New in Chess Classic 24 April to 2 May 2021

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Mick Norris
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New in Chess Classic 24 April to 2 May 2021

Post by Mick Norris » Fri Apr 23, 2021 8:25 am

NICC with Gawain Jones

chess24 preview
Once again it’s a cut-throat format of three days and 15 rounds of rapid chess to reduce the 16-player field to just 8 players for the knockout.
For one tournament only the games are starting at the late time of 19:00 CEST, since on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday the New in Chess Classic will be played on the same days as the Candidates Tournament in Yekaterinburg. The six-hour difference in the starting times should reduce any overlap, though as we’ve seen, games can run longer than six hours in the Candidates!
Round 1 includes Carlsen - Karjakin and Radjabov - Gawain; Gawain has black in round 2 v Praggnanandhaa
Any postings on here represent my personal views

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JustinHorton
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Re: New in Chess Classic 24 April to 2 May 2021

Post by JustinHorton » Fri Apr 23, 2021 8:29 am

Mick Norris wrote:
Fri Apr 23, 2021 8:25 am
NICC with Gawain Jones

chess24 preview
Once again it’s a cut-throat format of three days and 15 rounds of rapid chess to reduce the 16-player field to just 8 players for the knockout.
Is it just that I haven't had coffee yet, or does this not make sense?
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: New in Chess Classic 24 April to 2 May 2021

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Fri Apr 23, 2021 8:47 am

"Is it just that I haven't had coffee yet, or does this not make sense?"

I haven't had coffee either - does it mean an all-play-all qualifier to take the top 8 into the KO? I might be missing something?

Mick Norris
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Re: New in Chess Classic 24 April to 2 May 2021

Post by Mick Norris » Fri Apr 23, 2021 8:54 am

Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Fri Apr 23, 2021 8:47 am
"Is it just that I haven't had coffee yet, or does this not make sense?"

I haven't had coffee either - does it mean an all-play-all qualifier to take the top 8 into the KO? I might be missing something?
Yes, that's the format with these events
Any postings on here represent my personal views

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JustinHorton
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Re: New in Chess Classic 24 April to 2 May 2021

Post by JustinHorton » Fri Apr 23, 2021 8:57 am

So what's the cut-throat bit
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

Ian Thompson
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Re: New in Chess Classic 24 April to 2 May 2021

Post by Ian Thompson » Fri Apr 23, 2021 9:44 am

Mick Norris wrote:
Fri Apr 23, 2021 8:25 am
For one tournament only the games are starting at the late time of 19:00 CEST, since on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday the New in Chess Classic will be played on the same days as the Candidates Tournament in Yekaterinburg. The six-hour difference in the starting times should reduce any overlap, though as we’ve seen, games can run longer than six hours in the Candidates!
Round 1 includes Carlsen - Karjakin and Radjabov - Gawain; Gawain has black in round 2 v Praggnanandhaa
Assuming Gawain Jones is still in New Zealand that means a 5 am start for him.

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: New in Chess Classic 24 April to 2 May 2021

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Fri Apr 23, 2021 9:53 am

"So what's the cut-throat bit"

The difference between 8th and 9th (which will probably be on tie-break) may make a large financial difference? I suppose the cut-throat bit might be journalistic hyperbole.

If Gawain is starting at 5 am, he will definitely need coffee.

Ian Thompson
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Re: New in Chess Classic 24 April to 2 May 2021

Post by Ian Thompson » Fri Apr 23, 2021 10:04 am

Ian Thompson wrote:
Fri Apr 23, 2021 9:44 am
Assuming Gawain Jones is still in New Zealand that means a 5 am start for him.
Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Fri Apr 23, 2021 9:53 am
If Gawain is starting at 5 am, he will definitely need coffee.
I've just seen there are a lot of messages on twitter about the event, in one of which he says he's back in the UK.

LawrenceCooper
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Re: New in Chess Classic 24 April to 2 May 2021

Post by LawrenceCooper » Fri Apr 23, 2021 7:58 pm

Ian Thompson wrote:
Fri Apr 23, 2021 10:04 am
Ian Thompson wrote:
Fri Apr 23, 2021 9:44 am
Assuming Gawain Jones is still in New Zealand that means a 5 am start for him.
Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Fri Apr 23, 2021 9:53 am
If Gawain is starting at 5 am, he will definitely need coffee.
I've just seen there are a lot of messages on twitter about the event, in one of which he says he's back in the UK.
I also saw a comment from him on Facebook (in a thread started by a Paul LIttlewood puzzle!) where he said he's back in the UK and self isolating.

Mick Norris
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Re: New in Chess Classic 24 April to 2 May 2021

Post by Mick Norris » Sat Apr 24, 2021 8:58 am

TWIC
The rounds start later than any event so far to try and avoid a clash with the Candidates, they start at 6pm BST. Players: Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Leinier Dominguez Perez, Levon Aronian, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Teimour Radjabov, Quang Liem Le, Wesley So, Sergey Karjakin, Alireza Firouzja, Santosh Gujrathi Vidit, Gawain C B Jones, Aryan Tari, Johan-Sebastian Christiansen and R Praggnanandhaa.
Any postings on here represent my personal views

LawrenceCooper
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Re: New in Chess Classic 24 April to 2 May 2021

Post by LawrenceCooper » Sat Apr 24, 2021 9:18 pm


Roger de Coverly
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Re: New in Chess Classic 24 April to 2 May 2021

Post by Roger de Coverly » Sat Apr 24, 2021 9:48 pm

LawrenceCooper wrote:
Sat Apr 24, 2021 9:18 pm
Gawain 1 Wesley So 0 22 moves
Seemingly a trap in the Scotch (.. Bc5 is bad in that position) that So was unaware of. It's far from common.


LawrenceCooper
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Re: New in Chess Classic 24 April to 2 May 2021

Post by LawrenceCooper » Sat Apr 24, 2021 9:56 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Sat Apr 24, 2021 9:48 pm
LawrenceCooper wrote:
Sat Apr 24, 2021 9:18 pm
Gawain 1 Wesley So 0 22 moves
Seemingly a trap in the Scotch (.. Bc5 is bad in that position) that So was unaware of. It's far from common.

I saw a comment that black should play 11... h6 12 Bh4 and then Bc5 when there's no longer Nh4.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: New in Chess Classic 24 April to 2 May 2021

Post by Roger de Coverly » Sat Apr 24, 2021 10:04 pm

LawrenceCooper wrote:
Sat Apr 24, 2021 9:56 pm
I saw a comment that black should play 11... h6 12 Bh4 and then Bc5 when there's no longer Nh4.
That So "forgot" the theory seems a probable explanation with a number of games following that path,

Chris Rice
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Re: New in Chess Classic 24 April to 2 May 2021

Post by Chris Rice » Sun Apr 25, 2021 1:14 am

I'm not sure Gawain is getting the credit he deserves here.



When So played 13...Qe5 I found 6 games in the database with only one White win. Four of those games went 16 Nf6+ gxf6 17 Rxe5 fxe5 and Black won three of them and drew the other. It maybe that So thought he was the one laying the trap but Gawain played the TN 16 f4!! which simply wins. Guessing that was probably some high class computer prep, but whatever, brilliant result!

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