Nanjing Pearl Spring 2010

[Christopher Kreuzer]

No English interest here, but there was a thread on this board about the Bilbao tournament, so I suppose one here about the Nanjing Pearl Spring tournament that has just started might be OK (if these should be in "General Chat" in future, please say so or move this one to that board).

Anyway, round 1 was two draws (Anand-Wang and Topalov-Gashimov) and a win for Carlsen (with White) against Bacrot.

http://chess-results.com/tnr39369.aspx? ... -1&wi=1000

[Michael Jones]

I can't see any problem - the fact that a tournament doesn't involve any English players doesn't necessarily mean it's not of interest to English fans.

I think the larger field will be to Carlsen's advantage, since his tournament successes have less often come from beating Anand, Kramnik or Topalov than from drawing with them but beating other players with whom they only drew. That said, Wang Yue, Gashimov and Bacrot are hardly pushovers, and in fact have similar ratings to some of the players whom Carlsen lost to at the Olympiad.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

The live rankings make interesting reading:

http://chess.liverating.org/

Currently (after R1 of Nanjing Pearl Spring [Anand and Carlsen and Topalov] and round 1-4 of the European Club Championships [Aronian]) the live rankings are:

1. Carlsen - 2805,0
2. Aronian - 2803,8
3. Anand - 2802,9

Anand and Carlsen drew today (though that is not in the live ratings yet). Might Aronian steal a march on them both by doing well at the ECC?

[Alex Holowczak]

The live rankings make interesting reading:

http://chess.liverating.org/

Currently (after R1 of Nanjing Pearl Spring [Anand and Carlsen and Topalov] and round 1-4 of the European Club Championships [Aronian]) the live rankings are:

1. Carlsen - 2805,0
2. Aronian - 2803,8
3. Anand - 2802,9

Anand and Carlsen drew today (though that is not in the live ratings yet). Might Aronian steal a march on them both by doing well at the ECC?

Just read something from Leonard Barden in another thread. He answered this question: Yes

[Leonard Barden]

What is more, if Aronian wins this afternoon as Black against Laznicka (no easy task, remember that L won the World Open and crushed Nigel Short in the Olympiad) and/or then retains the world No 1 rating at the end of the Eurocup, this may well also make him No1 in the official Fide November list. The argument is that Eurocup, being an official Fide event and finishing this weekend, will be counted while Pearl Spring, not a Fide event and finishing later, will not.

If this occurs it's a publicity setback for the London Classic which will then not have the current world No1 in the field.

[Leonard Barden]

On looking at it further the No1 spot for November is still undecided. Anand's two draws at Pearl Spring drop his rating slightly from after Bilbao, which will probably be his figure for November. And that might be marginally ahead of Aronian after the latter's draw with Laznicka. So Aronian may need 1.5/2 from the final rounds of Eurocup to be sure. I should also add that Mark Crowther thinks that Pearl Spring may be included anyway due to its importance and because there are so few games.

[Michael Jones]

Three decisive results in the third round, including wins for both Anand and Carlsen - enough to keep them both ahead of Aronian for the time being, but with only two points separating the top three every win counts.

[Mick Norris]

Aronian drew today, black against Eljanov

[Justin Hadi]

Aronian will surely be number 1 before too long. He is a class act.

[Michael Jones]

I wouldn't say 'surely' - at the moment we've got something of a "Big 5" (Carlsen, Anand, Topalov, Kramnik, Aronian), any of whom could, on their day, beat any other, and any of whom could with a decent run of form become number 1.

[Leonard Barden]

This afternoon if I have it right Levon Aronian can become officially world No1 on the November list if he wins his final round game as White in the Erevan v Baden-Baden match. This is assuming that Fide will count the Eurocup, finishing today, and not Pearl Spring, ending late next week.

His opponent? Michael Adams.....

The game will be shown live.

[Leonard Barden]

This morning in Pearl Spring Anand lost to Bacrot, while Carlsen stands worse in a still ongoing rook ending against Gashimov.

Suddenly Aronian may have the opportunity to become world No1 this afternoon both on the official Fide November list and on the unofficial daily live ratings if he beats Michael Adams in the Erevan v Baden-Baden Eurocup match in Plovdiv.

Adams will be fighting not only for his team but for the honour of the London Chess Classic which would dearly like to have the World No1 (Anand or Carlsen) in the field....The game will be live and can be followed via TWIC.

Update: Carlsen now probably drawing after Gashimov missed the most testing lines. However it seems that Carlsen with a draw will be 2807ish on the live ratings, Aronian if he wins this afternoon around 2808.

[Michael Jones]

Carlsen has drawn; Aronian-Adams is 25 moves in and evaluated +0.3 by the thingy on the game viewer.

[Justin Hadi]

I wouldn't say 'surely' - at the moment we've got something of a "Big 5" (Carlsen, Anand, Topalov, Kramnik, Aronian), any of whom could, on their day, beat any other, and any of whom could with a decent run of form become number 1.

There was a bit of poetic licence there, but statistically it's likely that any one of the five, with a good run of form could become number one. Aronian has been in the Big 5 since July 2009, he's showing himself capable of such a good run of form, and also the only one breaking past 2800 for the first time. I don't think he'll beat Adams today, though.

[Justin Hadi]

And I've just seen on another thread he has just drawn.