The final four didn't show many signs of life. The four young stars should make for exciting chess, but Grischuk-Ponomariov was a brief Petroff draw. Bacrot allowed Aronian to play the Marshall – rarely seen these days – and felt obliged to force a draw by repetition on move 23. In the fight for the last qualification spots, Kamsky-Vallejo Pons was one of the shortest draws of the entire event. It was an antique anti-Berlin line (revived by Ivanchuk against Kramnik at Corus a few years ago) and since it seemed to be Kamsky's choice one wonders how and where Black improved in the space of three obvious moves. With that ten-mover in mind I guess I shouldn't also wonder why Malakhov-Carlsen went on so long in a drawn position. (Actually the game is still going, so if somebody manages to lose this will require an epic retraction.)
Guess Malakhov wanted to test Carlsens patient, self control and clock control in dry manouvering. Easy ride for Magnus with black.
Gurevich seemed to have a great attack going against Gelfand. Gurevich playing fast, obviously did not find the right way to proceed. Gelfand a great counterstriker.
Many short draws, yes. Players feeling good about their rapid chess!?
Players feeling not-so-good about the schedule, rather. Must be starting to get grueling by now. Although this is somewhat better than Tripoli, now at least the ACP has convinced FIDE to add rest days for tiebreak, before they had to play the tiebreak games on the same day as the final ordinary game and then new round would normally start the day after that again.
Grischuk has had two rest days. Bacrot and Aronian three. Ponomariov four. Grischuk has gone to tiebreaks in his last three matches so has the best claims as far as tiredness go. Aronian, Ponomariov, and Bacrot are all coming off a rest day.
The KO format is uniquely stressful of course, as best demonstrated by the overall spotty quality of play. But at least in the case of the final four, with a nod to Grischuk as a partial exception, they have had more rest than during a round robin and certainly far more than the working stiff GM crowd get during opens.
Well, Aronian's and Ponomariov's draws with Black don't require any particular explanation. Easy draw with black = good, especially with the 2-game format. Bacrot drawing, but mainly Grischuk wasting a White while still well inside theory, is what would seem strange without explanation.
Akselborg, you're all wrong about Carlsen-Malakhov! In fact, it was Carlsen who declined the draw. He dragged his game with Malakhov for 56 moves in honor of his father's 56th birthday, which is today. A nice and thoughtful gesture, actually. I wish my son does something like that for me when I'm 56.
Ok, not really... but you have to admit it was a nice story, and for a brief moment, you actually considered it more likely than "they played on because one of them believed to have winning chances".
well, being assured of qualification ,they are relaxed now ! i doubt tomorrow they draw again ( elo :)), then simply play rapid and blitz ,main work has been done !
Actually, places 9-12 are not assured of qualification. 9-10 are qualified for sure, most likely #11 is also in, but #12 is most likely out (unless there's a surprise dropout).
The groups who essentially have vary little to fight for are places 5-8 and places 13-16 - but those are the ones that actually had the longer and combative games. Strange...
so kamskys dad is ten years old?
I'm guessing Kamsky likes his chances in rapid/blitz better than in a long game. As his opening preparation is somewhat antiquated, a quick-move format is comparatively favorable to him, since the lack of time forces players to operate more on instinct.
I have no idea what Vallejo-Pons was thinking.
I'm guessing Kamsky likes his chances in rapid/blitz better than in a long game. As his opening preparation is somewhat antiquated, a quick-move format is comparatively favorable to him, since the lack of time forces players to operate more on instinct.
I have no idea what Vallejo-Pons was thinking.
Marc: I cannot reconstruct Vallejo's exact thought process (I flunked Medium 101), but I'm sure the words "draw" and "black" played a major role.
pliscon: I think his son is 10 months old. Or maybe it's been 10 years since he last played for the world championship. Or something else with 10 in it. Or not.
It's very possible Kamsky has 10 fingers. That would go a long way towards explaining today's events.
I sure hope Magnus qualifies and then I can be incredibly upset when he's losing a few games in the candidates matches and some jerks are asking why Ivanchuk isn't there. I mean some people had the nerve to ask why kasimdzhanov was in argentina instead of an Aronian or an Ivanchuk. In fact, these will be the same (explative) that are rooting for him now too. Go Magnus! Turn people into hypocrites.
I dont understand.
I am disappointed that Kamsky as white could only go 10 moves playing 1 e4. I play 1 e4 and go more than 10 moves.
I know he is out of opening practice. but I never learned the openings in the first place.
Now he has to play the black side. It seems to me that Kamsky wasted a white opportunity or else Kamsky is really not doing as well as it appears.
I have also begun to root for Carlsen from about round 3 or 4. He made a believer out of me. he plays pretty good chess. I dont mind that he took a draw after 56 moves. the position was very drawn to me. so a draw seemed fair.
I hope both of them make it to the Candidates.
I also hope that Ivanchuck makes it to the Candidates. I dont want anyone to complain that he deserved to play in the championships. and I hope he does well. These young kids are really grinding up the older talents. no respect. haha.
Tommy
I think Gata took advantage of white to get a sorely needed "rest day." He's been going to rapids/blitz every round, if I am not mistaken. He's got to be tired. Hopefully the "day off" will rejuvenate him and he'll be back in fighting form before the end of the tourney.
Thanks, but no: Krauthammer's gratuitous chess image
The New York Times' Week In Review section has an article on the columnist (and noted chess enthusiast) Charles Krauthammer. Unfortunately, the article is on Krauthammer's advocacy of Legalized Torture.
Not so great to have chess associated with somebody like that. At least the board was set up correctly.
==================================================
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/11/weekinreview/11kornblut.html
kamsky's gone 2-4-6-2-2 games thru 5 rounds. Bacrot 2-2-4-4-2, aronian 2-2-2-4-2, grishuk 2-2-4-2-6, pono 2-4-2-2-2, rublevsky 2-6-4-2-2, bareev 2-2-4-4-2, gelfand 2-4-6-6-6, gurevich 4-4-2-4-2, carlsen 4-2-4-4-2, pons 4-2-4-4-4, malakhov 2-2-2-4-2. Gelfand just getting warmed up?
Anyone know (guess) what Carlsen's performance rating is for this tourney?
If you include the rapid games (he hasn't gone to blitz) it's 2751. If you include only the first two games of each match it's 2707. These scores through round 6.1, but not today's second game against Malakhov.
Thanks Mig.
No need to guess, it's all there on the official site (just click on the "Players" tab and select a player) - he's 2702 with today's draw.