Reports | January 28, 2012 19:49

Aronian secures at least shared first in Wijk aan Zee

Aronian secures at least shared first in Wijk aan Zee

Levon Aronian beat Boris Gelfand on Saturday in Wijk aan Zee and is again leading the Tata Steel tournament by a full point, with one round to go.  Both Magnus Carlsen and Teimour Radjabov, who were trailing by half a point, drew their games. In the B group Harikrishna kept his half-point lead, while Maxim Turov and Hans Tikkanen still share the lead in 'C'.

Event Tata Steel Chess Tournament | PGN Group A, Group B, Group C via TWIC
Dates January 13th-29th, 2012
Location Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands
System 3 GM groups with 14 players-player double round robin
Players
A group		 Carlsen, Aronian, Radjabov, Topalov, Karjakin, Ivanchuk, Gashimov, Nakamura, Gelfand, Caruana, Kamsky, Giri, Navara, Van Wely
Players
B group		 Bruzon, Potkin, Motylev, Tiviakov, Harikrishna, Ernst, L'Ami, Reinderman, Timman, Nyzhnik, Lahno, Vocaturo, Harika, Cmilyte
Players
C group		 Sadler, Turov, Adhiban, Tikkanen, Grover, Brandenburg, Danielian, Paehtz, Sachdev, Hopman, Ootes, Haast, Schut, Goudriaan
Rate of play 100 minutes for 40 moves, followed by 50 minutes for 20 moves, then 15 minutes for the remaining moves with 30 seconds cumulative increment for each move starting from the first move.

After round 11, one of the most exciting rounds in Wijk aan Zee in many years, the 12th round was more quiet, almost disappointing. Levon Aronian bounced back from his loss against David Navara the previous day and won against Boris Gelfand. This meant that his closest rivals, Magnus Carlsen and Teimour Radjabov, had to win as well, but they both didn't manage. This mean that Aronian increased his lead to a full point again, and the tournament was suddenly already decided. The Armenian wouldn't lose his last-round game, with the white pieces, against Teimour Radjabov, now would he?

The Gelfand-Aronian started as a sideline of the Queen's Gambit Declined, where Black went ...Nf6-e8 and ...f7-f5 at an early stage to bring a Stonewall pawn structure on the board. At some point Black won a pawn, but White had strong pressure as compensation. The game was more or less balanced until after the first time control, when suddenly things got tricky.

PGN string

Don't miss Levon Aronian's press conference, where at the end he answers our question what aspects of the game he managed to improve in recent months.

Long before the end of Gelfand-Aronian, Teimour Radjabov had already drawn with Vassily Ivanchuk. The Ukrainian, known for his wide opening repertoire, solved his opening problems quite easily in a Volga/Benkö Gambit. Against Gata Kamsky, Magnus Carlsen again wasn't showing his best chess.

PGN string

Veselin Topalov won his first game of the tournament against a struggling Anish Giri. The Bulgarian kept the advantage right from the opening - the Petroff, which had yielded Giri two victories in his previous tournament.

PGN string

In the B group, tournament leader Pentala Harikrishna managed to hold the important game with black against Alexander Motylev to a draw. This meant that Erwin l'Ami could have reached shared first with the Indian, if he beat Jan Timman. Instead, the oldest of the two Dutch grandmasters outplayed his younger opponent with Black, only to finish the game with another horrible blunder.

PGN string

In the C group things will be decided on the final day, because both leaders, Maxim Turov and Hans Tikkanen, won their games. The latter won against pre-tournament favorite Matthew Sadler.

