World Cup Khanty-Mansiysk Round 1 Game 2
Magnus had a difficult task today being fully motivated. After winning with black yesterday, his thoughts were drifting towards round 2 and he had problems concentrating properly. In the opening he was probably slightly better but needed a long think to come up with a coherent plan.
After b3, a3 and b4 removing the knight from c5 and taking control of the c-file again Magnus is better.
The Rc6! manoeuvre finished the game in the sense that Zhao had to chose between an ending a pawn down (obviously without realistic winning chances) or a clearly worse but complicated position after Ra4.
He chose the latter but was fiercely punished by Magnus exploiting the d7-pawn and the threats on e8. After exchanging a rook and losing the e-pawn black simply resigned after 36 moves (according to Magnus scoresheet). 2-0!
After quite some exciting upsets yesterday, the favourites hit back today. Alekseev and Ponomariov both won with white and will play tie-break tomorrow. Not all games have finished yet but Adams looked clearly better when we left.
In round 2 on Tuesday Magnus will play Naiditch as he beat Granda Zuniga with black in the time scramble.
It's beautiful winter over here, blue sky and some -4 oC.
Tomorrow we're planning to visit the World Championship biathlon stadium just a few kilometres from the hotel.
Henrik Carlsen
Khanty-Mansiysk, November 25th
After b3, a3 and b4 removing the knight from c5 and taking control of the c-file again Magnus is better.
The Rc6! manoeuvre finished the game in the sense that Zhao had to chose between an ending a pawn down (obviously without realistic winning chances) or a clearly worse but complicated position after Ra4.
He chose the latter but was fiercely punished by Magnus exploiting the d7-pawn and the threats on e8. After exchanging a rook and losing the e-pawn black simply resigned after 36 moves (according to Magnus scoresheet). 2-0!
After quite some exciting upsets yesterday, the favourites hit back today. Alekseev and Ponomariov both won with white and will play tie-break tomorrow. Not all games have finished yet but Adams looked clearly better when we left.
In round 2 on Tuesday Magnus will play Naiditch as he beat Granda Zuniga with black in the time scramble.
It's beautiful winter over here, blue sky and some -4 oC.
Tomorrow we're planning to visit the World Championship biathlon stadium just a few kilometres from the hotel.
Henrik Carlsen
Khanty-Mansiysk, November 25th
Comments:
Posted by: Princess Leia
Great win!
Posted by: Bugg
Henrik,
Thanks for your great blog updates, but are you aware that in order to post a comment here you need to pick a girl's name from a list of boy's names? The names are Norwegian, and this makes it difficult to for anyone who isn't Norwegian to post comments here. A simple verification code (readable by any human) should be used instead.
Thanks for your great blog updates, but are you aware that in order to post a comment here you need to pick a girl's name from a list of boy's names? The names are Norwegian, and this makes it difficult to for anyone who isn't Norwegian to post comments here. A simple verification code (readable by any human) should be used instead.
Posted by: Henrik C.
Bugg,
this was probably part of the upgrade made this morning. I'll send an e-mail to blogsoft about it. It does not make sense that only Norwegians may post comments.
Princess Leia,
thank you!
this was probably part of the upgrade made this morning. I'll send an e-mail to blogsoft about it. It does not make sense that only Norwegians may post comments.
Princess Leia,
thank you!
Posted by: Gegga
Good point, Bugg. I have never seen that before. It's a simple question for me, being Norwegian.
Thanks for the quick update, Henrik!
Thanks for the quick update, Henrik!
Posted by: Bugg
To be quite honest, I think it's a stupid decision by the Blogg designers to require that you know Norwegian names in order to post!
Posted by: Yngvar Hartvigsen
Congratulations!
When Magnus entered the 2700+ half a year ago, no one knew if it would only be for a short visit. After Amber, European team championchip, Tal and the blitz World, all with performances around 2750, he seems to have established himself on that level in all categories, blindfold, blitz and classical chess.
I have a question that I think will become of some historical interest (!), and I think you might be the best to find an answer: ?When was the last time Magnus lost a tournament game against an opponent younger than himself?? I suppose you have to go way back to around year 2000 or 2001, and it would be fine if you could provide us with time, opponent and occasion.
By tournament game I mean an ELO ratet tournament game, and I think it might even be possible that the answer then is: never.
As you might suspect, my reason for asking is that I will keep this information until that unhappy day when this will eventually happen (again), and I can state: ?this has not happened since ....?
And of course: Thank you for a wonderful website, making it possible for all of us to follow you and Magnus really close on his fantastic journey.
When Magnus entered the 2700+ half a year ago, no one knew if it would only be for a short visit. After Amber, European team championchip, Tal and the blitz World, all with performances around 2750, he seems to have established himself on that level in all categories, blindfold, blitz and classical chess.
I have a question that I think will become of some historical interest (!), and I think you might be the best to find an answer: ?When was the last time Magnus lost a tournament game against an opponent younger than himself?? I suppose you have to go way back to around year 2000 or 2001, and it would be fine if you could provide us with time, opponent and occasion.
By tournament game I mean an ELO ratet tournament game, and I think it might even be possible that the answer then is: never.
As you might suspect, my reason for asking is that I will keep this information until that unhappy day when this will eventually happen (again), and I can state: ?this has not happened since ....?
And of course: Thank you for a wonderful website, making it possible for all of us to follow you and Magnus really close on his fantastic journey.
Posted by: Jon
He did lose to Erik Blomqvist in 2001, but I guess he's younger than Blomqvist... would anyone know what date Blomqvist was born?
