PoPChess

In progress, live here. The only game to finish so far is Nakamura-Movsesian, a 17-move draw in the Philidor. (Didn’t the Philidor used to be considered just bad? (Other than by Bent Larsen.) It actually has a plus score in games between 2600+ players over the last few years! From people trying to pound it and failing, I assume, but still.) No doubt the pressure of running out to a big lead in the biggest event of his life is having an effect on Nakamura, not to mention the energy it took. Obviously it’s always a tough choice between wanting to fight when you’re in good form and not wanting to risk ruining such an amazing result as the end nears. I’m not sure whether to criticize the short draws with white or commend his professional pragmatism in the home stretch. Had he forced the issue in an equal position and gone on to lose we’d be calling him an idiot for not being realistic, mature, etc. So I’ll have it both ways and say they were lame, smart draws! I can do that, I’m just a blogger.

I should also mention the importance of accumulating rating points, as lame as that sounds, and is. Until you push up high enough you’re just another schmuck unless you’re under 17 or so. That’s just the reality of the way the invitations go out and the top players are well aware of it. That’s why we see so many pragmatic draws near the end from guys having bad tournaments instead of the do-or-die fights the fans want. Pragmatism isn’t a spectator sport and without Sofia rules and organizers who look beyond Elo, this is what we’re going to get. Once again with feeling: the players aren’t stupid. They will use the rules to their advantage and would be dumb not to. So shame the players a little and root for the fighters we love, but it’s the rules that need changing.

Svidler has the flu (Vachier-Lagrave was also in a bad way for a few days) and was expected to use white against Ponomariov to make a quick draw today, but so far that hasn’t happened. [They drew ten minutes later.] The position after move 20 does look pretty even though, so it looks like Nakamura will take the black pieces tomorrow against Kasimjanov needing a draw to guarantee himself at least a share of first even if Ponomariov beats Vallejo with white. Tiebreaks for first place are two blitz games followed by an armageddon game and you know Nakamura would be the favorite there. Btw, in the all-Spanish match-up San Segundo just totally lost control of a wild tactical mess against Vallejo and is now dead lost. [He just resigned, so Vallejo is now in a tie for 3-4 with Svidler on 5/8. Ponomariov has 5.5, Nakamura 6.]

Update: Damn, poor Karpov just lost again, this time blundering a piece sac against his kingside against Kasimjanov. Terrible. 31.Be2 heading to f3 and White is probably only a little worse. He has black against San Segundo tomorrow and I hope the veteran can get out with a draw and a little dignity. I also hope this doesn’t mean he stops playing entirely. He just needs to be a little more realistic about how much prep he needs to do and the category of event he can handle these days. Maybe he believed his own rating, which has been kept artificially high for many years due to inactivity. I always figured the hyper-competitive Karpov would be one of those guys who refused to play in any serious tournament he didn’t think he could win, or at least manage a plus score. I was glad when he proved me wrong and eased into a sort of ambassadorial role and maintained a little activity. But this is rough. I’m trying to think of any other former WCh being knocked around this this. It’s hard to imagine a worse result.

Final round: Kasimjanov-Nakamura, Ponomariov-Vallejo, Granda-Svidler, San Segundo-Karpov, Movsesian-Vachier-Lagrave. The round begins a half and an hour earlier than usual, so 10:00am Eastern.