Fabio Caruana to play for World Chess title

notfar

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Kind of. FIDE had ejected Kasparov (clearly the world #1) over financial disagreements; so many (most?) people consider Kasparov the legit world champion from 1985 until his 2000 loss to Kramnik.
Yeah-- Kamsky doesn't really count IMO.
 

notfar

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See this video for why it doesn't really count (jump to 4 minutes in).
 

InstaFace

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It would not shock me at all if Sumner was randomly an International Master or something.

I did think we had a SoSH chess tournament, way back when, like 7-10 years ago. Anyone else remember that, or did I just make it up?
 

notfar

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I'm rated 2k, but I haven't played in a tournament in a decade or so. I'm a stronger player than I was back then, but also stupider so probably still around there.
 

SumnerH

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It would not shock me at all if Sumner was randomly an International Master or something.
I'm terrible at chess. I find it tedious.

I'm more of a bridge player (played a ton of tournaments back in college), though not a master or anything.
 

DanoooME

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I played in high school, but haven't played seriously since then. A few games against friends here and there.
 

Ed Hillel

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I’m around 1900 or so, but was playing about 2200 chess when I last played in a tournament (maybe 3-4 years ago). I don’t have close to enough tournament games to qualify any higher. I was co-captain of a high school team that won 3 state titles in a row and went to nationals those years. Our peak finish was I think 17th, which was pretty decent considering there were like 80 teams (like 20 from NY) and we were from Maine, which isn’t exactly the chess capital of America. Our last year at states, we went 20-0 in the four rounds, despite our fourth board having been down at least a minor piece in three of his games. He actually blundered his queen for a minor piece one of those games and still won.

Three to four years ago, when I lived in NYC, I was playing blitz daily (prob about 2300 level at blitz) and then would go maybe 3 times a year to the Marshall Chess Club for Thursday 25 min tournaments. I beat a few masters during those and blundered away a won game against an IM that still bugs me to this day.

I then moved out of the NYC chess hub and had a kid, so my chess time is relegated to tactics on a chess app or book when I make a pooper. It’s the one thing I’d really love to have more time for, because I’d love to hit master status at 2200 before I die. Not sure it’s feasible, due to time constraints, but we’ll see. I do regret losing track of the game for about a decade in my late teens to mid 20s. That would have been a great time to do it, and I probably could have and then had the Master floor.

NF, sounds like we’re roughly equal level. We should play a few blitz, if you’re into that kind of thing.
 
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veritas

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Has anyone been watching this? Game 6 was wild, one of the most interesting games I've ever seen. Carlsen came at Caruana's favorite opening and then got really weird starting with his 4th move.

I've never been very good but I've been starting to play again over the past year. I'm around 1500 on lichess, so definitely not at the same level as some of y'all. But I'd definitely be interested in a chess thread here or doing a SoSH tournament.
 

Marciano490

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There was a really cool segment on Real Sports last week about this guy Sinquefield from St. Louis. He’s apparently the father of index funds and has used his fortune to revitalize American chess. He’s one of the reasons Caruana is playing for the US instead of Italy. Caruana is also in the segment and claims to have a million moves memorized.
 

finnVT

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I've been really enjoying following it. The chess.com coverage (https://chess.com/wcc2018) has actually been pleasantly good-- the two guys they have commentating on it manage to do a nice job of talking intelligently about what's happening, while also being clear are decently entertaining. Seeing them go through all the possible lines, and talking about why game 6 was unusual was great-- tons of stuff I'd never have picked up on, and fascinating to see how things at that level get evaluated and planned.
 

Ed Hillel

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Game 6 was bonkers. I’ve played 27 years and never seen Nd3 in practice, not even that I can recall in blitz. I usually prefer queens on the board, but that was fun with them off right away. Did anyone ever actually find the win for Fabiano that the computer said existed after Bh4?
 

veritas

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This chess is way above my level, but I get the feeling Magnus is sometimes too confident/bold/bored for his own good, as evidenced by Nd3. He knows he can grind a draw out of some bad positions because he’s so good in the middle/end game so he takes risks and tries to show off. It’s also why I love him, and why I think he’s great for chess. Part of me thinks he really wants this to go to the blitz playoff so he can put on a show.

