It starts tonight, unfortunately for us in the antipodes, very late at 2 AM. Buffy should normally be up early enough to catch the end game.

It’s between World Champion Magnus Carlsen (2835), and challenger Fabiano Caruana (2832). A best of 12 game series. Wouldn’t be a total shock to see them tied at the end of that so then they’d go into a tie breaker situation which is a series of ‘rapid’ games and if still drawn then a series of ‘blitz’ games.

Carlsen is the favourite to win but he probably wouldn’t mind if it got down to a tie breaker as he’s dominant in the shorter forms of the game.

rubs hands

sibeen said:

Carlsen is the favourite to win but he probably wouldn’t mind if it got down to a tie breaker as he’s dominant in the shorter forms of the game.

So we’ve so far got hit’n‘giggle cricket, kick’n‘giggle footy, serve’n‘giggle tennis. We’ve now got check’n‘giggle chess?

Harpo Marx described his mystification at entering a theatre in Moscow, to see full-house audience gazing quietly at two men seated at a table on the stage.

One of the men moved an ornament on the table, a third man stepped to the front of the stage, said something in Russian, and the audience went wild. Harpo was baffled.

It was, of course, a chess match, as he was soon told.

I only watch it for the scenery.

I remember when this was a nice clean game, before the drugs and the fame fucked everything up

dv said:

I remember when this was a nice clean game, before the drugs and the fame fucked everything up

I understand that one night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble, and there’s not much between despair and ecstasy.

Off down the mountain.

There is actually a fair bit of money in Chess today. The top ranked players make around 2 million dollars a year from tournament winnings alone, and even the 100th ranked players make a decent kind of living. It has become a somewhat lucrative spectator sport.

dv said:

There is actually a fair bit of money in Chess today. The top ranked players make around 2 million dollars a year from tournament winnings alone, and even the 100th ranked players make a decent kind of living. It has become a somewhat lucrative spectator sport.

How’s Junior’s chess going?

Witty Rejoinder said:

dv said:

There is actually a fair bit of money in Chess today. The top ranked players make around 2 million dollars a year from tournament winnings alone, and even the 100th ranked players make a decent kind of living. It has become a somewhat lucrative spectator sport.

How’s Junior’s chess going?

Oh, still poor, but he’s sticking with it.

Just under four hours to go.

First game ended in a long draw.

An exhausted Caruana: “There was definitely a lot of nerves. It is a very different feeling playing the first game of a world championship match. … Normally with white you shouldn’t be too happy with a draw, but considering my position I am very happy. I am relieved to have escaped.”

As for the champion and favourite:
“It started very well, I was better on time and had a better position,” Carlsen tells NRK. “I couldn’t quite find the knockout before the time trouble. I played a bit too cautiously I think. Suddenly he got a chance to break loose. Then it was quite drawish.”

Peak Warming Man said:

First game ended in a long draw.

An exhausted Caruana: “There was definitely a lot of nerves. It is a very different feeling playing the first game of a world championship match. … Normally with white you shouldn’t be too happy with a draw, but considering my position I am very happy. I am relieved to have escaped.”

As for the champion and favourite:
“It started very well, I was better on time and had a better position,” Carlsen tells NRK. “I couldn’t quite find the knockout before the time trouble. I played a bit too cautiously I think. Suddenly he got a chance to break loose. Then it was quite drawish.”

At least there were no horror crashes.

Good time to buy fuel…

Bubblecar said:

Peak Warming Man said:

First game ended in a long draw.

An exhausted Caruana: “There was definitely a lot of nerves. It is a very different feeling playing the first game of a world championship match. … Normally with white you shouldn’t be too happy with a draw, but considering my position I am very happy. I am relieved to have escaped.”

As for the champion and favourite:
“It started very well, I was better on time and had a better position,” Carlsen tells NRK. “I couldn’t quite find the knockout before the time trouble. I played a bit too cautiously I think. Suddenly he got a chance to break loose. Then it was quite drawish.”

At least there were no horror crashes.

Yes no injuries so far.

Rule 303 said:

Good time to buy fuel…

Yes, in-between games.

Rule 303 said:

Good time to buy fuel…

I bought fuel in Maryborough (regional Qld) the other day. It was 139.9 c/L.