 

Games group A, round 12

 
 

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group A | Pairings

Round 1 14.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 2 15.01.12 13.30 CET
Navara ½-½ Topalov   Topalov ½-½ Van Wely
Gelfand 0-1 Giri   Gashimov ½-½ Kamsky
Radjabov ½-½ Caruana   Ivanchuk ½-½ Carlsen
Karjakin 0-1 Aronian   Aronian 1-0 Nakamura
Nakamura ½-½ Ivanchuk   Caruana 1-0 Karjakin
Carlsen 1-0 Gashimov   Giri ½-½ Radjabov
Kamsky ½-½ Van Wely   Navara ½-½ Gelfand
Round 3 16.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 4 17.01.12 13.30 CET
Gelfand ½-½ Topalov   Topalov ½-½ Gashimov
Radjabov 1-0 Navara   Ivanchuk ½-½ Van Wely
Karjakin 1-0 Giri   Aronian 1-0 Kamsky
Nakamura ½-½ Caruana   Caruana ½-½ Carlsen
Carlsen 1-0 Aronian   Giri ½-½ Nakamura
Kamsky ½-½ Ivanchuk   Navara 0-1 Karjakin
Van Wely ½-½ Gashimov   Gelfand ½-½ Radjabov
Round 5 19.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 6 20.01.12 13.30 CET
Radjabov ½-½ Topalov   Topalov ½-½ Ivanchuk
Karjakin 0-1 Gelfand   Aronian 1-0 Gashimov
Nakamura 1-0 Navara   Caruana ½-½ Van Wely
Carlsen ½-½ Giri   Giri 1-0 Kamsky
Kamsky ½-½ Caruana   Navara ½-½ Carlsen
Van Wely ½-½ Aronian   Gelfand 0-1 Nakamura
Gashimov 0-1 Ivanchuk   Radjabov 1-0 Karjakin
Round 7 21.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 8 22.01.12 13.30 CET
Karjakin 1-0 Topalov   Topalov ½-½ Aronian
Nakamura ½-½ Radjabov   Caruana ½-½ Ivanchuk
Carlsen 1-0 Gelfand   Giri 0-1 Gashimov
Kamsky 1-0 Navara   Navara ½-½ Van Wely
Van Wely ½-½ Giri   Gelfand ½-½ Kamsky
Gashimov ½-½ Caruana   Radjabov ½-½ Carlsen
Ivanchuk ½-½ Aronian   Karjakin ½-½ Nakamura
Round 9 24.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 10 25.01.12 13.30 CET
Nakamura ½-½ Topalov   Topalov 0-1 Caruana
Carlsen 0-1 Karjakin   Giri 0-1 Aronian
Kamsky ½-½ Radjabov   Navara 0-1 Ivanchuk
Van Wely ½-½ Gelfand   Gelfand ½-½ Gashimov
Gashimov ½-½ Navara   Radjabov ½-½ Van Wely
Ivanchuk 1-0 Giri   Karjakin 0-1 Kamsky
Aronian 1-0 Caruana   Nakamura ½-½ Carlsen
Round 11 27.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 12 28.01.12 13.30 CET
Carlsen 1-0 Topalov   Topalov 1-0 Giri
Kamsky ½-½ Nakamura   Navara ½-½ Caruana
Van Wely 0-1 Karjakin   Gelfand 0-1 Aronian
Gashimov 0-1 Radjabov   Radjabov ½-½ Ivanchuk
Ivanchuk 0-1 Gelfand   Karjakin ½-½ Gashimov
Aronian 0-1 Navara   Nakamura 1-0 Van Wely
Caruana 1-0 Giri   Carlsen ½-½ Kamsky
Round 13 29.01.12 12.00 CET        
Kamsky - Topalov        
Van Wely - Carlsen        
Gashimov - Nakamura        
Ivanchuk - Karjakin        
Aronian - Radjabov        
Caruana - Gelfand        
Giri - Navara        

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group A | Round 12 standings

 

Games group B, round 12

 
 


Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group B | Pairings

Round 1 14.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 2 15.01.12 13.30 CET
Reinderman ½-½ Motylev   Motylev ½-½ Potkin
Bruzon 0-1 Harikrishna   Tiviakov 1-0 Timman
Lahno 1-0 Ernst   Nyzhnyk ½-½ l'Ami
Harika ½-½ Vocaturo   Vocaturo 1-0 Cmilyte
Cmilyte 0-1 Nyzhnyk   Ernst ½-½ Harika
l'Ami 1-0 Tiviakov   Harikrishna 1-0 Lahno
Timman ½-½ Potkin   Reinderman ½-½ Bruzon
Round 3 16.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 4 17.01.12 13.30 CET
Bruzon ½-½ Motylev   Motylev 1-0 Tiviakov
Lahno ½-½ Reinderman   Nyzhnyk ½-½ Potkin
Harika 0-1 Harikrishna   Vocaturo ½-½ Timman
Cmilyte 1-0 Ernst   Ernst 1-0 l'Ami
l'Ami 1-0 Vocaturo   Harikrishna ½-½ Cmilyte
Timman 1-0 Nyzhnyk   Reinderman ½-½ Harika
Potkin 0-1 Tiviakov   Bruzon ½-½ Lahno
Round 5 19.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 6 20.01.12 13.30 CET
Lahno 0-1 Motylev   Motylev ½-½ Nyzhnyk
Harika 0-1 Bruzon   Vocaturo ½-½ Tiviakov
Cmilyte ½-½ Reinderman   Ernst 1-0 Potkin
l'Ami ½-½ Harikrishna   Harikrishna 1-0 Timman
Timman 1-0 Ernst   Reinderman ½-½ l'Ami
Potkin ½-½ Vocaturo   Bruzon 1-0 Cmilyte
Tiviakov ½-½ Nyzhnyk   Lahno ½-½ Harika
Round 7 21.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 8 22.01.12 13.30 CET
Harika ½-½ Motylev   Motylev 1-0 Vocaturo
Cmilyte ½-½ Lahno   Ernst ½-½ Nyzhnyk
l'Ami ½-½ Bruzon   Harikrishna ½-½ Tiviakov
Timman 0-1 Reinderman   Reinderman 0-1 Potkin
Potkin ½-½ Harikrishna   Bruzon 1-0 Timman
Tiviakov 0-1 Ernst   Lahno 0-1 l'Ami
Nyzhnyk 1-0 Vocaturo   Harika ½-½ Cmilyte
Round 9 24.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 10 25.01.12 13.30 CET
Cmilyte ½-½ Motylev   Motylev 1-0 Ernst
l'Ami 1-0 Harika   Harikrishna 1-0 Vocaturo
Timman ½-½ Lahno   Reinderman 1-0 Nyzhnyk
Potkin 0-1 Bruzon   Bruzon ½-½ Tiviakov
Tiviakov 1-0 Reinderman   Lahno ½-½ Potkin
Nyzhnyk 0-1 Harikrishna   Harika ½-½ Timman
Vocaturo 1-0 Ernst   Cmilyte 0-1 l'Ami
Round 11 27.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 12 28.01.12 13.30 CET
l'Ami ½-½ Motylev   Motylev ½-½ Harikrishna
Timman 1-0 Cmilyte   Reinderman 1-0 Ernst
Potkin 1-0 Harika   Bruzon 1-0 Vocaturo
Tiviakov 1-0 Lahno   Lahno 0-1 Nyzhnyk
Nyzhnyk 1-0 Bruzon   Harika 0-1 Tiviakov
Vocaturo 0-1 Reinderman   Cmilyte ½-½ Potkin
Ernst 1-0 Harikrishna   l'Ami ½-½ Timman
Round 13 29.01.12 12.00 CET        
Timman - Motylev        
Potkin - l'Ami        
Tiviakov - Cmilyte        
Nyzhnyk - Harika        
Vocaturo - Lahno        
Ernst - Bruzon        
Harikrishna - Reinderman        

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group B | Round 12 standings

 

Games group C, round 12

 
 


Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group C | Pairings

Round 1 14.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 2 15.01.12 13.30 CET
Sadler 1-0 Hopman   Hopman 0-1 Turov
Tania ½-½ Grover   Schut ½-½ Danielian
Paehtz 0-1 Tikkanen   Haast ½-½ Goudriaan
Brandenburg ½-½ Ootes   Ootes ½-½ Adhiban
Adhiban 1-0 Haast   Tikkanen ½-½ Brandenburg
Goudriaan 1-0 Schut   Grover 1-0 Paehtz
Danielian 0-1 Turov   Sadler ½-½ Tania
Round 3 16.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 4 17.01.12 13.30 CET
Tania ½-½ Hopman   Hopman 0-1 Schut
Paehtz ½-½ Sadler   Haast 0-1 Turov
Brandenburg ½-½ Grover   Ootes 1-0 Danielian
Adhiban ½-½ Tikkanen   Tikkanen 1-0 Goudriaan
Goudriaan 1-0 Ootes   Grover 0-1 Adhiban
Danielian ½-½ Haast   Sadler ½-½ Brandenburg
Turov 1-0 Schut   Tania 0-1 Paehtz
Round 5 19.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 6 20.01.12 13.30 CET
Paehtz ½-½ Hopman   Hopman 1-0 Haast
Brandenburg ½-½ Tania   Ootes 0-1 Schut
Adhiban ½-½ Sadler   Tikkanen ½-½ Turov
Goudriaan 0-1 Grover   Grover ½-½ Danielian
Danielian 0-1 Tikkanen   Sadler ½-½ Goudriaan
Turov 1-0 Ootes   Tania ½-½ Adhiban
Schut 1-0 Haast   Paehtz ½-½ Brandenburg
Round 7 21.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 8 22.01.12 13.30 CET
Brandenburg 1-0 Hopman   Hopman 0-1 Ootes
Adhiban 1-0 Paehtz   Tikkanen 1-0 Haast
Goudriaan ½-½ Tania   Grover 1-0 Schut
Danielian ½-½ Sadler   Sadler ½-½ Turov
Turov ½-½ Grover   Tania ½-½ Danielian
Schut 0-1 Tikkanen   Paehtz 1-0 Goudriaan
Haast 1-0 Ootes   Brandenburg ½-½ Adhiban
Round 9 24.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 10 25.01.12 13.30 CET
Adhiban 1-0 Hopman   Hopman 1-0 Tikkanen
Goudriaan ½-½ Brandenburg   Grover 1-0 Ootes
Danielian ½-½ Paehtz   Sadler 1-0 Haast
Turov 1-0 Tania   Tania 1-0 Schut
Schut ½-½ Sadler   Paehtz ½-½ Turov
Haast 1-0 Grover   Brandenburg 1-0 Danielian
Ootes 0-1 Tikkanen   Adhiban ½-½ Goudriaan
Round 11 27.01.12 13.30 CET   Round 12 28.01.12 13.30 CET
Goudriaan ½-½ Hopman   Hopman ½-½ Grover
Danielian ½-½ Adhiban   Sadler 0-1 Tikkanen
Turov ½-½ Brandenburg   Tania 0-1 Ootes
Schut 0-1 Paehtz   Paehtz ½-½ Haast
Haast 0-1 Tania   Brandenburg 1-0 Schut
Ootes ½-½ Sadler   Adhiban 0-1 Turov
Tikkanen 1-0 Grover   Goudriaan 0-1 Danielian
Round 13 29.01.12 12.00 CET        
Danielian - Hopman        
Turov - Goudriaan        
Schut - Adhiban        
Haast - Brandenburg        
Ootes - Paehtz        
Tikkanen - Tania        
Grover - Sadler        

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group C | Round 12 standings

 

 

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Peter Doggers's picture
Author: Peter Doggers

Founder and editor-in-chief of ChessVibes.com, Peter is responsible for most of the chess news and tournament reports. Often visiting top events, he also provides photos and videos for the site. He's a 1.e4 player himself, likes Thai food and the Stones.

