World Champ Contest -- Predictions and Winners

Here's where we'll post the Chart of Predictions for each game, and announce the winner of the chess keychain or ice cream cone. (Contest link here.)

Here's a 60 second visual of the World Championship Opening Ceremony.  Each player popped a balloon to determine who gets the white and black pieces in Game One! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJK1JFCEL3A .

Predictions for Game 1 (Nov.26) of the World Championship! Remember, the Winner is the guess that is closest without going over.

How many moves will Game One go?

And the Game One winner is ... Kylan of Meridian HS!

Kylan guessed the game would go 32 moves, so he came the closest without going over.

Here's the picture of the tournament hall.  The players are in a big sound proof room!

Predictions for Game 2 (Nov.27) of the World Championship! Remember, the Winner is the guess that is closest without going over.

Game 2 (Nov.27) On what move will each player castle? The answer is the average of both players. If only one player castles, that is the answer. (If no player castles, no winner today!)

Game Two lasted: 58 moves
White castled on move: 6
Black castled on move: 5
White connected rooks on move: 21
Black connected rooks on move: 16

The average of the two castling moves is 5.5.  So, the Game Two winner is ... no one!  All guesses are over 5.5!

Predictions for Game 3 (Nov.28) of the World Championship! Remember, the Winner is the guess that is closest without going over.

Game 3 (Nov.28) On what move will one of the players "connect" his rooks along the first (or eighth) rank? That's when the rooks are seeing and protecting each other. The first player to do so -- that move number is the move number you're trying to guess.

Name          Grade        School            PREDICTION:

Game Three lasted: 41 moves
White castled on move: 5
Black castled on move: 7
White connected rooks on move: 20
Black connected rooks on move: 24

So the Game Three winner is.... Charlie of Sehome HS!

Predictions for Game 4 (Nov.30) of the World Championship! Remember, the Winner is the guess that is closest without going over.

Game 4 (Nov.30) On what move number will be the first "check"? (If no check, no winner!)

Name Grade School PREDICTION:

The first check of the game was on Move 25.  So the Game 4 winner is .... Charlie of Sehome, who predicted Move 25 exactly!  That's two prizes for Charlie, he is maxed out!

Predictions for Game 5 (Dec. 1) of the World Championship! Remember, the Winner is the guess that is closest without going over.

Game 5 (Dec.1) Not counting castling ... on what move will be the first King move?

Game 5, both sides castled, then it was on Move 28 that Nepo moved his King from g1 to f1. Which means the winner is ... Kylan of Meridian, who guessed Move 25!  That's it, Kylan, two prizes, you're maxed out also, along with Charlie!

Predictions for Game 6 (Dec. 3) of the World Championship! Remember, the Winner is the guess that is closest without going over.

Not counting castling ... on what move will be the first Rook move?

You can watch all the games live in various places, right now I'm using Chessbase.  Game 6 is still going!  And the first rook move, not counting castling, was played by Nepo on his Move 16.  So the winner is ... Theo, who guessed Move 16!

Predictions for Game 7 (Dec. 4) of the World Championship! Remember, the Winner is the guess that is closest without going over.

Game 7 (Dec.4) On what move will be the first pawn capture? (When a pawn captures something.)

Game 7 was a Ruy Lopez.  The first pawn capture was 9.axb5.  And since Charlie is maxed out, the winner is ... Theo!  Who is now also maxed out!

Predictions for Game 8 (Dec. 5) of the World Championship! Remember, the Winner is the guess that is closest without going over.

Game 8 (Dec.5) The second queen move of the game ... what move number will it be?

Game 8, Magnus wins as White in a Petroff Defense.  The first Queen move was Magnus playing 10.Qe1+. The second was Nepo playing 12...Qe7.  Everyone guessed over 12, so, no prize winner today!  (Although we will recognize Natalie, who was very close guessing Move 13!)

Predictions for Game 9 (Dec. 7) of the World Championship! Remember, the Winner is the guess that is closest without going over.

Game 9 (Dec.7) The first pawn to reach the 6th rank ... on what move number will it be? (If no pawn reaches the 6th rank, then no winner!)