London Chess Classic

[Hugh Brechin]

I don't hold with live lists. I also won't believe Carlsen's toppled Gazza's mark unless that's what the March list (is it March or February?) tells me =)

[andyburnett]

I don't hold with live lists

Care to tell us why not Hugh?

I really like the CS live grading lists, even if they are missing some results. It still gives a more accurate view of how both yourself and your opponents are faring, particularly as the season progresses.

P.S. I think Carlsen still has a bit to do to overtake Kasparov - as mentioned previously a World title would be a start, and holding it for 15 years would be the next step [Are Luke Donald or Rory McIlroy really better than Tiger Woods in his prime?]

[Hugh Brechin]

It was definitely mostly a joke, I think they're useful and it's great being able to keep track of your progress over the year (if occasionally depressing.)

I just still think of them as 'provisional', which is probably more of a consideration in Scotland where most of us will have local league games played in October and not uploaded till March, or some such, than it is on the elite lists. Certainly if someone asks me what my rating is I'm going to tell them the published one rather than the live one.

[Andrew McHarg]

...I'm going to tell them the published one rather than the live one.

This is really the correct approach I think. Most events will use published grades rather than Live. I think only where there are rapidly improving juniors who's live grade is several hundred points higher than their published grade should the live be used. It seems unfair to let a junior unto a Minor if their known strength is much stronger, for instance.

[andyburnett]

Naturally if someone asks me my grade I'll tell them the published one, but as I keep my own grade up-to-date on a game-by-game basis I know whether I'm performing above or below my 'normal' rating. I guess since it hasn't varied much more than 50 points above or below 2200 in about 20 years it shouldn't matter much anyway

Which raises another point. I personally feel as though I know and understand so much more about chess than I did 20 years ago. Does anyone else feel this way despite not gaining any ground grading-wise like myself?

[andyburnett]

Jonathan Rowson's opponent today (IM Simon Ansell) is playing the same set-up as Michael Adams used yesterday in his win over Judith Polgar ( a KID set-up against the Sicilian). I recently played the black side of one of these..prepare to be amused....

White: Helgi Dam (Faroe Islands Sports Personality of the Year) Ziska
Black: Andrew (can't count to 3) Burnett
Edinburgh League 2012 (Dragons A v Edin. Uni A)

[pgn]1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Qe2 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.e5 Bg4 6.exf6 Nd4 7.fxe7 Bxf3 8.exd8Q+ Kxd8 9.Qxf3[/pgn]

...as I was about to recapture on f3 I realised I had miscounted and was a piece down so I resigned. My team-mates were less than amused, and they weren't cheered up by seeing the following opening on board 4...

White: David Wallace
Black: Suzanna Sia Xin Yun

[pgn]1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nc3 Qh4+ 4.Ke2[/pgn]

After the game David's young opponent asked, " Did you miss the check on h4?" I think David's response under his breath might have been along the lines of, "Have you never heard of####### Steinitz?"

[Calum MacQueen]

Magnus just crushed Adams from a (seriously) worse position. Unbelievable how he keeps getting these calm positions where he can improve rapidly and his opponent can't. I'm sure there is some psychology going on but his technique is phenomenal.

Maybe he will be as good as Kasparov...

[Andy Howie]

Was really good. The Anand-Jones game was a blast as well. And as I a typing Kramnik makes it a clean sweep for the non English players

[andyburnett]

I thought Jones was courting disaster when he used an opening set-up which Anand had obviously studied seriously in his match vs Gelfand!

[Calum MacQueen]

Vishy...