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Comments

Your Name's picture

Your Name

1 year 3 months ago

If Aronian draws and Carlsen wins,who win the tournament?

Abbas's picture

Abbas

1 year 3 months ago

The one who has more points

Saji's picture

Saji

1 year 3 months ago

Good one

Anonymous's picture

Anonymous

1 year 3 months ago

Since Aronian leads by a full point a draw will ensure him unshared first place. Aronian only has to share first if he loses AND Carlsen or Radjabov win.

redivivo's picture

redivivo

1 year 3 months ago

If he loses it's certain that Radjabov will win though :-)

Abbas's picture

Abbas

1 year 3 months ago

It doesn't seem that Gelfand will be back to top 10 someday though he might be a world champion!!

redivivo's picture

redivivo

1 year 3 months ago

He has been closer to score a worse than a better result here, Kamsky missed a couple of wins and Ivanchuk took too big risks in an equal position. Gelfand is -2 after having had two more whites than blacks, and his last round game against Caruana will decide if he will be able to hold on to his #20 spot. At least Gelfand won't finish last like the last time he played Wijk (and Linares) but finish around the same position as in his latest starts in Dortmund and Tal Memorial, that is a spot or two ahead of last place.

Thomas's picture

Thomas

1 year 3 months ago

With such reasoning (mistakes or missed opportunities of the opponent do matter, own mistakes don't matter) everyone will be "closer to score a worse than a better result". Gelfand escaped against Kamsky and maybe "shouldn't have won" against Ivanchuk. On the other hand, he didn't have to lose against Carlsen, Nakamura and Aronian - arguably Giri was the only one who really outplayed him?

Funnily "two more whites" was, if anything, a disadvantage for Gelfand: all but one of his losses were with the white pieces, vs. both wins with black.

And regarding Gelfand's supertournament results, you go way back to Dortmund 2007 to point out a bad one, neglecting other ones which were at least mediocre (50% or more, several editions of Bazna and Tal Memorial). If he was as consistently bad as you suggest, he would already be out of the top50 (and off the invitation lists for such events).

Xeno's picture

Xeno

1 year 3 months ago

One thing is certain: finding a weaker participant in a title match the last 100 years is a difficult job. Any suggestions?

Mike's picture

Mike

1 year 3 months ago

Euwe

Xeno's picture

Xeno

1 year 3 months ago

Euwe was Chessmetrics no 1 in the middle of the 1930s and scored many top results in the strongest tournaments, at the very least he was top 5 when his title matches were played and it's hard to say the same thing about Gelfand.

Thomas's picture

Thomas

1 year 3 months ago

When Timman played his FIDE WCh match against Karpov in November/December 1993, he was world #33. Of course he was higher-ranked (top10) before, which is also the case for Gelfand.

Xeno's picture

Xeno

1 year 3 months ago

Few counted Timman's match as a real title match though, it was the lucky losers from the real cycle that played a match of little importance.

Thomas's picture

Thomas

1 year 3 months ago

Yeah but the winner of the "real qualifying cycle" Nigel Short also got similar comments from 'the chess world' as Gelfand these days. This time at least Anand respects his challenger (which wasn't quite the case for Kasparov back then).

Xeno's picture

Xeno

1 year 3 months ago

Short won real candidates matches against Gelfand (when he was ranked more than 15 places higher than today) and Karpov, with a clear margin, when he qualified for that title match. Needless to say I doubt Gelfand would stand a chance with a similar system instead of a knockout lottery.

