English Chess Forum

Will be in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan

Ah, another human rights paradise then.

No longer in Kazakhstan due to Covid restrictions

Mick Norris wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 10, 2021 2:04 pm

Poland

A week after Poland hosts the European Rapid & Blitz!

Magnus says he will play

The great thing about watching this event is the comfort of seeing the world's' best players making a pig's ear of simple positions (see Carlsen's and Nakamura's opponents in round one), so I can console myself with the knowledge that it is not just me getting worse with age - chess is not easy.

Martin Benjamin wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 26, 2021 3:23 pm

The great thing about watching this event is the comfort of seeing the world's' best players making a pig's ear of simple positions (see Carlsen's and Nakamura's opponents in round one)

In one of my first Olympiads I lost an endgame very similar to the Carlsen one - except I had the bishop and the lesson I learned was in such reduced positions the rook and knight work much better!

edit : I had gone into this with 2P v P. Losing was not on the agenda,

Rasmus Svane loses with queen and 2 pawns v queen in round 4 v Anish Giri. Unfortunately, the transmission from the board cut out, and it is said he blundered into a two move mate. Very surprising with a 10 second increment in rapidplay, a little more understandable had it been in the blitz tournament.

Major problems with the online transmission. Round 5 is especially entertaining in terms of the confusion and reminds me of Morecambe and Wise (the right moves on the board, it's just that the names on the pairings are all wrong......).

Martin Benjamin wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 26, 2021 7:58 pm

Rasmus Svane loses with queen and 2 pawns v queen in round 4 v Anish Giri. Unfortunately, the transmission from the board cut out, and it is said he blundered into a two move mate. Very surprising with a 10 second increment in rapidplay, a little more understandable had it been in the blitz tournament.

Tbf that is an occupational hazard in Q endings!

Martin Benjamin wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 26, 2021 7:58 pm

Major problems with the online transmission. Round 5 is especially entertaining in terms of the confusion and reminds me of Morecambe and Wise (the right moves on the board, it's just that the names on the pairings are all wrong......).

I have posted on Twitter that FIDE should have hired Matthew Carr.

NickFaulks wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 26, 2021 4:23 pm

Martin Benjamin wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 26, 2021 3:23 pm

The great thing about watching this event is the comfort of seeing the world's' best players making a pig's ear of simple positions (see Carlsen's and Nakamura's opponents in round one)

In one of my first Olympiads I lost an endgame very similar to the Carlsen one - except I had the bishop and the lesson I learned was in such reduced positions the rook and knight work much better!

edit : I had gone into this with 2P v P. Losing was not on the agenda,

The Carlsen round one game is very similar to my Kosten game ( number 3 in 'Arkell's Endings'). In both games White had R, B and b pawn against R+N, and in Both games the Bishop looked like a much better piece than the Knight.

NickFaulks wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 26, 2021 4:23 pm

the lesson I learned was in such reduced positions the rook and knight work much better!
edit : I had gone into this with 2P v P. Losing was not on the agenda,

It sounds like you drew the wrong conclusion from misplaying that endgame

Martin Benjamin wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 26, 2021 7:58 pm

Rasmus Svane loses with queen and 2 pawns v queen in round 4 v Anish Giri. Unfortunately, the transmission from the board cut out,

Hi Martin,

Unfortunately for Rasmus Svane the whole incident was captured on vid. (look from about 2 minutes 20 seconds in)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCBw2XTQEO4

I'm glad none of my blunders have been videoed live. Most of mine, which are up there with this one,
are known only to me and my opponent. Last time I looked this one had 34,000+ views.

The end was from here. (White to play. Giri has just played Qc7-d6 threatening mate in one.)

8/7k/3q4/5PK1/6P1/4Q3/8/8

Svane played Kh5 and Giri played Qh2+ 0-1.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCBw2XTQEO4

Impeccable response at the end from Svane. Very impressive.