Tata Steel Chess Tournament 14th - 30th January 2011

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Kramnik-Carlsen is an interesting B vs N+P endgame at the moment (from move 32 onwards, they are currently on move 66).

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

Kramnik-Carlsen is an interesting B vs N+P endgame at the moment (from move 32 onwards, they are currently on move 66).

Might turn into KB vs K+3 (f,g & h).

Good to see Luke winning again!

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Kramnik-Carlsen is an interesting B vs N+P endgame at the moment (from move 32 onwards, they are currently on move 66).

Might turn into KB vs K+3 (f,g & h).

Nearly right. Looks like KB vs K+3 (ggh).

EDIT: Ah, Kramnik resigned before that position was reached.

[Sebastian Stone]

Kramnik-Carlsen is an interesting B vs N+P endgame at the moment (from move 32 onwards, they are currently on move 66).

Might turn into KB vs K+3 (f,g & h).

Good to see Luke winning again!

Reports of his demise seem slightly premature, he's joint first with all to play for.

[LozCooper]

Standings after round 11

Group A:

1. H. Nakamura 8
2. V. Anand 7½
3. L. Aronian 7
4. M. Carlsen & V. Kramnik 6½
6. M. Vachier-Lagrave 6
7. A. Giri, I. Nepomniachtchi, R. Ponomariov & Wang Hao 5½
11. J. Smeets 4
12. E. l'Ami 3½
13. A. Grischuk & A. Shirov 3

Group B:

1. Z. Efimenko, L. McShane, D. Navara & W. So 7
5. L. Liem & G. Sargissian 6½
7. V. Tkachiev & R. Wojtaszek 6
9. Li Chao 5
10. L. Fressinet, S. Ganguly & W. Spoelman 4
13. J. Hammer & F. Nijboer 3.5

Group C:

1. D. Vocaturo 8½
2. I. Nyzhnyk 7
3. I. Ivanisevic & K. Lahno 6½
5. M. Kazhgaleyev & D. Swiercz 6
7. M. Bluvshtein & T. Sachdev 5½
9. B. Bok 5
10. S. Siebrecht 4½
11. J.W. de Jong, R. Pruijssers, M. van der Werf & R. van Kampen 4

[LozCooper]

Round 12 - Saturday the 29th

Group A:

H. Nakamura (8) - V. Kramnik (6.5)
V. Anand (7.5) - A. Giri (5.5)
E. l'Ami (3.5) - L. Aronian (7)
M. Carlsen (6.5) - Wang Hao (5.5)
M. Vachier-Lagrave (6) - I. Nepomniachtchi (5.5)
R. Ponomariov (5.5) - A. Shirov (3)
J. Smeets (4) - A. Grischuk (3)

Group B:

L. McShane (7) - W. So (7)
L. Liem (6.5) - Z. Efimenko (7)
F. Nijboer (3.5) - D. Navara (7)
G. Sargissian (6.5) - J. Hammer (3.5)
R. Wojtaszek (6) - S. Ganguly (4)
V. Tkachiev (6) - W. Spoelman (4)
L. Fressinet (4) - Li Chao (5)

Group C:

D. Swiercz (6) - D. Vocaturo (8.5)
I. Nyzhnyk (7) - R. van Kampen (4)
K. Lahno (6.5) - M. Kazhgaleyev (6)
I. Ivanisevic (6.5) - J.W. de Jong (4)
S. Siebrecht (4.5) - M. Bluvshtein (5.5)
M. van der Werf (4) - T. Sachdev (5.5)
B. Bok (5) - R. Pruijssers (4)

Round 13 - Sunday the 30th

Group C:

I. Nepomniachtchi - V. Anand
V. Kramnik - M. Vachier-Lagrave
Wang Hao - H. Nakamura
A. Grischuk - M. Carlsen
L. Aronian - J. Smeets
A. Shirov - E. l'Ami
A. Giri - R. Ponomariov

Group B:

J. Hammer - L. Fressinet
Z. Efimenko - G. Sargissian
S. Ganguly - L. Liem
W. So - R. Wojtaszek
D. Navara - L. McShane
W. Spoelman - F. Nijboer
Li Chao - V. Tkachiev

Group C:

R. van Kampen - B. Bok
D. Vocaturo - I. Nyzhnyk
M. Kazhgaleyev - D. Swiercz
J.W. de Jong - K. Lahno
M. Bluvshtein - I. Ivanisevic
T. Sachdev - S. Siebrecht
R. Pruijssers - M. van der Werf

[LozCooper]

Kramnik-Carlsen is an interesting B vs N+P endgame at the moment (from move 32 onwards, they are currently on move 66).

Might turn into KB vs K+3 (f,g & h).

Good to see Luke winning again!

Reports of his demise seem slightly premature, he's joint first with all to play for.

He also has a performance of 2754 from eleven games and his losses were both against players performing at over 2700.He has So and Navara left to play so he will have a big say in who wins the tournament and of course I hope it will be him

[Alex Holowczak]

He also has a performance of 2754 from eleven games and his losses were both against players performing at over 2700.He has So and Navara left to play so he will have a big say in who wins the tournament and of course I hope it will be him

Given only one player qualifies for the A group next year, how is Luke doing on tie-breaker against the rest? I found this this, but it wasn't especially helpful.

[Rob Thompson]

I suspect his position is not so great, given he has lost to 1 of the other seven point scorers, and is yet to play the other two

[Eoin Devane]

Given only one player qualifies for the A group next year, how is Luke doing on tie-breaker against the rest? I found this this, but it wasn't especially helpful.

Presuming that they haven't changed the tie-break system in the last two years, this should cover it: http://www.tatasteelchess.com/news/view ... Tournament

Thus, as Rob suggested, these next two games are key to the tie-breaks as well as to the tournament overall.

[Alex Holowczak]

Thanks.

If Efimenko wins his last two games, then he can't win the tournament whatever happens, because even if Luke wins his two games, he'd lose on tie-break.

[Eoin Devane]

That's true. I think all Luke can do is get as many points as possible and see what happens. He is playing the other two top guys, after all, so his destiny as against them is in his own hands. He just needs a bit of help with Efimenko.

[Alex Holowczak]

I think all Luke can do is get as many points as possible

Wow - a unique way for a player to approach a chess tournament.

[Eoin Devane]

I think all Luke can do is get as many points as possible

Wow - a unique way for a player to approach a chess tournament.

Well looking at some of my results, one might well think that I'm attempting to get as few points as possible.

My point was that he should follow the footballers' mantra and "take each game as it comes" and not worry about things that are beyond his control.

[Matthew Turner]

Luke had an amazing tournament at the London Classic, but it was possible to explain it away as a one off (he is very good against really strong players and because of the scoring system etc. they would be tempted to overpress). To me Luke's performance at Tata has been even more impressive. A 2754 rating performance seems like a very accurate representation of his play. That deserves a chance in the A group and I hope the organisers will give him a shot whether he wins the B group or not.