ChessPub Forum - 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll

belgian Full Member Offline Passionate about chess and poker... Posts: 129 Location: Toronto Joined: 05/14/07 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #176 - 02/02/10 at 19:11:52	Post Tools	Print Post
	Keano wrote on 02/01/10 at 16:37:52: Yes, what I like about Carslen though (aside from the chess) is his refreshing honesty - after winning the event he said "I had some good games; sometimes I played well and sometimes I played lousy. In the end, I won the tournament with a lot of luck". I agree. However, I've equally enjoying watching other players. I found Anand to be very straight-forward too, for example admitting gambling in his game against Shirov -- i.e. playing for the win, counting on Shirov missing 39.-Ng3 with less than a minute on the clock. And I find Kramnik to be entertaining to listen to. A great combination of chess insight with a sprinkling of humor.


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Keano God Member Offline Money doesn't talk, it swears. Posts: 2928 Location: Toulouse Joined: 05/25/05 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #175 - 02/01/10 at 16:37:52	Post Tools	Print Post
	Yes, what I like about Carslen though (aside from the chess) is his refreshing honesty - after winning the event he said "I had some good games; sometimes I played well and sometimes I played lousy. In the end, I won the tournament with a lot of luck". I can't think of too many other of the current crop of top players who would be that magnanimous, in fact not naming any names, we might have had to listen to a bit of self-congratulatory back-slapping combined with explaining why they should be World champion or intend to be.


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Antillian God Member Offline Brilliance without dazzle! Posts: 1757 Joined: 01/05/03 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #174 - 02/01/10 at 15:41:22	Post Tools	Print Post
	So Carlsen wins again. Hmm...this is starting to get ridiculous now. He can't win everything! Isn't there a rule against this? Sssh.

	"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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Papageno Senior Member Offline FM Posts: 299 Location: Germany Joined: 06/12/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #173 - 02/01/10 at 13:27:03	Post Tools	Print Post
	Are there any (live) comments by some commentators or the players themselves floating around in the Web about what happened in the round 12 game Smeets-Van Wely? 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Nbd7 8. Qe2 Qc7 9. O-O-O b5 10. g3 Be7 11. Bg2 Bb7 12. e5 dxe5 13. fxe5 Nd5 14. Bxe7 Nxc3 15. bxc3 Bxg2 16. Qxg2 Kxe7 17. Nc6+ Kf8 18. Rhf1 Nb6 19. Qf3 Re8 20. Nd8 Re7 21. Rd6 Ke8 22. Rxb6 Qxd8 23. Rxa6 1-0 According to Sibke Ernst (Smeets' second), the position after move 17 was on the board in their preparation and is already close to winning. So what went wrong for Van Wely? Did he mix up lines? His setup seems to work well against 10.g4 but not against 10.g3. Or is there another specific reason that Van Wely didn't go for (after 10.g3) 10... b4 which was twice played by Gelfand in the 1990ies? After all 10. a3 (as played in Ivanchuk-Van Wely a few rounds before) seems to me to be the main line. In other words, theory seems to agree that White should prevent b5-b4 first. Right?
	« Last Edit: 02/01/10 at 16:09:30 by Papageno »

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Keano God Member Offline Money doesn't talk, it swears. Posts: 2928 Location: Toulouse Joined: 05/25/05 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #172 - 02/01/10 at 11:10:26	Post Tools	Print Post
	LeeRoth wrote on 01/31/10 at 21:18:22: Short-Smeets must have been staged. The official site says that both playets took a lot of their time, but still . . . Not a chance, thats a normal line in the dxe5 line except I think ...Kf8 is more normal, Smeets must have prepared the king advance. Short played dxe5 against Kramnik and Smeets always plays Petroff. It just happened to be an interesting perpetual but its a normal if amusing game. By the way, well done to Carlsen again! He had some shaky moments in the tournament but winning Wijk aan Zee is not easy - Kramniks been around a long time and never managed it!


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chk God Member Offline a pawn is a pawn Posts: 1063 Location: Athens Joined: 10/26/06 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #171 - 02/01/10 at 09:23:57	Post Tools	Print Post
	Nakamura is doing a Carlsen (from the Live ELO list): Nakamura 2734,8 +26,8 Mamedyarov did not bad either: Mamedyarov 2759,5 +18,5

	"I play honestly and I play to win. If I lose, I take my medicine." - Bobby
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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #170 - 01/31/10 at 21:27:57	Post Tools	Print Post
	Lee Roth wrote: Quote: Short-Smeets must have been staged. The official site says that both playets took a lot of their time, but still . . . Yeah, clearly Short-Smeets was staged. It was a 14 move draw by repetition. Where's the Sophia rule when you need it? What? Smeets sacked a Knight on f2 and Short misplayed it? Then Smeets missed a win and allowed the perpetual? Oh, maybe the game wasn't staged, and maybe it's an argument against the Sophia rule? :


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LeeRoth God Member Offline I love ChessPublishing.com! Posts: 1520 Joined: 10/22/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #169 - 01/31/10 at 21:18:22	Post Tools	Print Post
	Short-Smeets must have been staged. The official site says that both playets took a lot of their time, but still . . .


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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #168 - 01/31/10 at 21:16:46	Post Tools	Print Post
	Yes, Nakamura won his game. I think he had a good tournament despite falling out of contention for first place at the midpoint. I think he'll continue to get invited to the elite events, at least for a while. And it was an exciting last round overall—to a great tournament. Although Carlsen won as expected, Shirov came close to beating Dominguez and Carlsen barely held the draw against Caruana.

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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belgian Full Member Offline Passionate about chess and poker... Posts: 129 Location: Toronto Joined: 05/14/07 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #167 - 01/31/10 at 16:48:39	Post Tools	Print Post
	Naka seems to be close to winning after 53. a5. He prefers 53. Bc4 though. I suspect that good enough too, after 53. -Rd2 54. Rd1.


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belgian Full Member Offline Passionate about chess and poker... Posts: 129 Location: Toronto Joined: 05/14/07 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #166 - 01/31/10 at 16:43:52	Post Tools	Print Post
	Willempie wrote on 01/31/10 at 16:06:55: And Giri wins the B, at least some dutchies are performing well Yea, it's amazing how strong the new generation is. Soon Magnus will have company his age in the top ten.


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Willempie God Member Offline I love ChessPublishing .com! Posts: 4312 Location: Holland Joined: 01/07/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #165 - 01/31/10 at 16:06:55	Post Tools	Print Post
	And Giri wins the B, at least some dutchies are performing well

	If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.
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belgian Full Member Offline Passionate about chess and poker... Posts: 129 Location: Toronto Joined: 05/14/07 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #164 - 01/31/10 at 15:23:05	Post Tools	Print Post
	Oh. no! Shirov agrees to a draw... Doesn't 31.b4 win??? It appears neither player had practically any time left. It's easy to see a win as a kibitzer --without the pressure of the clock ticking. Carlsen may hang on to a draw now... He's seems to have just enough counterplay. WOW. What an exciting tournament this has been!


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belgian Full Member Offline Passionate about chess and poker... Posts: 129 Location: Toronto Joined: 05/14/07 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #163 - 01/31/10 at 15:03:22	Post Tools	Print Post
	Antillian wrote on 01/30/10 at 17:26:33: Carlsen is now the sole leader going into the final round and is now heavily favoured to win clear first place. Hard to see Carlsen losing with White against Caruana. At worst, he might have to share the first prize with Kramnik or Shirov, should Caruana hold Carlsen to a draw and either Kramnik or Shirov win. Amazing finish going on. Kramnik's game a draw already; Carlsen's lost; Shirov has set the board on fire --but Dominguez's still in the game...


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trw YaBB Moderator Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 1414 Joined: 05/06/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #162 - 01/31/10 at 05:08:35	Post Tools	Print Post
	Antillian wrote on 01/30/10 at 17:26:33: Indeed Kramnik's Petroff has looked shaky - losing to Annand, and struggling for that draw against Shirov. AND SHORT Carlsen is now the sole leader going into the final round and is now heavily favoured to win clear first place. Hard to see Carlsen losing with White against Caruana. At worst, he might have to share the first prize with Kramnik or Shirov, should Caruana hold Carlsen to a draw and either Kramnik or Shirov win.


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TN God Member Offline Posts: 3420 Joined: 11/07/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #161 - 01/30/10 at 19:20:06	Post Tools	Print Post
	Last round pairings: Van Wely-Anand Short-Smeets Nakamura-Tiviakov Carlsen-Caruana Ivanchuk-Leko Shirov-Dominguez Kramnik-Karjakin It's a funny coincidence that all the games in the 12th Round of the Corus A Group started with 1.e4.

	All our dreams come true if we have the courage to pursue them.
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Antillian God Member Offline Brilliance without dazzle! Posts: 1757 Joined: 01/05/03 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #160 - 01/30/10 at 17:26:33	Post Tools	Print Post
	Indeed Kramnik's Petroff has looked shaky - losing to Annand, and struggling for that draw against Shirov. Carlsen is now the sole leader going into the final round and is now heavily favoured to win clear first place. Hard to see Carlsen losing with White against Caruana. At worst, he might have to share the first prize with Kramnik or Shirov, should Caruana hold Carlsen to a draw and either Kramnik or Shirov win.

	"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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belgian Full Member Offline Passionate about chess and poker... Posts: 129 Location: Toronto Joined: 05/14/07 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #159 - 01/30/10 at 16:39:12	Post Tools	Print Post
	Willempie wrote on 01/30/10 at 09:31:08: I predict him to make Anand suffer for the draw. Nope. Anand wins in a gorgeous game. The Petroff is not an easy draw after all.


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Willempie God Member Offline I love ChessPublishing .com! Posts: 4312 Location: Holland Joined: 01/07/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #158 - 01/30/10 at 09:31:08	Post Tools	Print Post
	OstapBender wrote on 01/30/10 at 07:04:17: No "bye" for the leaders Kramnik or Carlsen next round: Anand-Kramnik Leko-Carlsen or for Shirov just a half point behind: Karjakin-Shirov I predict a quick draw in Anand-Kramnik and wonder how hard Carlsen will fight for the full point with the black pieces against Leko. Carlsen's probably in the best position to win the tournament right now, but I'd love to see Shirov move back into first with a victory over Karjakin (with the help of a couple of draws at the top). He made such a fine effort in round 10 at trading places with Kramnik in the standings. It is great to see Krammers back as a real fighter in tournaments. I predict him to make Anand suffer for the draw.

	If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.
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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #157 - 01/30/10 at 07:04:17	Post Tools	Print Post
	No "bye" for the leaders Kramnik or Carlsen next round: Anand-Kramnik Leko-Carlsen or for Shirov just a half point behind: Karjakin-Shirov I predict a quick draw in Anand-Kramnik and wonder how hard Carlsen will fight for the full point with the black pieces against Leko. Carlsen's probably in the best position to win the tournament right now, but I'd love to see Shirov move back into first with a victory over Karjakin (with the help of a couple of draws at the top). He made such a fine effort in round 10 at trading places with Kramnik in the standings.

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #156 - 01/30/10 at 06:38:51	Post Tools	Print Post
	I just got a look at Ian Roger's commentary of the Shirov-Kramnik game a few minutes ago (busy day). Although it started off looking like an uneventful draw, it certainly got exciting in the final stage of the game!

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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Antillian God Member Offline Brilliance without dazzle! Posts: 1757 Joined: 01/05/03 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #155 - 01/29/10 at 18:00:14	Post Tools	Print Post
	So Kramnik survives a close one to get the half point against Shirov. Meanwhile, Carlsen had a bye. Looks like a straight fight between Kramnik and Carlsen going into the final furlong. Kramnik has the slightly tougher draw in the last two, having Black against World Champion Anand next. Not that he has been playing like a world champion recently. Carlsen has Black against Leko next. Should be an exciting finish.

