2020 Candidates (17 March - 3 April), Yekaterinburg, Russia - Suspended until 2021

[Ian Rout]

Magnus continues to be unimpressed by the French. Is it impossible to imagine a Carlsen-Nepo championship featuring the French?

You'd think Nepo might put it back in the bag now.

But it would be entertaining. The last Winawer in a World Championship match looks like 1961 (though the Tarrasch appeared in 1978).

[MichaelBaron]

According to Bareev - the overall standard of play is poor and players are in ''no mood to play chess'' (well understandably).

According to me - agreed with Bareev.

[Kevin Bonham]

Candidates Stopped!

Today, the government of the Russian Federation announced that starting March 27, 2020, Russia interrupts air traffic with other countries without indicating any time frames.

FIDE can not continue the tournament without guarantees for the players' and officials' safe and timely return home. In this situation and on the basis of clause 1.5. Rules of Candidates Tournament, the FIDE President decided to stop the tournament. It will be continued later, with the exact dates to be announced as soon, as the global situation related to the COVID-19 pandemic will allow. As it was stipulated by the special rules agreed with the players before the start of the event, the results of the 7 rounds played remain valid, and the tournament will be resumed in the same composition starting with the games of the 8th round. FIDE is grateful to the players, officials, volunteers and the entire team of organizers, including the Chess Federation of Russia and the main partner of the tournament - SIMA-Land.

Sincerely,
Arkady Dvorkovich,
FIDE President

[machomortensen]

Good, but unfortunately much to late ...

[Garvinator]

You'd think Nepo might put it back in the bag now.

But it would be entertaining. The last Winawer in a World Championship match looks like 1961 (though the Tarrasch appeared in 1978).

The first game of the 1960 World Championship match between Botvinnik - Tal was a Winawer, with Botvinnik as black. Tal won that game convincingly and Botvinnik never used the French again for the whole match.

In the 1961 re-match, in game 12, Botvinnik played the Winawer as black and Tal won that game also.

Having had a look at all the results from 1960 onwards, the 1961 match was the last time the Winawer appeared in a World Championship match (be it the official Fide version, or the matches involving Kasparov 1993-2000)

It seems at the very highest of levels, the Winawer is looking suspect for black.

As noted by Ian, a few other French's have appeared, but still the record is not great for black in those either.

Magnus's commentary on the French certainly appears accurate at the highest level.

[Garvinator]

Candidates Stopped!

Today, the government of the Russian Federation announced that starting March 27, 2020, Russia interrupts air traffic with other countries without indicating any time frames.

FIDE can not continue the tournament without guarantees for the players' and officials' safe and timely return home. In this situation and on the basis of clause 1.5. Rules of Candidates Tournament, the FIDE President decided to stop the tournament. It will be continued later, with the exact dates to be announced as soon, as the global situation related to the COVID-19 pandemic will allow. As it was stipulated by the special rules agreed with the players before the start of the event, the results of the 7 rounds played remain valid, and the tournament will be resumed in the same composition starting with the games of the 8th round. FIDE is grateful to the players, officials, volunteers and the entire team of organizers, including the Chess Federation of Russia and the main partner of the tournament - SIMA-Land.

Sincerely,
Arkady Dvorkovich,
FIDE President

With Russia shutting the door to international flights, the decision to postpone the tournament is warranted, but geez it is going to make things awkward from now on for the rest of the cycle.

Assuming that the second half of the match will be held at the same venue, it is likely that this postponement will be at least two months, if not more. That pushes the second half to restart in about June, finishing July.

Despite the contracts, I would not be surprised if the second half of the match is played somewhere as soon as a country has re-opened their borders to air traffic and all the players can get to that country from their home country.

Arkady Dvorkovich was hoping to play the 2020 World Championship Match between Carlsen and the winner of this event at the 2020 World Expo in December in Dubai.

If Dvorkovich attempts to keep to that timetable, that is only five months for the winner of the Candidates to be prepared for the World Championship Match, and also in that time contracts need to be organised and signed.

Tight timetable with the international air travel having been completely halted.

[MichaelBaron]

But first round results remain...what about those who were affected by the conditions more than others? Ding for instance?

[MichaelBaron]

And the official reason given ''Russia closing the borders''....how pathetic...even now FIDE is not remorseful!

[Garvinator]

But first round results remain...what about those who were affected by the conditions more than others? Ding for instance?

As Kevin has stated about the playing contract that they all signed:

As it was stipulated by the special rules agreed with the players before the start of the event, the results of the 7 rounds played remain valid, and the tournament will be resumed in the same composition starting with the games of the 8th round.

So, in the contract, the wording would be to the effect of: If the tournament has to be postponed, it will re-commence from the next round and all previous game results still count.

I think saying that Ding has been affected as an excuse for his poor results does not hold much water. All the players have been playing under not ideal circumstances. MVL was a late substitute and is equal first. So he did not have the preparation time of the other players.

[MichaelBaron]

As Kevin has stated about the playing contract that they all signed:



So, in the contract, the wording would be to the effect of: If the tournament has to be postponed, it will re-commence from the next round and all previous game results still count.

I think saying that Ding has been affected as an excuse for his poor results does not hold much water. All the players have been playing under not ideal circumstances. MVL was a late substitute and is equal first. So he did not have the preparation time of the other players.

Ding did not plan quarantine the way it turned out (at some obscure place near Moscow). The Russian players were certainly in a better boat.

[Desmond]

You'd think Nepo might put it back in the bag now.

But it would be entertaining. The last Winawer in a World Championship match looks like 1961 (though the Tarrasch appeared in 1978).

There were also games between Kasparov and Short in the 1990's, albeit not in their WC match itself.

I think it would have been worth a try to surprise Carlsen, though with Nepo having wheeled it out twice in the candidates you'd have to expect Carlsen to be well prepared for it now.

[ElevatorEscapee]

Dvorkovich was told to go ahead and complete the tournament....so he will.

Hi Michael, just curious about this comment. Who do you think told Dvorkovich to go ahead and complete the tournament?
I'm not being critical or attacking you in any way, just curious, (and also after a bit of scuttlebut for tomorrow morning's radio show...)
Also, I won't quote your name personally.
"One unconfirmed source indicates that the FIDE president was instructed by ******* ***** to continue with the tournament"!

[ER]

"One unconfirmed source indicates that the FIDE president was instructed by ******* ***** to continue with the tournament"!

and then?
Did the FIDE president disobey ******* *****'s instructions?
Did ******* ***** changed his (her) mind?
None of the above?

[ElevatorEscapee]

Thank you **,

The travel ban decree was from the office of Russian Prime Minister, Mikhail Mishustin.
I suspect a current Russian Prime Minister outranks a former deputy Prime Minister, (Arkady Dvorkovich) in political clout in the Russian Federation, but I don't understand the politics.
(From an Aussie perspective, this would be like Scott Morrison telling Barnaby Joyce what to do - and we all know how that turns out!)
Given his background, I believe that Michael may have more of an idea of the subtleties and nuances of Russian politics, hence my question.

With regard to who I was referring to by ******** *****, let's just say he's not a member of the Toolbox (at least not that we know!)

[Kevin Bonham]

MVL @Vachier_Lagrave
2h
Made it to Paris! Weird feeling and challenging times ahead. We are in this together #stayhome