Morelia-Linares 2008 Round 1
Lots of action today!
Magnus played white against Ivanchuk. Preparing against Ivanchuk is pretty hard, he plays anything.
Magnus chose 1.e4 and Ivanchuk went for the Najdorf. Magnus has a good score with the quiet 7.Nf3, but was surprised when Ivanchuk played 9.... Be6, a variation in which he won a nice game against Topalov last year as white.
After a long think Magnus went for 10.Bb3 and the line he beat J.Nunn with back in 2006. White has a slight advantage.
Ivanchuk interestingly spent an hour on his 14th move and decided to go for a slightly worse ending rather than playing a middle game.
Magnus had a small quite comfortable edge but after some preparatory moves he suffered a lapse of concentration blundering with 28.Bc1? as he had looked at 29....Rb6 but not the obvious 29....Qb6. After exchanging queens on b3 the rook + bishop versus rook + knight ending is equal but somewhat unbalanced. When repeating moves before the time control Ivanchuk seemed to be interested in playing on but had little time on the clock.
Magnus felt he had no better than a draw and claimed based on the three fold repetition as he was uncertain about the ending after Kg6 instead of Kg8.
An acceptable start by Magnus but he hopes to improve his play in the days to come.
Some of the other players seemed to suffer even more from jetlag.
After Anand sacked an exchange on c3 in the Najdorf, Shirov spent lots of time on the clock, probably without finding the best moves and was lost before move 30. 0-1.
Aronian's position against Topalov looked difficult from the opening and despite spending much time on the clock his position just deteriorated and was completely lost before the time control. 1-0.
Leko-Radjabov's Sveshnikov looked tense and despite blitzing out moves Radjabov probably got a difficult position from the opening. At least after Be6 he has trouble, and after having to give a piece it was soon decided. 1-0.
In parallel with the main tournament there is both an Ibero American championship and a large open tournament.
After the games the players are chased by fans and enthusiasts for autographs, and they have every reason to be satisfied with the start of the tournament. No short draws, and 75% decided games!
Tomorrow Magnus is black against Shirov.
Henrik Carlsen,
Morelia, February 15th 2008
Magnus played white against Ivanchuk. Preparing against Ivanchuk is pretty hard, he plays anything.
Magnus chose 1.e4 and Ivanchuk went for the Najdorf. Magnus has a good score with the quiet 7.Nf3, but was surprised when Ivanchuk played 9.... Be6, a variation in which he won a nice game against Topalov last year as white.
After a long think Magnus went for 10.Bb3 and the line he beat J.Nunn with back in 2006. White has a slight advantage.
Ivanchuk interestingly spent an hour on his 14th move and decided to go for a slightly worse ending rather than playing a middle game.
Magnus had a small quite comfortable edge but after some preparatory moves he suffered a lapse of concentration blundering with 28.Bc1? as he had looked at 29....Rb6 but not the obvious 29....Qb6. After exchanging queens on b3 the rook + bishop versus rook + knight ending is equal but somewhat unbalanced. When repeating moves before the time control Ivanchuk seemed to be interested in playing on but had little time on the clock.
Magnus felt he had no better than a draw and claimed based on the three fold repetition as he was uncertain about the ending after Kg6 instead of Kg8.
An acceptable start by Magnus but he hopes to improve his play in the days to come.
Some of the other players seemed to suffer even more from jetlag.
After Anand sacked an exchange on c3 in the Najdorf, Shirov spent lots of time on the clock, probably without finding the best moves and was lost before move 30. 0-1.
Aronian's position against Topalov looked difficult from the opening and despite spending much time on the clock his position just deteriorated and was completely lost before the time control. 1-0.
Leko-Radjabov's Sveshnikov looked tense and despite blitzing out moves Radjabov probably got a difficult position from the opening. At least after Be6 he has trouble, and after having to give a piece it was soon decided. 1-0.
In parallel with the main tournament there is both an Ibero American championship and a large open tournament.
After the games the players are chased by fans and enthusiasts for autographs, and they have every reason to be satisfied with the start of the tournament. No short draws, and 75% decided games!
Tomorrow Magnus is black against Shirov.
Henrik Carlsen,
Morelia, February 15th 2008
Comments:
Posted by: Martin
Thank you so much for your detailed and immensely interesting answers to my questions, Henrik! A short while after I had written them I wasn't sure whether I hadn't overstretched it with my cheekiness...
This blog is just fabulous, it adds to the fascination that arises from the fact that you don?t intend to create an air of mystery about Magnus? successes, but let the loads of rooters follow his development as near as possible, and even giving honour to questioners by answering them. Of course, Magnus? success is for itself a historically significant phenomenon. But to no lesser extent this blog also is a pioneer phenomenon, perhaps for once undoubtedly an improvement due to technical progress that allows you to thankfully give us ?averages? the opportunity to take part of Magnus? development while he slowly grows out of a mere prodigy status? Both phenomenons seem to share some similar humane and humble origin.
Good luck to Magnus for the tournament!