In Hervey Bay (down the road 30-odd km), fuel was 155-165 c/L

Caruana had the white pieces to start off the competition and quite nearly got pantsed by Carlsen.

Carlsen had Caruana on the ropes but blundered at move 40. The players get 100 minutes for their first 40 moves plus 30 seconds per move and Caruana got himself into huge time trouble. On his 33rd move their was 10 seconds left on his clock when he made his move, so the clock then reset back to 40 seconds. When he made his 40th move there was 3 seconds left on his clock, so for his last 10 moves or so he was really scrambling.

So Carlsen had him really struggling and then blundered his 40th move, and he still had substantial time left on his clock. After that blunder the game went on for another 75 moves before they agreed on a draw.

sibeen said:

Caruana had the white pieces to start off the competition and quite nearly got pantsed by Carlsen.

Carlsen had Caruana on the ropes but blundered at move 40. The players get 100 minutes for their first 40 moves plus 30 seconds per move and Caruana got himself into huge time trouble. On his 33rd move their was 10 seconds left on his clock when he made his move, so the clock then reset back to 40 seconds. When he made his 40th move there was 3 seconds left on his clock, so for his last 10 moves or so he was really scrambling.

So Carlsen had him really struggling and then blundered his 40th move, and he still had substantial time left on his clock. After that blunder the game went on for another 75 moves before they agreed on a draw.

Interesting that Carlsen elected black

dv said:

Interesting that Carlsen elected black

Apparently he didn’t , it was a draw of lots.

Myma steak

SCANDAL has erupted in the World Chess Federation Championship Showdown with one grand master’s secret preparation dramatically leaked for all the world to see.

The 2018 world championship between American Fabiano Caruana and Norway’s Magnus Carlsen was plunged into controversy after a since-deleted video appeared to reveal tightly concealed secrets from the American challenger’s preparations.

Tongues across the chess world have been wagging since a video of Caruana’s pre-series training strategies were loaded on YouTube on Tuesday night ahead of the finalist’s fourth match showdown in London.

With their world championship series locked at a stalemate of three draws from the opening three matches, the series was thrown off the tracks heading into their fourth meeting at The College of Holborn.

Players preparing for a championship series traditionally lock themselves away in secret training camps where they are surrounded by trusted fellow grand masters.
The circumstances of the training camps are closely-protected secrets with even the details of the training partners involved kept hidden for fear of information leaking to a championship rival.

Even the identity of training partners can reveal glimpses about the strategies and mindset of competitors heading into Federation matches.

It’s why the event was rocked when a three minute video titled “Today In Chess: World Chess Championship Fabiano In Training” was published by the St Louis Chess Club — where Caruana was rumoured to have trained before the event.

The video reveals the identities of Caruana’s training partners and shows him studying strategies in reading material as well as tactical data displayed on a laptop computer screen.

The video has been deleted, but chess reporters have obtained small parts of the published recording.

more: https://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-life/scandal-erupts-in-world-chess-championship-showdown/news-story/df456c70fdb280f0c757c75e401759e3

The fourth game was somewhat perfunctory: a grandmaster draw, they call it. Nothing really chanced. It was basically over after a couple of dozen moves but they played on for a bit after that before shaking hands. Carlsen’s notes were leaked but I think he’s just leaking misinformation.

how does the clock thingy work on competitive chess?

party_pants said:

how does the clock thingy work on competitive chess?

Each player has a particular time to play the whole game, although in these championship games they get an additional 40 seconds after each move. When each player makes a move, he touches the trigger on the clock, using the same hand he used to move the piece, which stops his clock and starts the opponent’s clock.

btm said:

party_pants said:

how does the clock thingy work on competitive chess?

Each player has a particular time to play the whole game, although in these championship games they get an additional 40 seconds after each move. When each player makes a move, he touches the trigger on the clock, using the same hand he used to move the piece, which stops his clock and starts the opponent’s clock.

Ah is that what it it.

I should have had one when I played against my old school friend Kelvin. He used to take fucking ages to make his move.

party_pants said:

btm said:

party_pants said:

how does the clock thingy work on competitive chess?

Each player has a particular time to play the whole game, although in these championship games they get an additional 40 seconds after each move. When each player makes a move, he touches the trigger on the clock, using the same hand he used to move the piece, which stops his clock and starts the opponent’s clock.