	"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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Bowen Full Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 147 Joined: 07/01/09	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #154 - 01/27/10 at 23:11:57	Post Tools	Print Post
	The remaining three rounds are much easier for Carlsen than Kramnik. I believe that Carlsen will win the tournament with 2.5/3 while Kramnik might make 1.5/3.


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LeeRoth God Member Offline I love ChessPublishing.com! Posts: 1520 Joined: 10/22/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #153 - 01/27/10 at 20:56:45	Post Tools	Print Post
	Thanks Katar for posting that link. I watched the video of Kramnik explaining his win over Carlsen. It's unbelievable how much he sees. And how much he looks at, even at the end of the game when he already had what looked like a winning position. Go Vladdy!


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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #152 - 01/27/10 at 19:41:09	Post Tools	Print Post
	And Smeets lost again. This may be his last Corus GM-A tournament, especially with Giri moving up fast.


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Antillian God Member Offline Brilliance without dazzle! Posts: 1757 Joined: 01/05/03 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #151 - 01/27/10 at 18:58:50	Post Tools	Print Post
	Wow...another Shirov loss. And Anand remembers how to win. Kramnik might well pull this one off, but of course he still has to get pass Shirov and Ananad. Carlsen has far easier draws in the last three rounds.

	"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #150 - 01/27/10 at 18:22:58	Post Tools	Print Post
	The corus server seems to be down. Kramnik-Ivanchuk ½-½ Anand-Shirov 1-0 Karjakin-Carlsen 0-1 as reported on Susan Polgar's blog. PGN's for round 10 games are here , but I don't know if they are being updated. Dominguez has had an edge in his game against Nakamura (since move 20 or so), but I don't think it was ever a winning advantage. On move 61, we had ending with Q+3P vs Q+3P with all pawns on the same flank. Nakamura's pawns are worse (doubled, isolated) but easy to defend. Assume this one will be a draw. The PGN's at this site are being updated. A couple of other games finished are: Dominguez-Nakamura ½-½ Leko-Short ½-½ So it's Kramnik alone in 1st with 7/10 Carlsen and Shirov tied for 2nd with 6.5/10 Karjakin, Nakamura, Dominguez, Anand, and Ivanchuk all have 5.5/10 There is also up to date, live coverage at Chessvibes.

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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gewgaw God Member Offline I love ChessPublishing.com! Posts: 687 Location: europe Joined: 09/09/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #149 - 01/27/10 at 17:12:26	Post Tools	Print Post
	Nakamura is a new face with an attractive style. I´d invite more players like him and neglect players like leko.

	The older, the better - over 2200 and still rising.
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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #148 - 01/27/10 at 14:02:33	Post Tools	Print Post
	Actually, Kramnik said that he will be a top ten player, not that he is a top ten player. I've no idea if Carlsen has said that yet. But you're right, it doesn't matter what I say. What matters is what the sponsors of the elite tournaments think.


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trw YaBB Moderator Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 1414 Joined: 05/06/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #147 - 01/27/10 at 07:35:57	Post Tools	Print Post
	Smyslov_Fan wrote on 01/26/10 at 19:18:14: I had stated elsewhere that I wanted to wait to see how Nakamura handles losing in a top-flight tnmt before I considered him a super-GM. It looks like I'm going to have to wait another tournament (or two or....) before I accept him as one of the top ten players in the world. He's an excellent player with an excellent future, but he still has some serious weaknesses to overcome. One will be a more sophisticated opening repertoire and another will be to improve his fighting spirit. (The second weakness had been suggested before when Nakamura declined invitations to elite tournaments in the past, but showed itself in a different form when he suffered his second consecutive loss.) How many times has Kramnik suffered consecutive losses since, say, Carlsen was born? I just ran a cursory check on Kramnik's games from late 1989-2009. I didn't include any blitz/blindfold/simul events and I only counted consecutive losses in the same tournament. I came up with: Linares 1994: Losses to Karpov and Shirov Siemens 1999: Losses to Anand and Kasparov World Ch. Knockout 1999: Losses to Adams (rapid stage) Sophia 2005: Losses to Ponomariov and Anand Overall, this is a very impressive and short list! Too bad it doesn't matter if you accept Nakamura as top ten or not. Kramnik and Carlsen have both stated numerous times during this tournament they can see his improvement and would consider him a contender.


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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #146 - 01/27/10 at 01:14:22	Post Tools	Print Post
	I was about to get excited for Karjakin's chances now that he's tied for third and only a point out of first place. But, He has a murderer's row of opponents in his last rounds: Carlsen, Ivanchuk, Anand, Shirov and Kramnik. He can still win the tournament, but it would take an amazing performance.


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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #145 - 01/26/10 at 23:04:58	Post Tools	Print Post
	You're right! I missed those two. I may have missed others, but not many.


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micawber God Member Offline like many sneaks and skunks in history he's a poet Posts: 852 Location: Netherlands Joined: 09/07/05 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #144 - 01/26/10 at 23:00:00	Post Tools	Print Post
	Kramnik also lost two consecutive games against Kamsky quarter final candidate tournament PCA 1994. in fact Kamsky won this match with 4.5-1.5 (3 wins ; 3 draws).


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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #143 - 01/26/10 at 19:18:14	Post Tools	Print Post
	I had stated elsewhere that I wanted to wait to see how Nakamura handles losing in a top-flight tnmt before I considered him a super-GM. It looks like I'm going to have to wait another tournament (or two or....) before I accept him as one of the top ten players in the world. He's an excellent player with an excellent future, but he still has some serious weaknesses to overcome. One will be a more sophisticated opening repertoire and another will be to improve his fighting spirit. (The second weakness had been suggested before when Nakamura declined invitations to elite tournaments in the past, but showed itself in a different form when he suffered his second consecutive loss.) How many times has Kramnik suffered consecutive losses since, say, Carlsen was born? I just ran a cursory check on Kramnik's games from late 1989-2009. I didn't include any blitz/blindfold/simul events and I only counted consecutive losses in the same tournament. I came up with: Linares 1994: Losses to Karpov and Shirov Siemens 1999: Losses to Anand and Kasparov World Ch. Knockout 1999: Losses to Adams (rapid stage) Sophia 2005: Losses to Ponomariov and Anand Overall, this is a very impressive and short list!


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Schaakhamster God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 650 Joined: 05/13/08	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #142 - 01/26/10 at 18:58:03	Post Tools	Print Post
	Everybody is debating Nakamura vs Carlsen and then comes along Kramnik and crushes them both. The boy wonders will get their shot but they will have to wait a while until Kramnik fades away. Corus is highly entertaining this year


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katar Senior Member Offline look another year went by Posts: 462 Location: LA Joined: 09/21/05 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #141 - 01/26/10 at 18:19:24	Post Tools	Print Post
	Kramnik's "PIRC ALERT" interview has been posted on chess.fm, titled, Soundbite: Kramnik's Prep. Enjoy. http://www.chessclub.com/activities/Corus10player.html katar wrote on 01/21/10 at 19:01:14: Antillian wrote on 01/21/10 at 12:36:02: And we have a Pirc from Kramnik today I guess this is Kramnik's quest to win with Black against 1.e4 - for much lower rated players at least. Should be interesting. Kramnik was interviewed on the live broadcast right after his game in which Smeets got Kramnicked to death: K said he never played or studied the Pirc before. K bought "Pirc Alert" in the bookstore at the Corus tournament in between rounds 4 and 5. K wanted to provoke Smeets' time trouble. "I noticed he gets into time trouble, so i wanted to play something complicated." "I learned the opening in one day." Reading Pirc Alert on the rest day, he noticed the authors say that black is better in every line, "They really make you want to play this opening, it looks like white is pressing, but everywhere black is better." Another quote: "I don't remember how much i paid for the book, but turned out to be good investment." (quotes paraphrased by memory. should be close.) Poor poor Smeets. But Naka vs. Carlsen, wow: An epic battle worthy of the competitors. Naka pressing with no fear of Wonderboy, and Carlsen with ferocious defense. Peace out.

	2078 uscf
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Antillian God Member Offline Brilliance without dazzle! Posts: 1757 Joined: 01/05/03 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #140 - 01/26/10 at 17:07:52	Post Tools	Print Post
	I look forward to some analysis of Carlsen-Kramnik 0-1 It looked to me like Kramnik's understanding of the position just totally outclassed Carlsen's.

	"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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Keano God Member Offline Money doesn't talk, it swears. Posts: 2928 Location: Toulouse Joined: 05/25/05 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #139 - 01/26/10 at 16:20:26	Post Tools	Print Post
	Göran wrote on 01/25/10 at 15:17:00: The great Chigorin said: "Often "theoretical" is a synonyme for routine. Because that which is "theoretical" in chess is nothing other than what can be found in books, and which players endeavour to adhere to when they cannot devise anything stronger, or equally good and more original." Thats a great quote, he knew a thing or two that Chigorin!


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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #138 - 01/26/10 at 16:17:32	Post Tools	Print Post
	Ivanchuk-Shirov ½-½ Kramnik-Carlsen 1-0 So Kramnik continues to surge forward, moving into a tie for first with Shirov. Nakamura-Karjakin looks like 0-1 (though still being played at the moment) I don't get what just happened (though I don't rule out tactical blindness on my part), but now it looks like Nakamura will win this. Haha. There appears to have been a relay error. And again... Nakamura-Karjakin looks like 0-1

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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TalJechin God Member Offline There is no secret ingredient. Posts: 2892 Location: Malmö Joined: 08/12/04 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #137 - 01/26/10 at 15:13:45	Post Tools	Print Post
	Pier lala wrote on 01/26/10 at 15:09:33: By the way: Shirov is playing like a hungry tiger! Who was the one who gave him the credits to win this tournament? Check the first page of the thread! ; )


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Pier lala YaBB Newbies Offline Auf tutti! Posts: 12 Location: Amsterdam Joined: 01/25/10 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #136 - 01/26/10 at 15:09:33	Post Tools	Print Post
	By the way: Shirov is playing like a hungry tiger! Who was the one who gave him the credits to win this tournament?


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TalJechin God Member Offline There is no secret ingredient. Posts: 2892 Location: Malmö Joined: 08/12/04 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #135 - 01/26/10 at 13:28:16	Post Tools	Print Post
	Kramnik-Nakamura commented: http://kevinspraggett.blogspot.com/2010/01/corus-shirov-still-in-front.html


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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #134 - 01/26/10 at 12:47:32	Post Tools	Print Post
	@ Pier lala: I like this. Too funny. Reminds me of when The Eagles said "You call someplace paradise, kiss it goodbye."

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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Antillian God Member Offline Brilliance without dazzle! Posts: 1757 Joined: 01/05/03 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #133 - 01/26/10 at 12:41:24	Post Tools	Print Post
	Smyslov_Fan wrote on 01/25/10 at 14:18:31: While I agree with Kramnik about the Dutch, if I were to express such an opinion in a Dutch thread, I would get cut to shreds. I'm pleased to see the general audience here seems willing to agree with him. As a recovering Lennigrad player, I am not so sure that Dutch fans would rip you to shreds. Afterall, you don't play the Dutch to equalize, you play to unbalance the game. Keano wrote on 01/26/10 at 08:54:22: The old Petrosian joke: 'If your opponent wants to play the Dutch Defence, you shouldn't prevent him!' might still have a grain of truth to it. Personally I think the stonewall could be sounder that the Leningrad, especially it the White Knight is committed to f3. That is exactly right. Too many 1.d4 players I know are afraid of the Dutch. Half the battle is attitude. As I said, a certain air of contempt is needed with regards to these openings.

