TF Chess Club 2, WCC 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021 and 2023

[Carlos J]

Game 5. Another Ruy Lopez. Nepo gains a positional advantage in the middlegame but exchanges and Magnus holding firm in defence leads to a draw in 43 moves.

Here's Jerry:



GM Danny King:



Best of 14, first to 7.5 wins:

Carlsen 2.5 - 2.5 Nepomniachtchi.

More comments about the draw situation in Danny's video and a link to a presser from 2018 with Danny which is amusing. Plus a comment on a 3pts for a win, discounted, for reasons I said and one for Chess960.

Like this comment:

Filip
5 hours ago
Your work deserves attention.
Not that kcufer wannabe youtuber agadmator
c j
4 hours ago
Or gothamchess tryhard memelord

Not about agadmator, who as per I do like. But the stuff I've seen from GothamChess, he is a bit of a tryhard cunt. And no, that's not me saying it there.

Rest day tomorrow and back on Friday.

[Carlos J]

I like agadmators videos.

I like him as well. Takes, takes, takes. His historical games are great, especially his Morphy saga, 'The Pride and Sorrow of Chess'.

But like using Jerry and Danny for the WCC. Jerry is great at explaining lines and reasons to all levels and Danny does it from a GMs eyes.

Fuck sake, what a douche. It's captures, captures, captures. Was going from bad memory.

[Jock Bauer]

Reminds me of that film...Captured with Liam Neeson

After watching DKs excellent walk thru of G5 I reckon the answer is that classical chess is dead. Blitz and rapid are still exciting so let's just have that. It's like classical music innit - might have been rock and roll in 1784 but it ain't now.

Rapid 15 mins is kinda like a hybrid of blitz and classical and always produces exciting games. Maybe that could be ramped up to a 30 min version or summat. But traditional classical time limits just allow the chaps to remember tons of computer analysis going to move 25 for virtually every opening and that ain't proving to be fun cos it's just a 'who remembers the most computer moves world tourney'. Who has the best computer tho? Dunno about MC but Nepo has a supercomputer cluster!

https://www.zmescience.com/other/pieces ... ship-game/

Also, another moan is too many rest days IMO. What u reckon Carlos?

Actually sat next to Nepo briefly whilst he was waiting to be introduced to go on the stage for London Chess Classic (2017 I think?). He seems a decent bloke cos he was sympathetic when I was impolitely ushered away from sitting next to the players (I shouldn't have been in the front row apparently - but there's maybe 23 people in an auditorium so where do you sit?). Aronian was most splendid on that day cos he very decently entertained my request for a selfie. Which he did most enthusiastically. Surprise of the day was what a miserable fucker Maurice Ashley was.

[Carlos J]

Interesting, Jock and like the music analogy. Hope it does stay and sure it will but maybe something needs to be done.

But then, what about Karpov and Kasparov and all their draws, wonder if people were saying the same thing then.

Definitely a reduction in time though, maybe an hour (+30s increments) or something. And yeah about rest days, maybe every 3 days. Interesting article as well.

Good old Nepo and Levi and ha, you've mentioned miserable Maurice. Maybe like some comedians, his bubbly persona hides a troubled soul.

Watched a Naka video the other day where he says he is entering the World Blitz and Rapidplay which starts on Boxing Day, which ain't great for the players: https://www.chess.com/article/view/fide ... ampionship Be a good watch after Christmas. He also said he may play the Chess Grand Prix next year.

If we're here Sunday night and three more draws, then more knives will be sharpening and maybe the bigwigs at FIDE will be getting twitchy.

[Jock Bauer]

Just tried watching Naka. Can't watch that. He plays music in the background and it is very distracting.

Giri is having the day off so Ganguly is there and he is talking about seconding for Anand but not the game in hand. He's been on about it for at least an hour now.

Time to watch the snooker methinks.

EDIT: Also watching Rensch & Co. That seems quite relaxed.

EDIT 2: Forget that, there's a shitload of ads.

Now watching FIDE.

EDIT 3: FIDE was the death zone. Went back to Rensch & Co!

[Jock Bauer]

What a fucking game.

[Carlos J]

What a fucking game.

Fuck. Got home about 3pm after a boozy lunch ready to watch but was tired and had a long nap.

Just watched Agadmator's 43 minutes video as Jerry and Danny not up yet, so knew it must be good and long. What an epic, longest WCC game ever and a breakthrough. Agadmator mentioned game 6s as often being the most interesing, Botvinnik-Tal "the Storm of the Century" and Spassky-Fischer "The Applause."

Was thinking Magnus may blunder and the passed pawn gets home, but he is a monster at endgames. Might even watch some of the end on video, maybe from about move 60 when time is low.

Danny just put his video up and will watch that and Jerry later, need time to process.

Thinking about staying up for the duration now and watching tomorrow but sure will snooze and sure after todays exertions it will be a quick draw.

[Carlos J]

Just tried watching Naka. Can't watch that. He plays music in the background and it is very distracting.

Giri is having the day off so Ganguly is there and he is talking about seconding for Anand but not the game in hand. He's been on about it for at least an hour now.

Time to watch the snooker methinks.

EDIT: Also watching Rensch & Co. That seems quite relaxed.

EDIT 2: Forget that, there's a shitload of ads.

Now watching FIDE.