Ah is that what it it.

I should have had one when I played against my old school friend Kelvin. He used to take fucking ages to make his move.

In this comp they are given 1 hour 40 for their first 40 moves, although they do get 30 additional seconds after each move. I think it’s 30 but I may be wrong. So if you make you first moves quickly you can end up with more than 1 hour 40 on your clock. At the completion of move 40 you then get an additional 50 minutes put on.

Just watched a reconstruction of game 5, another draw.
But what struck me was the opportunity that chess provides for spot betting.

Match six also ended in a draw but I think this one can be counted as a missed win for Caruana.

I wouldn’t say he had Carlsen on the ropes but he was applying pressure. He had a significant material advantage for more of the match… in the end it was down to KBNP v KBPP, Caruana up a knight versus a pawn. Computer analysis indicates that he had a tricky but doable path to victory. As it happened Carlsen evaded his grasp, setting up the the king in a nice little cubby house of pawns. Caruana’s only hope from there would be a genuine blunder by Carlsen. Unlikely, so a draw was agreed.

dv said:

Match six also ended in a draw but I think this one can be counted as a missed win for Caruana.

I wouldn’t say he had Carlsen on the ropes but he was applying pressure. He had a significant material advantage for more of the match… in the end it was down to KBNP v KBPP, Caruana up a knight versus a pawn. Computer analysis indicates that he had a tricky but doable path to victory. As it happened Carlsen evaded his grasp, setting up the the king in a nice little cubby house of pawns. Caruana’s only hope from there would be a genuine blunder by Carlsen. Unlikely, so a draw was agreed.

I think I read that the computer did say there was a forced mate…in thirty moves :)

sibeen said:

dv said:

Match six also ended in a draw but I think this one can be counted as a missed win for Caruana.

I wouldn’t say he had Carlsen on the ropes but he was applying pressure. He had a significant material advantage for more of the match… in the end it was down to KBNP v KBPP, Caruana up a knight versus a pawn. Computer analysis indicates that he had a tricky but doable path to victory. As it happened Carlsen evaded his grasp, setting up the the king in a nice little cubby house of pawns. Caruana’s only hope from there would be a genuine blunder by Carlsen. Unlikely, so a draw was agreed.

I think I read that the computer did say there was a forced mate…in thirty moves :)

And he didn’t work that out??

Peak Warming Man said:

Just watched a reconstruction of game 5, another draw.
But what struck me was the opportunity that chess provides for spot betting.

:) Well spotted.

I’ve heard that Harpo story before but (shrugs) I think he must have just been making a funny point. It’s impossible for me to believe a 45 year old American man in the 1930s had never seen chess before. Chess was a big deal.

The seventh match was also a draw but more a dead fizzer like the fifth match. No one really attacked.

Looks like this might go to the tie breaker rounds where Carlsen is highly favoured.

dv said:

The seventh match was also a draw but more a dead fizzer like the fifth match. No one really attacked.

Looks like this might go to the tie breaker rounds where Carlsen is highly favoured.

Some people I know and some forum people would never accept or concede to an agreed draw, they would play on, and on regardless until the officials dragged them away from the table after a stalemate was declared by the governing body.

Peak Warming Man said:

dv said:

The seventh match was also a draw but more a dead fizzer like the fifth match. No one really attacked.

Looks like this might go to the tie breaker rounds where Carlsen is highly favoured.

Some people I know and some forum people would never accept or concede to an agreed draw, they would play on, and on regardless until the officials dragged them away from the table after a stalemate was declared by the governing body.

It’s literally an option and player’s technically have nothing to lose from this but perhaps the Grandmasters here just want to rest and practice rather than waste time on a match that’s almost certainly going to end in a draw.

It was tight underpants time in last night’s game. Caruana had the white and had built up an advantage until he blundered on move 24 and let Carlsen off the hook. We’ve now had 8 draws in a row. If it goes down to the tie-breakers Carlsen will be the definite favourite.

As the headline over at FiveThirtyEight puts it – Chess World Rattled As Someone Nearly Wins Game.

:)

Fabiano needs to sack his porn coach.

Match 8 similar to 6. Carlsen got himself into a bit of trouble and Caruana let him off the hook.

8 draws.

