2021 FIDE World Champs Carlsen vs Nepomniachtchi. Dubai Nov 24 - Dec 16

[Desmond]

Chess24 have David Howell who is a terrible commentator, hate him and

GM Howell is on a different stream, one aimed at beginners/non-players I guess. So he has to dumb it down a lot.

Tania Sachdev who I also hate so definitely not watching them.

I wouldn't be watching it if she were on it either.

Polgar/Giri coverage was very good from what I saw, though I turned to chess.com when a random IM was giving some stories. Caruana is top shelf, of course, and I like Rensch's energy.

[Scott Colliver]

GM Howell is on a different stream, one aimed at beginners/non-players I guess. So he has to dumb it down a lot.

I wouldn't be watching it if she were on it either.

Polgar/Giri coverage was very good from what I saw, though I turned to chess.com when a random IM was giving some stories. Caruana is top shelf, of course, and I like Rensch's energy.

I did not realise there was two different chess24 streams, I will try and find the second one tonight.

I do not like Rensch that much but I think Caruana and Hess are top quality.

[Kevin Bonham]

I was surprised to find there's a game tonight. Posting the schedule:

Friday, 26 November Game 1
Saturday, 27 November Game 2
Sunday, 28 November Game 3
Monday, 29 November Rest day
Tuesday, 30 November Game 4
Wednesday, 1 December Game 5
Thursday, 2 December Rest day
Friday, 3 December Game 6
Saturday, 4 December Game 7
Sunday, 5 December Game 8
Monday, 6 December Rest day
Tuesday, 7 December Game 9
Wednesday, 8 December Game 10
Thursday, 9 December Rest day
Friday, 10 December Game 11
Saturday, 11 December Game 12
Sunday, 12 December Game 13
Monday, 13 December Rest day
Tuesday, 14 December Game 14
Wednesday, 15 December Tiebreak or closing ceremony
Thursday, 16 December Closing ceremony in case of a tiebreak

[pappubahry]

I enjoyed the Levitov Chess (English-language) stream last night with Svidler and Miro; apparently they had Kramnik for game 1. No video of the players, just intense analysis.

[Kevin Bonham]

Game 3 (Nepo white)

PGN Viewer

 

[Garvinator]

Carlsen wins by seven or more games - poll option is now not possible

and same with Nepo

[Desmond]

I was surprised to find there's a game tonight.

Yes, and apparently there is no switching of colours halfway through, so Nepo will have first "serve" for the whole match.

[Desmond]

I enjoyed the Levitov Chess (English-language) stream last night with Svidler and Miro; apparently they had Kramnik for game 1. No video of the players, just intense analysis.

Thanks for this, I will check that out. Svidler is one of my favourite commentators, actually maybe even my very favourite.

[Garvinator]

Yes, and apparently there is no switching of colours halfway through, so Nepo will have first "serve" for the whole match.

Not correct in terms of 'first serve' ie having white after the rest day.

Nepo's colours.

W
B
W

B
W

B
W
B

W
B

W
B
W

B

As you see, both players end up with as many whites and blacks after the rest day with this schedule. The only major issue I can see with this schedule is that one player automatically gets 2 sets of 2 whites, 1 black. The opponent only gets 1 set of 2 whites, 1 black.

Except for using a 3 game, rest day, 3 game, rest day, 3 game, rest day, 3 game rest day, 1 game, rest day, 1 game, rest day, schedule. This is probably the fairest for 14 games.

[Kevin Bonham]

It can be argued that there's some slight advantage of the toss in this system. An extra WBW sequence with an extra lone B game at the end sounds better to me than the extra BWB sequence with the extra lone W game at the end.

[Desmond]

Not correct in terms of 'first serve' ie having white after the rest day.

I wasn't talking about after the rest day, was talking about him always having the first white in each game couple.

[Garvinator]

I wasn't talking about after the rest day, was talking about him always having the first white in each game couple.

There are only two two game sets. And Nepo only has white first up in one of them from the colour schedule that I have posted.

[Ian Rout]

It can be argued that there's some slight advantage of the toss in this system. An extra WBW sequence with an extra lone B game at the end sounds better to me than the extra BWB sequence with the extra lone W game at the end.

On the other hand the player with the first White gets their last White, when they really may need to win, at the end of a three-game sequence while the other player gets it after a day's rest/preparation. Not sure which I'd prefer, it would probably depend where I expected to be after 12 games.

Chessbase quotes Anand correctly predicting that Nepo would play 1.e4 again in Game 3 because it made more sense to use the rest day before going for something new. Of course that might mean changing to the Italian or Scotch, or calling Carlsen's bluff with 8.c3, in Game 5; or Carlsen might get in first with 1...c5.

[Garvinator]

It can be argued that there's some slight advantage of the toss in this system. An extra WBW sequence with an extra lone B game at the end sounds better to me than the extra BWB sequence with the extra lone W game at the end.

I am little bit confused by this comment. In the first sentence, are you saying that this schedule does carry a small advantage from the drawing of lots ie Nepo has gained a small advantage by drawing white in game one?

Therefore, I am also confused by your second comment.

The schedule that I think is better than this is:

Nepo's colours:

W
B
W

B
W
B

W
B
W

B
W
B

W

B

Both players get two sets of two whites, one black and vice versa. And Game 13 and Game 14 are individual games.

[MichaelBaron]

On the other hand the player with the first White gets their last White, when they really may need to win, at the end of a three-game sequence while the other player gets it after a day's rest/preparation. Not sure which I'd prefer, it would probably depend where I expected to be after 12 games.

Chessbase quotes Anand correctly predicting that Nepo would play 1.e4 again in Game 3 because it made more sense to use the rest day before going for something new. Of course that might mean changing to the Italian or Scotch, or calling Carlsen's bluff with 8.c3, in Game 5; or Carlsen might get in first with 1...c5.

1...c5 at this stage of the match may be too risky...so probably Magnus will stick to e5 for now.