	"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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Pier lala YaBB Newbies Offline Auf tutti! Posts: 12 Location: Amsterdam Joined: 01/25/10 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #132 - 01/26/10 at 10:23:16	Post Tools	Print Post
	I see a big positive point in Nakamura's lost. (Besides that, the man deserves respect for attacking a former world champion with a risky "defense", instead of trying to kill the game for a remise. That's what today's world champion (Anand) did with white some days ago in almost the same opening. Unfortunately Kramnik was in an other state of mind. And anyone can lose with any kind of opening from him). Imagine what happend when Nakamura had won. "The Dutch" would have been a world wide mainsteam opening. And I could have put my newly bought "Leningrad" & "Dangerous Weapons: The Dutch" books in the closet, untill the dust went down. Because i like to play a little excentric. And in my view "The Leningrad" is just that..


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MNb God Member Offline Rudolf Spielmann forever Posts: 10778 Location: Moengo Joined: 01/05/04 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #131 - 01/26/10 at 10:21:01	Post Tools	Print Post
	Alias wrote on 01/26/10 at 09:06:40: But haven't you called the king's indian incorrect, or something similar, Smyslov_Fan? That has a better reputation than any variation of the dutch. Timman said something like that more than 20 years ago. He might have changes his mind since then of course.

	The book had the effect good books usually have: it made the stupids more stupid, the intelligent more intelligent and the other thousands of readers remained unchanged. GC Lichtenberg
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Stigma God Member Offline There is a crack in everything. Posts: 3277 Joined: 11/07/06 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #130 - 01/26/10 at 10:05:53	Post Tools	Print Post
	Keano wrote on 01/26/10 at 08:54:22: The old Petrosian joke: 'If your opponent wants to play the Dutch Defence, you shouldn't prevent him!' might still have a grain of truth to it. Personally I think the stonewall could be sounder that the Leningrad, especially it the White Knight is committed to f3. Actually, Kramnik was asked in that press conference if he hadn't played the Dutch himself, and he replied (roughly) "Yes, but that was mostly the Stonewall, and it is even worse than the Leningrad! I played around five games with it, all draws, and then gave it up."

	Improvement begins at the edge of your comfort zone. -Jonathan Rowson
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Alias God Member Offline Posts: 1512 Location: East of the river Svartån Joined: 11/19/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #129 - 01/26/10 at 09:06:40	Post Tools	Print Post
	Smyslov_Fan wrote on 01/25/10 at 14:18:31: While I agree with Kramnik about the Dutch, if I were to express such an opinion in a Dutch thread, I would get cut to shreds. I'm pleased to see the general audience here seems willing to agree with him. But haven't you called the king's indian incorrect, or something similar, Smyslov_Fan? That has a better reputation than any variation of the dutch.

	Don't check me with no lightweight stuff.
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Keano God Member Offline Money doesn't talk, it swears. Posts: 2928 Location: Toulouse Joined: 05/25/05 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #128 - 01/26/10 at 08:54:22	Post Tools	Print Post
	The old Petrosian joke: 'If your opponent wants to play the Dutch Defence, you shouldn't prevent him!' might still have a grain of truth to it. Personally I think the stonewall could be sounder that the Leningrad, especially it the White Knight is committed to f3.


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Schaakhamster God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 650 Joined: 05/13/08	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #127 - 01/25/10 at 21:06:58	Post Tools	Print Post
	OstapBender wrote on 01/25/10 at 20:40:10: Smyslov_Fan wrote on 01/24/10 at 21:38:26: I found [Kramnik's] comment about the Dutch more interesting though. He said that the *Dutch should not equalise*! That's pretty strong words coming from perhaps the preeminent opening theoretician in the world! I amused that he said this having played the Pirc a few rounds earlier. Maybe the Dutch has a weaker reputation, but the Pirc also seems pretty rare at the highest levels. Maybe Kramnik's comment was intended, at least in part, to be a bit self mocking. I don't think so. Kramnik chose the Pirc as a surprise-weapon to get his weaker opponent thinking on his own and to unbalance the game from the opening. Nakamura wielding the Dutch isn't a big surprise so Kramnik just took advantage of that.


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Mudhen YaBB Newbies Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 1 Joined: 01/25/10	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #126 - 01/25/10 at 20:50:29	Post Tools	Print Post
	[quote author=766C677A7B7C6D150 link=1263481129/124#124 date=1264447587]I think Nakamura should have played the dutch leningrad variation recommended by Kindermann, then kramnik wouldn't have gotten such an easy play as white Perhaps, but I recall when in a post mortem with a strong master I sugested I could have tried a different idea to which he responded: "You play differently, you lose differently."


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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #125 - 01/25/10 at 20:40:10	Post Tools	Print Post
	Smyslov_Fan wrote on 01/24/10 at 21:38:26: I found [Kramnik's] comment about the Dutch more interesting though. He said that the *Dutch should not equalise*! That's pretty strong words coming from perhaps the preeminent opening theoretician in the world! I amused that he said this having played the Pirc a few rounds earlier. Maybe the Dutch has a weaker reputation, but the Pirc also seems pretty rare at the highest levels. Maybe Kramnik's comment was intended, at least in part, to be a bit self mocking.

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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battleangel Ex Member	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #124 - 01/25/10 at 19:26:27	Post Tools	Print Post
	I think Nakamura should have played the dutch leningrad variation recommended by Kindermann, then kramnik wouldn't have gotten such an easy play as white Smyslov_Fan wrote on 01/24/10 at 21:38:26: Btw, Kramnik, after his game against Nakamura, stated that he "was probably lucky yesterday". He also said that Nakamura has a good chance to become world champion... if "we" all gave up! He then said he was joking and that Nakamura has improved greatly over the last year and will probably break the top ten. I found his comment about the Dutch more interesting though. He said that the *Dutch should not equalise*! That's pretty strong words coming from perhaps the preeminent opening theoretician in the world!


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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #123 - 01/25/10 at 16:15:54	Post Tools	Print Post
	Actually, Kramnik joked that the bookstore was closed, so he had to work out what to do against 8..Ne4 on his own. He finally figured out that he doesn't take the N and gets an advantage!


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Göran Senior Member Offline ChessPublishing is great! Posts: 454 Location: Sweden Joined: 02/13/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #122 - 01/25/10 at 15:17:00	Post Tools	Print Post
	...or it could be that we only are nice people plying Dutch. The great Chigorin said: "Often "theoretical" is a synonyme for routine. Because that which is "theoretical" in chess is nothing other than what can be found in books, and which players endeavour to adhere to when they cannot devise anything stronger, or equally good and more original." I guess that Kramnik also found an old book on Dutch Defence in the very same bookshop.

	What kind of proof is that?
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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #121 - 01/25/10 at 14:18:31	Post Tools	Print Post
	While I agree with Kramnik about the Dutch, if I were to express such an opinion in a Dutch thread, I would get cut to shreds. I'm pleased to see the general audience here seems willing to agree with him.


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Göran Senior Member Offline ChessPublishing is great! Posts: 454 Location: Sweden Joined: 02/13/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #120 - 01/25/10 at 13:21:55	Post Tools	Print Post
	Yeh, state of mind is often as important as state of theory and not quite seldom even more.

	What kind of proof is that?
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Antillian God Member Offline Brilliance without dazzle! Posts: 1757 Joined: 01/05/03 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #119 - 01/25/10 at 12:11:30	Post Tools	Print Post
	I don't find the comment surprising either. Wasn't Petrosian famous for similar comments about the King's Indian? I would add, I think it is exactly the right attitude a 1.d4 player must have. A true 1.d4 player must have a certain level of contempt for openings like the Dutch.

	"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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Schaakhamster God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 650 Joined: 05/13/08	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #118 - 01/25/10 at 09:31:23	Post Tools	Print Post
	BPaulsen wrote on 01/24/10 at 22:10:36: Smyslov_Fan wrote on 01/24/10 at 21:38:26: Btw, Kramnik, after his game against Nakamura, stated that he "was probably lucky yesterday". He also said that Nakamura has a good chance to become world champion... if "we" all gave up! He then said he was joking and that Nakamura has improved greatly over the last year and will probably break the top ten. I found his comment about the Dutch more interesting though. He said that the *Dutch should not equalise! That's pretty strong words coming from perhaps the preeminent opening theoretician in the world! This reminds me of a comment Aronian made in a game he annotated, when discussing Kramnik's novelty in the Meran. Aronian's comment from Aronian-Grischuk, Sochi 2008 Quote:* Given that the greatest theoretician of our galaxy, Kramnik, recently played 13. Nd2 here the text must be considered old-fashioned Pretty remarkable for a player of Kramnik's stature to make such a comment about an entire opening (the Dutch). I f he would have said it about the Slav or something, it would have been shocking. But I think he wouldn't be alone in considering the Dutch a bit dubious. But does it matter really for 99,99% of the chessplayers if one of the strongest players of the moment considers it not fit for elite-chess?


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TalJechin God Member Offline There is no secret ingredient. Posts: 2892 Location: Malmö Joined: 08/12/04 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #117 - 01/25/10 at 08:12:40	Post Tools	Print Post
	He probably just meant that it's hard to force a draw in the Dutch!


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Göran Senior Member Offline ChessPublishing is great! Posts: 454 Location: Sweden Joined: 02/13/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #116 - 01/24/10 at 23:09:51	Post Tools	Print Post
	Smyslov_Fan wrote on 01/24/10 at 21:38:26: ...I found his comment about the Dutch more interesting though. He said that the *Dutch should not equalise*! That's pretty strong words coming from perhaps the preeminent opening theoretician in the world! I trust he just wanted to put Nakamnura at ease and helped him by blaming the great defence of Dutch .

	What kind of proof is that?
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BPaulsen God Member Offline I Love Light Squares! Posts: 1702 Location: Anaheim, CA, USA Joined: 11/02/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #115 - 01/24/10 at 22:10:36	Post Tools	Print Post
	Smyslov_Fan wrote on 01/24/10 at 21:38:26: Btw, Kramnik, after his game against Nakamura, stated that he "was probably lucky yesterday". He also said that Nakamura has a good chance to become world champion... if "we" all gave up! He then said he was joking and that Nakamura has improved greatly over the last year and will probably break the top ten. I found his comment about the Dutch more interesting though. He said that the *Dutch should not equalise! That's pretty strong words coming from perhaps the preeminent opening theoretician in the world! This reminds me of a comment Aronian made in a game he annotated, when discussing Kramnik's novelty in the Meran. Aronian's comment from Aronian-Grischuk, Sochi 2008 Quote:* Given that the greatest theoretician of our galaxy, Kramnik, recently played 13. Nd2 here the text must be considered old-fashioned Pretty remarkable for a player of Kramnik's stature to make such a comment about an entire opening (the Dutch).

	2288 USCF, 2186 FIDE. FIDE based on just 27 games.
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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #114 - 01/24/10 at 21:40:44	Post Tools	Print Post
	BPaulsen wrote on 01/24/10 at 18:56:43: ... Kramnik has very steadily climbed to within striking distance of first place. However, he has a difficult stretch of opponents coming up. Of the people up near the top of the leaderboard it might be Nakamura with the easiest remaining schedule. Good tournament, good chess, and here's to hoping my vote for Kramnik ends up right. Of the top three, Shirov, Carlsen and Kramnik, Carlsen has the easiest row to hoe and Shirov has the toughest. But yeah, Nakamura should be licking his lips as he gets a heavy dose of Dutch treats!


