Carlsen v Nepomniatchi 2021 World Championship

The very latest International round up of English news.
User avatar
MJMcCready
Posts: 3140
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:30 pm

Re: Carlsen v Nepomniatchi 2021 World Championship

Post by MJMcCready » Fri Dec 03, 2021 3:33 pm

Simon Williams just said that David Howell lives in Norway now. Is that true?

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

Re: Carlsen v Nepomniatchi 2021 World Championship

Post by MJMcCready » Fri Dec 03, 2021 3:39 pm

IM Jack Rudd wrote:
Fri Dec 03, 2021 3:27 pm
Drawing for colours before each game sounds implausible. Before each pair of games, maybe.
Well I can't remember the last time they even did it at that level. Perhaps it won't help so much as you can't really surprise players at that level anyway.

Jonathan Rogers
Posts: 4634
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 9:26 pm

Re: Carlsen v Nepomniatchi 2021 World Championship

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Fri Dec 03, 2021 3:57 pm

So is it time to start complaining about the match in earnest? Or will it all blow up in games 11-13 and we will then wonder what we were complaining about? We'd complain now, if only we were not afraid of looking stupid next week.

But it has been quite a turn off! Not because of the draws: because of the games. We remember the draw in game one of Caruana v Carlsen, where Carlsen played a blinder until he let it slip, and we remember Caruana grinding from Black in the Petroff to get a winning position in game six, only to miss a study like win (because Carlsen found a way to make it that difficult for him). Of these present games, we will even struggle to remember much about game 2. And we are to go through this again next year too?

I don't really blame Carlsen's style of play, by the way. Maybe we do have to get used to matches which start with lots of correct draws, but what a nightmare for finding sponsorship.

User avatar
Matt Mackenzie
Posts: 5191
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:51 pm
Location: Millom, Cumbria

Re: Carlsen v Nepomniatchi 2021 World Championship

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Fri Dec 03, 2021 4:09 pm

The matches are too short, so both players are overly scared of losing even a single game.

I'm increasingly convinced this is the fundamental problem.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

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

Re: Carlsen v Nepomniatchi 2021 World Championship

Post by MJMcCready » Fri Dec 03, 2021 4:19 pm

Looks like we are about to get our first win.

LawrenceCooper
Posts: 7167
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:13 am

Re: Carlsen v Nepomniatchi 2021 World Championship

Post by LawrenceCooper » Fri Dec 03, 2021 4:20 pm

Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Fri Dec 03, 2021 4:09 pm
The matches are too short, so both players are overly scared of losing even a single game.

I'm increasingly convinced this is the fundamental problem.
I've heard this before. How many games do you think is reasonable? I ask as I have no idea.

Game 6 is getting interesting...........

LawrenceCooper
Posts: 7167
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:13 am

Re: Carlsen v Nepomniatchi 2021 World Championship

Post by LawrenceCooper » Fri Dec 03, 2021 4:21 pm

MJMcCready wrote:
Fri Dec 03, 2021 4:19 pm
Looks like we are about to get our first win.
White or black?

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

Re: Carlsen v Nepomniatchi 2021 World Championship

Post by MJMcCready » Fri Dec 03, 2021 4:22 pm

ha ha, I suspect black but I don't know really.

Jonathan Rogers
Posts: 4634
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 9:26 pm

Re: Carlsen v Nepomniatchi 2021 World Championship

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Fri Dec 03, 2021 4:28 pm

Perhaps, Matt. Hartston used to tell the story of Spassky v Petrosian 1966 which started with six (?) draws and when Spassky asked someone what he had to do to win a game, that someone said "try losing one first!" Not advice you could give today. Spassky then did that, and since it had no immediate effect, he soon afterwards lost a second too, and was then able to fight back to equalise (though he did eventually lose by one game). And that sort of thing; well it happened all the time in the good old days of 1951-1972 24 game matches. Why, if Smyslov or Botvinnik were to lose three in a row, they would just sing a little song, or order a new dacha to summon the spirit of the motherland, and then try to win four in a row. (Ok, other factors were also in play in those days, and one was more than a touch more likely to win as Black, but this would be the nub of the 20-24 game argument).

Now what, is carlsen in trouble?! How dare he? (I don't really think so, btw. But mutual errors, let the Lord be praised!).

User avatar
Matt Mackenzie
Posts: 5191
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:51 pm
Location: Millom, Cumbria

Re: Carlsen v Nepomniatchi 2021 World Championship

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Fri Dec 03, 2021 4:32 pm

Computer thinks Nepo may have missed his best chance, and if anything needs to be careful himself now.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

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

Re: Carlsen v Nepomniatchi 2021 World Championship

Post by JustinHorton » Fri Dec 03, 2021 4:41 pm

Absolutely you would back Carlsen to grind this one out
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

User avatar
Matt Mackenzie
Posts: 5191
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:51 pm
Location: Millom, Cumbria

Re: Carlsen v Nepomniatchi 2021 World Championship

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Fri Dec 03, 2021 5:40 pm

Draw looking almost certain now.

EDIT: or maybe not.....
Last edited by Matt Mackenzie on Fri Dec 03, 2021 5:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

Neill Cooper
Posts: 1298
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Cumbria
Contact:

Re: Carlsen v Nepomniatchi 2021 World Championship

Post by Neill Cooper » Fri Dec 03, 2021 5:51 pm

Rxa3 by Carlson is quite a memorable move, giving up the exchange in the hope of winning with R and N vs Q ending

User avatar
Matt Mackenzie
Posts: 5191
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:51 pm
Location: Millom, Cumbria

Re: Carlsen v Nepomniatchi 2021 World Championship

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Fri Dec 03, 2021 5:54 pm

Declined by Nepo, and probably rightly since his pawns would look none too healthy in that scenario.

But if Carlsen plays the next few moves right, Black could be in real bother now.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

James Toon
Posts: 250
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:54 pm
Location: Surrey

Re: Carlsen v Nepomniatchi 2021 World Championship

Post by James Toon » Fri Dec 03, 2021 6:09 pm

LawrenceCooper wrote:
Fri Dec 03, 2021 4:20 pm
Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Fri Dec 03, 2021 4:09 pm
The matches are too short, so both players are overly scared of losing even a single game.

I'm increasingly convinced this is the fundamental problem.
I've heard this before. How many games do you think is reasonable? I ask as I have no idea.
Maybe they should go back to 24 games, as in the period from 1951 to 1972, and again from 1985 to 1990. I haven't done the research but it would be interesting to map the percentage of decisive games in each match to the total number of scheduled games.

Post Reply