Wijk aan Zee 2021

The very latest International round up of English news.
Ian Thompson
Posts: 3543
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:31 pm
Location: Awbridge, Hampshire

Re: Wijk aan Zee 2021

Post by Ian Thompson » Mon Feb 01, 2021 5:50 pm

NickFaulks wrote:
Mon Feb 01, 2021 5:00 pm
Ian Thompson wrote:
Mon Feb 01, 2021 12:44 pm
I think that isn't the first time he's behaved inappropriately.
Really? I hadn't heard that.
I was thinking of the World Blitz 2019.

"Firouzja ... accused [Carlsen] of cheating" and "Firouzja appealed the decision and video captured him enraged at his appeal being denied"

Nick Grey
Posts: 1838
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2011 12:16 am

Re: Wijk aan Zee 2021

Post by Nick Grey » Mon Feb 01, 2021 9:38 pm

home advantage goes back to timman and before... a lot to moan about...and why I play in short sleeves. Ignore Firouzja's junior behaved inappropriately.

User avatar
JustinHorton
Posts: 10364
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:06 am
Location: Somewhere you're not

Re: Wijk aan Zee 2021

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Feb 01, 2021 9:52 pm

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

lostontime.blogspot.com

User avatar
Christopher Kreuzer
Posts: 8781
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2010 2:34 am
Location: London

Re: Wijk aan Zee 2021

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Mon Feb 01, 2021 10:26 pm

Someone said upthread that Firouzja might be starting to behave like Nakamura has, and I thought that a bit unfair, but then I saw this tweet from Nakamura (from 22 hours ago):
Hikaru Nakamura wrote: After spending a relaxing weekend in the desert, I just got home to see the epic fail from #tatasteelchess today. I will be ranting about it on my stream tomorrow. #JusticeforAlireza

NickFaulks
Posts: 8452
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:28 pm

Re: Wijk aan Zee 2021

Post by NickFaulks » Tue Feb 02, 2021 12:08 am

JustinHorton wrote:
Mon Feb 01, 2021 9:52 pm
Official statement
Which doesn't seem to match the video clip underneath.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

User avatar
MJMcCready
Posts: 3140
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:30 pm

Re: Wijk aan Zee 2021

Post by MJMcCready » Wed Feb 03, 2021 2:30 am

This all seems rather exaggerated. It seemed to me there were more important issues in play given that several participants made little effort to win the thing. They either turned up just to get paid or were holding themselves back for the candidates. If I am correct, why is that not being addressed?

User avatar
JustinHorton
Posts: 10364
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:06 am
Location: Somewhere you're not

Re: Wijk aan Zee 2021

Post by JustinHorton » Wed Feb 03, 2021 8:20 am

Because "several participants" did no such thing and you've just dreamed up an issue in the small hours
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

John McKenna

Re: Wijk aan Zee 2021

Post by John McKenna » Wed Feb 03, 2021 2:32 pm

There are no "small hours" online.

"Several participants" certainly underperformed.

Four of the bottom five (discounting Donchenko the very late addition) - Duda, MVL, Wojztaszek & Anton - all failed to come up to scratch to varying degrees.

More surprising were four (discounting Firouzja who is on the rise anyway and was jostled off a chance of a share of the top spot in the final round) who performed significantly better than expected - Van Foreest, Esipenko, Tari & Grandelius.

This tourament was not normal due to circumstances beyond control but the individual games seemed to be properly contested (apart from one) and have good chessical content of interest to all, despite sometimes the choice of certain openings for certain encounters being a bit odd (e.g. one wonders why three Italian games come along at the same time.)

Mick Norris
Posts: 10310
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:12 am
Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester

Re: Wijk aan Zee 2021

Post by Mick Norris » Wed Feb 03, 2021 2:45 pm

There's a difference between:
"Several participants" certainly underperformed
and
several participants made little effort to win the thing

MVL had a poor tournament; whether this was due to the forthcoming Candidates is an interesting question; we will see I guess

I thought Anton was unlucky not to win a game, but I think it's his first time at this level of tournament (hopefully not the last)

Others were off form, and some very much on form

As usual, it was a very interesting event (pity about the tiebreak)
Any postings on here represent my personal views

User avatar
MJMcCready
Posts: 3140
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:30 pm

Re: Wijk aan Zee 2021

Post by MJMcCready » Wed Feb 03, 2021 5:07 pm

We some unusual stuff being played that we wouldn't see in more high-ranking events. I don't think MVL will be playing the same lines in the Najdorf there. Perhaps it was a question of form and coming out of the loop of OTB chess.

Paul Cooksey
Posts: 1519
Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2016 4:15 pm

Re: Wijk aan Zee 2021

Post by Paul Cooksey » Wed Feb 03, 2021 7:06 pm

MJMcCready wrote:
Wed Feb 03, 2021 5:07 pm
We some unusual stuff being played that we wouldn't see in more high-ranking events. I don't think MVL will be playing the same lines in the Najdorf there. Perhaps it was a question of form and coming out of the loop of OTB chess.
A point somewhat undermined by MVLs history of playing this line in other top events.

User avatar
MJMcCready
Posts: 3140
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:30 pm

Re: Wijk aan Zee 2021

Post by MJMcCready » Wed Feb 03, 2021 7:10 pm

Which line are you referring to?

Paul Cooksey
Posts: 1519
Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2016 4:15 pm

Re: Wijk aan Zee 2021

Post by Paul Cooksey » Wed Feb 03, 2021 7:15 pm

I assumed you meant the poisoned pawn. But he played the other Najdorf lines before too.

User avatar
MJMcCready
Posts: 3140
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:30 pm

Re: Wijk aan Zee 2021

Post by MJMcCready » Wed Feb 03, 2021 7:28 pm

I've seen him play the poisoned pawn at big events also but not quite as big as Wijk an zee unless I have just forgotten about particular games. But I don't thin we will see him playing that in the candidates, and after the first loss with it, I got the impression he was either saving himself or not wanting to reveal any preparation. It looked like some players were just going through the motions of turning up, getting paid and going home rather than show a real desire to win the thing, but its not the first time that's happened in other events.

Paul Cooksey
Posts: 1519
Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2016 4:15 pm

Re: Wijk aan Zee 2021

Post by Paul Cooksey » Wed Feb 03, 2021 7:57 pm

If only there was some way to check games on the internet before posting. I guess we will never know.

I can't see the argument MVL was hiding his preparation by playing critical mainlines at the heart of his repertoire. Unless there is some shred of evidence to support the conjecture on other points they seem weak too, and gratuitously disrespectful to the players.

Post Reply