Morozevich virtually world’s no. 1
25 August 2008, 9.28 CET | Last modified: 9:34 | By Peter Doggers | Filed under: Reports | Tags:
In a wild game that probably went wrong for Ponomariov at an early stage, Morozevich won again at the Tal Memorial, taking over Anand in the virtual world rankings.
Photo ?Ǭ© Mark Gluhovsky
Where Magnus Carlsen came very close, during the Biel Chess Festival earlier this summer, Alexander Morozevich succeeded: compared to his July 1st FIDE rating, he won 11 points (10.9 to be exact), enough to overtake the world’s number one Vishy Anand in Hans Arild Runde’s Live Rating List (see right column on this site).
It’s a nice little success for Morozevich, not only confirming the good form he’s in, but perhaps finally eliminating the notion that he can only do well in smaller tournaments. In the sixth round, his original opening play forced Ponomariov to think at move 7, and the Ukrainian soon erred.
Perhaps more surprising is Peter Leko’s sudden collapse in Moscow, after he won in Dortmund, just about seven weeks ago. The usually ultra-solid Hungarian lost twice in a row to drop from plus one to minus one. (But “let’s not bury him yet” 
)
Ivanchuk is now clear second – he just keeps on playing very well and it’s great that we’ll see him in Bilbao as well.
Morozevich – Ponomariov 1-0
Leko – Ivanchuk 0-1
Mamedyarov – Gelfand 0-1
Shirov – Alekseev ?Ǭ?-?Ǭ?
Kramnik – Kamsky ?Ǭ?-?Ǭ?
Tal Memorial Round 6 Standings
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | ||||||
| 1 | Morozevich,A | 2788 | +142 | * | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 4.5/6 | ||||
| 2 | Ivanchuk,V | 2781 | +76 | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 4.0/6 | ||||
| 3 | Gelfand,B | 2720 | +73 | ½ | * | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 3.5/6 | ||||
| 4 | Mamedyarov,S | 2742 | +3 | ½ | ½ | 0 | * | ½ | ½ | 1 | 3.0/6 | 9.50 | |||
| 5 | Ponomariov,R | 2718 | +29 | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | 1 | 3.0/6 | 8.50 | |||
| 6 | Kramnik,V | 2788 | -39 | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | 1 | 3.0/6 | 7.50 | |||
| 7 | Alekseev,Evgeny | 2708 | -21 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | 2.5/6 | 7.25 | |||
| 8 | Leko,P | 2741 | -39 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | * | 1 | 2.5/6 | 6.75 | |||
| 9 | Kamsky,G | 2723 | -34 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | 1 | 2.5/6 | 6.00 | |||
| 10 | Shirov,A | 2741 | -187 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | * | 1.5/6 |
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So now Morozevich even manages to beat super-GMs without moving his e-pawn?!
I wonder whether Moro would be a good match player. It is almost impossible to predict his opening schemes, so why wouldn’t he?
Perhaps, Oak, but in a match, preparation is not only important for the opponent, but also for Morozevich himself. Suppose he randomly plays the Chigorin defence and his opponent finds a good way to fight it. He then has to play some other obscure variation, risking another refutation. A match may perhaps have more games then there are “good obscure” opening lines, even for someone like Morozevich. I think it was Kasparov who said you can’t play matches if you are not willing to play main lines.
Interesting. We should ask ourselves whether Moro wins more often because of his obscure opening variations or just because he outplayes his oppontents. If the latter is true then a solid opening repertoire would make him virtually unbeatable. The truth is propably somewhere in the middle as he feels more comfortable in the unusal positions that he strives for with his choice of openings. I hope practice will teach us in the near future.
Futhermore I would like to know Moro’s ambitions now he is at the top of the rating list. I can recall an interview where he states that he won’t be playing chess for much longer, perhaps this has changed lately. So, Peter these are some questions you can ask him
Frankly, I don’t think his strength has anything to do with his choice of openings. It’s just that he seems to like this kind of play, but he feels at home in any kind of position, really. Like any great player, he is very much all-round and I’m sure he’d have similar scores when playing the Queen’s Gambit Declined.
I am not sure. I do think that Morozevich’ opening play is part of it. I don’t remember where I read Kasparov’s remark, who said of Morozevich that he forces his opponents to think from move seven (related to his c5-c6 against Ponomariov). Furthermore, Morozevich is unpredictable and extremely dangerous in messy positions. This has a psychological impact on his opponents, who must feel tense.
I remember a story about Sokolov who was once about to face him. He was nervously wondering if he should play (after 1. d4, d5) 2. Nf3, “but oh hell, then I get the Chigorin”, or 2. c4, when he would risk an Albin! He decided to go for the latter, and although he obtained a practically winning position immediately after the opening, he was wiped in short order.
No player is safe from Morozevich. He is especially not easy to “neutralize”, which is hard enough when facing any super-GM by the way.
Perhaps this causes his opponents to play worse.
Naturally, Like any other super-GM Morozevich has excellent skills in any facet of chess. Nobody has a particular clear weakness.
Corus 2005, by the way
Moro’s today’s loss shows that LIVE rating is just for fun.
Of the above discussion, it seems that Chess960 is ideal for Morozevich style. How well he has did it in that variant? Anybody knows?
It’s poetic that Moro, often called the Tal of the 21st century, hit the world #1 mark in the Tal memorial tournament with a Tal-like game displaying Tal-like energy and creativity. I’d love to see this guy get a match for the title.