Candidates Matches 3rd - 27th May 2011

[Jonathan Rogers]

oh, the live boards have been corrected. But it did show 1 a3 in Aronian v Grischuk for a while, didn't it?!

[Roger de Coverly]

Roger, regardless of the supervision, no player can claim a 10.2 in the playoffs, because they're using increments.

Armageddon blitz

[Mike W. Richardt]

Another draw by Kramnik vs. Radjabov!!
I think Aronian will bring the first full points home for white in the 3rd game!!!

[Mike W. Richardt]

I wonder if Aronian has a cold or so as he is coughing all the time when watching the livestream!!!

[benedgell]

Kramnik- Radj. hasn't featured a single moment of interest in the 6 games so far. Utterly, utterly boring chess.

[LozCooper]

Kramnik- Radj. hasn't featured a single moment of interest in the 6 games so far. Utterly, utterly boring chess.

Seven games now, could be another 12 to go

[David Sedgwick]

Alex is recording Aronian v Grischuk and Franca Dapiran is recording Kramnik v Radjabov

The decision to have the arbiters record the moves seems to show a certain lack of faith in the sensory boards and the software driving them. Perhaps it's just being pragmatic so that the players have a readily available record if a disputed threefold or fifty move claim arose.

The rapidplay and blitz tie-breaks are being played with increments. If they get to the sudden death game, I suppose the new rules about adequate supervision are applied, so that 10.2 claims become possible.

The arbiters got the players to sign the scoresheets at the end, which I assume is to make sure there is a permanent record

I think the scoresheets are available during games for players to consult about repetitions and 50 move draws.

Mick is correct.

Roger, regardless of the supervision, no player can claim a 10.2 in the playoffs, because they're using increments.

Armageddon blitz

Alex H is correct. Even the Armageddon games are being played with increments.

My sources are posts by Alex McF on the Chess Scotland Noticeboard. I’ll paste them in below.

[David Sedgwick]

7.5.11
Having at least one play-off on Monday seems a near certainty following today’s results. If all four games go to tiebreak we will have an interesting situation. The regulations state that the arbiter will record the moves during the tiebreak and that the player is allowed to see the arbiter’s scoresheet if considering claiming a draw by repetition or by the 50 move rule. Now as any schoolboy will tell you 4 into 3 doesn’t go! We arbiters may have to draw lots to see who attempts to record two games simultaneously!!!! Any play-offs will start at the usual time (Noon BST).

8.5.11
Well only two play-offs to cope with tomorrow. The format is 4 games at 25 minutes with 10 second increments. If still tied then we have a match of 2 games at 5minutes plus 3 seconds per move. Five such matches are possible. If we are still tied after this then we have an Armageddon where White has 5 minutes and Black 4 with 3 second increments only from move 61. Black will qualify in the event of a draw.

[Mike W. Richardt]

another draw by Radjabov vs. Kramnik

[benedgell]

Another contender for game of the year. Think they should just flip a coin and get it over with.

[Mike W. Richardt]

would be quicker at least!!!

[LozCooper]

Quote from facebook regarding Kramnik-Radjabov: "with matches like this its a wonder that top level chess has a problem attracting sponsorship"

[Mick Norris]

Regulations - Tie-breaks

3.7.1.a If the scores are level after the regular games, after a new drawing of colors, four (4) tie-break games shall be played. The games shall be played using the electronic clock starting with 25 minutes for each player with an increment of 10 seconds after each move.

3.7.1.b All tie-break games shall be played according to the following:
1. Play is governed by the World Championship Technical Regulations (annex 1), which apply with the exceptions mentioned below in (2), (3) and (4). 2. The players do not need to record the moves. An arbiter shall record the moves. 3. The player who has the move may stop the clocks and consult the Arbiter’s score sheet and if his next move will produce a threefold repetition of position (according to Article 9.2a of the Technical Regulations), or the 50 moves rule (according to Article 9.3a of the Technical Regulations), he himself must write the intended move on the score sheet and claim the draw if he wants. A player can also claim a draw according to Articles 9.2b and 9.3b of the Technical Regulations. If the claim is found to be correct, the game is immediately ended as a draw. If the claim is found to be incorrect, the Arbiter shall add three (3) minutes to the opponent’s remaining time and the game continues with the intended move in accordance with Article 4 of the Technical Regulations. A maximum of two (2) incorrect claims for a draw can be made by each player. If a player makes a third (3rd ) incorrect claim, the arbiter shall declare the game lost for this player.
4. If a game has ended by resignation, checkmate, time loss, stalemate, triple repetition or any other of the ways described in Article 5 of the Technical Regulations, no claim for irregularities shall be accepted (irregularities include clock settings and all other described in Article 7 of the Technical Regulations).

3.7.2 If the scores are level after the games in Article 3.7.1a, then, after a new drawing of colors, a match of 2 games shall be played with a time control of 5 minutes plus 3 seconds increment after each move. In case of a level score, another 2-game match will be played to determine a winner. If still there is no winner after 5 such matches (total 10 games), one sudden-death game will be played as described below in Article 3.7.3.

3.7.3 If the score is still level after five matches as described in Article 3.7.2, the players shall play a one sudden death game. The player who wins the drawing of lots may choose the color. The player with the white pieces shall receive 5 minutes, the player with the black pieces shall receive 4 minutes whereupon, after the 60th move, both players shall receive an increment of 3 seconds from move 61. In case of a draw the player with the black pieces is declared the winner.

3.7.4 There shall be a pause of 10 minutes between all tie-break games, unless the Chief Arbiter decides otherwise.

[IM Jack Rudd]

Quote from facebook regarding Kramnik-Radjabov: "with matches like this its a wonder that top level chess has a problem attracting sponsorship"

Another quote from the same thread:

Kramnik is attempting to make history by winning the event without winning a single game.

[Jonathan Rogers]

what actually happneed in game three of Aronian v Grischuk?! I am only following the games on the official site, and missed the last game through being out of the office. Now I am back and they are just ready to start game four. But they seem to start afresh for each game with no apparent record anywhere on the site of the previous games!(E.g, it just says Grischuk v Aronian for game four, and not Grischuk (1.5) v Aronian (1.5) )