Norwegian teen Magnus Carlsen drew a four-game match against many-time Dutch champion Loek van Wely. It was sponsored by DSB Bank and held in the Dutch town of Schagen (not Schachen) in the north. Van Wely played the four blitz tiebreak games as if paralyzed and lost 3.5-0.5. After the players exchanged wins with white in the main match, van Wely needed a miraculous save to avoid losing with white in game three.
The relatively new, at least at the top level, 17..Bxe3 in the Sveshnikov, played by Topalov against Karjakin at Corus (and by Fernandez against Kudrin at the US Ch), brought the Dutchman a smooth draw in the final game. If this simple move, long considered inferior (17..g6 is the main line (this can also be move 18 if ..e6 Bf4 ..e5 Bg5 are inserted earlier)), can draw so easily it's yet another annoyance for White in this topical line. Of course ..g6 h4 is stiill much more fun if both sides are looking for a win.
this showed me the huge difference between players at classical times and in fast time controls. It gave proof that the two speeds should not be mixed. especially that a long time control championship title should not be determined by fast games.
Just my opinion.
Agree. For the big events that is. The time controls for Carlsen-Van Wely were chosen to be the same as in the next FIDE Wch rounds, so that this match would fit in both players' preparation.
I think from here on out more and more world class players are going to suffer a certain paralysis when playing this boy wonder. The upcoming adult model already scares the #&%* out of me just thinking about it. Thank God I'll never have to sit across from it.
The four play-off games were blitz (5 2), and not rapid.
May be , you might want to rename it, The weekly dirt chess blog.
Over the top it is probably the bidaily dirt on average.