Warm regards from Freiburg/Germany
This blog is just fabulous, it adds to the fascination that arises from the fact that you don?t intend to create an air of mystery about Magnus? successes, but let the loads of rooters follow his development as near as possible, and even giving honour to questioners by answering them. Of course, Magnus? success is for itself a historically significant phenomenon. But to no lesser extent this blog also is a pioneer phenomenon, perhaps for once undoubtedly an improvement due to technical progress that allows you to thankfully give us ?averages? the opportunity to take part of Magnus? development while he slowly grows out of a mere prodigy status? Both phenomenons seem to share some similar humane and humble origin.
Good luck to Magnus for the tournament!
Warm regards from Freiburg/Germany
Posted by: Ana
Go Magnus!
You can do it.
You can do it.
Posted by: Gegga
Yes, thank you so much for answering those questions, Henrik.
I think you and your family are (by far) the most important contributor to Magnus' great results over the last few years.
Keep up the great work both with bringing up Magnus and with updating this fantastic blog!
I think you and your family are (by far) the most important contributor to Magnus' great results over the last few years.
Keep up the great work both with bringing up Magnus and with updating this fantastic blog!
Posted by: Sam
Well done on drawing with the experienced Ivanchuk! It is a very good result. Best of luck for tomorrow against Shirov.
Thanks for the great updates Henrik. I am ever impressed by your remarkable English!
Are you planning on accompanying Magnus the entire time in Linares and Morelia?
Thanks for the great updates Henrik. I am ever impressed by your remarkable English!
Are you planning on accompanying Magnus the entire time in Linares and Morelia?
Posted by: Pål
Hei. Flott blogg, og god innsats. Ser at noen har fått svar på som fra deg, Henrik. Bruker man comments for å stille spm, eller epost.
Posted by: Henrik C.
Dear Martin,
your appreciation is touching, thank you!
So far I don't think our openness has hurt Magnus in any way though it is a balancing act.
I got to be sure, and make sure, that info provided in the blog does not make him vulnerable in less successful times than this.
Gegga,
thanks, reading your posts always makes me feel good!
Ana
thank you, I hope you're right!
Sam,
thanks alot!
We still haven't concluded on the arrangements in Linares.
(I really need to go home to spend more time with the rest of the family and to follow up on our mountain lodge building project.)
Pål,
takk for det!
Du kan stille spørsmål i en blog-kommentarer, men jeg kan jo ikke love at du alltid vil få svar...
Magnus felt his draw against Shirov today wasn't that interesting, but we hope to be back with news of more action after round 3!
Henrik C.
your appreciation is touching, thank you!
So far I don't think our openness has hurt Magnus in any way though it is a balancing act.
I got to be sure, and make sure, that info provided in the blog does not make him vulnerable in less successful times than this.
Gegga,
thanks, reading your posts always makes me feel good!
Ana
thank you, I hope you're right!
Sam,
thanks alot!
We still haven't concluded on the arrangements in Linares.
(I really need to go home to spend more time with the rest of the family and to follow up on our mountain lodge building project.)
Pål,
takk for det!
Du kan stille spørsmål i en blog-kommentarer, men jeg kan jo ikke love at du alltid vil få svar...
Magnus felt his draw against Shirov today wasn't that interesting, but we hope to be back with news of more action after round 3!
Henrik C.
Posted by: Feuervogel
Jeg trodde ikke at noen skulle vinne spillet i Shirov - Carlsen etter d6-d5 for det forenklede spillet meget.
Lykke til, Magnus, viel Glück in der nächsten Runde :)
Lykke til, Magnus, viel Glück in der nächsten Runde :)
Posted by: Martin
Thanks, Henrik. Just to wrap it up, nothing else than what helps and doesn't disturb Magnus in any way has priority, that should go without saying - as should be clear to anyone that it would be silly and intolerable if he or she tried to misuse your general and generous willingness to answer questions when they might endanger your privacy. Naturally (and not only for this reason) no one can expect you to answer every question posed here...
Actually, I found this draw against Shirov quite fascinating - at least it would be an insurmountable challenge for me to compose such a game that ends into a draw without any exaggerated action! :) (How many 0-0s in other sport disciplines are in a higher sense far more interesting than 7-0s or 4-4s between teams with fawlty defences. I, for my part, don't think goals or superficial action are obligatory to be of interest...).
I wish Magnus everything he wishes himself for his game against Anand today - nothing to lose against him, only to win in my eyes...
Warm regards from Freiburg/Germany
Actually, I found this draw against Shirov quite fascinating - at least it would be an insurmountable challenge for me to compose such a game that ends into a draw without any exaggerated action! :) (How many 0-0s in other sport disciplines are in a higher sense far more interesting than 7-0s or 4-4s between teams with fawlty defences. I, for my part, don't think goals or superficial action are obligatory to be of interest...).
I wish Magnus everything he wishes himself for his game against Anand today - nothing to lose against him, only to win in my eyes...
Warm regards from Freiburg/Germany
Posted by: Nina
Hei Magnus og Henrik!
Aner dere hva dere gjør mot oss? Vi sitter oppe halve natta og går rundt
i halvsøvne hele dagen. :-)
Jeg vil bare ønske Magnus lykke til i morra!!
Håper du har fått slappet godt av og er fit for fight igjen.
Aner dere hva dere gjør mot oss? Vi sitter oppe halve natta og går rundt
i halvsøvne hele dagen. :-)
Jeg vil bare ønske Magnus lykke til i morra!!
Håper du har fått slappet godt av og er fit for fight igjen.
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