Candidates Matches 3rd - 27th May 2011

[Mick Norris]

Full report of the Kramnik - Radjabov press conference here
http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/kramn ... more-38216

[Jonathan Rogers]

That's useful, since it confirms that, contrary to various comments even to be found on Chessbase, the position was certainly not "dead drawn" when the clcocks malfunctioned. (Radjabov says that putting his king on f6, potentially in a mating net, was not clever, and he had done that before the incident).

People are over-inclined to say "dead drawn" and "totally won" as we know. I think the test should be "is a big blunder required to change the expected result?" Radjabov certainly went on to lose that fateful game without making any obvious blunder, so that alone suggests that it wasn't "dead" drawn.

[Mick Norris]

Even with 3 sec increments, there can't really be many dead drawn positions with both sides having less than 30 seconds on their clocks

I'd certainly be capable of losing with either colour over the board or on the clock

[Sean Hewitt]

People are over-inclined to say "dead drawn" and "totally won" as we know.

Agreed. People seem to confuse "dead drawn" and "totally won" with "level" & "winning" respectively.

[LozCooper]

People are over-inclined to say "dead drawn" and "totally won" as we know.

Agreed. People seem to confuse "dead drawn" and "totally won" with "level" & "winning" respectively.

Dead drawn doesn't exist when I play Keith Arkell or Mark Hebden

[Steve Rooney]

Mmm... quick draw in Grischuk-Kramnik today. Thought they'd just had two rest days and could have come out fighting?

[Alex Holowczak]

Mmm... quick draw in Grischuk-Kramnik today. Thought they'd just had two rest days and could have come out fighting?

They only had one rest day. They both had to come through tiebreaks to get through.

[Steve Rooney]

Mmm... quick draw in Grischuk-Kramnik today. Thought they'd just had two rest days and could have come out fighting?

They only had one rest day. They both had to come through tiebreaks to get through.

I stand corrected, lost track of days this week. Still not much good for spectator sport though.

[Paul Dupré]

The FIDE.com website seems to be behind this live video http://video.russiachess.org/view/282 - though the commentary is in Russian I think.

[Paul Dupré]

Sorry, my mistake they were just looking at possible variations...

[LozCooper]

Mmm... quick draw in Grischuk-Kramnik today. Thought they'd just had two rest days and could have come out fighting?

At a quick glance it looks like white got nothing from the opening and being behind on time decided to simplify and offer a draw. Kramnik was probably happy to equalise with black and have the prospect of 2 whites out of 3 and the chance to put pressure on Grischuk in those games.

[Mick Norris]

Mmm... quick draw in Grischuk-Kramnik today. Thought they'd just had two rest days and could have come out fighting?

Grischuk is continuing the strategy he employed against Aronian - happy to take quick draws with white, then hold the games with black and move onto Rapid games where he feels he has a better chance

Kramnik is also continuing his strategy of solid draws with the QGD as black and trying to find a way to win with white - he appears to have used his Radjabov prep again today, will be interesting to see if he does the same again tomorrow

[LozCooper]

Kamsky and Gelfand have now halved out after 36 moves. I thought white had some edge around move 30 but he was well down on time which suggested Gelfand may have been comfortable enough.

[LozCooper]

http://interviews.chessdom.com/radjabov ... es-matches

Radjabov speaks about the match with Kramnik
Interview about the tiebreak

[Alex McFarlane]

I can confirm that there are plenty of chandeliers about the hotel, but fortunately none are above either of the boards.