Madrid Candidates 16th June to Tue 5th Jul 2022

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LawrenceCooper
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Re: Madrid Candidates 16th June to Tue 5th Jul 2022

Post by LawrenceCooper » Wed Jun 29, 2022 8:31 pm

NickFaulks wrote:
Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:54 pm
Nick Ivell wrote:
Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:21 pm
Didn't Capablanca say that the good player is always lucky?
If Nepo does go on to win this, I shall have little time for all the usual suspects saying he didn't deserve it.
Agreed. He seems to have taken every opportunity that's come his way whereas the rest of the field haven't.

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Madrid Candidates 16th June to Tue 5th Jul 2022

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Wed Jun 29, 2022 10:20 pm

Jonathan Bryant wrote:
Wed Jun 29, 2022 8:13 pm
Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Wed Jun 29, 2022 6:07 pm
Nepo is being pretty much gift wrapped this isn't he. Unless you think Naka really can make a late surge.
Or Ding?


Astonishing to think that if Ding hadn't turned up a day or two before the start - a week, say - maybe he wins that first game and he'd be leading the tournament now 1/2 a point ahead of Nepo
As I said, he was almost unrecognisable in that opening game. But if anybody can make a late run for it, maybe he can.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

David Sedgwick
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Re: Madrid Candidates 16th June to Tue 5th Jul 2022

Post by David Sedgwick » Thu Jun 30, 2022 12:05 am

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:
Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:59 pm
When was the last time that someone qualified twice in a row to be the Challenger?
Leaving aside the 15 years or so when there wasn't a universally recognised World Champion:

Karpov (1987 and 1990)
Korchnoi (1978 and 1981)
Spassky (1966 and 1969)
Smyslov (1954 and 1957)

The dates are those of the relevant World Championship matches.

As you can see, it's not particularly uncommon.

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Re: Madrid Candidates 16th June to Tue 5th Jul 2022

Post by Geoff Chandler » Thu Jun 30, 2022 10:43 am

I was thinking of Anand but he won the candidates after losing the title.

We could include him if we take the pedantic boat out as far as it will go.
He won what was in effect a candidates, then the title, defended it a few times, lost it, then won a candidates.
So he won two candidates he took part in in a row. Or do I use the word 'row' and the row the pedantic boat back to shore.
(or have I just started a row?)

I would not pay too much attention to what Kramnik has to say.
He has gone the way of most retired players. 'Grumpy.'
Kramnik played in World finals without ever playing in a candidates
and when he did play in a candidates he never won any!

Ding winning this would be a good.
He got into the candidates by the back door thanks to Karjakin being a fool
and if Carlsen renounces the title (he should declare soon what his intention is)
and if Ding wins it or comes 2nd and wins the play off then he becomes World Champion
without 'officially' qualifying for the candidates and not playing Carlsen.
(you can almost foresee the posts of 'not worthy'...but not his fault for being
in the right place at the right time.)

Good tournament this one. We are waiting for Nepo to slip in a bad game but he seems
to be on a determined roll whilst the rest of the pack are taking points off each other.

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JustinHorton
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Re: Madrid Candidates 16th June to Tue 5th Jul 2022

Post by JustinHorton » Thu Jun 30, 2022 11:46 am

Meanwhile in preparation news
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

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Nick Burrows
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Re: Madrid Candidates 16th June to Tue 5th Jul 2022

Post by Nick Burrows » Thu Jun 30, 2022 12:00 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Thu Jun 30, 2022 11:46 am
Meanwhile in preparation news
Seems a bit disrespectful to the tournament, considering Firouzja plays Nepo today and is the last real chance for a Nepo wobble.

Chris Rice
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Re: Madrid Candidates 16th June to Tue 5th Jul 2022

Post by Chris Rice » Thu Jun 30, 2022 12:23 pm

Nick Burrows wrote:
Thu Jun 30, 2022 12:00 pm
JustinHorton wrote:
Thu Jun 30, 2022 11:46 am
Meanwhile in preparation news
Seems a bit disrespectful to the tournament, considering Firouzja plays Nepo today and is the last real chance for a Nepo wobble.
There is no doubt Nepo has prepared excellently for this tournament but he seems to be getting a fair bit of assistance from his rivals. Ding turns up quite late and the lack of acclimatisation may have cost him the important first round game. Rapport turns down a draw to achieve a lost position against him. We now see that Firouzja's been playing hundreds of games of bullet chess on multiple occasions, which must be draining his energy levels. Similarly, even though it has to be draining his energy levels, I thought with Naka at least his streaming was concentrating on the games from this tournament but he's also now getting involved in the overturning of Roe v Wade. I bet Nepo can't believe his luck.

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JustinHorton
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Re: Madrid Candidates 16th June to Tue 5th Jul 2022

Post by JustinHorton » Thu Jun 30, 2022 12:36 pm

Nick Burrows wrote:
Thu Jun 30, 2022 12:00 pm
JustinHorton wrote:
Thu Jun 30, 2022 11:46 am
Meanwhile in preparation news
Seems a bit disrespectful to the tournament, considering Firouzja plays Nepo today and is the last real chance for a Nepo wobble.
Yeah, though maybe Firouzja feels it'll take his mind off things, or maybe he stays up into the small hours and then sleeps till midday anyway (which would resemble my own behaviour at a similar age).
"Do you play chess?"
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NickFaulks
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Re: Madrid Candidates 16th June to Tue 5th Jul 2022

Post by NickFaulks » Thu Jun 30, 2022 4:04 pm

Whatever the explanation, Firouzja's play today is so far unconvincing.
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Nick Burrows
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Re: Madrid Candidates 16th June to Tue 5th Jul 2022

Post by Nick Burrows » Thu Jun 30, 2022 4:07 pm

NickFaulks wrote:
Thu Jun 30, 2022 4:04 pm
Whatever the explanation, Firouzja's play today is so far unconvincing.
It could easily be mistaken for a bullet game

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JustinHorton
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Re: Madrid Candidates 16th June to Tue 5th Jul 2022

Post by JustinHorton » Thu Jun 30, 2022 5:28 pm

And Nepo wins again.

I don't want to curse it by saying so prematurely, but isn't this one of the great performances of all time?
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Madrid Candidates 16th June to Tue 5th Jul 2022

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Thu Jun 30, 2022 5:33 pm

It is certainly impressive, even if he has been handed freebies (today arguably being another)
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

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JustinHorton
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Re: Madrid Candidates 16th June to Tue 5th Jul 2022

Post by JustinHorton » Thu Jun 30, 2022 5:37 pm

If we counted the freebies that Larsen and Taimanov handed Fischer...
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Jonathan Rogers
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Re: Madrid Candidates 16th June to Tue 5th Jul 2022

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Thu Jun 30, 2022 5:38 pm

Possibly it is. We certainly passed the point where we can carp about just how badly his opponents have played (twice, in Firouzja's case). Making super scores is generally a combination of excellent form and taking opportunities, and it really can add up - think of Karpov, Linares 94.

I would rate Caruana's performance at St Louis 2014 rather higher though. Fewer presents - just excellent chess.

Jonathan Bryant
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Re: Madrid Candidates 16th June to Tue 5th Jul 2022

Post by Jonathan Bryant » Thu Jun 30, 2022 5:47 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Thu Jun 30, 2022 5:28 pm
And Nepo wins again.
Destroying another candidate with the awesome ultra aggressive power of ... The Petroff Defence