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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #113 - 01/24/10 at 21:38:26	Post Tools	Print Post
	Btw, Kramnik, after his game against Nakamura, stated that he "was probably lucky yesterday". He also said that Nakamura has a good chance to become world champion... if "we" all gave up! He then said he was joking and that Nakamura has improved greatly over the last year and will probably break the top ten. I found his comment about the Dutch more interesting though. He said that the *Dutch should not equalise*! That's pretty strong words coming from perhaps the preeminent opening theoretician in the world!


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BPaulsen God Member Offline I Love Light Squares! Posts: 1702 Location: Anaheim, CA, USA Joined: 11/02/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #112 - 01/24/10 at 18:56:43	Post Tools	Print Post
	Akobian with his 3rd Tarrasch Defense in the tournament in Group B. He's not scoring well with it, but maybe this'll get him a book contract. Nakamura wielding the Dutch again - the kid's got moxy to keep wielding the Dutch against world champions present and past. Kramnik has very steadily climbed to within striking distance of first place. However, he has a difficult stretch of opponents coming up. Of the people up near the top of the leaderboard it might be Nakamura with the easiest remaining schedule. Good tournament, good chess, and here's to hoping my vote for Kramnik ends up right.

	2288 USCF, 2186 FIDE. FIDE based on just 27 games.
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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #111 - 01/24/10 at 18:16:04	Post Tools	Print Post
	Let me backtrack a bit. I do believe there's luck in chess. I used to hate that thought, but I've more or less made my peace with it. The main criteria for whether Kramnik was lucky against Short isn't whether the computers found wins, but whether, given similar circumstances, Kramnik would be likely to draw against Short again. I can't prove this, but I got the feeling during the game that Short just was not going to win against Kramnik. Kramnik had a beautiful, seemingly easy win against Nakamura today while Short lost an entertaining game.


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Antillian God Member Offline Brilliance without dazzle! Posts: 1757 Joined: 01/05/03 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #110 - 01/24/10 at 16:05:36	Post Tools	Print Post
	And of course there is the well known saying "the good player is always lucky". I don't think it takes anything away from Kramnik's skills to say he was lucky. Obviously, there is no such thing as luck in chess. But it is understood what one means when one uses the terms.

	"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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MNb God Member Offline Rudolf Spielmann forever Posts: 10778 Location: Moengo Joined: 01/05/04 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #109 - 01/24/10 at 14:51:08	Post Tools	Print Post
	There is a Dutch expression for this: "Geluk afdwingen." I am not sure how to translate it, something like "To extort luck." Indeed it demands excellent skills to do that.

	The book had the effect good books usually have: it made the stupids more stupid, the intelligent more intelligent and the other thousands of readers remained unchanged. GC Lichtenberg
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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #108 - 01/24/10 at 14:27:08	Post Tools	Print Post
	What would the new poll ask? Btw, I'm not sure about Kramnik's "luck". He is one of the toughest outs in chess. His endgame technique is fantastic, and Short did a great job to torment him. But endgame technique doesn't happen by chance. Yeah, Short had great winning chances, but was it really "luck" that saved Kramnik, or superior technical skill?


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DD-OK YaBB Newbies Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 37 Joined: 03/15/07	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #107 - 01/24/10 at 06:47:58	Post Tools	Print Post
	Say smyslovfan, now that the tourney is half over, how bout a new poll?


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Antillian God Member Offline Brilliance without dazzle! Posts: 1757 Joined: 01/05/03 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #106 - 01/24/10 at 01:42:40	Post Tools	Print Post
	Yep, Kramnik is probably lucky to have got away with the half point in that one.

	"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #105 - 01/23/10 at 17:24:38	Post Tools	Print Post
	4 draws in Group A today, but... Carlsen beat Ivanchuk! Nakamura beat Shirov! And Short is pressing hard in his game against Kramnik... ...I don't understand Short's 47.a6, which seem to be giving up the a-pawn for no reason. update: It looks like Kramnik will hold the draw, but I think Short must have missed a win here.

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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Willempie God Member Offline I love ChessPublishing .com! Posts: 4312 Location: Holland Joined: 01/07/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #104 - 01/23/10 at 10:15:21	Post Tools	Print Post
	Well at least there's some consolation for the home team in Giri. He is repeating his performance of the dutch ch, though I find him here even more impressive in the way he makes something ou of lousy positions.

	If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.
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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #103 - 01/23/10 at 06:53:24	Post Tools	Print Post
	So far, Nakamura is walking the walk. I'm rooting for him too.

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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DD-OK YaBB Newbies Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 37 Joined: 03/15/07	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #102 - 01/23/10 at 05:04:50	Post Tools	Print Post
	Here's hoping Nakamura-Shirov is a classic slugfest. Ok, so I find myself rooting for Nakamura again.


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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #101 - 01/22/10 at 16:19:29	Post Tools	Print Post
	Minor piece vs. two pawns seems to be a persistent, recurring theme in this tournament. Kramnik just sacced a bishop for two pawns against van Wely to obtain a favorable, possibly winning, minor piece ending. We may soon have a 4-way tie for 2nd place.

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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trw YaBB Moderator Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 1414 Joined: 05/06/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #100 - 01/22/10 at 14:57:27	Post Tools	Print Post
	It was on icc chess.fm


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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #99 - 01/22/10 at 14:48:59	Post Tools	Print Post
	Today Ivanchuk - Nakamura ½-½ Anand - Carlsen ½-½ Shirov - Short on its way to ½-½ YAWN... but Kramnik - van Wely is a King's Indian which could develop into something of a game.

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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Alias God Member Offline Posts: 1512 Location: East of the river Svartån Joined: 11/19/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #98 - 01/22/10 at 14:35:46	Post Tools	Print Post
	katar wrote on 01/21/10 at 19:01:14: Antillian wrote on 01/21/10 at 12:36:02: And we have a Pirc from Kramnik today I guess this is Kramnik's quest to win with Black against 1.e4 - for much lower rated players at least. Should be interesting. Kramnik was interviewed on the live broadcast right after his game in which Smeets got Kramnicked to death: K said he never played or studied the Pirc before. K bought "Pirc Alert" in the bookstore at the Corus tournament in between rounds 4 and 5. K wanted to provoke Smeets' time trouble. "I noticed he gets into time trouble, so i wanted to play something complicated." "I learned the opening in one day." Reading Pirc Alert on the rest day, he noticed the authors say that black is better in every line, "They really make you want to play this opening, it looks like white is pressing, but everywhere black is better." Another quote: "I don't remember how much i paid for the book, but turned out to be good investment." (quotes paraphrased by memory. should be close.) Poor poor Smeets. But Naka vs. Carlsen, wow: An epic battle worthy of the competitors. Naka pressing with no fear of Wonderboy, and Carlsen with ferocious defense. Peace out. The Kramnik story is hilarious! Which live broadcast was it on?

	Don't check me with no lightweight stuff.
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ANDREW BRETT God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 622 Joined: 07/07/06	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #97 - 01/22/10 at 13:38:08	Post Tools	Print Post
	Short is normally given shrift by Shirov - (try saying that a few time) 6 of the best coming up.


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Seth_Xoma God Member Offline FM with 2 IM Norms - (2381) Posts: 558 Location: Lansing Joined: 11/05/04 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #96 - 01/21/10 at 23:36:42	Post Tools	Print Post
	...word on the street says Kramnik was seen in the same bookshop later that same day and bought himself a copy of Kosten's Latvian Gambit book. You didn't hear it from me...


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JEH God Member Offline "Football is like Chess, only without the dice." Posts: 1456 Location: Reading Joined: 09/22/05 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #95 - 01/21/10 at 20:16:06	Post Tools	Print Post
	Keano wrote on 01/21/10 at 19:42:07: Kramnik learns Pirc in one day from Pirc Alert! Is he on a sales commision? If not he should be. Its a nice story, and it worked. Funny story . Chernin is in Wijk aan Zee, so maybe Chernin offered him a beer for the plug

	Those who want to go by my perverse footsteps play such pawn structure with fuzzy atypical still strategic orientations Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, stuck in the middlegame with you
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Antillian God Member Offline Brilliance without dazzle! Posts: 1757 Joined: 01/05/03 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #94 - 01/21/10 at 20:06:50	Post Tools	Print Post
	katar wrote on 01/21/10 at 19:01:14: Antillian wrote on 01/21/10 at 12:36:02: And we have a Pirc from Kramnik today I guess this is Kramnik's quest to win with Black against 1.e4 - for much lower rated players at least. Should be interesting. Kramnik was interviewed on the live broadcast right after his game in which Smeets got Kramnicked to death: K said he never played or studied the Pirc before. K bought "Pirc Alert" in the bookstore at the Corus tournament in between rounds 4 and 5. K wanted to provoke Smeets' time trouble. "I noticed he gets into time trouble, so i wanted to play something complicated." "I learned the opening in one day." Reading Pirc Alert on the rest day, he noticed the authors say that black is better in every line, "They really make you want to play this opening, it looks like white is pressing, but everywhere black is better." Another quote: "I don't remember how much i paid for the book, but turned out to be good investment." (quotes paraphrased by memory. should be close.) Poor poor Smeets. Unbelievable! Not sure I believe it. But he is right on about the book.

	"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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Keano God Member Offline Money doesn't talk, it swears. Posts: 2928 Location: Toulouse Joined: 05/25/05 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #93 - 01/21/10 at 19:42:07	Post Tools	Print Post
	Kramnik learns Pirc in one day from Pirc Alert! Is he on a sales commision? If not he should be. Its a nice story, and it worked.


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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #92 - 01/21/10 at 19:11:12	Post Tools	Print Post
	Shirov is 5/5 followed by Carlsen, Ivanchuk and Nakamura with 3.5/5 and Kramnik with 3/5. A 1.5 pt margin already. Amazing! Tomorrow it's Shirov - Short Ivanchuk - Nakamura Anand - Carlsen Kramnik - van Wely So 6/6 is a distinct possibility. If so, Ivanchuk and/or Nakamura will lose some ground and Carlsen will have his work cut out for him to keep from also falling further back. In rounds 7-9 Shirov faces his three closest rivals pointwise (Nakamura then Carlsen then Ivanchuk). Great tournament so far. GO SHIROV!!

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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TonyRo God Member Offline I'm gonna crack your skull! Posts: 1846 Location: Cleveland, OH Joined: 11/26/07 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #91 - 01/21/10 at 19:08:42	Post Tools	Print Post
	That's the funniest thing I've read in quite a while. How confused must the cashier have been if he saw Kramnik buy Pirc Alert!? I mean, it's a good book, but cmon!


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katar Senior Member Offline look another year went by Posts: 462 Location: LA Joined: 09/21/05 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #90 - 01/21/10 at 19:01:14	Post Tools	Print Post
	Antillian wrote on 01/21/10 at 12:36:02: And we have a Pirc from Kramnik today I guess this is Kramnik's quest to win with Black against 1.e4 - for much lower rated players at least. Should be interesting. Kramnik was interviewed on the live broadcast right after his game in which Smeets got Kramnicked to death: K said he never played or studied the Pirc before. K bought "Pirc Alert" in the bookstore at the Corus tournament in between rounds 4 and 5. K wanted to provoke Smeets' time trouble. "I noticed he gets into time trouble, so i wanted to play something complicated." "I learned the opening in one day." Reading Pirc Alert on the rest day, he noticed the authors say that black is better in every line, "They really make you want to play this opening, it looks like white is pressing, but everywhere black is better." Another quote: "I don't remember how much i paid for the book, but turned out to be good investment." (quotes paraphrased by memory. should be close.) Poor poor Smeets. But Naka vs. Carlsen, wow: An epic battle worthy of the competitors. Naka pressing with no fear of Wonderboy, and Carlsen with ferocious defense. Peace out.

