Morelia/Linares halfway
26 February 2008 10:55 PM | Last modified: 8:15
If we look back at Morelia/Linares, now halfway through, we can safely say that no chess fan has been disappointed. All right, the players made more mistakes than usual, but it has made the tourney all the more exciting.
So far, there have been more decisive games than draws, which by itself is already a remarkable fact. This has probably something to do with the specific field of players: almost without exception big fighters who avoid the Petroff. Okay, Peter Leko is playing, and he’s not exactly known as a player with a very entertaining style, but to say that he’s shown boring games in Morelia? Very unfortunate, yes, and halfway this put him all the way down in the standings.
Anand occupies the other side of the list: leading, with 4.5 out of 7. He’s got excellent chances to keep the title this year. Besides, Vishy seems to be playing for a win in almost every game, even with Black, and he wasn’t unsuccessful with that. Shirov, who has finished (shared) last lots of times in Linares, has been showing very good chess in recent months and is now on a fine second place, shared with Topalov. The Bulgarian experienced ups and dows: some flashes of his top form of 2005, and some moves at 2400 level.
Aronian and Carlsen also share a spot: both on 3.5 points (50%). The former started in remarkable fashion: first he got smashed by Topalov, and then he defeated Anand in a very nice attacking game. But he can certainly do better than his first half, because the only other victory was that lucky one against Ivanchuk. Carlsen can be kind of satisfied: on the one hand two very nice victories against Topalov and Aronian, on the other hand a deserved defeat against Anand and an unnecessary loss against Radjabov.
That same Radjabov has more reason to complain. Except for that full point against Carlsen, the Azeri doesn’t have much else to be proud of. On the same number of points (3) is Ivanchuk, but his play looks a bit less shaky, except for that drama game of course. And so we return to Leko, who might find some inspiration in Morozevich’s achievement of 2007. From 2 out of 7 (even a half point less), the Russian had a magnificent comeback to finally finish second behind Anand.
Thursday afternoon, the eighth round will be held; I will fly to Madrid tomorrow and then catch a train to Linares. There I will produce as much videos as possible. Hopefully I will succeed in getting all the players before the came at least once.
I had a nice idea: why don’t you guys leave questions in the comments? What do you want to know about these players? I look forward to connect my computer tomorrow evening in hotel Anibal, and find some good questions under this article!
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-Would you ask the player if they don’t miss their pal Vlad Kramnik?
-Do they see the point of changing venue?
That are my 2 questions!
How many of the players speak spanish?
again, interviews with seconds are very interesting, so more of those!
opinions on the quality of the play so far.
how does such a long break, 4 days, from playing affect the tournament? for leko for example, is it a good or a bad thing?
Who is afraid of Magnus?
What Magnus is afraid of?
ask your interviewpartners about a specific position:
would they prefer to be white or black in the position after Nxf7 in the anti-moscow variation? or in other words: will they allow this move when playing black?
or just ask, if we will see some games with this opening..
it’s a special question, but some are interested..
Ask the players if they see themselves playing chess until old age (like Korchnoi) or if they plan to retire from competitive chess earlier.
Ask the players if they think classical chess will be dead in 10 years due to opening preparation and whether they think Fischer-random chess would be a potential solution to this situation.
Number of (rather simple…) blunders is rather unusual for such a tournament, isn’t it? Maybe players can give some explanation for that disappointing observation?
What active chess player do you fear the most and why? (I’m sure they would skirt around this question but it’s worth a shot.)
Or a more subtle question could be, which opponent (or opponents) poses the biggest challenge for you when playing them (or preparing for them)? (Again, they can skirt around this too and since they’re professionals I don’t think they’d be too candid about who they fear, but it’s interesting nonetheless)
I’d like to know what Magnus (and really all the participants) think of Chess960. Do they play it? What do they think the future holds? Aronian and Leko, of course, but I wonder how they really think of the game. Is it on par with classical chess or just a fun diversion from time to time.
Hallo Peter,
ik heb interview vragen aan Viswanathan Anand.
Anand is known because of his fast play (making moves fast).
I wonder if this fast play is a skill or a habit.
