Shenzen 3-14 November 2018

[Chris Rice]

The second edition of this tournament kicks off with an opening ceremony on 3 November in Shenzhen. It's a six player double round robin with a very strong and interesting line up: Ding Liren, Giri, MVL, Yu Yangyi, Wojtaszek, Vitiugov. Total prize $90,000. There is a web site that goes with it but as usual with Chinese tournaments its largely incomprehensible.

[Alex Holowczak]

The second edition of this tournament kicks off with an opening ceremony on 3 November in Shenzhen. It's a six player double round robin with a very strong and interesting line up: Ding Liren, Giri, MVL, Yu Yangyi, Wojtaszek, Vitiugov. Total prize $90,000. There is a web site that goes with it but as usual with Chinese tournaments its largely incomprehensible.

It looks comprehensible to me, albeit not helpfully so:

This site can’t be reached
The webpage at http://cca.imsa.cn/archives/71243 might be temporarily down or it may have moved permanently to a new web address.
Search Google for cca imsa cn archives 71243
ERR_NAME_RESOLUTION_FAILED

[Chris Rice]

In the first round Ding Liren attempts to match Tal's 95 game streak and in a wicked plot twist he has to do it with Black against Anish Giri the last player to beat him 15 months ago. The other two games are:
GM Yu, Yangyi (0) 2764 — GM Wojtaszek, R. (0) 2749
GM Vitiugov, N. (0) 2709 — GM Vachier-Lagr. (0) 2778

[NickFaulks]

In the first round Ding Liren attempts to match Tal's 95 game streak and in a wicked plot twist he has to do it with Black against Anish Giri the last player to beat him 15 months ago.

Looking safe enough at move 34.

[Chris Rice]

In the first round Ding Liren attempts to match Tal's 95 game streak and in a wicked plot twist he has to do it with Black against Anish Giri the last player to beat him 15 months ago.

Looking safe enough at move 34.

All round 1 games drawn, Ding Liren equals Tal's record.

[Chris Rice]

Ding Liren draws with MVL and breaks Tal's record with 96 games undefeated.

[JustinHorton]

What was happening at the end of that game though?

[Christopher Kreuzer]

What was happening at the end of that game though?

Do you mean his game with MVL or his draw against Yu Yangyi? The latter seems more worthy of comment. Ding Liren was worse against Yu Yangyi, though it seems it might have easily liquidated to a tablebase draw.

[JustinHorton]

Yeah the latter. Was the draw premature at all?

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Yeah the latter. Was the draw premature at all?

IMO, a draw was a fair result there.

[Matt Mackenzie]

All games in the first 4 rounds have been drawn.

Has there ever been a tournament (of more than a couple of players, anyway) without a single win?

[Christopher Kreuzer]

In round 5, Yu Yangyi won and Ding Liren..... LOST!!!!

No, I jest. He won.

From 2700 Twitter:

There is a Chinese Day in Shenzhen. Ding Liren (2816.9) reaches 99 unbeaten classical games after beating Wojtaszek and Yu Yangyi (2769.1) enters the Top-10 for the first time in his life after beating Vitiugov

[Oh, and Carlsen is preparing for the match in London by skiiing, apparently.]

[Kevin Thurlow]

"[Oh, and Carlsen is preparing for the match in London by skiiing, apparently.]"

Doesn't surprise me. When I played at Gausdal, I went for a walk in the snow and Magnus was expertly zooming down the hill.

[Leonard Barden]

Ding,100 not out, in difficulty against MVL's bouncers.
https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2018-sh ... Ding_Liren

[Chris Rice]

Ding,100 not out, in difficulty against MVL's bouncers.
https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2018-sh ... Ding_Liren

Yes, Ding Liren definitely losing at the moment.