	2078 uscf
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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #89 - 01/21/10 at 16:16:50	Post Tools	Print Post
	Nakamura-Carlsen has been interesting. Nakumura was pressing on the kingside. Carlsen sacced a piece for 3 pawns. Now Nakamura has recovered one of the pawns and we have an ending with 2R + 2N + 2P vs. 2R + B + 4P (one black pawn passed and on a4). I think Nakamura's extra piece gives him the better side of this ending but, with so few pawns left, Carlsen might have decent chances of holding the draw.

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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GabrielGale Senior Member Offline Who was Thursday? Posts: 471 Location: Sydney Joined: 02/28/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #88 - 01/21/10 at 13:44:05	Post Tools	Print Post
	Thanks Keano. You got in before I modified. Wow! This Corus is really entertaining! Haven't thbis much fun in ages following chess as an armchair amateur.

	http://www.toutautre.blogspot.com/ A Year With Nessie ...... aka GM John Shaw's The King's Gambit (http://thekinggambit.blogspot.com.au/)
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Keano God Member Offline Money doesn't talk, it swears. Posts: 2928 Location: Toulouse Joined: 05/25/05 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #87 - 01/21/10 at 13:34:53	Post Tools	Print Post
	No Carlsen vs Kramnik was normal main-line not 8...g5


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GabrielGale Senior Member Offline Who was Thursday? Posts: 471 Location: Sydney Joined: 02/28/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #86 - 01/21/10 at 13:33:56	Post Tools	Print Post
	And have a look at Van Wely - Shirov, wow! Shirov played 8...g5 9...g4! Talk about agrro!!! Someone is saying it is Carlsen vs Kramnik from London Classic ... No it is not!

	http://www.toutautre.blogspot.com/ A Year With Nessie ...... aka GM John Shaw's The King's Gambit (http://thekinggambit.blogspot.com.au/)
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Keano God Member Offline Money doesn't talk, it swears. Posts: 2928 Location: Toulouse Joined: 05/25/05 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #85 - 01/21/10 at 13:31:17	Post Tools	Print Post
	Shirovs line with 8...g5 has just a hint of agression about it - will have to consult Mr Marin later. Cant remember Kramnik playing such a risky line as Black - he´s obviously targeted Smeets as a bunny that must be beaten regardless of colour ....could backfire though.


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GabrielGale Senior Member Offline Who was Thursday? Posts: 471 Location: Sydney Joined: 02/28/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #84 - 01/21/10 at 13:25:46	Post Tools	Print Post
	Antillian wrote on 01/21/10 at 12:36:02: And we have a Pirc from Kramnik today Looks like "botched" attempt at a 150 Attack by Smeets? He has taken a long time over his reply to Kramnik's 6th move 6...b5. Perhaps he has forgotten his theory? even though 150= 1800 Elo and playable at that level? Vigus recommends h3 and f4against ...a6 following Z Hracek- M Konopka Pardubice 1998 ... what do you guys think? This is shaping up to be a slaughter/debacle ... unless Smeets is doing a Leko who thought for 40 mins before coming up with a winner, didn't he?

	http://www.toutautre.blogspot.com/ A Year With Nessie ...... aka GM John Shaw's The King's Gambit (http://thekinggambit.blogspot.com.au/)
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Schaakhamster God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 650 Joined: 05/13/08	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #83 - 01/21/10 at 13:06:44	Post Tools	Print Post
	Antillian wrote on 01/21/10 at 12:36:02: And we have a Pirc from Kramnik today I guess this is Kramnik's quest to win with Black against 1.e4 - for much lower rated players at least. Should be interesting. And Nakamura with a delayed exchange variation


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Antillian God Member Offline Brilliance without dazzle! Posts: 1757 Joined: 01/05/03 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #82 - 01/21/10 at 12:36:02	Post Tools	Print Post
	And we have a Pirc from Kramnik today I guess this is Kramnik's quest to win with Black against 1.e4 - for much lower rated players at least. Should be interesting.

	"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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MNb God Member Offline Rudolf Spielmann forever Posts: 10778 Location: Moengo Joined: 01/05/04 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #81 - 01/21/10 at 03:04:42	Post Tools	Print Post
	LeeRoth wrote on 01/20/10 at 23:58:01: Tal said it best: First you sacrifice, then you think! He also said: there are two kinds of sacrifices, the correct ones and mine.

	The book had the effect good books usually have: it made the stupids more stupid, the intelligent more intelligent and the other thousands of readers remained unchanged. GC Lichtenberg
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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #80 - 01/21/10 at 02:24:23	Post Tools	Print Post
	An excellent video showing Svidler's analysis of Short-Nakamura (round 3) can be found here (or here).

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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LeeRoth God Member Offline I love ChessPublishing.com! Posts: 1520 Joined: 10/22/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #79 - 01/20/10 at 23:58:01	Post Tools	Print Post
	Tal said it best: First you sacrifice, then you think!


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Schaakhamster God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 650 Joined: 05/13/08	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #78 - 01/20/10 at 20:53:15	Post Tools	Print Post
	Smyslov_Fan wrote on 01/20/10 at 19:46:35: Keano wrote on 01/20/10 at 17:55:50: Yes, just saw Shirovs quick notes and hes quite honest about it giving Bxh6 a "?" - a bit harsh on himself? This game could be an example of Tals quote - "the good players are always lucky". If you read Tal's own notes to his games, you will find many of his most brilliant moves get either a "?" or no mark at all. Tal was brutally honest and self-deprecating when it came to his own brilliancies. Shirov has emulated Tal in many ways, including his commentary on his own games. Objectively many of his moves were not the best move in the position. But they created positions where he had no equal, except against a supercalculator like Korchnoi. Honestly, I wouldn't put this game of Shirov in the Tal category. Shirov thought the sacrifice was sound when he went for it only to find out it wasn't. Tal often knew that the resulting position of his sacrifice was murky at best.


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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #77 - 01/20/10 at 19:46:35	Post Tools	Print Post
	Keano wrote on 01/20/10 at 17:55:50: Yes, just saw Shirovs quick notes and hes quite honest about it giving Bxh6 a "?" - a bit harsh on himself? This game could be an example of Tals quote - "the good players are always lucky". If you read Tal's own notes to his games, you will find many of his most brilliant moves get either a "?" or no mark at all. Tal was brutally honest and self-deprecating when it came to his own brilliancies. Shirov has emulated Tal in many ways, including his commentary on his own games.


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Keano God Member Offline Money doesn't talk, it swears. Posts: 2928 Location: Toulouse Joined: 05/25/05 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #76 - 01/20/10 at 17:55:50	Post Tools	Print Post
	OstapBender wrote on 01/20/10 at 13:51:37: For White to play for a win 26.Bxh6 (assessment either ?! or ? IMO) was the best practical chance, but objectively I think it's not a correct sacrifice. With best play by both sides, I'm pretty sure White should come out worse. I think the problem for White is bringing the knight into the attack (as happened in the game, but only due to faulty defense). White can bail into a 3P vs B ending, but here Black's bishop is better than White's 3 pawns. Shirov suggests a difficult ending that might hold drawing chances for White. The game's been annotated by Shirov at the Corus site and by Monokroussos at The Chess Mind blog. Yes, just saw Shirovs quick notes and hes quite honest about it giving Bxh6 a "?" - a bit harsh on himself? This game could be an example of Tals quote - "the good players are always lucky".


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BPaulsen God Member Offline I Love Light Squares! Posts: 1702 Location: Anaheim, CA, USA Joined: 11/02/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #75 - 01/20/10 at 14:40:05	Post Tools	Print Post
	In Group B GM Akobian has been showing an impressive dedication to the Tarrasch Defense, a rarity at the upper levels. He drew in the 9. Bg5 c4 line, but lost to the newly popular (I'm guessing thanks in large part to Avrukh's efforts) 9. dxc5.

	2288 USCF, 2186 FIDE. FIDE based on just 27 games.
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TicklyTim Senior Member Offline can I take that back, please... Posts: 274 Location: England Joined: 05/29/09 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #74 - 01/20/10 at 14:09:00	Post Tools	Print Post
	Read a quote that suggests that Shirov hadn't considered 27...Bh7. Maybe his assessment of the sacrifice didn't include this defence!


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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #73 - 01/20/10 at 13:51:37	Post Tools	Print Post
	Keano wrote on 01/20/10 at 11:32:53: Is Shirovs 26.Bxh6 really unsound? Looks decent enough to me at first glance, any analysis posted on the web somewhere? For White to play for a win 26.Bxh6 (assessment either ?! or ? IMO) was the best practical chance, but objectively I think it's not a correct sacrifice. With best play by both sides, I'm pretty sure White should come out worse. I think the problem for White is bringing the knight into the attack (as happened in the game, but only due to faulty defense). White can bail into a 3P vs B ending, but here Black's bishop is better than White's 3 pawns. Shirov suggests a difficult ending that might hold drawing chances for White. The game's been annotated by Shirov at the Corus site and by Monokroussos at The Chess Mind blog.

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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Keano God Member Offline Money doesn't talk, it swears. Posts: 2928 Location: Toulouse Joined: 05/25/05 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #72 - 01/20/10 at 11:32:53	Post Tools	Print Post
	Is Shirovs 26.Bxh6 really unsound? Looks decent enough to me at first glance, any analysis posted on the web somewhere?


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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #71 - 01/20/10 at 03:21:35	Post Tools	Print Post
	van Kampen-Plukkel looks like a good game.

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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GabrielGale Senior Member Offline Who was Thursday? Posts: 471 Location: Sydney Joined: 02/28/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #70 - 01/20/10 at 02:47:38	Post Tools	Print Post
	I like Shirov as well and definitely his Bxh6 sac was highly suspect even to a novice like me. But I am cheering him on ...... However, I hope he does not self-destruct like he has done so in the past ... I read this in Aagaard's book, Excelling at Chess where Aagaard mentioned that Shirov at Wijk Aan See 2001 was ahead by a point but then lost several games and then self-destructed against Ivanchuk. The games in Corus B and C are quite instructive as well ... I finally got to see (staying on my theme!) Shirov's (in)famous Phillidor Gambit (g4) in action and White went on to win in Van Kampen-Sjoerd Plukkel game. Also Harakrishna's KIA was good to see in action at this level (2600-2700) (I know it is nothing special). As you can guess, my "guide" to the games are taken from Chessvibes who has a good summary of the games. BTW (and not intending to hijack the thread), I just wonder whether there has been any discussion of the Aagaard's description of GMs in his book, esp of Anand, Shirov, Movsesian et al. Wonder what Aagaard thinks now of Anand ...???

	http://www.toutautre.blogspot.com/ A Year With Nessie ...... aka GM John Shaw's The King's Gambit (http://thekinggambit.blogspot.com.au/)
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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #69 - 01/19/10 at 23:16:12	Post Tools	Print Post
	I liked Short's response when he was asked if he was satisfied with a draw against the World's # 1 player: "Satisfied? Why should I be satisfied with a draw against a kid? I'm a grandmaster with 25 years of experience." Of course, he was once a kid beating gms with 25 yrs experience.


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ANDREW BRETT God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 622 Joined: 07/07/06	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #68 - 01/19/10 at 22:37:11	Post Tools	Print Post
	Shirov was a lucky boy today - 33... rce8 was the way to go for Smeets. Short did well v magnus although his opening wasn't a success white's qd3 was a mistake but plaudits to Nigel for 2 draws v the top 2 in the world. Perhaps this will kick start his tourney...... Leko's draw was another Marshall success. Nakamura's Dutch was another line that showed that opening needs more respect


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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #67 - 01/19/10 at 18:49:58	Post Tools	Print Post
	Agreed, Smeets self-destructed. That's twice he fell apart in time pressure. Still, I'm really happy for Shirov despite his "Tal-like" sacrifice. (That is, ultimately unsound but furious attack that wins anyway.) I don't think +3 will win this tournament. For some reason, there seem to be about 4-5 players who will shed points to the winner this time. Could there be a larger gap than usual between the contenders and the field this year?