After surviving a few head high cheap shots Carlsen blames concussion for missing a chance to win game 9.

Peak Warming Man said:

After surviving a few head high cheap shots Carlsen blames concussion for missing a chance to win game 9.

It’s a dirty game

dv said:

Peak Warming Man said:

After surviving a few head high cheap shots Carlsen blames concussion for missing a chance to win game 9.

It’s a dirty game

I think he was attacked by The Sicilian.

sibeen said:

dv said:

Peak Warming Man said:

After surviving a few head high cheap shots Carlsen blames concussion for missing a chance to win game 9.

It’s a dirty game

I think he was attacked by The Sicilian.

did he get a bishop thrown at him?

Game 10, draw.

Peak Warming Man said:

Game 10, draw.

It’s a rest night tonight, so we can all stand down.

Carlsen definitely had the upper hand for the majority of last night’s game.

11 draws and this is, needless to say, completely unprecedented. Admittedly it has been a long time since there was a world championship between two very young players.

Speaking of very young players, there was an unusual situation at the Bangkok Chess Open in April this year, in a match between D Gukesh and Nigel Short.

D Gukesh is an 11 year old lad who had been doing well lately, and was the Indian under 11 champion. Nigel Short is a Britsh veteran grandmaster, who was once in the top 20 players in the world.

After 55 moves, Short was at a slight advantage and could probably have won, but he forgot to touch his clock, and after a few minutes ran out of time.

Short was very unhappy and left without signing his gamecard, and tweeted, “Lose with dignity … is a bit hard when your opponent is fully aware that you have not pressed your clock and jumps up and down with glee the moment your flag falls” and “He was perfectly within his legal rights, although I consider it a bit shabby and low class”.

Opinions were divided but to my mind it is open and shut. Players are not supposed to speak unless offering a draw or raising a dispute with an arbiter. Also, players are responsible for managing their own time allowance and someone of Short’s experience should have been alert to the situation. Gukesh’s a boy, you want him to take care of you? Just say “Oops”, shake his hand and sign your card.

Gukesh beat another grandmaster in that tournament, in a more regular way, and ended up coming third, with Short fifth. They played each other again last month in Isle of Man, in a match that ended in a draw. I would expect that Gukesh will get grandmaster status soon.

(Short was not the only British player to mess up in unusual fashion against an Asian junior player that week. GM Gawain Jones was playing 13 year old Javokhir Sindarov. On the 72nd move, Jones took Sindarov’s last pawn, leaving Jones with the king and two bishops versus the youngster’s king and one knight. Jones chased Sindarov around the board until on the 122nd move, he got into position to capture the knight in the next move: whereupon Sindarov claimed the draw under the 50 move rule. )

> On the 72nd move, Jones took Sindarov’s last pawn, leaving Jones with the king and two bishops versus the youngster’s king and one knight. Jones chased Sindarov around the board until on the 122nd move, he got into position to capture the knight in the next move: whereupon Sindarov claimed the draw under the 50 move rule.

Oh, cute. It’d be worth running that one through a computer to see if there was a faster strategy for capturing the knight. Or if there are other knight vs two bishop games games that similarly must end in a draw.

mollwollfumble said:

> On the 72nd move, Jones took Sindarov’s last pawn, leaving Jones with the king and two bishops versus the youngster’s king and one knight. Jones chased Sindarov around the board until on the 122nd move, he got into position to capture the knight in the next move: whereupon Sindarov claimed the draw under the 50 move rule.

Oh, cute. It’d be worth running that one through a computer to see if there was a faster strategy for capturing the knight. Or if there are other knight vs two bishop games games that similarly must end in a draw.

Thanks to super computers, we can say that the longest win from a given position for KBB v KN is 66 moves.

Many TVP producers use hexane to separate soy fat from soy protein, and trace amounts of the solvent are left after manufacturing. But the few rodent studies that have been done suggest it would be almost impossible to get enough hexane from TVP to cause harm. Measured levels of residual hexane in TVP are around 20 parts per million; and rodent studies suggest that a dosage of 5g/kg is the minimum level where adverse effects were observed. As such, one would have to consume around 250 kilograms of TVP per kilogram of body weight to reach a toxic dose. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textured_vegetable_protein

sarahs mum said:

Many TVP producers use hexane to separate soy fat from soy protein, and trace amounts of the solvent are left after manufacturing. But the few rodent studies that have been done suggest it would be almost impossible to get enough hexane from TVP to cause harm. Measured levels of residual hexane in TVP are around 20 parts per million; and rodent studies suggest that a dosage of 5g/kg is the minimum level where adverse effects were observed. As such, one would have to consume around 250 kilograms of TVP per kilogram of body weight to reach a toxic dose. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textured_vegetable_protein

Yes but I don’t think that would have influenced the match result.

