Biel 2018

[JustinHorton]

Chess.com report

[Tim Harding]

Fabulously interesting rook ending. I could learn loads from it if I had any idea where to start.

I don't think so. Looking at the ending after Black's 46th it's clear that Mamedyarov made very heavy weather of it until he got R+P v R which he did know how to win.

For example, simply 47 Kxg4 might have induced resignation since the K+P ending after 47...Rxb6 48 Rf6+ is elementary.

Later, 59 Re7+ was a simple win but he made a lot of extra work for himself by going Rb8+.

[JustinHorton]

However when I say it interested me that's not because I thought the winner's handling of it was flawless

[Tim Harding]

It looks like Georgiadis may soon score his first win (though he is in bad time trouble) because Navara has gone horribly wrong.

Online Stockfish says that Navara missed a strong sac in 18 Nxg7 and since then he went downhill.

EDIT: spoke too soon. Georgiadis went wrong at move 32 and is now only =; 32...Rd7 or 32...Ra4 was -3 in his favour according to online Stockfish.

[JustinHorton]

MVL v Mamedyarov and Svidler v Carlsen both drawn, giving Mamedyarov a point lead with only two rounds to go

[Tim Harding]

Navara used 12 minutes of the half hour he had in hand to run down Georgiadis's adrenaline and maybe find more than a draw.

But his latest move (34 b4) may have handed back the point.

LATER: Georgiadis has made the time control with safe moves but lost all his advantage. It should be a draw now but Navara might play on.

Admittedly the winning ideas were hard to see/play with so little time.

[JustinHorton]

It's not trivial for Mamedyarov to win this even if he holds the draw with Carlsen tomorrow (yes I know he might win, or for that matter lose, but I think a draw may suit both parties) since he would still probably need to draw with Svidler, with the Black pieces, in the last round.

[JustinHorton]

Anyway Carlsen opening with the King's Indian, which may or may not suggest that he wants to tempt Mamedyarov to have a go today

[Mick Norris]

Fabulously interesting rook ending. I could learn loads from it if I had any idea where to start.

There's Chess Mind analysis of Shak - Navara has some useful verbal explanation

[Mick Norris]

Anyway Carlsen opening with the King's Indian, which may or may not suggest that he wants to tempt Mamedyarov to have a go today

He might want to tempt him, but there's no imperative for Shak to have a go

[JustinHorton]

Well, whether through provocation, over-optimism or an oversight, Carlsen now finds himself a pawn down, though not perhaps an easy one to convert.

[JustinHorton]

After move 40 he has a position with Black that may not be lost, but I'm sure would be won against anybody else if he were White.

[Mick Norris]

After move 40 he has a position with Black that may not be lost, but I'm sure would be won against anybody else if he were White.

Yes, it is interesting how differently you view a position when Magnus is playing; move 53, and I assume Magnus will hold it, though Shak is pressing

[JustinHorton]

Well Mamedyarov seems to have won, but the last couple of moves are slightly surprising

[Tim Harding]

Magnus blundered and lost. Why not 56...Bb4 which might hold (at least to R v R+B)?

So Shak wins Biel with a round to spare