Anyone on site know the full story behind Luke McShane's ten move loss to Tim Rogers in the blitz? It was not on position, so was it mobile phone or something else?

According to chess-results server McShane won the game against Rogers.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by Roger de Coverly » Sun Dec 10, 2017 3:38 pm

Jonathan Bryant wrote:
Sun Dec 10, 2017 2:17 pm

Anybody will to take a punt at explaining the point behind White’s second move?
A transposition to an Exchange Slav perhaps. Presumably his opponent's usual move order would have prevented this.

There is a strange opening sequence espoused by Julian Hodgson amongst others, namely 1. d4 d5 2. Bg5. There's recently been developed a similar line in the Exchange Slav, namely 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. Bg5 .

PeterFarr
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Re: London Chess Classic 2017

Post by PeterFarr » Sun Dec 10, 2017 5:16 pm

Carlsen's just blundered a piece, looks like Nepo will get his 3rd win in a row. Remarkable.