An interesting round in the Biel GM event despite Bruzon and Pelletier taking an 18-move nap. Leaders Carlsen and Radjabov waged battle in a funky Benko Gambit line, the Boy from Baku II on the white side. (Black left his king's rook on f8 instead of playing it to b8, rather unusual in my experience. It worked out fine for Carlsen after he used the e-file to swap a pair of rooks.) Radjabov clung on to the extra pawn like it was a copy of Playboy and the teens went into a difficult minor piece endgame. It looks like a dead draw by move 50 but Radja kept trying and they went down to bare kings. Kudos to both players for a fighting game.
Favorite Alexander Morozevich has never failed to win in Biel. He's 2/2 with very impressive scores. (8/10 in 2003; 7.5/10 in 2004.) He got back on track after yesterday's amazing loss to Carlsen by stuffing Volokitin today. Moro played a spectacular queen sacrifice in the Najdorf, but as usual this was played before. Leko used it against Karjakin at Corus this year, at which point we discovered it had been played in a correspondence world championship game a few years earlier. Those games were drawn but Moro went to work with a passed a-pawn assisted by his rook and knight vs queen. With a draw in hand Moro decided he was winning and played the cute 32.Rb6 to enter the endgame. The rest is a nice technical achievement.
Comments
Mig's metaphor about Radjabov clinging to the extra pawn was like a cool refreshing whiff of ocean breeze on a stuffy day of California heat wave.
Lukasz
Posted by: Lukasz Pruski at July 26, 2006 21:28
Beautiful brilliant game by Moro!! I have high hopes for him this tourney, looks like he's playing Moro version 1.15 (which is the good one, version 1.20 which he trots out often is very buggy). Bet he gets his revenge against Carlsen.
Posted by: d at July 27, 2006 03:51
Carlsen has an odd facial morphology, fixed in a tight, impudent sneer. I don't know what to make of it, except that I can't root for anyone looking like that, even if the look is involuntary.
Posted by: Der Strudel at July 27, 2006 05:55
Speaking of Carlsen's face, is he a clone of Matt Damon (he of the Bourne Identity)?
Posted by: DR at July 27, 2006 06:58
Wasn't Matt Damon also The Talented Mr. Ripley? There's a scary metaphor if applied to Carlsen.
Posted by: Jon Jacobs at July 27, 2006 07:35
I agree, Carlsen's jutting jaw look is pretty cheesey. There's being tough, and then there's standing next to your former teacher as if he doesn't even belong on the same stage as you when you get the same result. I would throw in that he it wouldn't kill him to expand the wardrobe beyond the "Champion" hoodie.
Posted by: greymouse at July 27, 2006 14:15
I agree, Carlsen's jutting jaw look is pretty cheesey. There's being tough, and then there's standing next to your former teacher as if he doesn't even belong on the same stage as you when you get the same result. I would throw in that he it wouldn't kill him to expand the wardrobe beyond the "Champion" hoodie.
Posted by: greymouse at July 27, 2006 14:15
The middle third of Carlsen's face is compressed as though somebody/something impacted him upside the nose at a 45-degree angle, with such force as to push the area into his skull. His jaw only looks protruding in comparison to the depressed nostril-to-nose-bridge area. Otherwise, he has standard gracile Aryan features.
Posted by: Der Strudel at July 27, 2006 15:10
The middle third of Carlsen's face is compressed as though somebody/something impacted him upside the nose at a 45-degree angle, with such force as to push the area into his skull. His jaw only looks protruding in comparison to the depressed nostril-to-nose-bridge area. Otherwise, he has the standard gracile Aryan features.
Posted by: Der Strudel at July 27, 2006 15:11
After beating Radjabov in 92 moves in Round 4, Moro is now averaging 68 moves a game, and is the only player yet to draw a game. How's that for bloodlust?
Posted by: morning at July 27, 2006 15:34
Geez... He's fifteen, people! That says it all. Carlsen's a fine fellow and there's no need to criticise his facial expressions or nose. He's bond to come to his senses when the puberty monster lets go of him, and I'm sure he'll turn out to be a very pleasant young man. Until then, let him be and enjoy his games.
Posted by: Voyager at July 27, 2006 15:41
I think Magnus is a nice kid. and good looking. the way chess players criticize others is terrible.
there is so much bashing. look at the way people talk about Nakamura. it is a disgrace that americans can not be more respectful of others.
It looks like it might come down to Moro and Magnus. but Radj is not out of the running. this is a good tournament. enjoy the games. these guys are fighting as hard as they can. even for a grandmaster it is not easy to win a game against another grandmaster rated over 2700.
People seem to support Kasparov. and he is terrific. but he has a few pictures out there that are kind of funny facial expressions also. We should be very grateful for someone like Magnus on the scene. He is certainly a much nicer person than Fischer. lets see how he develops. for his age he is doing very well.
Posted by: Frank H at July 27, 2006 16:52
Exactly. Of course he's very good-looking and nice! The whole discussion is utterly ridiculous IMO.
As for the tournament itself, Moro's gonna do it again, mark my words. Or at least I hope so...
Posted by: Voyager at July 27, 2006 17:32
To those chumps ragging on Magnus's appearance and dress: I trust that, at the age of 15, you were exemplary specimens capable of withstanding the degree of scrutiny you apply to Magnus... ;-) Yeah, right.
Posted by: Malachy O'Dorus at July 27, 2006 17:58
I guess "Der Strudel" and "greymouse" feel the inner desire to post a picture of themselves.
Posted by: Kramnik-Fan at July 27, 2006 18:22
Why do you feed the trolls? Ignore the idiots who comment on a 15 yr old kids features like this. Maybe they are perverts, but surely they are jerks.
Posted by: d at July 28, 2006 04:14
