The live games for this round in Dresden are here. Details about the event in this earlier item. ChessBase has pictures. Mamedyarov and Ivanchuk were listed as the top seeds but neither appeared, leaving Russia's Jakovenko as the owner of the highest Elo. He's one of dozens of players with a perfect 2/2 score. The first few rounds were mostly of the people you've heard of being people you've never heard of variety, with a few upsets here and there.
Unfortunately many of the game scores are trash, something we're used to in these big events with automated boards. Live transmission errors are one thing, but it's not that hard to verify them all against a scoresheet before putting them out for public consumption. Let's hope they have the kinks worked out by next year's Dresden Olympiad. Speaking of upsets, in round one, FIDE veep and former winner of this event Zurab Azmaiparashvili played an interesting temporary piece sac against a K Szabo but then walked into a sac himself and was busted. GM Joe Gallagher lost to an amateur named Schmidt in a tactical slugfest worth looking at.
Just as we are forgetting the nightmare of the Morelia/Linares games transmission we have more problems here in Dresden. You would think that Germany would have things under control with the live game transmission. Maybe they too will blame it on some internet hacker as Linares did?
Mig, off thread but hows the ear problem now?
From ChessBase (you know, that evil Kramnik site): http://chessbase.de/nachrichten.asp?newsid=6470
An interview with Ilyumzhinov in Dresden. Below my translation (that can be improved upon, surely). Unless my knowledge of the German language disappears faster than a TGV, the rematch of Topalov (if Kramnik wins Mexico) has disappeared from the agenda. And the first of April has passed already a few days...
"Konkret gefragt: Wer spielt nächstes Jahr um den Weltmeistertitel im Schach?"
Who plays for the world title in chess next year?
"Wladimir Kramnik und der Sieger des Weltcups 2007."
Kramnik and the winner of the World Cup 2007.
"Und wenn Kramnik im WM-Turnier von acht Großmeistern in Mexiko, an dem er im September teilnimmt, nicht erfolgreich ist?"
And what if Kramnik isn't successful in the worldchampionship tournament in Mexico, where he plays in September?
"Dann spielt er erst einmal gegen den Sieger von Mexiko. Der Gewinner dieses Matchs ermittelt anschließend im Duell mit dem Weltcupsieger den neuen Schachweltmeister."
Then he first plays against the winner of Mexico. The winner of that match then plays with the winner of the World Cup for the title.
"Ist das nicht ein zu großer Bonus für Wladimir Kramnik, während Weselin Topalow, der Unterlegene des letzten WM-Matchs von Elista 2006, leer ausgeht?"
Isn't that quite a big bonus for Kramnik, whereas Topalov, who lost the previous world championship match in Elista 2006, get's nothing?
"Wir haben es im März im Weltverband so festgelegt. Es ist eine Übergangslösung, die später in dieser Form nicht mehr existiert. Topalow muss jetzt leider in den sauren Apfel beißen und beim nächsten Weltcup wieder um die WM-Qualifikation kämpfen."
We decided it this way in FIDE in March. It is a transition solution, that will not exist in this form later on. Unfortunately Topalov will have to bite in the sour apple and combat for world championship qualification in the next World Cup again.
This is today's FIDE announcement, Oscar. Wait till tomorrow, we will have another one.
You'd think that someone would be verifying the top boards at least.
Jack
jacklemoine.blogspot.com
Well, I know that FIDE changes its opinions quickly, but still... First I thought about a misunderstanding between Ilyumzhinov and Kohlmeyer, the journalist who conducted the interview. These things happen. But then I realized the interview not only said that Kramnik will play the winner of the World Cup (if Kramnik wins Mexico), but also that Topalov gets nothing at all. Two times saying no rematch!
I don't get it anymore.
There will be transmissions issues for as long as sensory boards are used. I believe that MonRoi's transmission device is a much more elegant and reliable solution. The only issue I see with MonRoi 's device is that, perception wise, it might facilitate cheating. This is just speculation from my part but I assume it might be possible to use MonRoi's transmission device to not only send but also receive chess moves.
