Hastings

The very latest International round up of English news.
Nick Ivell
Posts: 1138
Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2011 6:33 pm

Re: Hastings

Post by Nick Ivell » Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:33 pm

I prefer Ivell - Cass, Liverpool 1973, which from memory went 6. Nxf7 Kxf7; 7. Qf3+ Ke8??

These are my fond memories of the Fried Liver, which I only ever played once. Nowadays I wouldn't have the bottle to give a piece up.

User avatar
Matt Mackenzie
Posts: 5191
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:51 pm
Location: Millom, Cumbria

Re: Hastings

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:41 pm

David Robertson wrote:
Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:00 pm
Of course, the Fried Liver should never be played. One should always play the Traxler!!
Haven't the most "exciting" lines in that been analyzed to a forced draw, though?

(as with other not dissimilar openings)
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

Nick Ivell
Posts: 1138
Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2011 6:33 pm

Re: Hastings

Post by Nick Ivell » Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:44 pm

Never mind the Fried Liver, what about the Petroff? Or the Russian, as they call it in Germany and elsewhere. Even Gormally is playing it. The baleful influence of a world championship match, I assume.

An improvement on the Berlin, but only just.

Mick Norris
Posts: 10310
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:12 am
Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester

Re: Hastings

Post by Mick Norris » Fri Jan 04, 2019 5:15 pm

David Robertson wrote:
Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:00 pm
Nick Ivell wrote:
Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:20 pm
Fried Liver alert in the Petrov game
Pffft!! Steward's inquiry called for there - draw in 14, by repetition. Sure, I gather Petrov is after a GM norm, and maybe has his reasons. But even so, he's repeated in a very strong position.
Well, he needed 2/2 for a 9 round norm, so presumably he still is aiming for a 10 round one
Any postings on here represent my personal views

David Robertson

Re: Hastings

Post by David Robertson » Fri Jan 04, 2019 6:06 pm

Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:41 pm
David Robertson wrote:
Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:00 pm
Of course, the Fried Liver should never be played. One should always play the Traxler!!
Haven't the most "exciting" lines in that been analyzed to a forced draw, though?
Don't think so. I think 4...Bc5 wins by force.

I stood down as Global Vice-President of the International Play-the-Traxler Committee a few years back. At the time (c 2012), engines couldn't lay a glove on it. We'd pretty much shown that the then mainline 5. Bxf7+ Ke7 was winning for Black. The alternative, previously rubbished, line 5. Nxf7!? was, alas, proving a harder nut to crack despite the rejoinder 5...Bxf2+ when the continuation 6. Kf1 Qe7; 7. Nxh8 d5!; 8. exd5 Nd4 leaves White with lots of options, most of them dire, despite being a R and sometimes R+B to the good. But further along, after a timely d6! and Nf7 (preventing OOO), White can wobble along the highwire with prospects of salvation.

Alas, efforts by the Committee to get one or more World Championship candidates to play the Traxler in a title match have proved unsuccessful to date. The day will come though - once AlphaZero takes a look

John Moore
Posts: 2226
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 6:33 pm

Re: Hastings

Post by John Moore » Fri Jan 04, 2019 6:14 pm

Have a look at Brown v Moore after White's 48th!! This is not all about the onlooker with the engine running - I didn't as it happened but about two strong players simply trusting each other and both being horribly wrong.

Kevin Thurlow
Posts: 5802
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:28 pm

Re: Hastings

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Fri Jan 04, 2019 7:36 pm

"in 1950 by Leonard Barden (v. Weaver Adams, 1-0 quickly)"

I seem to recall Leonard and Adams had a bit of a theoretical argument in that system, where the American was a bit full of himself, but Leonard rather proved his point!

On the Petroff, I have seen a book advertised recently showcasing the attacking possibilities for black. I used to play it in the 70s and had a massive plus, but admittedly the opposition might not have been that special overall. The big problem is that white can usually draw if desired, so you cannot play it against much weaker opposition.

Much weaker opposition these days is much stronger than the much weaker opposition in the 70s!

David Robertson

Re: Hastings

Post by David Robertson » Fri Jan 04, 2019 9:25 pm

David Robertson wrote:
Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:00 pm
Nick Ivell wrote:
Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:20 pm
Fried Liver alert in the Petrov game
The game, as played up to 9...Ke6, has been played at Hastings once before - in 1950 by Leonard Barden (v. Weaver Adams, 1-0 quickly). Barden chose the best response (6. d4 - the Lolli attack) and the best line thereafter (10. Qe4!? rather than 10. OO). When I last researched these lines a few years back, I concluded (with others, following engine-support) that the Fried Liver can be defended against everything but the Lolli
I suspect we've not heard the last of Barden - Weaver Adams. Keep your eyes peeled for LB's Guardian column tomorrow (or online later tonight). And why not celebrate a game 69 years on! Apparently it's Leonard's own all-time favourite game. :)

Leonard Barden
Posts: 1854
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 11:21 am

Re: Hastings

Post by Leonard Barden » Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:03 pm

Sorry to disappoint you, Prof, but this week's Guardian column has already been online since lunchtime and is mainly about the world blitz with the game Carlsen v Giri.