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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #66 - 01/19/10 at 18:32:15	Post Tools	Print Post
	Inspired play by Shirov, but I think he got very lucky. His 26.Bxh6 sac was unsound. Without the helpful blunder by Smeets (33...Rcd8??), Shirov would have been struggling—maybe even losing. At best he would've had the worse end of a difficult draw. I'm glad he won though. A 4-0 start! Wow! Nakamura and Carsen both drew and fall a 1/2 point further back. Since Nakamura played well against Anand (who complained in a recent Twitter message to friends and followers that he is “still struggling with poor form” according to the Corus sight), his performance is still in line with his boasting. Ivanchuk's win over Van Wely puts him in a 3-way tie for second with 3/4.

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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Keano God Member Offline Money doesn't talk, it swears. Posts: 2928 Location: Toulouse Joined: 05/25/05 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #65 - 01/19/10 at 18:09:03	Post Tools	Print Post
	Early days yet, a good start though. Short also drew with Black against Carlsen, not the performance of a man destined for last place!


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JEH God Member Offline "Football is like Chess, only without the dice." Posts: 1456 Location: Reading Joined: 09/22/05 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #64 - 01/19/10 at 18:05:27	Post Tools	Print Post
	Antillian wrote on 01/19/10 at 16:45:39: Amazing stuff from Shirov 4-0. Wow! Man, what is Shirov smoking out there Ah Yes, it's the other players, after rolling them up

	Those who want to go by my perverse footsteps play such pawn structure with fuzzy atypical still strategic orientations Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, stuck in the middlegame with you
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Seth_Xoma God Member Offline FM with 2 IM Norms - (2381) Posts: 558 Location: Lansing Joined: 11/05/04 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #63 - 01/19/10 at 16:46:13	Post Tools	Print Post
	Go Shirov, go!


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Antillian God Member Offline Brilliance without dazzle! Posts: 1757 Joined: 01/05/03 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #62 - 01/19/10 at 16:45:39	Post Tools	Print Post
	Amazing stuff from Shirov 4-0. Wow!

	"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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Keano God Member Offline Money doesn't talk, it swears. Posts: 2928 Location: Toulouse Joined: 05/25/05 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #61 - 01/19/10 at 11:11:28	Post Tools	Print Post
	I wouldnt call the likes of Smeets and Tiviakov the worlds elite. Short should finish ahead of those 2 and possibly also Van Wely and Caruana.


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Schaakhamster God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 650 Joined: 05/13/08	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #60 - 01/19/10 at 11:01:37	Post Tools	Print Post
	Keano wrote on 01/19/10 at 10:48:54: Not a chance Short will finish last, hes a battler. Don't know... he really went down without much of a fight in those 2 games. Seems he is in horrible shape (London wasn't that great either) and then you get to play the world's elite. Though! I think the lower half of the rating table is in for a hell of a tournament. Shirov on fire, Naka and Carlsen charging up the table and Ivanchuck showing signs of return to form. And I can't imagine that Anand and kramnik will not win some games.


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Keano God Member Offline Money doesn't talk, it swears. Posts: 2928 Location: Toulouse Joined: 05/25/05 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #59 - 01/19/10 at 10:48:54	Post Tools	Print Post
	Not a chance Short will finish last, hes a battler.


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ANDREW BRETT God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 622 Joined: 07/07/06	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #58 - 01/19/10 at 09:37:52	Post Tools	Print Post
	Sadly Nigel Short is not playing well ! He needs to do more prep to compete - he showed what he could do v anand. Why he avoided the Richer Rauser where he has a great score is beyond me ! Having seen the draw he has Black against the big boys and is in for a hard time. If we could do a poll for last, he would get my vote. I hope that he proves me wrong.


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Schaakhamster God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 650 Joined: 05/13/08	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #57 - 01/19/10 at 07:36:39	Post Tools	Print Post
	Smyslov_Fan wrote on 01/18/10 at 23:24:52: With a good result in this tournament, the US will have its first world class player since Kamsky, and its first non-Soviet emigre world class player since the 1970s. (Pace, Seirawan) Nakamura is indeed brash but if he finishes in the top three here after his excellent result in the the World Team championships, he will deserve the respect he craves. El Svid got Nakamura's number Honestly, decent showing of Nakamura so far. Should be interesting to see what he can do against Anand with black. Top 3 isn't really necesarry at this point I think. A decent result and some good games will put him on the A-list. The world teamchampionship just finished before Corus so he needs to pace himself.


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OstapBender

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Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll
Reply #56 - 01/19/10 at 01:42:56

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A pretty game from Group C today:
Vocaturo- Van Kampen
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.Bc4 e6 8.Qe2 b5 9.Bb3 Nc5 10.0–0–0 b4 11.Na4 Nxb3+ 12.axb3 Bd7 13.e5 dxe5 14.Qxe5 Rc8 15.Rhe1 Be7

16.Nf5! +–

and after 16...exf5 17.Nb6 Rc7 18.Nd5 Nxd5 19.Qxg7 Rf8 20.Rxd5 f6 21.Bxf6 Rf7 22.Qg8+ Rf8 23.Qg5 Black resigned.

"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno

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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #55 - 01/18/10 at 23:24:52	Post Tools	Print Post
	With a good result in this tournament, the US will have its first world class player since Kamsky, and its first non-Soviet emigre world class player since the 1970s. (Pace, Seirawan) Nakamura is indeed brash but if he finishes in the top three here after his excellent result in the the World Team championships, he will deserve the respect he craves.


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Antillian God Member Offline Brilliance without dazzle! Posts: 1757 Joined: 01/05/03 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #54 - 01/18/10 at 23:00:41	Post Tools	Print Post
	Alias wrote on 01/18/10 at 16:29:08: Two headlines to choose from 1) Fire on board. 2) Black is okay. Not exactly fire on board. Shirov has been nicely balanced so far.

	"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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DD-OK YaBB Newbies Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 37 Joined: 03/15/07	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #53 - 01/18/10 at 22:09:13	Post Tools	Print Post
	OstapBender wrote on 01/18/10 at 21:03:19: He faces Anand tomorrow and Carlsen on Thursday, so we'll know soon enough. True enough. As an American, I kind of want to root for him, but then he says something that seems incredibly arrogant based on actual results and I find my self hoping he goes down in flames. Oh well, Corus games have been pretty interesting so far.


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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #52 - 01/18/10 at 21:03:19	Post Tools	Print Post
	He faces Anand tomorrow and Carlsen on Thursday, so we'll know soon enough.

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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DD-OK YaBB Newbies Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 37 Joined: 03/15/07	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #51 - 01/18/10 at 20:26:27	Post Tools	Print Post
	From the Corus web site: "Hikaru Nakamura defeated Britain’s Nigel Short in 43 moves with black from a Sicilian Rauzer. 'This is my time to shine,” boasted the American after the well-deserved win. “If I continue to play like I did so far, I can beat anyone.'... " After beating two of the lower rated players, this seems like an unreasonable conclusion. The H-bomb may be about to fizzle in his own over confidence (again)?


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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #50 - 01/18/10 at 18:39:37	Post Tools	Print Post
	8.5-9/13 (+4 to +5) has been good enough to win most years. I'd love to Shirov win it, but it's still so early. If he's still +3 or better at the half way point, I might allow myself to start hoping.
	« Last Edit: 01/19/10 at 00:21:39 by OstapBender »
	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #49 - 01/18/10 at 17:35:39	Post Tools	Print Post
	1st place is already on +3. What do you think will be necessary to win?


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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #48 - 01/18/10 at 17:28:09	Post Tools	Print Post
	A good day for the Sicilian. Shirov is 3/3 and Nakamura is 2.5/3. Who'da thunk it? (partial answer: TalJechin; who chose Naka?)

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #47 - 01/18/10 at 17:24:06	Post Tools	Print Post
	Black was more than ok today, with 4 wins and 3 draws! Everyone wants to talk about Carlsen and Nakamura, but for me, the story so far is the resurgence of that Fire on Board guy! I predict that tomorrow (round 4), Black won't be ok.


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Alias God Member Offline Posts: 1512 Location: East of the river Svartån Joined: 11/19/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #46 - 01/18/10 at 16:29:08	Post Tools	Print Post
	Two headlines to choose from 1) Fire on board. 2) Black is okay.

	Don't check me with no lightweight stuff.
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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #45 - 01/18/10 at 14:31:29	Post Tools	Print Post
	ANDREW BRETT wrote on 01/18/10 at 09:42:57: ... Leko/Kramnik was not much from Vlad (presumably due to seconding duties they have to play other ideas) I hadn't heard this. After reading Bareev's comments on the world championship, I got the impression that Kramnik wasn't terribly impressed with Leko's approach (except in the opening, where Leko came up with a surprise in virtually every game). On another note, Anand-Short was really interesting. While Shirov-Caruana was marked by an endgame blunder (in a difficult position), Short deserves special credit for defending a miserable double-rook ending. I know, Short is everyone's favorite whipping boy (especially when Topalov, Cheparinov and Danailov aren't around). But he does sparkle from time to time.


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Girkassa Senior Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 433 Joined: 04/07/07	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #44 - 01/18/10 at 10:36:14	Post Tools	Print Post
	ANDREW BRETT wrote on 01/18/10 at 09:42:57: (...)he gave Shirov chances when none existed!! While Caruana's defence probably could be improved, I strongly disagree that there were no winning chances. Defending a slightly worse ending with rooks and opposite-coloured bishops is a nightmare, which I think Shirov showed instructively.


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ANDREW BRETT God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 622 Joined: 07/07/06	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #43 - 01/18/10 at 09:42:57	Post Tools	Print Post
	Thought naka's game was amazing v van wely and Short played very well against Anand. Leko/Kramnik was not much from Vlad (presumably due to seconding duties they have to play other ideas) Caruana needs to improve his endgame as he gave Shirov chances when none existed!!


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Alias God Member Offline Posts: 1512 Location: East of the river Svartån Joined: 11/19/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #42 - 01/18/10 at 08:08:00	Post Tools	Print Post
	TalJechin wrote on 01/14/10 at 16:27:33: I'm the one who gave Shirov a vote - just glad to see him back in a top event! : ) Looking good so far, TJ. ------------ I like the Corus tournament. It was very pleasant to visit for a weekend, and I always enjoy watching the live coverage on the web. Not only group A, but also the B and C group games can be very exciting. There has been quite many sicilians so far. Good for the audience. Nakamura's game was nice.

	Don't check me with no lightweight stuff.
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OstapBender

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Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll
Reply #41 - 01/17/10 at 16:55:15

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The Nakamura-Van Wely game was interesting. After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Nbd7 8.Qf3 Qc7 Nakamura played 9.Bxf6, quickly followed by g4-g5, which I haven't seen before in this line. Nakamura went on to win a nice victory. Although it may be a standard idea, I liked his knight sac on move 15:

In the other decisive game so far Carlsen beat Smeets in a sharp game featuring a Botvinnik semi-Slav.

"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno

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Antillian God Member Offline Brilliance without dazzle! Posts: 1757 Joined: 01/05/03 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #40 - 01/16/10 at 20:50:59	Post Tools	Print Post
	Van Wely's win over Short looked quite Karpovian.

	"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #39 - 01/16/10 at 20:43:12	Post Tools	Print Post
	Tiviakov only had 14 minutes for 13 moves when he agreed to a draw. In that situation, his acquiescence makes sense.


