Tal Memorial, Moscow

[Leonard Barden]

Players:

Kramnik 2817
Aronian 2795
Anand 2776
Mamedyarov 2761
Giri 2755
Nepomniachtchi 2748
Svidler 2745
Gelfand 2743
Li Chao 2728
Tomashevsky 2723

Start delayed for half an hour as Kramnik was still travelling from the airport, but
opening blitz tournament to decide the drawing of lots and who gets five whites now finally under way:

https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tourn ... 2016-blitz

[Mick Norris]

Shak Aronian Svidler Giri Nepo

[Tim Harding]

Mamedyarov dominated the blitz winning by 2 points from Aronian. Giri, Svidler and Nepo' are the others who earned an extra White.

The tournament proper will be online from 1pm BST Monday; round one pairings:
Svidler-Kramnik
Nepomniachtchi-Tomashevsky
Aronian-Gelfand
Giri-Anand
Mamedyarov-Li Chao

[LawrenceCooper]

Mamedyarov dominated the blitz winning by 2 points from Aronian. Giri, Svidler and Nepo' are the others who earned an extra White.

A crucial moment in the blitz came in Mamedyarov (3.5) -Aronian (3) in round 5 on move 41 https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tourn ... litz/5/1/2

[LawrenceCooper]

Mamedyarov dominated the blitz winning by 2 points from Aronian. Giri, Svidler and Nepo' are the others who earned an extra White.

The tournament proper will be online from 1pm BST Monday; round one pairings:
Svidler-Kramnik
Nepomniachtchi-Tomashevsky
Aronian-Gelfand
Giri-Anand
Mamedyarov-Li Chao

A quick win for white in the Nepo game and an uneventful draw between Aronian & Gelfand.

[Graham Borrowdale]

Why should the pairings of a standard play tournament and therefore the potential results and therefore the ratings of the players be determined by a blitz tournament?

[LawrenceCooper]

Why should the pairings of a standard play tournament and therefore the potential results and therefore the ratings of the players be determined by a blitz tournament?

The organisers probably see it as an entertaining curtain raiser to the event and better for the spectators than watching players picking numbers out of a hat or whatever alternative method is used for allocating the 1-10.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Kramnik and Svidler have played masses of games now, but few have been more interesting than this one.

Even if it was a draw

[LawrenceCooper]

Two early repetitions today: Tomashevsky-Aronian & Svidler-Nepomniachtchi so there will be no one on 0 or 2 at the end of round two.

[LawrenceCooper]

Giri has won against Gelfand with black to join Nepo on 1.5/2.

[LawrenceCooper]

Giri has won against Gelfand with black to join Nepo on 1.5/2.

Anand has also won (against Mamedyarov). Kramnik-Li Chau is still going but I suspect it will be a draw.

[Mick Norris]

Chess Mind reports round 1 and round 2

Anyone know why there is a rest day today? It seems very early

[Tim Harding]

Chess Mind reports round 1 and round 2

Anyone know why there is a rest day today? It seems very early

They had the blitz day and two classical rounds.
Another rest day is scheduled for 3 October, after round 6.

This is not the first tournament to have a blitz decider for the draw numbers.

Typically the winner of the blitz in a 10-player tournament will choose number 5 as it gives a perfect alternation of White and Black.
Numbers 1-4 also get the extra game with White.
Number 4 is a good choice also perhaps as it gives the double White in rounds 7 and 8 when the tournament approaches its decisive phase.
Svidler had number 1 which gets two Whites at the start but after drawing both he now faces a majority of Blacks including the last round.
Number 10 gets perfect alternation but with the majority of Blacks.

[Ian Thompson]

Typically the winner of the blitz in a 10-player tournament will choose number 5 as it gives a perfect alternation of White and Black.
...
Number 4 is a good choice also perhaps as it gives the double White in rounds 7 and 8 when the tournament approaches its decisive phase.

I think I'd go for No. 4 then.

Do the players get to choose their number knowing the numbers that players finishing ahead of them have already chosen for themselves? That could be advantageous for the players choosing later because they could choose a number that gives them their preferred colour against one or two other players.

[MJMcCready]

Why do the commentators keep harping on about Tal and comparing the players to him. It seems rather odd given how conservative the competitors are in style. If they wanted sacrifices and exciting chess, why is Kramnik, Gelfand, Anand, Svidler and Tomo playing? I bet Tal is turning in his grave.