As for Barden v Adams, even two minutes after it finished O'Kelly and Donner were at the board analysing 10...b5! which is a much more active choice than Adams's reply of staring at the ceiling for 15 minutes then going fatalistic and allowing the white pawns to crunch through.

This 1986 postal game is further evidence of the strength of b7-b5 in that position:
[White "Ladislav Kalvach"]
[Black "Milan Drtina"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.d4 Bb4+
7.c3 Be7 8.Nxf7 Kxf7 9.Qf3+ Ke6 10.Qe4 b5 11.Bxb5 Bb7 12.f4 g6
13.fxe5 Rf8 14.Qg4+ Rf5 15.Bd3 Nxd4 16.Rf1 Ne3 17.Bxe3 Nf3+
18.gxf3 Qxd3 19.Qd4 Bh4+ 20.Qxh4 Qxe3+ 0-1

There are other better possibilities for Black, too, such as Rb8 and b5 or Rf8, g6, and Rf5. I believe that John Nunn thinks that 10 Qe4 is not the best move in that position and I agree. If I had the position today I would either castle or give the perpetual. My favourite game now would be against Penrose at York 1959, although this, too, has its weak spots.

Tim Spanton
Posts: 1204
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 11:35 am
Contact:

Re: Hastings

Post by Tim Spanton » Fri Jan 04, 2019 11:12 pm

A GM at Hastings (non-playing) was saying he thought Petrov-Sulskis looked like a pre-arranged draw

Tim Spanton
Posts: 1204
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 11:35 am
Contact:

Re: Hastings

Post by Tim Spanton » Fri Jan 04, 2019 11:13 pm

Geoff Chandler wrote:
Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:21 pm
Tim Spanton wrote:
Tue Jan 01, 2019 11:46 am
Hi Tim,

Good Blog, you say this is the 30th consecutive time of playing in the congress over New Year. Is this a record for Hastings.
Probably not, but I pity the poor chap who has a sadder record

Alex McFarlane
Posts: 1757
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:52 pm

Re: Hastings

Post by Alex McFarlane » Sat Jan 05, 2019 10:38 am

IM Norm Possibilities (subject to confirmation)

C Murphy needs ½ to draw today for a 9 round norm
or beat a 2246 opponent tomorrow or draw today and tomorrow for a 10 round norm
V Stefansson needs 1½/2 with a 2396 opponent tomorrow or 2/2 with a 1956 tomorrow for a 10 round norm.

Nick Ivell
Posts: 1138
Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2011 6:33 pm

Re: Hastings

Post by Nick Ivell » Sat Jan 05, 2019 2:43 pm

All in all, a disappointing tournament. No one has taken it by the scruff of the neck. I wish Gormally well. At least he's been making an effort with the black pieces.

Chris Goddard
Posts: 31
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 1:42 pm

Re: Hastings

Post by Chris Goddard » Sat Jan 05, 2019 7:00 pm

Danny is the sole leader going into the last round. But he’ll have a pack of 11 or 12 players half a point behind him snapping at his heels.

LawrenceCooper
Posts: 7167
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:13 am

Re: Hastings

Post by LawrenceCooper » Sat Jan 05, 2019 9:41 pm

Pairings/Results
Round 10 on 2019/01/06
Bo. No. Name Rtg Pts. Result Pts. Name Rtg No.
1 4 GM GORMALLY Daniel W 2478 6½ 6 IM KJARTANSSON Gudmundur 2415 9
2 1 GM HAWKINS Jonathan 2583 6 6 FM TAYLOR Adam C 2331 16
3 2 GM KORNEEV Oleg 2560 6 6 FM STEFANSSON Vignir Vatnar 2271 21
4 8 GM LALIC Bogdan 2420 6 6 GM SULSKIS Sarunas 2525 3
5 6 IM PETROV Martin 2472 6 6 MIDHUN P U 2010 52
6 15 FM MURPHY Conor E 2331 6 6 IM LEENHOUTS Koen 2470 7
7 11 IM BATES Richard A 2372 5½ 6 GM CHERNIAEV Alexander 2393 10

Post Reply