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Stigma God Member Offline There is a crack in everything. Posts: 3277 Joined: 11/07/06 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #38 - 01/16/10 at 19:05:32	Post Tools	Print Post
	A bit disappointed that "everybody" seems so happy to draw. In particular I would have thought Tiviakov could press on against Carlsen, and Dominguez-Kramnik was an interesting imbalance (White has the better minor piece) that I would like to have seen played out. The Sofia rules are definitely not being used. Probably just shows how little I understand of the game...

	Improvement begins at the edge of your comfort zone. -Jonathan Rowson
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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #37 - 01/16/10 at 16:57:10	Post Tools	Print Post
	I was surprised at how meekly Short played. He will really need to regroup if he doesn't want to bleed rating points here. van Wely's game seemed to develop very naturally without him having to do much work. (Of course, that's not true, but that's the impression the game gives.)


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Willempie God Member Offline I love ChessPublishing .com! Posts: 4312 Location: Holland Joined: 01/07/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #36 - 01/16/10 at 16:53:58	Post Tools	Print Post
	OstapBender wrote on 01/16/10 at 16:47:50: In the first round, Van Wely- Short (1-0) the only decisive game thus far. A QGD which to me seemed like a nice example of a successful minority attack. Yep very instructive. Short was left without anthing throughout the entire game.

	If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.
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OstapBender

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Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll
Reply #35 - 01/16/10 at 16:47:50

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In the first round, Van Wely- Short (1-0) the only decisive game thus far. A QGD which to me seemed like a nice example of a successful minority attack.

Leko-Shirov is still underway. It's an ending where Shirov is up the exchange (R, R, N + 3P vs. R, B, B + 3P). Current position below:

I imagine Leko will hold the draw here.

Update:
Shirov won his game against Leko. Way to go Shirov!

« Last Edit: 01/16/10 at 18:53:54 by OstapBender »

"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno

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Papageno Senior Member Offline FM Posts: 299 Location: Germany Joined: 06/12/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #34 - 01/16/10 at 16:38:39	Post Tools	Print Post
	trw wrote on 01/15/10 at 22:22:34: I think corus simply has the best designed chess site out there for tournament viewing. Do you specifically admire their use of red and green colour here? Well otherwise I really like their page. There is a lot of content and it's easy to navigate. Any ideas what software is used best behind to set up pages like this? Is any CMS (content management system) good enough and a good choice for that?


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battleangel Ex Member	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #33 - 01/16/10 at 10:06:49	Post Tools	Print Post
	I root for Karjakin


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mangler Full Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 174 Location: Orlando Joined: 10/30/06 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #32 - 01/16/10 at 00:43:54	Post Tools	Print Post
	I checked the pairings. I would have voted for Kramnik, but there is an odd number of rounds, and he gets an extra black. Seems like he is always getting an extra game with the black pieces. Also, Kramnik will have black vs the top 2 (Carlsen and Anand). I voted for Leko, as he must be due for a major win. I should point out I am always wrong when predicting these things. (sorry Peter, my predictions are more of a curse). Should be another great tournament. Let's hope all the players are in good form!


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trw YaBB Moderator Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 1414 Joined: 05/06/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #31 - 01/15/10 at 23:03:58	Post Tools	Print Post
	Schaakhamster wrote on 01/15/10 at 22:34:38: trw wrote on 01/15/10 at 22:22:34: PAIRINGS!! These don't seem to have reach the news feeds yet... Round 1 - Saturday the 16th S. Karjakin - V. Anand L. Dominguez - V. Kramnik P. Leko - A. Shirov F. Caruana - V. Ivanchuk S. Tiviakov - M. Carlsen J. Smeets - H. Nakamura L. van Wely - N. Short Full schedule up at the corus site: http://www.coruschess.com/schedule.php?year=2010&group=1 I think corus simply has the best designed chess site out there for tournament viewing. Honestly: the competition for that isn't that impressive. Most chess sites are ugly as hell... . true there is no competition in this respect but even still I love the corus website.


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Willempie God Member Offline I love ChessPublishing .com! Posts: 4312 Location: Holland Joined: 01/07/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #30 - 01/15/10 at 22:58:59	Post Tools	Print Post
	MNb wrote on 01/15/10 at 21:48:48: Regarding Korchnoi I have mixed feelings. He had a rough time around 1980, having left his wife and son in the URS, being boycotted by that same URS. This boycot was taken over by most big tournaments. Notable exceptions were Leeuwarden 1977, Linares 1979 and .... Hoogovens, the predecessor of Corus. Add the influence of a certain Petra Leeuwerik and Kortchnoi's paranoia becomes not justifiable but understandable. Also during the matches certain decisions were also food for paranoia (is it paranoia when your entourage gets banned). Plus I think Karpy and Korchnoi kissed and made up a few years back. Still it all pales in comparison with what one can see on a football pitch in just around one match PS I must object to the options. With 3 Dutchies (one imported) in it, one of them should win it. It is just not possible to always fail PSPS I predict a very nice game between Loek and Short, while Carlsen may be in for a surprise.

	If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.
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Schaakhamster God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 650 Joined: 05/13/08	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #29 - 01/15/10 at 22:34:38	Post Tools	Print Post
	trw wrote on 01/15/10 at 22:22:34: PAIRINGS!! These don't seem to have reach the news feeds yet... Round 1 - Saturday the 16th S. Karjakin - V. Anand L. Dominguez - V. Kramnik P. Leko - A. Shirov F. Caruana - V. Ivanchuk S. Tiviakov - M. Carlsen J. Smeets - H. Nakamura L. van Wely - N. Short Full schedule up at the corus site: http://www.coruschess.com/schedule.php?year=2010&group=1 I think corus simply has the best designed chess site out there for tournament viewing. Honestly: the competition for that isn't that impressive. Most chess sites are ugly as hell... .


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Schaakhamster God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 650 Joined: 05/13/08	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #28 - 01/15/10 at 22:31:53	Post Tools	Print Post
	trw wrote on 01/15/10 at 18:02:44: Kasparov is well known for his facial expressions. I read the entire website you plugged for Karpov-Korchnoi and there is not a single mention of a cheating incident. I think you use the word cheating against its very definition. It means to seek outside help ie either another grandmaster or computer during the game. So the false accusation of cheating would be to indicate your opponent did this when you have no evidence to support it. I consider false accusations detrimental to game, the image of the game and the players that being unfairly treated (in the aforementioned cases this is Kramnik and Kurnsov). Anyways sorry I diverted the topic more but even more sorry the person that brought up mamedjarov did so in the first place. I hope Carlsen, Kramnik, Anand, Nakamura, Shirov or Ivanchuk wins but honestly I expect its a battle between Kramnik & Carlsen with the rest as wild cards. It is nice to have so many good players to root for but mostly I just want to see good chess! Ey I would even have loved to see Topalov at Wijk. Or perhaps one of the emerging Russians. So don't feel sorry for me, I'm left without my false idols . To make amends I choose Kramnik. He has been absolutely impressive lately.


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trw YaBB Moderator Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 1414 Joined: 05/06/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #27 - 01/15/10 at 22:22:34	Post Tools	Print Post
	PAIRINGS!! These don't seem to have reach the news feeds yet... Round 1 - Saturday the 16th S. Karjakin - V. Anand L. Dominguez - V. Kramnik P. Leko - A. Shirov F. Caruana - V. Ivanchuk S. Tiviakov - M. Carlsen J. Smeets - H. Nakamura L. van Wely - N. Short Full schedule up at the corus site: http://www.coruschess.com/schedule.php?year=2010&group=1 I think corus simply has the best designed chess site out there for tournament viewing.


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MNb God Member Offline Rudolf Spielmann forever Posts: 10778 Location: Moengo Joined: 01/05/04 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #26 - 01/15/10 at 21:48:48	Post Tools	Print Post
	TalJechin wrote on 01/15/10 at 16:31:05: Smyslov_Fan wrote on 01/15/10 at 14:37:31: Kasparov doesn't really belong in the same company as the previous two. Yes, he let his hand go of a piece against Polgar, and yes, he complained mightily about Deep Blue. His role in the break up of FIDE is more problematic, but not really unethical. I find his chess behavior much more acceptable than the other two. Kaspy is absolutely no better than the rest, if anything, then worse. Just because we tend to forget with time doesn't make him innocent. Some other things I remember about his behaviour are: 1) going up to his hotelroom unsupervised during a round while stil playing, during Wijk or Corus. 2) watching behind the back of other competitors and giggling when he though they played inexactly. 3) in Seville vs Karpov, I've read reports that he put up a kind of pantomime show of exaggerated facial expressions when Karpov blundered. I completely agree and would like to add the way he broke his word given to Shirov. That's not something I am going to forgive until he compensates the latter financially (remember? Shirov won, got no price money and no match). I already found Kasparov's behaviour towards Karpov in the 80's bordering to disgusting, especially after the infamous Campomanes intervention. On the Seville incident - I have seen photo's and a video of Kasparov's facial expressions. In my opinion it was close to an attempt to distract the opponent. Kasparov might have been lucky that there was not much left to be distracted from. Regarding Korchnoi I have mixed feelings. He had a rough time around 1980, having left his wife and son in the URS, being boycotted by that same URS. This boycot was taken over by most big tournaments. Notable exceptions were Leeuwarden 1977, Linares 1979 and .... Hoogovens, the predecessor of Corus. Add the influence of a certain Petra Leeuwerik and Kortchnoi's paranoia becomes not justifiable but understandable.

	The book had the effect good books usually have: it made the stupids more stupid, the intelligent more intelligent and the other thousands of readers remained unchanged. GC Lichtenberg
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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #25 - 01/15/10 at 18:26:43	Post Tools	Print Post
	Well, since the tournament hasn't started yet, I see nothing wrong with general comments in this thread. Once the tnmt has started, I may splice off-topic comments.


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trw YaBB Moderator Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 1414 Joined: 05/06/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #24 - 01/15/10 at 18:02:44	Post Tools	Print Post
	Kasparov is well known for his facial expressions. I read the entire website you plugged for Karpov-Korchnoi and there is not a single mention of a cheating incident. I think you use the word cheating against its very definition. It means to seek outside help ie either another grandmaster or computer during the game. So the false accusation of cheating would be to indicate your opponent did this when you have no evidence to support it. I consider false accusations detrimental to game, the image of the game and the players that being unfairly treated (in the aforementioned cases this is Kramnik and Kurnsov). Anyways sorry I diverted the topic more but even more sorry the person that brought up mamedjarov did so in the first place. I hope Carlsen, Kramnik, Anand, Nakamura, Shirov or Ivanchuk wins but honestly I expect its a battle between Kramnik & Carlsen with the rest as wild cards. It is nice to have so many good players to root for but mostly I just want to see good chess!
	« Last Edit: 01/15/10 at 19:51:17 by trw »

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Seth_Xoma God Member Offline FM with 2 IM Norms - (2381) Posts: 558 Location: Lansing Joined: 11/05/04 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #23 - 01/15/10 at 16:51:41	Post Tools	Print Post
	Carlsen Anand Kramnik Ivanchuk Leko Shirov Karjakin Dominguez Nakamura Other Hmm, it was difficult to choose one. Carlsen? Been on a tear lately, bound to slow down. Anand? Might be planning another Bilbao. Kramnik? Maybe, but tends not to win these 14 player RRs when +4 or +5 may be needed to win. Ivanchuk? Could win it all or finish in last. Leko? Been very unimpressive of late. Shirov? See "Ivanchuk" above. Karjakin? I could believe it, but he won last year and two years in a row would seem improbable. Dominguez? Not with such an elite crowd, though didn't he get close last year? Nakamura? Somehow I think the World Team will have taken too much out of him. A Dutch player? History would suggest otherwise! So with everything being equal, I voted for Carlsen!


