FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2019 - Isle of Man

[David Sedgwick]

I thought there was a need to be over 50% or did I just make that up?

There is a minimum requirement, but it is 35%.

Thanks. Maybe I was remembering 50% from somewhere else in the Handbook and Regulations.

Possibly that 50% is a minimum requirement for CM and WCM titles at an Olympiad.

[JustinHorton]

Nakamura draws with Aronian

[LawrenceCooper]

I wonder if Howell v Grischuk might be the game to watch today (give or take Nakamura v Aronian). It's probably not realistic to expect that everybody on 6 will take risks to try and get themselves in with a chance on Monday, but Grischuk may well be one of them, no?

It certainly looks like the board with most chance of a result, I don't think it will be just Grischuk prepared to take risks in the game though. Elsewhere rating advantage suggests that white will be pressing on 1,3 5, 7 and 8 but board 4 looks most likely to end peacefully. Board 2 may depend on how ambitious Naka is.

Anand 0 Wang 1

[Tim Harding]

Commentators pointing out that Wang Hao has the best tiebreak (highest average of opponents' ratings).

I think he's likely to get Nakamura in the last round, though it depends on other results (especially assuming Anton loses which isn't yet certain).
If so, Nakamura would need to beat him with Black.

[IM Jack Rudd]

I don't know what's going on in Saric-Najer, but it looks fun.

[NickFaulks]

Looks like Matlakov will lose.

Does it?

My thinking was that he was in a highly complex position, an hour down on the clock and playing Carlsen. However, Magnus does seem to have been extraordinarily careless.

While I try not to be too influenced by computer evaluations, when it keeps saying +10 that must mean something. Now the win does not look clear at all.

[JustinHorton]

Howell is beating Grischuk

[LawrenceCooper]

Howell is beating Grischuk

1-0

[JustinHorton]

Vitiugov is winning: Karjakin may be losing and if we assume that Carlsen is hoing to win on general principle, it may well be that all five pairings of players on plus three end in decisive results.

[Chris Rice]

Howell is beating Grischuk

1-0

David being interviewed at the moment and he is really happy. He can't believe he beat Grischuk and when asked how he felt about being one game away from the Candidates replied that he had no words.

[JustinHorton]

I doubt we will get through the round reports without the Carlsen fortress quote making an appearance

[Jonathan Rogers]

David H has made a collection of big scalps this year (remembering the Black win v Aronian in the last round at Gibraltar) but yes, playing in the Candidates would be something else! Presumably he needs favours elsewhere as well as winning tomorrow, though.

On a completely unrelated note, England fly off to play in the Euro Teams Chs this week. I don't know whether any one has discussed this on the forum, but what is our board order?!

[JustinHorton]

Presumably he needs favours elsewhere as well as winning tomorrow, though.

If he were the only winner in his score group, would that do the trick?

[Peter Shaw]

Some of the computer lines in Caruana-Anton lead to the same ending as Carlsen-Matlakov (with a b-pawn instead of a c-pawn), maybe the arbiters need to move Carlsen into the other room so Caruana can't copy him ...

[Jonathan Rogers]

(how do we delete posts? has some icon been removed?)