Posted by: Son
@ Jon:
Erik Blomqvist is born in October 1990. So it was a close one =) Maybe Magnus never have lost to a younger opponent in a ELO rated game ;)
Erik Blomqvist is born in October 1990. So it was a close one =) Maybe Magnus never have lost to a younger opponent in a ELO rated game ;)
Posted by: Henrik C.
Yngar,
interesting question. I've never thought about it, probably because Magnus very seldom has played younger opponents.
If you are talking FIDE Elo there is not that many possible cases. His 1st round loss in YWC u-12 in 2002 could (in theory) have been a younger player but I don't know his age.
Magnus could not come up with a definitive answer either.
I guess we would have to sort through all his early losses.
Probably potential losses to younger rated players applicable for Norwegian rating calculations are not that many either.
interesting question. I've never thought about it, probably because Magnus very seldom has played younger opponents.
If you are talking FIDE Elo there is not that many possible cases. His 1st round loss in YWC u-12 in 2002 could (in theory) have been a younger player but I don't know his age.
Magnus could not come up with a definitive answer either.
I guess we would have to sort through all his early losses.
Probably potential losses to younger rated players applicable for Norwegian rating calculations are not that many either.
Posted by: Tarjei
Henrik, wasn't Magnus' 1st round loss in that WYC against the then unrated Hao Wang? (born 1989)
Posted by: Tarjei
Oops, no, that was Tamas Fodor jr, born 1991. He did not face Hao Wang (2215) before 2003 WYC. But Magnus did lose against Lahno in the 2004 Lausanne YM...:)
Posted by: Tarjei
Oops again, forgot Lahno is 1 year older :)
Posted by: Henrik C.
Tarjei,
your right about Magnus playing Wang Hao in 2003 WYC, but no, he did not play Tamas Fodor jr in round 1 2002 WYC, it was an unrated player from a caucasian country.
Bugg,
Blogsoft will probably change the verification process for this blog back to how it was. (Most other blogs are in Norwegian, we may have the only Blogsoft blog having a problem with the new process.)
your right about Magnus playing Wang Hao in 2003 WYC, but no, he did not play Tamas Fodor jr in round 1 2002 WYC, it was an unrated player from a caucasian country.
Bugg,
Blogsoft will probably change the verification process for this blog back to how it was. (Most other blogs are in Norwegian, we may have the only Blogsoft blog having a problem with the new process.)
Posted by: Yngvar Hartvigsen
Thank you for taking interest in the question.
Magnus' loss in round 1in
WYCh 02 was aginst Ioseb Tugushi, Georgia, born 18/3 1990 and older than Magnus :-)
I will make som search in Norwgian (nationally ELO-rated) tornaments.
Magnus' loss in round 1in
WYCh 02 was aginst Ioseb Tugushi, Georgia, born 18/3 1990 and older than Magnus :-)
I will make som search in Norwgian (nationally ELO-rated) tornaments.
Posted by:
There has been a lot of games lately, almost non-stop. How do you think it will affect Magnus' playing in this tourney?
Posted by: jensen, Frode
Hopeless
Its a a shame that u dont say nothing about Kasparov bein put in jail! It shows that chess players just care about themselves, nothing else. The worlds largest genious is is harrassed, n u talk about Magnus this n Magnus that, do u have no shame in your lives!?
Its a a shame that u dont say nothing about Kasparov bein put in jail! It shows that chess players just care about themselves, nothing else. The worlds largest genious is is harrassed, n u talk about Magnus this n Magnus that, do u have no shame in your lives!?
Posted by: Henrik C
Frode Jensen,
You raise a serious issue (although I?m not sure you are serious taking into account your slang, errors and time of posting).
On my way back to Norway yesterday I did indeed read with great concern about the measures taken against Russion opposition and indications of fraud in the upcoming election. Although it is unpleasant and unworthy for Mr. Kasparov to spend 5 days in jail, I?m sure he will (in Mig Greengard?s words) come back stronger and angrier. The main concern is the development of Russian democracy.
You raise a serious issue (although I?m not sure you are serious taking into account your slang, errors and time of posting).
On my way back to Norway yesterday I did indeed read with great concern about the measures taken against Russion opposition and indications of fraud in the upcoming election. Although it is unpleasant and unworthy for Mr. Kasparov to spend 5 days in jail, I?m sure he will (in Mig Greengard?s words) come back stronger and angrier. The main concern is the development of Russian democracy.
Posted by: Babson
Henrik,
Thanks for your updates. It's really very interesting to get a behind the scenes look at the life of a working grandmaster (not to mention his hard working father!). Here's hoping for continued success for for Magnus at this event.
Cheers
Thanks for your updates. It's really very interesting to get a behind the scenes look at the life of a working grandmaster (not to mention his hard working father!). Here's hoping for continued success for for Magnus at this event.
Cheers
Posted by: Henrik Christopher
Now that you are back home Kjetil Lie is with him? Do you know how Magnus evaluated the position in which todays game was drawn? And could you please tell us who offered the draw?
Thank you Henrik for this fantastic blog, it's really a highlight in these WCC days...
Thank you Henrik for this fantastic blog, it's really a highlight in these WCC days...
Posted by: Henrik C.
Babson,
thank you!
Henrik Christopher,
thank you!
Yes, GM K.Lie is with Magnus in Khanty.
I've added a blog entry on the games against Naiditsch today.
(Naiditsch offered a draw after 21.Bg6.)
thank you!
Henrik Christopher,
thank you!
Yes, GM K.Lie is with Magnus in Khanty.
I've added a blog entry on the games against Naiditsch today.
(Naiditsch offered a draw after 21.Bg6.)
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