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TalJechin God Member Offline There is no secret ingredient. Posts: 2892 Location: Malmö Joined: 08/12/04 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #22 - 01/15/10 at 16:31:05	Post Tools	Print Post
	Smyslov_Fan wrote on 01/15/10 at 14:37:31: Kasparov doesn't really belong in the same company as the previous two. Yes, he let his hand go of a piece against Polgar, and yes, he complained mightily about Deep Blue. His role in the break up of FIDE is more problematic, but not really unethical. I find his chess behavior much more acceptable than the other two. Kaspy is absolutely no better than the rest, if anything, then worse. Just because we tend to forget with time doesn't make him innocent. Some other things I remember about his behaviour are: 1) going up to his hotelroom unsupervised during a round while stil playing, during Wijk or Corus. 2) watching behind the back of other competitors and giggling when he though they played inexactly. 3) in Seville vs Karpov, I've read reports that he put up a kind of pantomime show of exaggerated facial expressions when Karpov blundered.


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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #21 - 01/15/10 at 14:37:31	Post Tools	Print Post
	Topalov's chess can be absolutely beautiful and I emulate some of his opening ideas. But he seems like a human weasil and not just because of toiletgate. Topalov was suspected of using computers himself at San Luis because he suddenly played at another level (and other reasons). In that context, his accusations at the Elista World Championships appear more, not less cynical. Korchnoi is another unsavory character. His fighting spirit and independence should have made him the darling of the western world. But his derision of every opponent was old in the 1980s. The Karpov-Korchnoi antics were so ridiculous that when they were portrayed in a movie (*Dangerous Moves*), they seemed surreal and a weak point of the plot! When Korchnoi played in the Melody Amber tournament, he kept making false moves in the Blindfold games. Witnesses said it was to make sure he knew where his opponents' pieces were. Kasparov doesn't really belong in the same company as the previous two. Yes, he let his hand go of a piece against Polgar, and yes, he complained mightily about Deep Blue. His role in the break up of FIDE is more problematic, but not really unethical. I find his chess behavior much more acceptable than the other two.


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Schaakhamster God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 650 Joined: 05/13/08	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #20 - 01/15/10 at 12:45:35	Post Tools	Print Post
	Most people let the way they react to certain transgressions depends on how they feel toward the person that is making them. Toiletgate was absolutely disgracefull and still I'm sympathetic towards Topalov.


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TalJechin God Member Offline There is no secret ingredient. Posts: 2892 Location: Malmö Joined: 08/12/04 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #19 - 01/15/10 at 11:21:42	Post Tools	Print Post
	chk wrote on 01/15/10 at 09:59:15: Well, Kasparov still mentions this incident as though he believes he was cheated in his book "How life imitates chess".. In that case, what goes around comes around! http://www.controltheweb.com/polgar/


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chk God Member Offline a pawn is a pawn Posts: 1063 Location: Athens Joined: 10/26/06 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #18 - 01/15/10 at 09:59:15	Post Tools	Print Post
	trw wrote on 01/15/10 at 07:03:15: I am unaware of Korchnoi karpov incident before my time and apparently not widely talked about. Either way plenty of other reasons to not respect Korchnoi. Of course the Kasparov incident was not "cheating" and has been blown out of proportions not to mention Kasparov has apologized for it on numerous occasions unlike Topalov and Mamedajarov. If they apologized then I would forget about their incidents too. Well, Kasparov still mentions this incident as though he believes he was cheated in his book "How life imitates chess"..

	"I play honestly and I play to win. If I lose, I take my medicine." - Bobby
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Schaakhamster God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 650 Joined: 05/13/08	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #17 - 01/15/10 at 09:27:33	Post Tools	Print Post
	I do honestly believe Mamedyarov believed at that moment his opponent cheated. I don't think he was right but I don't think that, like Topalov, tried to get at his opponent. Perhaps I'm not that ethical but in other "sports" I see far worse behavior then Mamedyarov (and even Topalov). For me it about the games not the players.


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TalJechin God Member Offline There is no secret ingredient. Posts: 2892 Location: Malmö Joined: 08/12/04 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #16 - 01/15/10 at 09:07:07	Post Tools	Print Post
	The candidate match between Kortchnoi and Spassky in 74 is another funny match, where Boris showed what he learned from Fischer two years earlier.


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Schaakhamster God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 650 Joined: 05/13/08	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #15 - 01/15/10 at 08:59:13	Post Tools	Print Post
	it's all in the yogurt http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/78kk$$01.htm More widely (and funny) you won't find in chess trw wrote on 01/15/10 at 07:03:15: I am unaware of Korchnoi karpov incident before my time and apparently not widely talked about. Either way plenty of other reasons to not respect Korchnoi. Of course the Kasparov incident was not "cheating" and has been blown out of proportions not to mention Kasparov has apologized for it on numerous occasions unlike Topalov and Mamedajarov. If they apologized then I would forget about their incidents too.


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trw YaBB Moderator Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 1414 Joined: 05/06/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #14 - 01/15/10 at 07:03:15	Post Tools	Print Post
	I am unaware of Korchnoi karpov incident before my time and apparently not widely talked about. Either way plenty of other reasons to not respect Korchnoi. Of course the Kasparov incident was not "cheating" and has been blown out of proportions not to mention Kasparov has apologized for it on numerous occasions unlike Topalov and Mamedajarov. If they apologized then I would forget about their incidents too.


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Schaakhamster God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 650 Joined: 05/13/08	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #13 - 01/15/10 at 06:16:54	Post Tools	Print Post
	trw wrote on 01/15/10 at 06:09:11: OstapBender wrote on 01/15/10 at 00:21:05: trw wrote on 01/14/10 at 23:56:46: Schaakhamster wrote on 01/14/10 at 18:49:56: I would have loved to see Mamedyarov at Wijk. Alas. I hope we never see that scum anywhere. Because of the Aeroflot incident last year, or is this a more generalized dislike? of course its that incident. I can never respect him for the same reason I can never respect topalov. Bringing up cheating accusations when you have no evidence is disgusting low to resort to just cause you get your butt handed to you. So you can neither respect Korchnoi (vs Karpov) or Kasparov (vs Deep blue)?


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trw YaBB Moderator Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 1414 Joined: 05/06/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #12 - 01/15/10 at 06:09:11	Post Tools	Print Post
	OstapBender wrote on 01/15/10 at 00:21:05: trw wrote on 01/14/10 at 23:56:46: Schaakhamster wrote on 01/14/10 at 18:49:56: I would have loved to see Mamedyarov at Wijk. Alas. I hope we never see that scum anywhere. Because of the Aeroflot incident last year, or is this a more generalized dislike? of course its that incident. I can never respect him for the same reason I can never respect topalov. Bringing up cheating accusations when you have no evidence is disgusting low to resort to just cause you get your butt handed to you.


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Schaakhamster God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 650 Joined: 05/13/08	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #11 - 01/15/10 at 05:42:31	Post Tools	Print Post
	OstapBender wrote on 01/15/10 at 00:21:05: trw wrote on 01/14/10 at 23:56:46: Schaakhamster wrote on 01/14/10 at 18:49:56: I would have loved to see Mamedyarov at Wijk. Alas. I hope we never see that scum anywhere. Because of the Aeroflot incident last year, or is this a more generalized dislike? It wasn't Mamedyarov best episode of his chess career but as far as chess shenanigans go not that a big of deal me thinks. Somehow I'm glad Korchnoi wasn't at his prime in this computer era . Honestly, the guy is just playing strong chess lately. And unless someone can point me towards other mischief I'm a fan.


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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #10 - 01/15/10 at 00:21:05	Post Tools	Print Post
	trw wrote on 01/14/10 at 23:56:46: Schaakhamster wrote on 01/14/10 at 18:49:56: I would have loved to see Mamedyarov at Wijk. Alas. I hope we never see that scum anywhere. Because of the Aeroflot incident last year, or is this a more generalized dislike?

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #9 - 01/15/10 at 00:18:32	Post Tools	Print Post
	Smyslov_Fan wrote on 01/14/10 at 23:23:24: I'm a bit surprised at how far below the radar Karjakin seems to be flying. I haven't seen his recent games, but he still is dangerous, isn't he? Your right, Karjakin seemed to have all but disappeared in the second half of 2009. But he won this tournament last year, so I'd put him in the "still dangerous" category.

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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trw YaBB Moderator Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 1414 Joined: 05/06/08 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #8 - 01/14/10 at 23:56:46	Post Tools	Print Post
	Schaakhamster wrote on 01/14/10 at 18:49:56: I would have loved to see Mamedyarov at Wijk. Alas. I hope we never see that scum anywhere.


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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #7 - 01/14/10 at 23:23:24	Post Tools	Print Post
	I'm a bit surprised at how far below the radar Karjakin seems to be flying. I haven't seen his recent games, but he still is dangerous, isn't he?


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Schaakhamster God Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 650 Joined: 05/13/08	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #6 - 01/14/10 at 18:49:56	Post Tools	Print Post
	I would have loved to see Mamedyarov at Wijk. Alas.


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Holbox Senior Member Offline Saigón Café Posts: 369 Joined: 02/08/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #5 - 01/14/10 at 17:48:37	Post Tools	Print Post
	Ivanchuk has to come back, no better place to do it.

	"Ladran, luego cabalgamos", NN
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gewgaw God Member Offline I love ChessPublishing.com! Posts: 687 Location: europe Joined: 09/09/04	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #4 - 01/14/10 at 17:26:51	Post Tools	Print Post
	In this tournament preparation is the keyword, so I expect nakamura hasn`t any, but Ilike his style in the last time. I voted for carlsen, I expect a +6 or +7 victory.

	The older, the better - over 2200 and still rising.
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TalJechin God Member Offline There is no secret ingredient. Posts: 2892 Location: Malmö Joined: 08/12/04 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #3 - 01/14/10 at 16:27:33	Post Tools	Print Post
	I'm the one who gave Shirov a vote - just glad to see him back in a top event! : )


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Smyslov_Fan God Member Correspondence fan Offline Progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~GBS Posts: 6902 Joined: 06/15/05	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #2 - 01/14/10 at 16:13:09	Post Tools	Print Post
	Nakamura is coming off his best result ever. He's going to be the one to watch to see whether he can come close to matching that success. I'm picking Anand even though he's probably using this as a tune-up for the WC. Of course Carlsen is a favorite, but there are about 4 players who could realistically win this one. It should be fun to watch!


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Antillian God Member Offline Brilliance without dazzle! Posts: 1757 Joined: 01/05/03 Gender:	Re: 2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll Reply #1 - 01/14/10 at 15:19:50	Post Tools	Print Post
	Carlsen is the obvious choice. But, by golly, he must falter at some time. So I am going to go with Kramnik 2.0

	"Breakthrough results come about by a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another." Jim Collins --- Good to Great
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OstapBender God Member Offline There is no spoon. Posts: 1491 Location: not in Kansas anymore Joined: 10/16/04	2010 Wijk aan Zee, Group A Poll 01/14/10 at 14:58:49	Post Tools	Print Post
	Starting on Saturday! I'm glad to see Nakamura in this and, after his great showing at Bursa, I was tempted to pick him. Instead I made the (now) conservative choice of Carlsen.

	"If God had wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates." -Jay Leno
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* This poll has now closed *
Carlsen 22 (44.9%) Anand 4 (8.2%) Kramnik 9 (18.4%) Ivanchuk 4 (8.2%) Leko 1 (2.0%) Shirov 1 (2.0%) Karjakin 2 (4.1%) Dominguez 0 (0.0%) Nakamura 5 (10.2%) Other 1 (2.0%) Total votes: 49 « Last Modified by: OstapBender on: 01/19/10 at 20:02:31 »