When he reacts with an answer like “it came naturally to me”
Then I would like to know when he realized that fast moving was actually a competence, and what did he do to capitalize this competence?
And did he use it as a hidden technique or as a method?
Not really a Linares question per se, but about one of the players. How is Topalov pronounced?
mañana nos quitamos el mono de partidas que tenemos.
Con este supertorneo tenemos suerte, aver que tal en Linares.
Will they play at the World Cup? And if they will, how do they evaluate their chances?
Are professional chess and family life compatible? What are their wifes doing during preparations and tournaments?
The “old men” in this tournament are the “‘69ers” (Mig’s turn of phrase, not mine). That’s young! They should, neurologically speaking, be at the hight of power, with better still to come. What are the main things that make youth such a commodity in the game today? That’s always confused, and admittedly, depressed me.
My guestions are:
1) Do they still play chess with family?, or is that just not fun anymore.
2) Do they still sit down and analyze games from old masters?
3) How do they know how to speak english so well?
4) Do they have other education?
Peter
Follwoing your invitation to suggest questions to the 8 players, here are two.
I noticed that Carlsen played the Alekhine and won the game against Topalov.
Being a fanatic of the Alekhine myself,
Could you ask the players whether:
i) they feel the Alekhine is not a all correct opening and the only chance to appear
here was to catch someone unawares? Or is it a matter of taste?
ii) When a grand master replies agains the Alekhine he usually
plays 4.Nf3. He does that because he thinks that is better?
For instance, I noticed someione saying that the only reason the
four pawns attack is not played it is because he needs to memorize too many
answeres from Black. I think this also happens with 4.Nf3.
Thanks
Q: Isn’t every opening playable, even at top-level? (see the Alekhine of Carlsen)
Andy
my term “not all correct opening” is not mine. it is used by Korchnoy and quoted
on my great predecessors V
questions to a second:
-how is your relation with the player you are “seconding”, employee or more friend-like? (I dont mean if they call the player “sir”, but if their is a clear hierarchy or not).
-whats your and your players relation to novelties you come up with, after the tournament is finished? can you use them, and if you do might it be a problem for future employments as second? (I remember Loek van Wely was a bit vague on this point in the interview about him being second to Kramnik, he said he could use them but I also got the feeling that it might not be that great to do it…)
-if you have had a novelty lying for a pretty long time, are you supposed to reveale it? or in other words, is there any limit at all to what of your opening preperations you are (morally?) allowed to keep for yourself?
-is your payment based on a fee, or on the success of the player in the tournament? or both?
-does it help you improve as a chess player to work as second, or is it rather a small hinder (since it takes time away from your own game, and possibly hinders your opening preperation), or not a matter at all? (by contrast, I have read many times that teaching is a hinder for your own game because it takes time away from it).
questions to players
-how much time to you normally spend preparing for your games during a tournament? how much before the tournament?
-at what time of the day do you rather play?
How did Anand learn english?
Be the way, just wanted to say that the videos are great. I really like watching them. Thank you.
Sorry the question should be
How did Anand learn spanish.
2 questions:
1) feel the players a rather combative line-up of players as the one is playing right now in Linares is more beneficial for the chess presented to the fans or more conservative/defensive players must be allowed?
2) for Leko, has he envisioned the possibility of a new way of training, to try a different second for instance?
I congratulate all the particiants for giving their best in every single game they play. I wish for Ivanchuk to play better in Linares. I’ll be eager to anticipate the game between anand and topalov. I do consider Linares and Morelia to be the strongest tournament each year. I hope that Kramnik will soon participate in this future event.
my question addressed to each player:
1. who do you consider to be the toughest and strongest player that you had played with and why?
Do you wish that Kasparov would unretire from chess?
i really wonder that vishy always playing faster than his opponents, and his calculations are very fast when he playing chess., and here i would like to know the answer for this questions from other chess lovers., IS ANAND LOST IN TIME OF CONTROL IN ANY GAMES ( even he got winning positions)?
Hi,
Please ask any of the players the following:
1.What is your opinion on chess computers?
2.Do you think class C players benefit from playing them?
thanks
Could you ask Magnus where he got the jacket he wore against Ivanchuk in Linares, because I think its awesome. Thanks