EDIT 3: FIDE was the death zone. Went back to Rensch & Co!

Ha.

[Jock Bauer]

Watched the whole 8 hours. Was epic and deffo Rensch & Co are my new faves. Caruana is really good surprisingly and less uptight than he usually looks. Rensch is great cos he gives it yer man on the street kinda angle and he's an affable dude. The ads are a bit of a pain in the arse but hey, it's free. They did a nice recap at the end. Hammer was interviewed also and he's always entertaining.

At the end wanted to hear interviews so switched to Judith. Magnus was being interviewed but she was carried on talking so no one could hear the interviews.

FIDE - as mentioned briefly watched that and was put off by unknown giggly lady co-presenting and lots of long silences. There was nothing happening there. Anand looked a bit bemused.

Press conference - fuck, how miserable does Maurice look!

First win in classical WC chess in 5 years.

Anyway, hurrah for boozy lunches and long naps!!

[Carlos J]

Just watched from move 60. So tense even knowing the result. Do like Rensch & Co as well. Love this bit at 7.15:13 of Nepo shaking in his chair and looking at Magnus:



Amazing Magnus was down to 53 seconds at move 75 and the game went another 61 moves. Yes a 30 second increment but it's like rapid and brilliant stuff.

Also love this of nervous Magnus at 7.57:23:



Wow, what an epic.

Yay, Garry:

[Carlos J]

Watched the whole 8 hours. Was epic and deffo Rensch & Co are my new faves. Caruana is really good surprisingly and less uptight than he usually looks. Rensch is great cos he gives it yer man on the street kinda angle and he's an affable dude. The ads are a bit of a pain in the arse but hey, it's free. They did a nice recap at the end. Hammer was interviewed also and he's always entertaining.

At the end wanted to hear interviews so switched to Judith. Magnus was being interviewed but she was carried on talking so no one could hear the interviews.

FIDE - as mentioned briefly watched that and was put off by unknown giggly lady co-presenting and lots of long silences. There was nothing happening there. Anand looked a bit bemused.

Press conference - fuck, how miserable does Maurice look!

First win in classical WC chess in 5 years.

Anyway, hurrah for boozy lunches and long naps!!

Good morning Jock. Didn't give Rensch & Co more time before but they are good and totally agree with you about Fabi. Will switch between them and Judit/Giri from now but some problems, their clocks are often out and still no notation and what move is being played, pisses me off and others, but as said, can have the notation board on another tab or Guardian live blog.

Didn't bother with the pressers as usually shite and sat through one and both players probably wanted to fuck off.

Ha, Went to the Woodforde's Brewery pub, The Fur and Feather, lovely food and ales: https://www.woodfordes.com/the-fur-feat ... ewery-tap/

Got Jerry and Danny to watch and try to summarise in a few sentences.

[Carlos J]

Game 6: The Marathon. Who says classical chess is dead? Lots of people, but today was a game that will go down in chess history and World Chess Chapmpionship history. And a game 6, as Agadmator said, game 6s are often interesting, like game 6 in Botvinnik v Tal 1960, the "Storm of the Century".

Here's Agadmator:



And game 6 of Spassky v Fischer, "The Applause":



Anyway, back to the game. A Queen's Pawn Game, Symmetrical Variation, Pseudo-Catalan, yeah. Magnus going off book early and no 20 move opening theory here. Nepo holds a better postion and offers his two Rooks for a Queen, which Magnus takes. Draw options but going for the win.

Time trouble for both in the middlegame to reach the 40 move time control for another hour and again to reach the 60 move time control for another 15 minutes and a 30 second increment, when the marathon endgame really gets going. By move 82 we had Magnus with a Rook, Knight and 3 pawns v Nepo with a queen and pawn and most thought a draw.

Magnus the King of fighting endgames, manoeuvres his pieces around slowly and slowly walks the pawns up with both players relying on the 30 second incremement. Engines all saying a draw with best play, but time does not mean best play and after Nepo's 130. ... Qe6 it was all over and he resigned six moves later. Magnus has been here before in World Championships and likes just playing on and on to fatigue and demoralise his opponent.

The longest number of moves in World Championship history going 136 moves and lasting 7hrs 45mins. An endgame masterclass and the match is defintiely on.

Here's Jerry:



GM Danny King:



Best of 14, first to 7.5 wins:

Carlsen 3.5 - 2.5 Nepomniachtchi.

And they are back again tomorrow.

[Carlos J]

Just tried watching Naka. Can't watch that. He plays music in the background and it is very distracting.

Giri is having the day off so Ganguly is there and he is talking about seconding for Anand but not the game in hand. He's been on about it for at least an hour now.

Time to watch the snooker methinks.

EDIT: Also watching Rensch & Co. That seems quite relaxed.

EDIT 2: Forget that, there's a shitload of ads.

Now watching FIDE.

EDIT 3: FIDE was the death zone. Went back to Rensch & Co!

Bit in red, Jock. Danny likes Ganguly And wow that stalemate:

[Carlos J]

Got Judit/Giri on one tab and Rensch & Co on another and chess24 notation board up. Another Ruy Lopez.

Judit and Anish already bickering.

[Carlos J]

Judit questioning Giri on prep and OTB v computer and says he does most computer. And then asking about his health regime and what he does away from chess. Interesting and civilised chat.