It kind of reminded me of the Bobby Fischer match where he played the King’s Gambit against the guy who had just been the editor of his article on why the King’s Gamit is trash.

Do any of you good chess players have any advice for a not that good/experienced player? I generally play a limted amount of openings that aren’t popular at higher levels, but are really effective where I am (King’s gambit and Alekhine defense). Should I be learning/experimenting with all of the common openings? Or focusing on one or two?
 

InstaFace

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Wikipedia is already getting snarky: "Carlsen offered a draw after 31 moves in a better position and with significantly more time on the clock."

That's 12 games, 12 draws. Fluky or a consequence of a bad format?
 
How is the format bad? It's basically the same format that's always been used for the World Championship.

I've been reading all of the Guardian's live reports during each game, and it seems to me as though both men are suffering from nerves as much as anything, failing to spot and exploit potentially winning positions while still retaining their defensive skills to the full in wriggling out of potentially losing positions. I can't wait to follow the blitz games on Wednesday - there should be fireworks aplenty, I'd have thought.
 

veritas

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I think it's mostly fluky, combined with two of the best players ever being ever who are very evenly matched. And they're playing fairly conservatively. CP is right, this has been the format since forever and hasn't been an issue.

Today's game was baffling though. I was being somewhat tongue in cheek last week when I said Magnus was just messing around, knowing he's good enough to draw games and take it to the rapid playoff where he's heavily favored. But there's not a good explanation for his draw offer today. It's so contrary to his history/reputation to offer a draw from a winning position, and the experts seem to agree he was in no danger of losing.

Maybe it was a hat tip to Caruana, who's generally outplayed him over the 12 matches? Maybe he's having fun and wants to keep playing? Maybe he just likes the drama? Maybe he actually is concussed and isn't thinking clearly? If he intentionally gave up a winning position, that could easily backfire. He's heavily favored in the playoff, but anything can happen in the faster games.
 

finnVT

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For anyone interested, chess.com is playing out the draw position from yesterday among the top engines here: https://www.chess.com/ccc. So far there have been a few white wins, though it is, probably not surprisingly, mostly draws.
 

InstaFace

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Computer sim is still running, but it's currently +2=13-15 right now, meaning 2 white wins, 13 draws, and 15 black wins. So thus far, Carlsen had a 50% chance of winning and only a 7% chance of losing at the time of offering the draw.
 

phrenile

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Magnus took the first rapid game, but now the twitch stream shows bagels on the board. Did we skip ahead to the carbageddon round?
 

veritas

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Game 2 and Caruana seems to have gotten himself into big trouble. I'm probably missing something though...

edit: Nope, 2-0 Carlsen
 
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Ed Hillel

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Explain. What did you do?
I was up two connected passed pawns with only two rooks, opposite-colored bishops, and 3-3 pawn formation on the other side of the board and completely blundered, allowing his two rooks on my 7th rank because I was so focused on pushing the pawns. Really fucking dumb.

I wish I had more time for chess. If I ever retire, getting to master officially is on my bucket list.

Carlsen toyed with him a bit this match, I think. He’s gotta be one of the best ever already.
 

InstaFace

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No better place to put this, but the fitness regimens and preparation of their physical selves for optimal tournament play of both Caruana and Carlsen are profiled in an article today on ESPN. Very interesting. Maybe I should play more chess to reach my weight-loss goals.
 

YankeesIsrael

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The candidates tournament to select Carlsen’s next challenger is taking place in Yekaterinburg, Russia – 8 players with a double round robin of 14 rounds. After 2 round Caruana is in a 4-way tie for first place with 1.5/2. The big surprise is that China’s Liren Ding, who was expected to fight Caruana for the candidacy, is last alone with 0/2.
Live coverage with chess engine analysis and commentary at this site:

https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tournaments/fide-candidates-2020/2/1/3