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Opera Euro Rapid Sat 6th Feb to Sun 14th Feb 2021
Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2021 9:58 am
by Mick Norris
TWIC
The Opera Euro Rapid takes place Sat 6th Feb to Sun 14th Feb 2021. The online event hosted by Chess24 is part of the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour. This is a regular tour tournament so there are only points and prizes available, not a place in the tour final. 16 players start the event competing in a three day Round Robin which will reduce the field to 8. Then in the knockout phase three rounds of mini-matches will produce a winner.
Players: Magnus Carlsen, Ding Liren, Hikaru Nakamura, Leinier Dominguez Perez, Alexander Grischuk, Levon Aronian, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Daniil Dubov, Teimour Radjabov, Wesley So, Anish Giri, Santosh Gujrathi Vidit, Sam Shankland and Matthias Bluebaum.
Play starts at 16:00 GMT each day.
Reports Day
1 and
2
Re: Opera Euro Rapid Sat 6th Feb to Sun 14th Feb 2021
Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2021 10:26 am
by JustinHorton
Re: Opera Euro Rapid Sat 6th Feb to Sun 14th Feb 2021
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2021 7:09 pm
by NickFaulks
This one hasn't exactly seized our attention. Personally, I have only followed two rounds on Jon Speelman's Twitch channel. However, I did just check in and immediately Magnus dropped his queen ( in a poor position and needing to win ) via a mouseslip.
Re: Opera Euro Rapid Sat 6th Feb to Sun 14th Feb 2021
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2021 8:05 pm
by Chris Rice
NickFaulks wrote: ↑Fri Feb 12, 2021 7:09 pm
This one hasn't exactly seized our attention. Personally, I have only followed two rounds on Jon Speelman's Twitch channel. However, I did just check in and immediately Magnus dropped his queen ( in a poor position and needing to win ) via a mouseslip.
Carlsen chose to play for a win in the Armageddon against MVL and won. Great commentary from Jovi and David H. Carlsen-So final.
Re: Opera Euro Rapid Sat 6th Feb to Sun 14th Feb 2021
Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2021 7:59 pm
by Mick Norris
So wins
TWIC
Carlsen had a pretty poor event by his own high standards but he may be on the road to recovery. We'll have to see in the next event, which is a major taking place March 13th-21st. The name has yet to be announced.
Teimour Rajdabov won 2-0 today against MVL to take 3rd place.
Re: Opera Euro Rapid Sat 6th Feb to Sun 14th Feb 2021
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 9:32 am
by Chris Rice
This was the decisive game. Black's 14th, WHAT!!????
So, Wesley (USA) - Carlsen, Magnus (NOR)
Champions Chess Tour Opera Euro Rapid - Knockout 2021 round 08-01
1-0
Re: Opera Euro Rapid Sat 6th Feb to Sun 14th Feb 2021
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 1:49 pm
by MartinCarpenter
Were it anyone else, that represent a very clear case of an overdose of internet blitz
Hard to think what he might have missed, but presumably its rather closer to working than it looks.
Re: Opera Euro Rapid Sat 6th Feb to Sun 14th Feb 2021
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 2:48 pm
by Matt Mackenzie
Its certainly quite impressive that So didn't give Carlsen any real chances in the next three games after that "gift".
EDIT: well at least no *obvious* gimmes, see subsequent posts!
Re: Opera Euro Rapid Sat 6th Feb to Sun 14th Feb 2021
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 2:55 pm
by Kevin Thurlow
Carlsen missed a chance in the other black game allegedly, but it required him to risk a Nxg2 sac, or a Bxh3 sac, and he might have been nervous after the first one.
Re: Opera Euro Rapid Sat 6th Feb to Sun 14th Feb 2021
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 10:14 pm
by Matt Mackenzie
He had a chance in the last game too, and saw the move that gave him a winning possibility as well. But didn't play it, we've all been there
Meanwhile, what about MVL's extraordinary blunder in his second game yesterday?
Some are even suggesting he deliberately chucked it, what say you??
Re: Opera Euro Rapid Sat 6th Feb to Sun 14th Feb 2021
Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2021 9:26 am
by Wadih Khoury
Unbelievable mistake for a super GM. In a junior tournament, there would have been a lot of tutting afterwards
Re: Opera Euro Rapid Sat 6th Feb to Sun 14th Feb 2021
Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:57 am
by Matthew Turner
Wadih Khoury wrote: ↑Tue Feb 16, 2021 9:26 am
Unbelievable mistake for a super GM. In a junior tournament, there would have been a lot of tutting afterwards
If you mean exchanging Rooks to give a losing King and pawn ending?
MVL needs to win so could accept a draw at any time. Playing on a pawn down in an ending could be argued is disrespectful to the opponent, so I think it is considered good manners to resign or lose when all vestiges of a chance are gone. I think this can be just be considered MVL's take on this convention.
Re: Opera Euro Rapid Sat 6th Feb to Sun 14th Feb 2021
Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2021 12:31 pm
by David Sedgwick
Matthew Turner wrote: ↑Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:57 am
If you mean exchanging Rooks to give a losing King and pawn ending?
MVL needs to win so could accept a draw at any time. Playing on a pawn down in an ending could be argued is disrespectful to the opponent, so I think it is considered good manners to resign or lose when all vestiges of a chance are gone. I think this can be just be considered MVL's take on this convention.
MVL didn't need to win Game 2. Had he drawn it, he could still have forced a tiebreak by winning Games 3 and 4.
Please also see my post in the thread at
www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=2&t= ... 83#p260883.
In both instances, fatigue seems to me to be the most likely explanation.
Re: Opera Euro Rapid Sat 6th Feb to Sun 14th Feb 2021
Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2021 12:38 pm
by Matthew Turner
OK, then I don't understand that at all then
Re: Opera Euro Rapid Sat 6th Feb to Sun 14th Feb 2021
Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2021 2:35 pm
by JustinHorton