Another draw last night, so it is all even after 12 matches played under normal time format. So now we go into four rapid games to see whether that can sort them out.

Much consternation and confusion about last night’s game.

It was a very to-and-fro match but Carlsen was ahead on time and also had a slight positional advantage … but offered a draw. Very hard to understand. There was nothing to gain by him offering the draw.

Here’s the final board

dv said:

Much consternation and confusion about last night’s game.

It was a very to-and-fro match but Carlsen was ahead on time and also had a slight positional advantage … but offered a draw. Very hard to understand. There was nothing to gain by him offering the draw.

Here’s the final board

Yes I watched a re-enactment of that game, most peculiar, apparently.

Peak Warming Man said:

dv said:

Much consternation and confusion about last night’s game.

It was a very to-and-fro match but Carlsen was ahead on time and also had a slight positional advantage … but offered a draw. Very hard to understand. There was nothing to gain by him offering the draw.

Here’s the final board

Yes I watched a re-enactment of that game, most peculiar, apparently.

Fuckin’ millennials, no gumption

dv said:

Peak Warming Man said:

dv said:

Much consternation and confusion about last night’s game.

It was a very to-and-fro match but Carlsen was ahead on time and also had a slight positional advantage … but offered a draw. Very hard to understand. There was nothing to gain by him offering the draw.

Here’s the final board

Yes I watched a re-enactment of that game, most peculiar, apparently.

Fuckin’ millennials, no gumption

I do hope you can thrash your son’s king after all this.

Interestingly, because this went to a tie break, the winner will get less money.

If the championship is won in standard games, the split for the 1 million euro (approx 1.55 million AUD) is 60-40. Because this went to the tie breaks, it will be 55-45.

dv said:

Interestingly, because this went to a tie break, the winner will get less money.

If the championship is won in standard games, the split for the 1 million euro (approx 1.55 million AUD) is 60-40. Because this went to the tie breaks, it will be 55-45.

Well, it does get sorted tonight.

sibeen said:

dv said:

Interestingly, because this went to a tie break, the winner will get less money.

If the championship is won in standard games, the split for the 1 million euro (approx 1.55 million AUD) is 60-40. Because this went to the tie breaks, it will be 55-45.

Well, it does get sorted tonight.

Who sponsors these things?

Witty Rejoinder said:

sibeen said:

dv said:

Interestingly, because this went to a tie break, the winner will get less money.

If the championship is won in standard games, the split for the 1 million euro (approx 1.55 million AUD) is 60-40. Because this went to the tie breaks, it will be 55-45.

Well, it does get sorted tonight.

Who sponsors these things?

BigChess.

Witty Rejoinder said:

sibeen said:

dv said:

Interestingly, because this went to a tie break, the winner will get less money.

If the championship is won in standard games, the split for the 1 million euro (approx 1.55 million AUD) is 60-40. Because this went to the tie breaks, it will be 55-45.

Well, it does get sorted tonight.

Who sponsors these things?

Major sponsors include Unibet, Phosagro, Kaspersky Lab, Pinkerton, S.T. Dupont.

They sell tickets to the watch the event live at £120 per match, and make advertising money from tens of millions of people who follow the game online. They should end up well in front.

Witty Rejoinder said:

sibeen said:

dv said:

Interestingly, because this went to a tie break, the winner will get less money.

If the championship is won in standard games, the split for the 1 million euro (approx 1.55 million AUD) is 60-40. Because this went to the tie breaks, it will be 55-45.

Well, it does get sorted tonight.

Who sponsors these things?

NFI.

Witty Rejoinder said:

sibeen said:

Well, it does get sorted tonight.

Who sponsors these things?

The Queen?

Rule 303 said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

sibeen said:

Well, it does get sorted tonight.

Who sponsors these things?

