Aronian is still playing, I think. He droppoed a big advantage around #46, but still slightlly better.
He was unlucky to be on the recieving end of Anand's home-prep in their round, else he would have been the only other unbeaten player.
Anand loses last round
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To sum up TSC:
- Carlsen is just a lever higher than everyone. Unfortunately. :)
- Anand's home prep is incredible and will be a tough nut for every challenger in WCC.
- Nakamura is in either best shape (capable to beat almost everyone) or in bad form.
- Kramnik has a good chance to surprise everyone in Candidates (after astonishing London).
- Aronian... Hmm, still didn't recognise him.
- Hou Yifan, congrats! ;)
- Leko, bravo for your zugzwang try! And analysis afterwards!
Hou Yifan do great in the 2nd half of the tournament.
Hm. From what I can see Aronian is a Rook, Bishop, and King v. Rook and King, which is a theoretical draw, but Aronian may have some winning chances. GO ARONIAN GO!
The defense for this endgame is always difficult, but so is the win. We will see if Aronian can force anything.
For Hou Yifan to score 5.5/13 against a field where she was outrated on average by 130 points is a stunning performance. I hope the chinese authorities allow her to develop normally because she could become another Judit Polgar.
All games complete, except L'Ami-Sokolov slugging it out to probably a draw, unless L'ami messes up
Standings of grandmaster group A
| Score | Rating | TPR | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | ||
| 1 | Carlsen, M. | 10.0 / 13 | 2861 | 2933 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | |
| 2 | Aronian, L. | 8.5 / 13 | 2802 | 2837 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | |
| 3 | Anand, V. | 8.0 / 13 | 2772 | 2816 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | |
| 4 | Karjakin, S. | 8.0 / 13 | 2780 | 2816 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | |
| 5 | Leko, P. | 7.5 / 13 | 2735 | 2789 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | |
| 6 | Nakamura, H. | 7.0 / 13 | 2769 | 2758 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | |
| 7 | Harikrishna, P. | 6.5 / 13 | 2698 | 2735 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | |
| 8 | Giri, A. | 6.0 / 13 | 2726 | 2704 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | |
| 9 | Wang, H. | 6.0 / 13 | 2752 | 2702 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | |
| 10 | van Wely, L. | 6.0 / 13 | 2679 | 2707 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 11 | Hou, Y. | 5.5 / 13 | 2603 | 2685 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | |
| 12 | Caruana, F. | 5.0 / 13 | 2781 | 2642 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | |
| 13 | L'Ami, E. | 3.5 / 12 | 2627 | 2589 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ||
| 14 | Sokolov, I. | 2.5 / 12 | 2667 | 2517 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Carlsen is just so far ahead of the rest of his "peers" that it is ridiculous. I do not see how he doesn't win the championship. There was one endgame that looked to me to be a drawish ending with Rooks, opposite colored Bishops and Rook pawns (among other features). I wanted to see how Carlsen would grind it, but was confident it would be a draw, but instead he sets up an attack on the enemy King. It is not something I would have considered as possible. Needless to say, Carlsen wins the ending.
He has mastered all phases of the game and will only get better over the next decade and a half. Unless he gets bored of chess, we are looking at the man who will dominate the game for a long, long time.
Carlsen played 6 games as Black, drawing 5 times and winning once.
Carlsen played 7 games as White, drawing twice and winning 5 times.
sweatyknickers wrote:
We say "ta-ta" too soon to Tata.
"Tata Steel" reminds me of Suzanne Somers.
Caruana had a nightmare, didn't he?
The first time we saw something like this was Paul Morphy. Morphy was so far ahead of his peers that he was almost invincible. The next was Capablanca. Now it looks like we are lucky enough to see another chess genius in our lifetime.
rooperi wrote:
Caruana had a nightmare, didn't he?
He plays far too many tournaments (144 games in 2012) it was bound to catch up with him eventually, he needs to take 6 months off to recharge the batteries.
Nice stats rooperi, btw where did you get the Tournament Performance Rating?
jesterville wrote:
Nice stats rooperi, btw where did you get the Tournament Performance Rating?
On facebook for example: Chess Network
Thanks MSC157.
Thanks rooperi, how are you dealing with the extreme heat in South Africa? Hope you are keeping cool man...lots of liquids.
Geez, I'm battling to sleep, it's really hot. We had a little rain this morning, that helped for about 5 minutes.
Wang thumped him good.
Now Aronian just has to draw to secure second, leaving Anand and Karjakin tied for third.