Thomas's picture

Thomas

1 year 3 months ago

Maybe, but to draw such conclusions from matches about 20 years ago?? BTW, Gelfand had qualified for the Mexico WCh tournament via what may have been the last "real candidates matches", beating not only Kasimdzhanov but also the experienced match player Gata Kamsky. You may argue that six games isn't "real", and a minimum of eight games (as in 1991-1993) is required ... .

redivivo's picture

redivivo

1 year 3 months ago

Short won real candidates matches against Gelfand (5-3) and Karpov (6-4) when both were top five. Beating Karpov so convincingly was something not even Kasparov ever managed. So if the same criticism was voiced against Short as against knockout winner Gelfand I don't agree with it. Just before beating Gelfand clearly in the match Short played Amsterdam 1991 and won, ahead of Kasparov and Karpov. After beating Gelfand but before Karpov he played Tilburg and finished second behind Kasparov, ahead of Anand and Karpov, and 5.5 points ahead of #4 Bareev. Then he did have a bad Linares just before the Karpov match, but his achievements were on another level than Gelfand's, so I don't think the comparison is all that fair to Short.

Anonymous's picture

Anonymous

1 year 3 months ago

Respect.

Alfonso's picture

Alfonso

1 year 3 months ago

Kasimdzhanov, if we consider the final match of the 2004 WCh a "title match". And Akopian in 1999, with the same proviso...It is clear that a format of short matches is prone to yield a less than optimal winner/finalist.

redivivo's picture

redivivo

1 year 3 months ago

Yes, there's of course nothing wrong with Kasim or Gelfand for winning such events, I just think one should evaluate their level more based on their normal results in classical chess. Discussing if Kasim is the "weakest" player to win the FIDE World Championship or if Gelfand has the same position as challenger in the classical line doesn't equal disliking them as persons. What they show together with Khalifman (vs Akopian in the final "match") is that knockouts often lead to sensations. None of the three ever won a top tournament ahead of the strongest players, so they just are a bit behind the best and nothing wrong with that. But if a cycle that started four-five years ago is decided by knockouts the result can be that the best players are eliminated because the format leads to upsets, and if one takes the World Championship seriously one should care about that.

alberto eduardo hernandez jorge's picture

alberto eduardo hernandez jorge

1 year 3 months ago

Gracias..Ha sido un torneo lleno de emociones un torneo para recordar por largo tiempo con un final electrizante ., Aronian , Carlsen , I vanchuk , Nakamura , Rayjabov , la elite del ajedrez reunida . Manana se juega la ultima ronda la definitoria ., pronosticos ........... Esperemos al climax de la emosion . Alberto Hernandez Jorge .

columbo's picture

columbo

1 year 3 months ago

I predict 3 winners

speaking of Gelfand's picture

speaking of Gelfand

1 year 3 months ago

Since you mention Gelfand's results back in 2007, surely you forgot his shared 2nd at the World Championship 2007 in Mexico, where he won both games against a player who finished just half a point from last place: Aronian.
http://chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4154
So much for selective data.

Xeno's picture

Xeno

1 year 3 months ago

Wow, Gelfand finished shared second once five years ago!

Drag Queen's picture

Drag Queen

1 year 3 months ago

He finished first in candidates recently

Thomas's picture

Thomas

1 year 3 months ago

And shared second in Bazna 1 1/2 years ago (behind someone who dropped out of the WCh cycle). And clear second in Bazna 2009.

speaking of Gelfand's picture

speaking of Gelfand

1 year 3 months ago

In terms of World-Championship cycles, Gelfand:
Won the World Cup 2009 (KO format)
Won the Candidates 2011 (match format)
Got shared 2nd at the 2007 World Championship (tournament format)

How many players in the last couple of years can claim similar accomplishments in playing world-championship cycles? Only Anand (who became WC in three different formats), and maybe Aronian to some extent (who won the World Cup and also the Grand Prix).
The World Championshipship is about winning when it counts the most. Choosing not the play in the World Cup (Kramnik, Topalov) or in the Candidates (Carlsen) out of fear of one's own reputation should not be praised in this context.

