Chess

[Mastoor]

Why they played zuger to define the champion? That seems poor practice to me. They should have played normal games instead until first win to decide the winner. This way Carlsen became the World Champion without beating Karjakin while they played normal chess format, yet he got crowned chess and not only rapid champion. It's absurd, isn't it?

 

[Federberg]

Why they played zuger to define the champion? That seems poor practice to me. They should have played normal games instead until first win to decide the winner. This way Carlsen became the World Champion without beating Karjakin while they played normal chess format, yet he got crowned chess and not only rapid champion. It's absurd, isn't it?

A lot of people aren't fans of the format, but this is the 3rd time a World Championship has been resolved this way. Anand did it against Topalov I believe, and Kramnik did it against Leko. Read the chessbase link I posted earlier in the thread. Yasser Seirawan's solution seems to make the most sense to me

 

[Mastoor]

A lot of people aren't fans of the format, but this is the 3rd time a World Championship has been resolved this way. Anand did it against Topalov I believe, and Kramnik did it against Leko. Read the chessbase link I posted earlier in the thread. Yasser Seirawan's solution seems to make the most sense to me

I didn't follow chess since Karpov Kasparov, so i was surprise to see the use of rapid games to define the winner. Thanks for the link, I will try to read everything about this and to look at games also when I find some time.

 

[DarthFed]

It's definitely not perfect but you used to have a situation where if the match was tied at the end the champion would retain the title which I think is ridiculous. This is better than that but Sierawan's idea is pretty solid.

Playing more classical games until the tie is broken isn't a great solution either. As an example, say they played on in this match and Karjakin wins game 13 as white, you can't end the match there because it'd be unfair that Karjakin has 7 whites to Carlsen's 6. So you would then have to at least give Carlsen the chance to tie the match again as white in game 14, however you now have a situation where a draw is the same as a win for Karjakin and Carlsen's task of winning game 14 becomes a ton harder than Karjakin has it in game 13. So there really isn't a perfect solution IMO.

 

[DarthFed]

Really dynamic game between Topalov and Nakamura at the London Classic today. It does look like Naka has good winning opportunities but games like this remind me how enjoyable Topalov's style can be. The guy has the notable flaw (can't defend positions at all compared to others at or above his level) but he can be fun to watch. I just don't like him due to the childish antics before and during the WC match with Kramnik.

 

[DarthFed]

MVL is not in good form at this tournament. His position with white vs. Caruana was bad before move 20.

 

[DarthFed]

He ended up holding the draw after a bad move (Rd2) from Caruana. Topalov in another wild game today against Adams, and like yesterday he stands worse...

 

[Federberg]

Patchy wifi, but from what I see So has really grown strong. Question is will it last? That was Mvl last year..

 

[DarthFed]

Yep, he just past the 2800 rating mark. His game has kind of grown on me. He is what I call a "direct" player, he isn't going for the subtle and deeply calculated attacks, yet clearly he is quite strong. I see him on chess.com a bit, unfortunately I'm not quite high enough to get some games with him

 

[DarthFed]

All the games today are quite entertaining. Topalov is a true disaster this tournament, he is dead lost vs. So. Caruana-Naka is really interesting. Caruana sacrificed his queen for a bishop + Knight + pawn and a lot of activity.

 

[Federberg]

https://www.chess.com/article/view/who-was-the-best-world-chess-champion-in-history

 

[DarthFed]

Interesting analysis and results. Can't say I agree with most of it but it just goes to show how subjective ratings and relative dominance is in chess. I will say that some things are really silly like having Euwe above Lasker and Alekhine. Not in relative greatness or even level of play is that close to being the case. I'd also say the same for Kramnik over Kasparov. Kramnik had an amazing stretch of play culminating in his hugely impressive win over Kasparov in the 2000 match but you can't ignore the difference aside from that.

 

[Federberg]

Yes I do agree. I think style really does matter. A more positional player is likely to pick moves which are judged more accurate by a computer, but the likes of Kasparov and Tal are more likely to identify moves which will cause problems for their specific opponents. Does that mean that Kasparov and Tal couldn't have picked more accurate moves? No of course not. They're trying to win the game in their own unique way. Funnily enough, while Magnus is clearly a more positional player he also tends to pick moves that he knows are not necessarily the best, but the most likely to unbalance his opponent. Still it's a worthwhile effort, ratings are clearly a flawed methodology as inter-temporal comparisons are impossible

 

[Federberg]

Wow! Nepomniatchi has a +3 classical record against Magnus. Granted 2 of the wins were in 2002 and 2004, but he won in 2011 against him at Wijk aan Zee as well. Magnus has never beaten him

 

[DarthFed]

^ Interesting, I had no idea that was the case. As you said the first couple you can basically throw out but that's still awesome for Ian nonetheless. He is a very entertaining player and he's made a bit of a breakthrough over the last year. It'd be nice if he remains in the mix at these bigger events.

 

[Federberg]

^Agreed. I can remember the snarky comment Giri made during the Candidates. Nepo had asked him a question, and he'd replied to the effect that at least he was in the tournament which was totally uncalled for. I don't think that Nepo is that much weaker (if at all) than him. Giri, has been lucky to get invited to all these strong tournaments and his ratings have benefited accordingly. I was hugely pleased for him last year when he won the super tournament, something Giri for all his arrogance is yet to do

 

[DarthFed]

Interesting games so far today aside from quick draw in Nepo-Carlsen game. Karjakin has gone pure kamikaze today, not seeing much compensation for two pawns as white vs. a 2650. Wei Yi and Giri is interesting too. Yi has more compensation than Karjakin but not seeing a huge initiative for being down a pawn.

 

[Federberg]

Interesting games so far today aside from quick draw in Nepo-Carlsen game. Karjakin has gone pure kamikaze today, not seeing much compensation for two pawns as white vs. a 2650. Wei Yi and Giri is interesting too. Yi has more compensation than Karjakin but not seeing a huge initiative for being down a pawn.

I actually thought Giri's position was stronger before. Somehow he's frittering away his edge

 

[Federberg]

Nice draw from Wei Yi!

Anish....

 

[DarthFed]

Right on cue. Giri is soon going to go the route of Peter Leko and not get invited to these major tournaments. It's too much of a bore.