What a coincidence! MonRoi's transmission device is actually being used in some boards at Dresden. No transmission issues there. Check it out at:
http://www.monroi.com/wdc/
Wow, you literally can't trust a word Kirsan says.
Anand answers some questions of the ACP: http://www.chess-players.org/eng/news/viewarticle.html?id=633
Especially the answer to the fifth one is interesting in my opinion:
Question: Do you consider the possibility of cheating at high-level tournaments as a serious problem? What measures would you suggest to introduce to reduce such a possibility?
Answer: More than cheating. The thought that someone could cheat is more serious. Seconds should be prohibited from going on stage or into the player's area before the game. They should also not be allowed to enter the playing hall and leave and re enter during a game. It is actually a bit strange to police people. But in today's time where a mobile phone is more than enough to cheat we need to take these steps. Delay in transmission is one step.
Ear (and face, actually) no better, but no worse. Seeing a neurologist at one of the best places in the country next week. Mig's Medical Mysteries continue to baffle the experts. I have this ominous feeling I'm going to end up as a punch line in an Oliver Sacks book.
Vishy is one of several top players who have been vocal on these matters behind the scenes. The people who run events and others who run servers have been talking with them to build support for when the measures come down. Transmission delay is one of the measures we've been pushing for Mexico City.
From the people who brought you "fear that your opponent could be cheating affecting you chess game" coming soon: "fear that your opponent could be afraid that you could be cheating affecting your chess game".
I don't know if the terrorists have won, but the paranoids seem to be on a winning streak. What kind of measures would you put in place to assuage Topalov's fears of Kramnik's method of cheating during rapids in Elista, a method which according to Topalov's description is undetectable, untraceable and in no way identifiable? If I am afraid that my opponent has a tiny ear mite whispering chess wisdom, can I ask for mandatory ear irrigation prior to our game to eliminate this worry?
It seems like the German site is slowly improving its level. Ah, I remember it claiming that if you 'qant' to view the games, to click on the game number. With ruthless efficiency, the 'q' was tracked down, and replaced with a 'w' a few hours later :).
Nice to see that Nick Pert, (part of the subsidised 'Team England'), is scoring at over a 2700 rating after three rounds. I've thought for a while that he's a bit underrated, and that he can give higher ranked Europeans a run for their money.
"fear that your opponent could be afraid that you could be cheating affecting your chess game"
Topalov may well have experienced this already
It seems not a very good improvement to show live games on a wrongly oriented board. I just opened the 4th round game Jakovenko-Jianu and the board has black square in the right bottom corner. Funny to look though.
Traditional Chinese Medicine considers a number of causes in the case of tinnitus. Trauma, dietary habits, emotions and certain lifestyle habits can all play a role in tinnitus. Below are some of the more common causes from a TCM perspective:
Emotional strain, anger, frustration leading to LV fire or LV yang rising - usually sudden onset and loud ringing.
Excess sadness/grief leading to stagnation in the upper warmer - weak Qi in chest which doesn't rise to nourish the head.
Excessive sex a/or overwork - weakens KD - usually low pitch ringing but can be high.
Old age - weakens KD Jing - gradual onset w/low pitch.
Dietary habits - excessive damp/greasy/irregular eating leads to Phlegm which prevents the rising of clear Qi to the head.
Trauma - exposure to loud sounds - excess type, suddent onset, loud ringing, aggravated by cupping hands over the ears.
http://www.yinyanghouse.com/treatments/chinesemedicine_tinnitus_treatment
Anybody else tremendously enjoy Malakhov-Minasyan, well, until the translation ended?
Mig, sorry it isnt any better. My neighbour got Bells Palsy recently, and I know how he struggled, but it went away. He had symptoms of a buzzing in his ears and also a droop in his facial muscles. However he's almost back to normal now. It isnt something similar with you by any chance is it?