Chess thread

[McGlashan]

Puzzle three, be more imaginative. We want to biff a world champion, here!

Thanks, I got there in the end.

[Tal]

My first though was Rxg2+ and a discovered check to follow, but the move Vallejo-Pons played instead makes you drop your digestive in your tea. 

[Honeybadger]

Magnus Carlsen is currently doing the commentary/analysis on chess24 after making a very quick draw vs Ivanchuk. I am super impressed, absolute top quality commentary from him. He is coming across really well too - like a really genuine, open and funny guy. I am actually starting to like him!

[Longines]

Grimmers everywhere.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/11364939/Chess-players-7-year-legal-battle-isnt-black-and-white.html

[Tal]

Grimmers everywhere.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/11364939/Chess-players-7-year-legal-battle-isnt-black-and-white.html

They're both basically the same strength over the board. Surely there's an easy way to decide this dispute?

[Tal]

Magnus Carlsen is currently doing the commentary/analysis on chess24 after making a very quick draw vs Ivanchuk. I am super impressed, absolute top quality commentary from him. He is coming across really well too - like a really genuine, open and funny guy. I am actually starting to like him!

Sorry, HB, for the delay in responding.

I've not had the chance to follow any of the games live; just checking Chessbase for reports in the morning. A phenomenal turnaround by Carlsen, having played poorly to get 1 out of 3, he then won SIX games in a row to lead the comp by a clear point. Chucky was happy to take a half at the earliest opportunity in round ten!

[Tal]

Carlsen drew his remaining games and it was enough for him to win the biggest annual tournament in chess by half a point:

Click to see full-size image.

Baadur Jobava's swashbuckling style failed in spectacular fashion, somehow masking Aronian's rotten performance in the tournament.

[curnow]

Carlsen plays Englands no.1 Micky Adams tomorrow at GRENKE Chess Classic 2015

https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tournaments/grenkechessclassic2015

live Aronian vs Carlsen today https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tournaments/grenkechessclassic2015/1/1/3 with live commentary

[TightEnd]

Are chess players getting better? Leonard Barden says probably, yes.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[Tal]

There's certainly a logical argument that players are getting stronger and that is due to the increase in assumed knowledge of the game.

Carlsen is the strongest player the world has seen. It's that simple, in my eyes. He would wipe the floor with Alekhine or Tal or Morphy over a long match.

It's no different to the football conversation. Messi is better than Puskas. He's fitter, stronger, better technically. Doesn't mean he's more talented, but knowledge of the game now is far superior to the black and white era. I've no idea how Alekhine would have coped with computers, although I suspect he would have preferred not to have had to escape from the Russian Revolution.

Someone will come along in the next generation and eclipse it, I'm sure. 2900 will go and then all eyes turn to 3000.

[Tal]

Some fantastic photos here of film stars playing chess:

http://en.chessbase.com/post/movie-stars-playing-chess

[The Camel]

I was pruning down my followers on Twitter the other night and somewhat to my surprise I discovered I am being followed by a GM.

Care to guess which one?

[Tal]

I was pruning down my followers on Twitter the other night and somewhat to my surprise I discovered I am being followed by a GM.

Care to guess which one?

It's possible it's my namesake (something like @GingerGM)

[The Camel]

I was pruning down my followers on Twitter the other night and somewhat to my surprise I discovered I am being followed by a GM.

Care to guess which one?

It's possible it's my namesake (something like @GingerGM)

Nope, it's Michael Adams.

Also follows Sam Grafton, Barny Boatman and Jeff Kimber + a few others.

Sly poker player on the quiet obviously!

[Tal]

I was pruning down my followers on Twitter the other night and somewhat to my surprise I discovered I am being followed by a GM.

Care to guess which one?

It's possible it's my namesake (something like @GingerGM)

Nope, it's Michael Adams.

Also follows Sam Grafton, Barny Boatman and Jeff Kimber + a few others.

Sly poker player on the quiet obviously!

Oooh and a spurs fan!



Mickey played the chess/poker event in the Isle of Man recently. Wonder if he is a lurker on blonde?!