Candidates Tournament 2020

[Jonathan Rogers]

Interesting predictions; anyone want to change now you've seen the openings?

You should get in quick with your Wang prediction, Matthew!

[Jonathan Rogers]

On the openings then, after twenty games we have had:

9 x 1 e4 games (5 x Ruys, 2 x Petroff , 1 x French, 1 x Sicilian: today's Sicilian then being the first time that Black has not also moved his e-pawn on move one; white on unbeaten plus one after 16 completed games, MVL v Ding being the one: MVL also involved in four of these nine games)

7 v 1 d4 openings, including catalan structures (1 x 4.f3 v Nimzo, 2 x Grunfeld, 2 x Slavs, 2 x Catalans: white on unbeaten plus two after 16 completed games, could have been more: Caruana playing his fourth consecutive 1 d4 game)

4 x English openings, apparently abandoned after round two with Black on +2.

Other note: Wang playing his third consecutive game with symmetrical pawn structure in the opening (but OK, he has no seconds, was supposed to be one of the underdogs and yet could easily be on plus two; so we shall let him be)

[JustinHorton]

Alekseenko seems to have been pondering his eighteenth move for three quarters of an hour.

[JustinHorton]

Situation just past the three hour mark:

Alekseenko managed to calculate his way through MVL's home analysis and secure a draw ;

Grischuk has had a little pressure against Ding but we should be looking at a draw ;

similarly for Nepo against Wang ;

Caruana has never got to grips with his game against Giri who really should win from here, blowing the tournament, as they say, wide open.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Alekseenko seems to have been pondering his eighteenth move for three quarters of an hour."

Apparently MVL played this line against Magnus in London, so was KA trying to remember the line, or did he not know that? Fun game anyway.

[JustinHorton]

Anyway Jonathan and I found ourselves posting on the wrong thread so here's what you missed

[Nick Ivell]

Interesting that Magnus knew at a glance that the Nepo ending was winning. Clearly operating at a different level to the other commentators.

[JustinHorton]

Nepo wins and will lead overnight.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Nepo (Danny's prediction, I think) on +2 then, half ahead of MVL and at least a point ahead of others.

[JustinHorton]

Some authorities consider Wang could have played on.

Giri draws, misses his chance to leapfrog Caruana and maybe misses his chance full stop.

[Chris Rice]

Nepo and Wang still seem to be fighting it out in the post mortem

[Matthew Turner]

Giri - Caruana 1/2
Grischuk - Ding 1/2
Alekseenko - MVL 1/2
Nepomniachtchi - Wang 1-0

This guy is good

[Chris Rice]

Giri - Caruana 1/2
Grischuk - Ding 1/2
Alekseenko - MVL 1/2
Nepomniachtchi - Wang 1-0

This guy is good

Some nice predicting! Felt that Giri should have won though.

[Chris Rice]

Grishuk in the post match saying "I don't want to play or be here" but he's doing ok regardless.

[JustinHorton]

Giri - Caruana 1/2
Grischuk - Ding 1/2
Alekseenko - MVL 1/2
Nepomniachtchi - Wang 1-0

This guy is good

Blimey, I'd missed that. Wonder what I could have won on a Lucky 15.