2014 Candidate's Tournament - Page 5 - Chess and Board Game Strategy

shocking full point blunder from Mamedyarov against Kramnik

what was he thinking? "nice! I can let him queen with check in two different ways, but it's OK because he can't defend against Nf3 and mate"?

Heh, yeah, that was an abrupt end.

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03-22-2014 , 05:24 AM

#103

Rei Ayanami

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Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 11,685

Haha, ChessBomb chat has grown on me.

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03-22-2014 , 11:04 AM

#104

BTirish

old hand

Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,624

19 move draw with the English opening by Aronian against Anand. Things are looking good for Aronian, since his record against the rest of the field was better than Anand's.

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03-22-2014 , 11:21 AM

#105

topbar93

enthusiast

Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 94

Quote:

Originally Posted by BTirish

19 move draw with the English opening by Aronian against Anand. Things are looking good for Aronian, since his record against the rest of the field was better than Anand's.

Why battle long and hard with fellow chipleader?

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03-23-2014 , 07:40 AM

#106

RoundTower

ɹǝʍoʇpunoɹ

Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 14,563

He was white and now has the worse tiebreak, I certainly expected him to play more ambitiously.

I don't think the poker tournament analogy works so well here, since this is close to winner takes all.

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03-23-2014 , 07:44 AM

#107

EGarrett

old hand

Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,562

That 19-move draw did not make me happy to put it mildly. If Aronian doesn't beat out Anand for this challenger spot, I will be quite annoyed and disappointed. Probably will drop my support of him also.

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03-23-2014 , 09:03 AM

#108

Yeti

Abominable

Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 23,208

lol, as I write this it is looking like an incredibly good day for vishy

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03-23-2014 , 09:24 AM

#109

topbar93

enthusiast

Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 94

I agree that its wasted. I dont dislike anand, i just think he wont be as good a matchup as aronian or kramnik will be against carlsen. I know hes playing world class chess, i just wish he didnt. I feel evil...

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03-23-2014 , 09:26 AM

#110

RoundTower

ɹǝʍoʇpunoɹ

Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 14,563

yeah I would much rather see Kramnik-Carlsen or Aronian-Carlsen for the WC, but it's hard to begrudge Anand for playing the best in this tournament.

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03-23-2014 , 09:57 AM

#111

Sholar

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Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 6,357

Yeah, if he earns it, he earns it. But the poker analogy is terrible because Aronian won't have another chance to tangle with Anand.

After today, Anand will be in a commanding position.

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03-23-2014 , 07:07 PM

#112

JekkuNaama

stranger

Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 7

Before the tournament I was hoping for Kramnik or Aronian to face Carlsen but I'm enjoying Anand rise back to the top. Has he been worse in any of his games? Just an incredible tournament by Vishy!

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03-23-2014 , 07:16 PM

#113

sterlinguini

adept

Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 1,173

I'd much rather see almost any other top ten player challenge Magnus, but Anand is clearly winning the right to a rematch right now, and hats off to him for putting up a superb tourney so far.

Still hoping Aronian can pluck his head from his ass and turn this ship around though... But his short draw vs Anand with white has me reconsidering my support for him so whatever.

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03-24-2014 , 01:20 PM

#114

Noir_Desir

veteran

Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 2,333

Looks like the format has to be reconsidered, it is threatening to produce the wrong challenger once again

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03-24-2014 , 08:23 PM

#115

Sholar

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Personally, I'm not a fan of the format, but it seems it's here to stay. Still five rounds to go, if Anand loses one game, suddenly the headlines will change to how four players are in the hunt...not that I think Mamedyarov is going to win with Black next round, but you never know.

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03-24-2014 , 08:57 PM

#116

lkasigh

adept

Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 953

It's hard to imagine Anand not winning this tournament. He won't lose with White to Mamyedarov, Andreikin, or Svidler. Pretty much the only way he blows it is if he loses with Black to both Kramnik and Karjakin. But I really don't think either of them is playing well enough to beat him.

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03-24-2014 , 09:22 PM

#117

Sholar

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Well, I don't think Anand needs to lose both games...one is probably enough if Kramnik or Karjakin is the beneficiary. Otherwise, I agree.

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03-25-2014 , 01:11 AM

#118

airwave16

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i can't stop laughing at kramnik making an opening blunder. it's so ****ing funny!

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03-25-2014 , 06:01 AM

#119

KingDan

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Odd blunder... I wonder what he missed

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03-25-2014 , 07:42 AM

#120

Sholar

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Yeah, really hard to understand that...even if he's just mixing up preparation, there wasn't anything deep there.

The top contenders all had white today: Well, Anand already drew his game. Kramnik failed to refute the dutch, and Aronian seems to have lost whatever edge he may have had. Karjakin looks a little better against Andreikin...hopefully he'll try to squeeze him a bit more.

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03-25-2014 , 07:53 AM

#121

Rei Ayanami

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Sholar

Kramnik failed to refute the dutch

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03-26-2014 , 06:07 AM

#122

EGarrett

old hand

Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,562

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sholar

Aronian seems to have lost whatever edge he may have had.

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03-26-2014 , 02:53 PM

#123

Rei Ayanami

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Compared to the blunderiffic drama of days past, today's games were a snoozefest--all draws. But synchronicity also showed up in the form of a cute positional motif that arose in both Andreikin–Mamedyarov and Kramnik–Anand.

If you haven't already been spoiled, look at just Andreikin–Mamedyarov (top) and try to figure out what Black played. The answer is below. It's not particularly difficult.

Spoiler:

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03-26-2014 , 08:36 PM

#124

RoundTower

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Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 14,563

I listen to the commentary while working on other things, this confused me a lot this morning when I eventually looked at the board and saw c3 had been played on the 'wrong' board.