Chess thread

[Rexas]

Would like to inform the thread that me and adrian played a few games today via skype and chess.com. We won one, lost two, the last from a seemingly winning position. We have concluded that we are the worst. Also, knight pins suck. We improved as it went on, just didn't notice a few very important variations :p









Also, the one we won was because the other guy disconnected.

[MintTrav]

There is something wrong with the way qualification for the Candidates Tournament works imo. Mamedyarov, Andreikin and maybe even Karjakin may be incredible players compared to the rest of the world, but they are no-hopers in this field. Last year Ivanchuk, Grischuk and Gelfand were the same and, sadly, Radjabov. I would have said the same about Svidler, but he over-performed last time. And Anand won't win, which leaves a three-horse race between Aronian, Kramnik and Topolov.

Yet, genuine contenders Nakamura and Caruana miss the tournament again.

I know it's partly based on qualification through specific events, but the some of the wrong players are ending up with the opportunity imo.

[Tal]

There is something wrong with the way qualification for the Candidates Tournament works imo. Mamedyarov, Andreikin and maybe even Karjakin may be incredible players compared to the rest of the world, but they are no-hopers in this field. Last year Ivanchuk, Grischuk and Gelfand were the same and, sadly, Radjabov. I would have said the same about Svidler, but he over-performed last time. And Anand won't win, which leaves a three-horse race between Aronian, Kramnik and Topolov.

Yet, genuine contenders Nakamura and Caruana miss the tournament again.

I know it's partly based on qualification through specific events, but the some of the wrong players are ending up with the opportunity imo.

To use a tikayism, I'm a little pushed for time today, but I think you're saying what a lot of people are saying. I would challenge you on Karjakin, who basically blows hot and cold, but did win an event ahead of Carlsen just a few months ago.

Andreikin has a good record against Kramnik, believe it or not. He won't be a pushover, even if he does finish bottom.

I think the winner will be decided by who avoids the most upsets. Aronian is known for being a little twitchy at the end of tournaments, although he ran away with Wijk aan Zee. Kramnik fell at the last in last year's Candidates and has a couple of players he doesn't fare all that well against in the field. Topalov will be an unknown quantity, as he doesn't get to play many major SuperGM events (the "toiletgate" affair means he doesn't play in comps where Kramnik is and I imagine that it is a factor for some sponsors).

Nakamura certainly thinks he should be invited. Caruana too, I'm sure. Svidler was the sponsors' choice. Funny, that, being in Russia.

[Tal]

So who do those in the know think will win?

http://en.chessbase.com/post/who-will-win-the-2014-candidates-part-1-2

[MintTrav]

Yes, I accept what you say on Karjakin. He definitely deserves his place. Hard to see him besting K/A, but we could say that about anyone. I'm surprised that Topolov is so disregarded by the top players.

[Tal]

Yes, I accept what you say on Karjakin. He definitely deserves his place. Hard to see him besting K/A, but we could say that about anyone. I'm surprised that Topolov is so disregarded by the top players.

Not universally popular.

[Honeybadger]

Just want to remind all chess lovers about the Candidates pool on www.stakesandladders.com. Pool closes 9am Thursday. Please support our first ever chess pool. Here are some screenshots showing the questions:

[Tal]

Yes, get involved, guys and girls. Should be a bit of fun for the next couple of weeks.

[Tal]

Opening ceremony:

http://en.chessbase.com/post/all-systems-go-for-the-2014-candidates-tournament

Tomorrow, we get down to business.

Starts 9am our time. Get some rest!

[Honeybadger]

Just played a blitz game on FICS that had a finish I was pretty pleased with. Black has just played 34...Kc5. Slightly annoying because when my King moves away Black gets his King to b4 and makes it a little more laborious to turn my extra pawn into a win.

That said, I have plenty of mundane ways to win, including using the triangulation maneuver of 35 Kd3 Kb4 36 Kc2. But I spotted a really clear denouement involving forcing moves that required me to calculate 10 moves in advance to make sure it worked. Tbh the calculations are easy after the fact, but remember this is a blitz game and I had about 60 seconds left on my clock. So I could only afford to spend about 30 seconds of that time checking that it worked as I hoped. If I had made an error in visualisation then my opponent would escape with a draw. In order to play my 35th move with confidence I had to visualise the position in 10 moves time, and especially the position of the two opposing Kings. Like I said, easy after the game - not so easy under time constraints...

Can you spot what I played as White?

[Tal]

A nice practical one, that.



As for the safe alternative, the triangulation trick is hugely important in king and pawn endgames.

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/more-puzzles/explanation-of-triangulation

[McGlashan]

Nice example. What's the easiest way of posting a position (when you don't have any image hosting accounts)?

[McGlashan]

Not that they would ever admit it but some people might be afraid of losing to Tal in the candidates pool thingy.

[Tal]

Not that they would ever admit it but some people might be afraid of losing to Tal in the candidates pool thingy.

I have as much chance as I do in any other pool. Genuinely.

[MintTrav]

So the commentary totty is being provided by Irina Krush.

I'm sure she knows chess and all that, but Susan Polgar she ain't.