Candidates Matches 3rd - 27th May 2011

[AustinElliott]

Hat-tip to Jonathan R for spotting Gelfand's ..Qc8 tactical trick.

And Qc8: Rc8: does definitely look a bit draw-ish to my PatzerAuge

Heh. Was just imagining Tal-esque variations after

29. Qh7: Kf7
30. Re7+ Ke7:
31. Qg7:+ etc

- until I spotted that Black could take an R on e7 with the N. Boo. Spoil-sport!

[AustinElliott]

Hey ho. The Queens are off.

29 Qc8: Rc8:
30 Kf1

If Jonathan R had placed a bet on the draw when he predicted it c. move 19-20 he might be anticipating collecting his substantial winnings about now...

30 ....Re8
31 Rb1 Ke7

[AustinElliott]

Given Jonathan's (and Shipov's) comments, mildly surprised Grischuk is playing on. Is he channeling the spirit of Capablanca, or Petrosian, and hoping to demonstrate that an endgame space advantage is enough to grind Black down?

Or is he just playing on in frustration that he let the middle-game advantage slip away?

32. Nd3 a6
33. a4 Kd7
34. b5 ab:
35. ab: cb:
36. Rb5: Rb8
37. Nb4 Ne7
38. Ne1 Nc6

- Shipov says Grischuk is playing the endgame at blitz speed...

38... Nc6 is a bit tricky. The obvious reply is 39 Nc2, to both protect the d4-pawn and maintain an N on b4, which 38 Ne1 prepared. But is there any tactical hidden sting in Black's move, like ...Na7 threatening the White Rb5?

[Mick Norris]

Draw agreed

[AustinElliott]

39 Nc6:

...aaaaand...

...Draw Agreed.

We can agree, I think, that Jonathan Rogers is today's Thread Sage.

Another interesting game, though once again, a bit of a let-down in the end. You had the feeling that it was nearly going to go off... nearly... nearly...

...and then it didn't quite happen.

[LozCooper]

I think Grischuk will feel a bit frustrated that he a safe edge but allowed Gelfand to free his position and therefore avoid suffering in a cramped but playable position.

[AustinElliott]

Shipov's verdict:

Well, this time the result was well-timed and logical. [However] Grischuk has got something to regret. He got a comfortable opening advantage, but didn’t manage to keep his opponent on the ropes. He simply blundered on the 22nd move! [22 Bg4 - Shipov says Grischuk should have played Bc2] That’s the whole explanation. The finalists aren’t made of steel. They’re very tired and it’s hard for them to play the whole game at the same level.

...And I guess we can also say that Gelfand has shown once again that he is an accurate defender and very hard to beat.

Meanwhile... anyone like to give odds on a quick draw in Gelfand's final game as White?

...though Shipov suggests Gelfand will have to go for a win, presumably to avoid Grischuk's prowess in the blitz play-off.

[Phil Neatherway]

Is it time for this thread to be moved to the 'Not Chess' section?

[Mick Norris]

Press conference:

Grischuk said that he didn't play the most accurately (in the middle game) and after e5 his advantage was merely symbolic

Gelfand agreed but said he needed to play precisely and that Qc8 was key

[Jonathan Rogers]

Is it time for this thread to be moved to the 'Not Chess' section?

[LozCooper]

Shipov's verdict:

Well, this time the result was well-timed and logical. [However] Grischuk has got something to regret. He got a comfortable opening advantage, but didn’t manage to keep his opponent on the ropes. He simply blundered on the 22nd move! [22 Bg4 - Shipov says Grischuk should have played Bc2] That’s the whole explanation. The finalists aren’t made of steel. They’re very tired and it’s hard for them to play the whole game at the same level.

...And I guess we can also say that Gelfand has shown once again that he is an accurate defender and very hard to beat.

Meanwhile... anyone like to give odds on a quick draw in Gelfand's final game as White?

...though Shipov suggests Gelfand will have to go for a win, presumably to avoid Grischuk's prowess in the blitz play-off.

I think Gelfand will try and press without taking excessive risk. In fact I'm sure he would be happy if he could have the white side of game 5 prior to Bf5-g4.

[AustinElliott]

I'm sure [Gelfand] would be happy if he could have the white side of game 5 prior to Bf5-g4.

So... we should be looking out for a Queen's Gambit, then??!

[Paolo Casaschi]

I'm sure [Gelfand] would be happy if he could have the white side of game 5 prior to Bf5-g4.

So... we should be looking out for a Queen's Gambit, then??!

I think Gelfand will surprise everyone with 1. e4

[Mick Norris]

Hope we don't go into another English set-up with Nf3

Don't think he will play e4 as he won't want a Sicilian against Grischuk

Maybe 1. d4?

http://kazan2011.fide.com/live-games.html

http://video.russiachess.org/view/332

[Jonathan Rogers]

Surely not 1 e4; for Gelfand, that would be surprise just for the sake of surprise.

The only reason to do that or anything else out of the ordinary would be desperation to win. Sadly, I don't think he feels that way and I fear a relatively unexciting draw. We shouldn't forget that Gelfand actually has a bad record v Grischuk in classical chess, and may be less apprehensive about facing Grischuk in rapid play than seems to be commonly supposed - rapid play is not (yet) blitz after all, and in any event, with so much at stake, the play off would be as much about nerve managment* as the level of play

*remembering that Karpov beat Anand in the rapidplay off in 1997