Chess

[DarthFed]

Well Shak didn't play Qxc4 and also Karjakin didn't play Kxh3 and I don't see the immediate follow up aside from taking Rxf3. I'm missing a lot of stuff this tournament...

Edit: now see Kxh3 and then g4 would be curtains.

 

[DarthFed]

G4 from Karjakin, Ding could be up two pawns and it'd be a dead draw if queens and rooks come off the board. Fascinating game though.

 

[Federberg]

I played over a couple games from past two rounds:

Ding- Kramnik - despite the fireworks neither side had a big edge, just seemed pretty well played according to the engines.

Karjakin - Caruana - I was WAY wrong on this one. Even before Bxf7 the comps were giving Karjakin a decisive edge despite even material (down an exchange and up two pawns).

Sergei played a masterpiece against Fabi

 

[Federberg]

Ding's position looking pretty good again, g5 is looking better and better. What do the engines say?

Only just got back to my desk. So just catching up

 

[DarthFed]

And so it is. Ding up two pawns and they will be signing a peace treaty soon. Man that guy played good chess but only +1, too bad.

 

[Federberg]

he sure did. I'm a fan of his. This is one of those positions where engines are just plain wrong. This is a draw plain and simple

 

[DarthFed]

And also h3 is a dead pawn so really up 1. Hell its ironically black that could falter but it'd take an epic blunder or two

 

[DarthFed]

Vlad gets his pawn back. I wonder if he's looking at Nxf7 if Qxb2

 

[DarthFed]

Bf4, If he can get to Be6 black is looking more and more stable and might win this. Can't play it yet though

 

[DarthFed]

But he does play it. Man that gives up a lot of counterplay after Rb1 I think.

 

[Federberg]

I'm so impressed with Ding. I think it's looking almost certain that Fabi will be the challenger now.

 

[DarthFed]

Looks like draws for both Mamed and Karjakin. And Caruana looks better here, looks like a pretty sure thing.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Good on Fabi. Everyone is an underdog vs Magnus but he's one of the more interesting challengers.

 

[DarthFed]

I know Fabi has a winning position here but I'd still take the draw. Crazy things happen at the end of a long game. One of the tournaments I played in I had this situation where a draw guaranteed me outright first and $5,000 and I gladly took a draw in a much better position. A draw was a W then and obviously there's way more on the line here than 5 grand.

 

[Federberg]

It's certainly the smart play. He probably has a lot running through his mind right now

 

[DarthFed]

Well it's completely over, I guess he's ending the tournament in style. Well deserved

 

[Federberg]

Very impressive. It begs the question. Was he ropa-doping us earlier on in the year?

 

[DarthFed]

It's possible, not the worst idea to hide prep or just half-ass it at the less important tournaments. But it also must be said that everyone aside from Carlsen have been inconsistent for awhile now. The #2 rank has become a game of musical chairs.

 

[brokenshoelace]

It's possible, not the worst idea to hide prep or just half-ass it at the less important tournaments. But it also must be said that everyone aside from Carlsen have been inconsistent for awhile now. The #2 rank has become a game of musical chairs.

I'd say even Carlsen has been somewhat inconsistent (at least by his standards) in classical chess over the past 18 months or so. MVL was doing a lot of winning for a while, then So, then Aronian... so yeah, it's been a bit of a mess (in a good way).

 

[DarthFed]

I'd say even Carlsen has been somewhat inconsistent (at least by his standards) in classical chess over the past 18 months or so. MVL was doing a lot of winning for a while, then So, then Aronian... so yeah, it's been a bit of a mess (in a good way).

Yeah that's true. But with the #2 I was being generous in saying they've been inconsistent. For awhile it's been Player X gets to #2 and then they are horrible for at least a few tournaments. It seems like it's been that way for a few years now. Mamed has done pretty well so far though but now that I say that he's going to go all Aronian or So the next few tourneys.