World Chess Championship- Anand v. Carlsen

[mdevine]

http://badgerandblade.com//m.youtube.com/watch?v=BbrpQKJXXZshttp://badgerandblade.com//m.youtube.com/watch?v=BbrpQKJXXZsI don't know how many chess fans hang out here, but this month sees the ongoing world championship. Vishy Anand, the long-standing champion is facing a very young, but the highest ever rated, Magnus Carlsen. They are playing in Anand's home city in India, and after six games, Carlsen leads 4-2. They drew the first four, and Carlsen has won the last two games. There are several youtube channels that do a great job of breaking down the games if anyone is interested. I recommend chessnetwork or powerplaychess.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pvToX22oG8s

 

[rockviper]

Yup, I've been keeping an eye on what's going on. I'm pretty surprised that Vishy has collapsed in endgame positions in the past two games. Seems more like something I would do, but I guess Calsen's constant probing and poking is draining him mentally.

 

[AABCDS]

Yeah, I mean after Carlson took Anand's castle with this horse it was all over!

Spoiler

I know those are the wrong names!

Spoiler

They're actually called the rampart and the equine!

 

[mdevine]

Yup, I've been keeping an eye on what's going on. I'm pretty surprised that Vishy has collapsed in endgame positions in the past two games. Seems more like something I would do, but I guess Calsen's constant probing and poking is draining him mentally.

I've had a chance to observe a lot of Carlsen's games. He plays quickly and often puts tremendous pressure on his opponents during the endgame. Time pressure really seemed to factor into some of Anand's mistakes.

 

[Cheese]

I've been watching the matches live. Good stuff. I'm pulling for the youngster.

 

[mdevine]

I've been watching the matches live. Good stuff. I'm pulling for the youngster.

I'm rooting for him as well. Although I have nothing against Anand, I think having a young, telegenic champion would be good for the game.

 

[rockviper]

Since we're talking chess, here's what showed up on my doorstep Friday...

What could be inside?

If you haven't seen these before, they are postal cards for snail-mail correspondence chess. I mostly play my correspondence on the ICCF server for both international and domestic events, but several folks I've known through correspondence since the late '80s have managed to get permission to have a snail-mail tournament started for the Canadian Championship run alongside the now-normal ICCF server-side event.

I had turfed all of my correspondence postcards last spring when I moved, thinking "Who plays by mail anymore?" and now I had to go buy some more.

Anyways, just a sidebar for you on this fine Sunday morning.

 

[AABCDS]

Chess by snail mail! I'm in! With my track record, I might complete a game by the time I die.

 

[rxonmymind]

Some of my fondest memory was playing chess with my grandfather at seven. That's when he started to teach me. I was voracious in learning. I played with a VERY active imagination, lol, and had a lot of fun. I never did beat him but being with him as he was 90 was cool. Chess is cool.

 

[AjaxLepinski]

Snail mail chess sounds like a true test of gentlemanly behavior...
I bet there are a few unscrupulous snail mail players would be tempted to use chess software to help with their moves!

Here's an additional Sunday Sidebar...
About 25 years ago, I purchased a Radio Shack, computerized chess set. It was the kind that had push buttons under each square - you had to press down to inform the computer which piece you were moving and then, you had to press down on the spot that you were moving to.
It had LED lights on the x and y sides of the board to let you know which piece the computer wanted to move and to where it wanted the piece to move to.
My brother had his own, slightly older set and it was a different brand. We played one against the other. Both sets seemed equally matched until it got down to the last 5 or six pieces on each side. A move or two later, when it became apparent that my brother's set was losing, his set indicated that it wanted to move a nonexistent piece on an empty space... and so ended the match!

 

[deafficianado]

Wow! thanks for the links Mdevine. I enjoyed the analysis and look forward to the remainder of the championship. Magnus Carlson reminds me of Bobby Fischer, only Magnus is better IMO. Anand's weakness is that he can't handle the pressure when it comes down to crunch time. I think the way the first four games were drawn and the last two were won by Magnus is a very similar pattern to the championship years ago when Anand was playing Kasperov and lost.

 

[mdevine]

Wow! thanks for the links Mdevine. I enjoyed the analysis and look forward to the remainder of the championship. Magnus Carlson reminds me of Bobby Fischer, only Magnus is better IMO. Anand's weakness is that he can't handle the pressure when it comes down to crunch time. I think the way the first four games were drawn and the last two were won by Magnus is a very similar pattern to the championship years ago when Anand was playing Kasperov and lost.