At least, Gelfand should be given credit for playing and winning in those critical moments.

redivivo's picture

redivivo

1 year 3 months ago

"Won the Candidates 2011 (match format)"

Yes, that's what people keep saying, trying to ignore that it was a knockout because if one calls it "Candidates Matches" instead it just sounds so much more like the 24-game Karpov-Korchnoi 1974. But candidates matches aren't four games long and played sequentially with rapid/blitz tiebreak, knockouts are. But it's true that Gelfand had a couple of good knockout results. In 2009 the top players were absent and in 2011 he didn't face them, Kramnik said he was lucky with the draw. In tournaments he has finished 2nd-3rd a couple of times the last five years, in Mexico five years ago he was probably fortunate that Aronian got seriously ill and lost like a child in his games against Gelfand (Kasparov's called Aronian's way of playing coffeehouse blitz) but the top five have better results than that every year.

sulutas's picture

sulutas

1 year 3 months ago

On the other side, Giri v Navara game will decide who will be at the bottom. It is a bit pity that Giri can finish at the last place even though he won a strong tournament a couple of weeks ago and started the tournament with a win here. Maybe he got too tired after a couple of rounds.

BL's picture

BL

1 year 3 months ago

I am sure that Carlsen said 'I f*cked up' in his video of the daily. Have a look lol. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB1_4UGUakc

The Devil's picture

The Devil

1 year 3 months ago

Interesting interview from Magnus 'I f*cked up' Carlsen. Hahaha. Maybe first time he ever swore on camera?

jimknopf's picture

jimknopf

1 year 3 months ago

Magnus does not hide or try to play the "chess hero" for the fan base or chess public, and I rate his blog entries as very direct and realistic. He's very straightworward, and I see nothing wrong in his wording right after the game.

I still stick to what I said earlier: If there is one phase in the game when he is more vulnerable than in others, it's sometimes his opening choice itself and sometimes the point where the first moves out of his book happen.

It's fine that he does not jump on the bandwaggon of excessive computer opening preparation, but it is also true IMHO that he could improve his play here more than anywhere else at the moment: find openings which suit his play best, and detect possibilities of creating unbalanced play in them, to overplay his opponents with his intuition and skill.

paul's picture

paul

1 year 3 months ago

Giri just got to cocky...and pfff i'm glad Tiviakov can't win the b-group and make 6 draws with wite and some with black next year. Besides that i wonder about Sokolov..giving prizes away and being an elohssa. Tata would improve letting Dutch Chess Federation go away and have real commentaters on line. Glad Carlsen sad F and we all know Anand end Gelfand are playing a goofy match. Next time Carlsen Aranian. And pleaeaeaease let Sokolov NOT hand out prizes ..i presume he will pocket it half himself and his translation (in dutch) sounded horrible. Besides that Timman is just a joke...cashing 20000 euro for just playing and hoping he will compete in the a-group next year. Fide is sheite but Dutch Chess federation too

D Shabazz's picture

D Shabazz

1 year 3 months ago

Both have to wait their turns and earn the right!

Hughbertie's picture

Hughbertie

1 year 3 months ago

---deleted---
http://www.chessvibes.com/terms

Michel83's picture

Michel83

1 year 3 months ago

I'm very very glad you told us. Just let it all out, it's ok...

P.S.: The "thumbs"-function doesn't exist anymore on CV.

Barthod's picture

Barthod

1 year 3 months ago

Knowledge is a dangerous thing for ignorants.

stevefraser's picture

stevefraser

1 year 3 months ago

Why aren't the decisive games of the top players shown?

Ryan's picture

Ryan

1 year 3 months ago

Show some respect for Timman and Sokolov. Who do you think you are "Paul"?

redivivo's picture

redivivo

1 year 3 months ago

Looking at Mig's Twitter all his latest posts are about Radjabov and his draw offer against van Wely, "an attempt to distract your opponent at best", "another reason to ban the draw offer entirely", etc etc. Anyone recall how happy Mig was after Radjabov's clock incident in Kazan? "Losing a drawn endgame in the most important game of your career after a clock malfunction is tough, but if it had to happen to anybody..." There's many many more on that subject from Mig but that's the one I remembered enough to look up. Maybe it goes with the job after Kasparov's loss in Linares 2003?

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