Chess Scotland Noticeboard

Jim Stevenson · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:22 am Post subject: Tal Memorial

Okay, here is a radical concept. Instead of rants about chess politics and such like, can we start a thread on some actual chess playing. The Tal Memorial seems a reasonable place to start. No rants about the Slav Defence please!

Is anyone prepared to stick their neck out and predict a winner other than the Mighty Magnus? Well, I wouldn't be that controversial Laughing

but I think Aronian will run him very close.

Alan Tate · King Joined: 01 Feb 2007 Posts: 377 Location: Edinburgh

Nice to see the old guard are back in - none of your dull Jakovenko's (not sure about that apostrophe) etc., and not a Slav in sight!
Carlsen is the obvious choice, but how about Svidler or Morozevich fulfilling their potential?? Kramnik will also have a say, but i predict Anand's play to be a bit blah in the build up for his WC match with Topalov.

Jim Stevenson · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 1:39 pm Post subject:

At the risk of........

here are tonight's lottery numbers:

Carlsen 1-0 Kramnik
Morozevich 1/2-1/2 Leko
Gelfand 1-0 Ponomariov
Aronian 1/2-1/2 Svidler
Ivanchuk 1/2- 1/2 Anand
Rolling Eyes

9pm....

ahem...five draws, well one would be afraid to predict that I suppose. Still, not a Slav or Petroff in sight Wink

Surely that wasn't two sightings of the lesser spotted Grunfeld at +2750 level?

3/5: Can anyone do better tomorrow?. Come on Geoff, surely I can at least rely on you to have an opinion. Smile

So tomorrow's hot tips:

Kramnik 1/2-1/2 Anand
Svidler 0-1 Ivanchuck
Ponomariov 1/2-1/2 Aronian
Leko 1/2-1/2 Gelfand
Carlsen 1-0 Morozevich

JimWebster · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:31 pm Post subject:

I'll have a go with:-

Kramnik 0-1 Anand
Svidler 1/2-1/2 Ivanchuck
Ponomariov 1/2-1/2 Aronian
Leko 1/2-1/2 Gelfand
Carlsen 1-0 Morozevich

Clement Sreeves · Bishop Joined: 24 Jan 2007 Posts: 38

Kramnik 1-0 Anand
Svidler 1-0 Ivanchuk
Ponomariov 1/2-1/2 Aronian
Leko 1/2-1/2 Gelfand
Carlsen 1/2-1/2 Morozevich

AMcHarg · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:48 pm Post subject:

I still think Carlsen will win. My money is on Carlsen or Anand.

Jim Stevenson · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:29 pm Post subject:

LOL: The easiest way to a perfect prediction might just be to predict 45 draws Laughing

Anway all the super GM's may be stuck on 50%, but on the Chess Scotland leaderboard we have a mathematical conundrum:

Clement 60% (3/5)
Jim S 60% (6/10)
Jim W 60% (3/5)

Clement holds the lead due to the slight alphabetic superiority of the second letter of his surname. I believe, (and perhaps at least one of our GM's would agree) that this is preferable to any known fide tie-break method apart from spinning a roulette wheel or pistols at dawn Wink

Still ChessBase claims my two predicted winners, Mighty Magnus, and Nutty but charming Vassily, had the better of the draw. Smile

so that, when combined with the current score of Grunfeld 4 Slav 0, must be a cause for celebration.

I am now off to consult with Gazza before making my round 3 predictions.

Anyone else interested in joining the Mystic Meg competition?. I'm sure Geoff could rustle up some super prize like suitably dog-eared Hibs Dryborough Cup programmes to get all the chess politicians interested.

Jim Stevenson · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:41 pm Post subject:

Gazza didn't explicitly say, but erm...

Moro - Kramnik 1/2-1/2
Gelfand - Carlsen 1/2-1/2
Aronian - Leko (should stick to lego rather than chess) 1-0
Ivanchuck - Ponomariov 1-0
Anand - Svidler 1/2-1/2

(actually these predictions came from Ally McCoist Wink

)

Clement Sreeves · Bishop Joined: 24 Jan 2007 Posts: 38

Morozevich - Kramnik 1-0
Gelfand - Carlsen 1/2-1/2
Aronian - Leko 1/2-1/2
Ivanchuck - Ponomariov 1/2-1/2
Anand - Svidler 1-0

JimWebster · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:58 am Post subject:

Morozevich 1/2-1/2 Kramnik
Gelfand 0-1 Carlsen
Aronian 1/2-1/2 Leko
Ivanchuck 1/2-1/2 Ponomariov
Anand 1-0 Svidler

AMcHarg · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:35 am Post subject:

Anand 1-0 Svidler
Aronian 1-0 Leko
Morozevich 0-1 Kramnik
Gelfand 1/2-1/2 Carlsen
Ivanchuk 1/2-1/2 Ponomariov

Jim Stevenson · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:59 am Post subject:

Today's Scores: Clement - 3, Jim S - 2, Jim W - 2, thus the leaderboard after R3:

Clement 60% (6 / 10)
Jim S 53% (8 / 15)
Jim W 50% (5 / 10)

Clement Sreeves · Bishop Joined: 24 Jan 2007 Posts: 38

I predict 5 draws for tomorrow!

Jim Stevenson · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:06 am Post subject:

Pinning the tail on the donkey:

Round 4
Kramnik - Svidler 1-0
Ponomariov - Anand 1/2-1/2
Leko - Ivanchuk 0-1
Carlsen - Aronian 1/2-1/2
Morozevich - Gelfand 1/2-1/2

Jim Stevenson · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 7:48 pm Post subject:

Round 4 scores: Clement 4, Jim S 4. I knew I shouldn't have made that outrageously cheeky remark about Peter Leko Embarassed

Leader Board:

Herr Remis 80% (16/20)
Clement 67% (10/15)
Jim S 60% (12/20)
Jim W 50% (5/10)

I'm sure everyone is delighted that tomorrow is a rest day. Apparently all the GMs devote it to reading the entire back catalogue of Chandler Cornered, looking for typographical errors.