English Chess Forum

Incidentally I wouldn't mind an explanation of Karjakin's 27th and 28th moves, it's not like he was behind on the clock.

Carlsen v Rapport was looking like a tough contest but that's not how it went in the end, Black blowing up badly. Dubov will be disappointed with his draw.

Van Foreest loses what must have been an thoroughly demoralising game to play, while Disaster Of The Day goes to Caruana for a game in which, at least for a few moves, he seemed to be strolling to victory (and which he still might have drawn but for an erroneous move 40). The end of that game, entertaining throughout, is worth a look.

Vidit, Mamedyarov and Carlsen lead.

JustinHorton wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 21, 2022 5:51 pm

Disaster Of The Day goes to Caruana for a game in which, at least for a few moves, he seemed to be strolling to victory (and which he still might have drawn but for an erroneous move 40). The end of that game, entertaining throughout, is worth a look.

I was watching Jon Speelman on Twitch for that game. He admitted that for much of it he had not the remotest idea of who was winning. Most likely the players didn't either. It was the kind of position that computers were invented for.

JustinHorton wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 21, 2022 3:51 pm

Incidentally I wouldn't mind an explanation of Karjakin's 27th and 28th moves, it's not like he was behind on the clock.

I believe according to the "Russian school of chess" you should always repeat once so as to exert your dominance on the opposition. I'm not sure how seriously this is actually taken, but generally that there is no harm. You let your opponent have the tinniest bit of hope that you are going to take a 3-fold and then play something different and crush their soul. In this case though I think it's an actively good decision: his position is sufficiently dominant that he should be strategically winning and so his own clock matters much more than his opponent's. If he manages to play accurately for the rest of the game he should (and did) win.

Where's Daniil Dubov?

EDIT: he's defaulted.

"stupid boy"

Stupid? Possibly.

I would also refuse to wear a face mask on a point of principle.

When members of your team had just tested positive - you still would not compromise?

It's just pantomime and theatre at the end of the day, but I realise that a lot of people won't agree.

Would the sensible option have been to agree to wear a mask on condition that his opponent did so as well?

He could always ask, but ultimately there is greater reason for him to wear one.

To my mind being forfeited for not shaking some one's hand as in the "old days" might be said to be something of a "pantomime". But I really don't think the same is true with quantifiable and specific risks of covid transmission.

Russian GM being a dickhead, tbh its becoming a bit of a pattern now.

What have I missed? Karjakin appears to have had some chances with the Black pieces before drawing with Grandelius. Rapport seems to have had some initiative against Mamedyarov but no more than that, and they also split the point. Praggnanandhaa has just been outclassed and although Carlsen is yet to finish, he seems very likely to become outright leader given that Vidit is struggling against Van Foreest. (The other two games are both worth looking at.)

Will just note in passing that yesterday's games in the Challengers included a RB v R ending, which the superior side failed to win.