I encourage anyone who enjoy chess to check out the links. Jerry from chess network does a great job of explaining the games and does it at a level that an average player will understand and enjoy. You don't need to be an expert to get a lot out of it. He analyzes each game in around fifteen minutes and manages to make chess exciting.

 

[rockviper]

Snail mail chess sounds like a true test of gentlemanly behavior...
I bet there are a few unscrupulous snail mail players would be tempted to use chess software to help with their moves!

Here's an additional Sunday Sidebar...
About 25 years ago, I purchased a Radio Shack, computerized chess set. It was the kind that had push buttons under each square - you had to press down to inform the computer which piece you were moving and then, you had to press down on the spot that you were moving to.
It had LED lights on the x and y sides of the board to let you know which piece the computer wanted to move and to where it wanted the piece to move to.
My brother had his own, slightly older set and it was a different brand. We played one against the other. Both sets seemed equally matched until it got down to the last 5 or six pieces on each side. A move or two later, when it became apparent that my brother's set was losing, his set indicated that it wanted to move a nonexistent piece on an empty space... and so ended the match!

The governing body (ICCF) couldn't police the use of chess engines, so years ago they decided to allow them. Nowadays you pretty much have to use them to be competitive, but before you say that it's just about now who can afford the best software and the best hardware (although that does play a part), it's trying to add your own insights into the actual move choices to play. It's more like cyborg chess, I guess, than anything.

With this snail-mail Canadian Championship tournament, we mutually decided that this would be a computer-free event and, since we all have known several of the other players in the past, we put our own integrity up when we recommend the inclusion of others. We can still use computers for their databases, as that's like referencing books (and trust me, I have a BUNCH of books, especially with the Informants starting at #1 in '66), but we are not to use the computers for analysis.

 

[Vlamgat]

When I was young I played 100 square checkers and chess. Memories...

 

[mdevine]

Anand and Carlsen played to a draw today. Score now stands with Carlsen leading 4.5-2.5.

 

[Eutychus]

Magnus Carlson reminds me of Bobby Fischer, only Magnus is better IMO.

I agree in part about the Fischer comparison. Carlson's confidence in his endgame ability reminds me very much of Fischer. Not sure if he is better than Fischer, however.

 

[Legion]

Snail mail chess sounds like a true test of gentlemanly behavior...
I bet there are a few unscrupulous snail mail players would be tempted to use chess software to help with their moves!

Here's an additional Sunday Sidebar...
About 25 years ago, I purchased a Radio Shack, computerized chess set. It was the kind that had push buttons under each square - you had to press down to inform the computer which piece you were moving and then, you had to press down on the spot that you were moving to.
It had LED lights on the x and y sides of the board to let you know which piece the computer wanted to move and to where it wanted the piece to move to.
My brother had his own, slightly older set and it was a different brand. We played one against the other. Both sets seemed equally matched until it got down to the last 5 or six pieces on each side. A move or two later, when it became apparent that my brother's set was losing, his set indicated that it wanted to move a nonexistent piece on an empty space... and so ended the match!

Haha. I had one of those electronic sets when I was a kid. Then, as now, I just can't get into playing a computer. Computers don't have the human error factor that makes chess fun. There is nothing like when you see a mistake your opponent has made, and not yet realised. Or that sinking feeling when they capitalise on your own screw up. Playing computers gives me all of feeling B, and none of the feeling A.

 

[Vlamgat]

Computers don't have the human error factor that makes chess fun.

Why not? Sure they have the error factor.

 

[mdevine]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sK5l7SRRN9c

Game 9. The score is now 6-3 Carlsen with the winner being first to 6.5. It looks all but inevitable that there will be a new champion.

 

[Legion]

Why not? Sure they have the error factor.

A computer doesn't make a mistake because it is distracted, sleepy, drunk, or dumb. If it makes a mistake it is because you set it to a level and it is programmed to make that error. It wasn't a mistake, it was a deliberate poor move to help you along. Like playing your dad when you were a little kid, and he would let you win a few to make you feel better. Unless you are a super awesome player like the guys we are talking about here, the computer could smash most people if it was set to its maximum potential. Well, smash me anyway. I'm usually distracted, sleepy, drunk, and dumb.