Isle Of Man International (Fide Grand Swiss)

[IM Jack Rudd]

One thing which strikes me as slightly strange, from a sporting point of view, is that a player who has already qualified for the candidates can have a big influence on who gets the places from this event. That might be by agreeing a quick draw in the last round with a friend or compatriot, or defeating a major rival. I can’t think of another sport where this could happen.

Football. It's common for African or Asian World Cup qualifiers to double up as continental championship qualifiers; in those cases, teams which have automatically qualified for one but not the other can affect the results of an event they're not trying to qualify for.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Murzin's 18th & 19th moves

Such a shame after a good opening and promising middle game position for Shreyas. The Bh6/Nf6 tactics seemed to come out of nowhere albeit with hindsight it was Rh4 and then Rh2 which made them possible.

It was impressive alertness to those possibilities from Murzin, who is only 17 himself. Is there any easy way to see the age profile of those playing? Are there many other teenage GMs present?

EDIT: I know Erigasi and Keymer and Gukesh are under 20. As is Ediz Gurel. And Rodrigue-Lemieux and Samunenkov and Lazavik and Amar. Also Praggnanandhaa and Abdusattorov.

[Geoff Chandler]

That might be by agreeing a quick draw in the last round with a friend or compatriot, or defeating a major rival. I can’t think of another sport where this could happen.

Hi Graham,

I recall in 1996 Paul Paul Gascoigne who then played for Rangers trying to gee on the England players to get more goals v Holland (there were 4-1 up) to give Scotland a chance of qualifying from their group. I watched the game in a bar. Scottish fans were actually cheering for England and willing them to get more goals. Not too often that happens.

Scotland could only beat Switzerland 1-0 (a first half goal) and Holland went through on goal difference.

Of course all these new England fans whooped for joy when Southgate missed his penalty v Germany. Normal service had been resumed.

Caruana (black) is playing Nakamura in Rd.10. He is in a bad situation, if he losses people are bound to cry fix. If he wins Nakamura may never forgive him and if he draws people will say he never tried. At least it in the penultimate round. If it had been in round 11...where he might have to play Aronian.(!)

[Graham Borrowdale]

Thanks Geoff. Yes, I remember those matches, also the World Cup when Scotland needed to beat Holland by 3 goals to (maybe) go through, and that Archie Gemmel goal, but it wasn’t to be. Back when England fans would cheer for Scotland - not sure Scots have ever cheered for England though!
Back to the chess, it still feels wrong to have players already qualified play in a qualifier. But I suppose the rating list is no different - if there is a rating spot it could be ‘manipulated’ in the lead up to the cut off.

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Graham,

Praggnanandhaa and Abasov are also playing at the IoM and they too are in the Candidates. Abasov is out of it but Pragg's results could count. Caruana might knock out Nakamura's chances and let another player slip in who goes on and wins the candidates. It's all down to Lady Luck. Ding only got into the last Candidates because Karjakin was suspended and look what happened after that. (BTW have you seen Ding Liren, he has gone missing.)

Yes the Scottish fans in the pub were willing England to score more goals. They were pushing for a 5th when Holland pulled one back, after that chasing goals for Scotland was shelved. Scotlan's own fault, they should have banged in more goals v Switzerland.

[Nick Burrows]

Is there any easy way to see the age profile of those playing?

Clicking the name of any player on chess-results shows their d.o.b

[Reg Clucas]

I remember those matches, also the World Cup when Scotland needed to beat Holland by 3 goals to (maybe) go through, and that Archie Gemmel goal, but it wasn’t to be. Back when England fans would cheer for Scotland

Not this England fan! I remember whooping with delight when Peru beat them in their first group match.

[LawrenceCooper]

Murzin's 18th & 19th moves

Such a shame after a good opening and promising middle game position for Shreyas. The Bh6/Nf6 tactics seemed to come out of nowhere albeit with hindsight it was Rh4 which made them possible.

He should get another shot at the norm tomorrow; provided he plays a 2528+ (which is all but 6 of the other players) he will need to win.

A draw today so hopefully he has a chance tomorrow and gets white.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Nakamura beat Caruana. Esipenko also won. Lots of decisive games on the top boards.

[Mick Norris]

Vaishali gets a Candidates spot

[LawrenceCooper]

Nakamura beat Caruana. Esipenko also won. Lots of decisive games on the top boards.

Yes. There are 3 players on 7.5 and 3 on 7 although Esipenko has played all five of the others and the other two leaders have also played.

Vaishali has qualified for the Candidates in the women's event so she will join her brother there in Toronto.

[ThomasEvans]

A draw today so hopefully he has a chance tomorrow and gets white.

A win against a 2558+ will do it.

Other norm chances:
Wu: Draw a 2592+ or beat someone below that for an IM norm
Munguntuul: Beat a 2313+ for a GM norm
Wagner: Beat a 2431+ for an IM norm

All other norm chances I named a couple of days ago are either achieved (Vaishali, Kamalidenova, Terbe) or dead (Garifullina, Milliet, Tsolakidou, Beydullayeva)

Zhalmakhanov has a chance at a 13(!) game norm if he beats a 2659+ tomorrow (he would exceed the norm target by 2 points), and Rodrigue-Lemieux is likely a win away from a 12 game norm (11 round norm secured as he should play a 2425+ tomorrow).

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Some games still going in round 10, which is why no draw for round 11 yet...

(And a bizarre perpetual in Sargissian-Svane, F.)

EDIT: To expand on the above (the Sargissian-Svane, F. game):

2Q2N2/6P1/8/1p6/3k4/P7/K7/3qr3

The above position (White to move) was reached by mutual pawn promotions: 57.c8=Q d1=Q.

Gabriel Sargissian (White) was playing Frederik Svane (Black) and chose the wrong check here for move 58. Can you do better?

[LawrenceCooper]

Last round pairings:

Pairings/Results
Round 11 on 2023/11/05 at 1400
Bo. No. Name Rtg Pts. Result Pts. Name Rtg No.
1 40 IM Munguntuul, Batkhuyag 2366 7 8 IM Vaishali, Rameshbabu 2448 12
2 14 GM Cramling, Pia 2446 6½ 7½ GM Muzychuk, Anna 2510 5 (already qualified)
3 4 GM Tan, Zhongyi 2517 6½ 6 IM Mammadzada, Gunay 2441 15
4 34 IM Tsolakidou, Stavroula 2385 6 6½ GM Stefanova, Antoaneta 2424 21
5 25 IM Garifullina, Leya 2402 6½ 6 IM Javakhishvili, Lela 2437 17

Pairings/Results
Round 11 on 2023/11/05 at 1400
Bo. No. Name Rtg Pts. Result Pts. Name Rtg No.
1 16 GM Erigaisi, Arjun 2712 7 7½ GM Nakamura, Hikaru 2780 2
2 15 GM Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi 2716 7½ 7 GM Predke, Alexandr 2656 47
3 4 GM Giri, Anish 2760 6½ 7½ GM Esipenko, Andrey 2683 32
4 1 GM Caruana, Fabiano 2786 6½ 7 GM Keymer, Vincent 2717 12

51 112 IM Royal, Shreyas 2407 4 4 GM Wagner, Dennis 2589 91 (so Shreyas needs a win)

[Mick Norris]

Would be good to see white wins on the top 2 boards