The Queen?

The King was in the counting-house.

sibeen said:

dv said:

Interestingly, because this went to a tie break, the winner will get less money.

If the championship is won in standard games, the split for the 1 million euro (approx 1.55 million AUD) is 60-40. Because this went to the tie breaks, it will be 55-45.

Well, it does get sorted tonight.

Yes it wont be for the purists but it will be fast.
They’ll be wearing coloured clothing, there’ll be music and fireworks and banners and over the top commentators.
The pieces will light up every time they’re moved and there could be a streaker.

Peak Warming Man said:

sibeen said:

dv said:

Interestingly, because this went to a tie break, the winner will get less money.

If the championship is won in standard games, the split for the 1 million euro (approx 1.55 million AUD) is 60-40. Because this went to the tie breaks, it will be 55-45.

Well, it does get sorted tonight.

Yes it wont be for the purists but it will be fast.
They’ll be wearing coloured clothing, there’ll be music and fireworks and banners and over the top commentators.
The pieces will light up every time they’re moved and there could be a streaker.

you say that like it’s a bad thing…

Peak Warming Man said:

sibeen said:

dv said:

Interestingly, because this went to a tie break, the winner will get less money.

If the championship is won in standard games, the split for the 1 million euro (approx 1.55 million AUD) is 60-40. Because this went to the tie breaks, it will be 55-45.

Well, it does get sorted tonight.

Yes it wont be for the purists but it will be fast.
They’ll be wearing coloured clothing, there’ll be music and fireworks and banners and over the top commentators.
The pieces will light up every time they’re moved and there could be a streaker.

The ghost of KP smiles briefly

So Carlsen played the long and safe way to retain a world champion ship. Play very conservatively in the 12 classical format games and then go for the throat in the shorter format games. The plan worked. In the four rapid game tie-breakers Calrsen won 3-0. So he’s world champ for another two years.

sibeen said:

So Carlsen played the long and safe way to retain a world champion ship. Play very conservatively in the 12 classical format games and then go for the throat in the shorter format games. The plan worked. In the four rapid game tie-breakers Calrsen won 3-0. So he’s world champ for another two years.

These “classical format” games seem a bit weird to me.

They go on for days, and usually end in a draw.

Who is going to watch a game like that?

The Rev Dodgson said:

sibeen said:

So Carlsen played the long and safe way to retain a world champion ship. Play very conservatively in the 12 classical format games and then go for the throat in the shorter format games. The plan worked. In the four rapid game tie-breakers Calrsen won 3-0. So he’s world champ for another two years.

These “classical format” games seem a bit weird to me.

They go on for days, and usually end in a draw.

Who is going to watch a game like that?

Days, no. The longest gamein this set was game 1 which went for 7 hours.

sibeen said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

sibeen said:

So Carlsen played the long and safe way to retain a world champion ship. Play very conservatively in the 12 classical format games and then go for the throat in the shorter format games. The plan worked. In the four rapid game tie-breakers Calrsen won 3-0. So he’s world champ for another two years.

These “classical format” games seem a bit weird to me.

They go on for days, and usually end in a draw.

Who is going to watch a game like that?

Days, no. The longest gamein this set was game 1 which went for 7 hours.

They’d need a few nature breaks during that.

Bubblecar said:

sibeen said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

These “classical format” games seem a bit weird to me.

They go on for days, and usually end in a draw.

Who is going to watch a game like that?

Days, no. The longest gamein this set was game 1 which went for 7 hours.

They’d need a few nature breaks during that.

I don’t know how they handle that. Someone would have to escort them and watch them the whole time. The games are played behind one way glass. Spectators can look in but the players cannot look out. Unfortunately required as even a chess application on a phone can beat them.

sibeen said:

Bubblecar said:

sibeen said:

Days, no. The longest gamein this set was game 1 which went for 7 hours.

They’d need a few nature breaks during that.

I don’t know how they handle that. Someone would have to escort them and watch them the whole time. The games are played behind one way glass. Spectators can look in but the players cannot look out. Unfortunately required as even a chess application on a phone can beat them.

They probably just weewee into a jug provided.

Hoorah, I always like the champion to win.

Peak Warming Man said:

Hoorah, I always like the champion to win.

Yes, always back the overdog.

Three pretty open games.