Carlsen, Anand and Ding Liren to play in the UK

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Carlsen, Anand and Ding Liren to play in the UK

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Sun May 26, 2019 3:08 pm

MJMcCready wrote:
Sun May 26, 2019 4:51 am
It looks like a waste of time and money to me.
I can think of a few better candidates for that "accolade" just recently.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

David Robertson

Re: Carlsen, Anand and Ding Liren to play in the UK

Post by David Robertson » Sun May 26, 2019 4:44 pm

MJMcCready wrote:
Sun May 26, 2019 4:51 am
It looks like a waste of time and money to me.
How silly. I'd have thought Carlsen - Karjakin in rd 5 was alone worth the admission price

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MJMcCready
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Re: Carlsen, Anand and Ding Liren to play in the UK

Post by MJMcCready » Mon May 27, 2019 4:20 am

Perhaps yes but who chose Karjakin, who tends to be conservative and defensive and Anand, who is a good ten years past his prime? Why were they chosen? I'm not denying they are both great players but in terms of entertainment value, more thought could have been put into the line up for sure. It seems more like some slapdash PR stunt than a showcase for some exciting chess.

Mick Norris
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Re: Carlsen, Anand and Ding Liren to play in the UK

Post by Mick Norris » Mon May 27, 2019 7:29 am

Round 4 (May 26, 2019)
Karjakin, Sergey - Ding, Liren ½-½ 39 C47 Four Knights
Anand, Viswanathan - Carlsen, Magnus ½-½ 40 B08 Pirc Defence

Round 5 (May 26, 2019)
Carlsen, Magnus - Karjakin, Sergey ½-½ 49 D02 Queen's Pawn Game
Ding, Liren - Anand, Viswanathan 0-1 55 A20 English Opening

Round 6 (May 26, 2019)
Ding, Liren - Carlsen, Magnus ½-½ 65 D30 Queen's Gambit (without Nc3)
Anand, Viswanathan - Karjakin, Sergey ½-½ 30 C67 Ruy Lopez Berlin

Carlsen wins the event with 1 win and 5 draws; Ding and Karjakin with 4 draws, 1 win, 1 loss; Anand 1 win, 3 draws, 2 losses

Will be interesting to see if the event is repeated
Any postings on here represent my personal views

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MJMcCready
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Re: Carlsen, Anand and Ding Liren to play in the UK

Post by MJMcCready » Mon May 27, 2019 8:30 am

Let's hope not. Britain is going to become notorious for dubious gatherings of overpaid GMs if we are not careful...oh but wait modern day Britain is all about letting anyone in and helping themselves isn't it?

Roger Lancaster
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Re: Carlsen, Anand and Ding Liren to play in the UK

Post by Roger Lancaster » Mon May 27, 2019 8:48 am

MJMcCready wrote:
Mon May 27, 2019 8:30 am
Let's hope not. Britain is going to become notorious for dubious gatherings of overpaid GMs if we are not careful...oh but wait modern day Britain is all about letting anyone in and helping themselves isn't it?
Hard to know what to say about this.

John McKenna

Re: Carlsen, Anand and Ding Liren to play in the UK

Post by John McKenna » Mon May 27, 2019 8:58 am

I agree, Roger.

But I'll say something about this -
MJMcCready wrote:
Mon May 27, 2019 4:20 am
Perhaps yes but who chose Karjakin, who tends to be conservative and defensive and Anand, who is a good ten years past his prime? Why were they chosen? I'm not denying they are both great players but... SNIP
It looks to have been a very successful event for Scotland, chess and whisky.

Although it seems to have been mainly product promotional, and entirely by invitation only for the four fantastic players, it was an exhibition of chess by a select group of the greatest players of our times.

India (Anand) and China (Ding) are potentially huge markets for whisky, particularly if free-trade agreements can be signed with those countries.

I note that Roland Kensdale's post on the first page of this thread has a link to the Chessbase India YouTube site so the old tiger's inclusion had the desired effect in the promotional sense.

I am somewhat mystified about the presence of Karjakin and at a loss to explain it. Instead, it seems to me, getting a top US player would have been far more appropriate in many ways.

For some local players the possibility of attending such an event may have been a once in a lifetime opportunity.

For a seasoned traveller you seem to have a somewhat narrow view of the world, MJ.

Nigel White
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Re: Carlsen, Anand and Ding Liren to play in the UK

Post by Nigel White » Mon May 27, 2019 9:43 am

John McKenna wrote:
Mon May 27, 2019 8:58 am
I agree, Roger.

But I'll say something about this -
MJMcCready wrote:
Mon May 27, 2019 4:20 am
Perhaps yes but who chose Karjakin, who tends to be conservative and defensive and Anand, who is a good ten years past his prime? Why were they chosen? I'm not denying they are both great players but... SNIP

I am somewhat mystified about the presence of Karjakin and at a loss to explain it. Instead, it seems to me, getting a top US player would have been far more appropriate in many ways.

