39th Olympiad Khanty-Mansiysk 2010 (the chess)

[Ian Kingston]

McShane's 19...g5 looks suspect to me. What's the idea behind it?

(I'm not turning on any engines today unless something gets really tactical.)

Ha ha Coward you have been reading too many emails about those bl**dy computer users.

So what does your fingers and toes tell you then?

Not really. Sometimes I watch with an engine, sometimes not.

Turns out I've set the position up wrong (missed ...Nh5 and Bh2). Makes a difference! 19...g5 makes a lot of sense now.

[Jonathan Rogers]

yes, looking good all over now. I was wrong on Gawain's game because I missed that Qe7 forked two pawns; so it looks as though his good run will continue. McShane also doing well, and he probably had a normal enough KI position all along, though White's sequence on h3, Bg3-h2 and then g2-g3 is surely every bit as crazy as it seems!

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

McShane also doing well, and he probably had a normal enough KI position all along, though White's sequence on h3, Bg3-h2 and then g2-g3 is surely every bit as crazy as it seems!

McShane obviously felt sorry for him as he's swapped that bishop off.

I wish Howell had a bit more time. Sixteen moves in six minutes is going to be quite difficult.

[Roger de Coverly]

Not to mention the *possibly* apocryphal (but possibly not) story from way back in the 1950s - USSR (top seeds) v Ireland (bottom??) Bronstein has black, answers e4 with c6, and duly wins in short order. After the game his opponent can allegedly be heard inquiring "what was the name of that opening??"

Oddly enough, the verdict of history is in favour of the Irishman. The game started 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 Bf5 4 Nf3 e6 5 Be2 Ne7 6 0-0 Nd7 7 Nbd2 reaching a position next seen in Gelfand-Seirawan, Belgrade 1991. By this time the name of Short had been attached to the variation. Short like De Loughry had realised that violence with 4 Nc3 and 5 g4 (as used by Tal, Nunn and others) was not the only way to play the Advance Caro and that using plans from the Advance French worked perfectly well.

[Jonathan Rogers]

(to Jon) As you said earlier, though, Black has his own bishop - which is now unopposed. The only circumstance in which white would have wanted to exchange his dark squared bishop for a knight would have been where he might have captured on e5 and quickly followed up with something forcing, e.g, involving Nc4 and Nb5, or f4-e5 etc

[Ola Winfridsson]

Oh, I don't mind people using the engines! It's those derogatory comments that I don't like!

I agree with JR's assessment. Looks generally good now, although Howell's time consumption looks a wee bit worrying. 3 minutes left for 15 moves.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Oh, I don't mind people using the engines! It's those derogatory comments that I don't like!

I agree with JR's assessment. Looks generally good now, although Howell's time consumption looks a wee bit worrying. 3 minutes left for 15 moves.

It wouldn't be David Howell otherwise ...

[David Brock]

First Points to David well done son!! The bacon could be coming home today!

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

Howell's time consumption looks a wee bit worrying. 3 minutes left for 15 moves.

Starting to look like he only had to make three moves in three minutes! I missed that idea completely, I assumed he'd be going for a backrank mate.

[James O'Fee]

Another from CJ de Mooi in Khanty-Mansiysk;

The voting has finished and the counting begun. However, it'll rest on the 56 proxy votes, most of which are for (or are reassigned for) Kirsan. I anticipate a 75-95 loss for Karpov but our lawyer is reasonably satisfied the vote was fair (even if nothing else was) and secret.

http://www.impalapublications.com/blog/

[Ola Winfridsson]

Howell's time consumption looks a wee bit worrying. 3 minutes left for 15 moves.

Starting to look like he only had to make three moves in three minutes! I missed that idea completely, I assumed he'd be going for a backrank mate.

Me too!

[Jonathan Rogers]

Collins-watch: he's winning as usual, but I don't think the team will do more than draw, so all up in the air whether he will get that much needed third GM ....

Others will know more about this than I do. Can a player say "look, I only played two GMs, but if you like, take away my best win against a non-GM and substitute it with a loss against a fictional 2400 GM - I would still have made the requisite performance"?

[Jonathan Rogers]

Meanwhile, the USA, having played Russia and Vietnam, now face China (!). They may edge another win, I think.

[David Brock]

Collins-watch: he's winning as usual, but I don't think the team will do more than draw, so all up in the air whether he will get that much needed third GM ....

Others will know more about this than I do. Can a player say "look, I only played two GMs, but if you like, take away my best win against a non-GM and substitute it with a loss against a fictional 2400 GM - I would still have made the requisite performance"?

Now if the Irish voted for Kirsan then anything may be possible as it seems he makes up the rules to suit himself (Kirsan that is). It would be a shame if he did not get it.

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

Ivanchuk could only draw today (black against Kramnik!), thus ending his astonishing winning streak.