I understand that the enterprise was backed by Russian money (they are major investors in the distillery), hence the need for a Russian player.

Karjakin wss not first choice, but because of the clash with the Moscow Grand Prix, the invite went to the leading Russian to have been knocked out first from that event. If things had turned out differently we might have seen Nepo, Grishcuk or Dubov in Scotland instead.

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Carlsen, Anand and Ding Liren to play in the UK

Post by Geoff Chandler » Mon May 27, 2019 10:49 am

Hi

Apparently just after I left Ding Liren and Karjakin both gave off the cuff skittle simuls
and Carlsen, after a lecture, posed for pictures. A good time was had by all.

By all accounts it was a business venture backed up by Russian money.
(Nepo was meant to be there but as stated Karjakin took his place.)
So another letter off to my M.P. saying look how Chess is helping boost
one of Scotland's chief industries, can we have our grant back.

Although all the the tickets had been sold out the security was sparse.
Yesterday I spoke to a lad who just strolled in on both days. Unlike the W.C. match
where I offered to pay at the door and the four hard looking security men looked
liked they were deciding amongst themselves who was going to hit me first.

I do intend to go back to Newburgh. It has two smashing charity shops with
loads of the stuff I push on E-Bay. This will be a son-in-law van job.
On the day I bought a large heavy wooden in perfect nick model of the Victory for £1.00.

I'll also pop into the Abbey to see if I can pick up some of the chess merchandise at a knock down rate.

John McKenna

Re: Carlsen, Anand and Ding Liren to play in the UK

Post by John McKenna » Mon May 27, 2019 11:45 am

Could be time for Ian Rankin to write a story about the Russians taking over a bonded warehouse full of the slowly maturing spirits of an.order of monks in a Scottish Abbey.

Geoff, don't just leave it dry docked on a shelf enjoy your Victory in the bath, too.

Pity you couldn't get a Great Michael but, then again, there might be more demand for it in Scotland so the price could be higher.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Michael

Seriously though, thanks to Nigel White, and Geoff, for filling in the gaps. Oh, almost forgot, also to MJ, where'er he may be, for playing devil's advocat.

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Carlsen, Anand and Ding Liren to play in the UK

Post by Geoff Chandler » Mon May 27, 2019 12:43 pm

Hi John,

I often speak to Ian Rankin in my job, we share the occasional joke.

Not yet mentioned his chess bit in 'Beggars Banquet.' A collection of short stories, the one titled 'Castle Dangerous. '

He says that Rebus knew the chess player's motto: 'If in doubt, play a pawn.'
which is the last thing a chess player in doubt should do.

(I know these things , I've been in doubt and 'played a pawn' giving my opponent,
who was also in doubt, something to do, namely jumping all over a freshly created weak square.)

Whilst on the subject of 'The Victory' try this on one of younger generation fresh out of school.
Just mention that Nelson's column in Trafalgar Square is a statue to Nelson Mandala.

Bet you 50% of them will agree or not challenge you.

(it is of course named after Harry Nelson Pillsbury.)

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MJMcCready
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Re: Carlsen, Anand and Ding Liren to play in the UK

Post by MJMcCready » Tue May 28, 2019 1:51 am

My point is there is an abundance of exciting players at the top end, and I think we can agree the world champion has played both Karjakin and Anand at the very highest level in recent years. Clearly the priority here was notoriety beyond the chess world and not about providing entertaining chess for the masses.

It's a classic example of how sad Britain is becoming: everything is for show and has little thought put into it. Ask yourself again, the world champion takes on three,let's say 2700+ players: who would choose players he had matches against, one well past his prime, the other about the least exciting super GM there is. They were chosen because a few years back Carlsen played them when his title was on the line and only that.

If it looks good but the chess is uninspiring, so what, just as long as it looks good, raises our profile and there's money coming in, everyone else can go [word deleted] themselves -welcome to modern day Britain. The London Chess Classic has hardly fared any better...

NickFaulks
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Re: Carlsen, Anand and Ding Liren to play in the UK

Post by NickFaulks » Tue May 28, 2019 9:05 am

MJMcCready wrote:
Tue May 28, 2019 1:51 am
just as long as it looks good, raises our profile and there's money coming in
That doesn't sound all bad to me. I might have liked to see more King's Gambits, but I wasn't the sponsor.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

John McKenna

Re: Carlsen, Anand and Ding Liren to play in the UK

Post by John McKenna » Tue May 28, 2019 10:06 am

I agree, Nick. He who pays the piper calls the tune.

And, it had the added side effect that Geoff discovered Newburgh, a kind of chessical Brigadoon

So, perhaps MJ will get what he wishes - that this chess event will only appear once every hundred years.

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MJMcCready
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Re: Carlsen, Anand and Ding Liren to play in the UK

Post by MJMcCready » Wed May 29, 2019 1:52 am

It's all about money.

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