Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing

Tal Memorial (2016) The 10th Mikhail Tal Memorial was held from 26th September to 6th October, 2016 at the Museum of Russian Impressionism in Moscow, sponsored by the Russian Highways state company and with a prize fund of 200.000 USD. Nepomniachtchi won by 6/9. Mamedyarov won handily in the preceding Tal Memorial (Blitz) (2016). Official site: http://ruchess.ru/en/championship/d...  page 1 of 2; games 1-25 of 45  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. Aronian vs Gelfand ½-½ 36 2016 Tal Memorial A35 English, Symmetrical 2. Giri vs Anand ½-½ 52 2016 Tal Memorial D37 Queen's Gambit Declined 3. Nepomniachtchi vs Tomashevsky 1-0 23 2016 Tal Memorial C45 Scotch Game 4. Mamedyarov vs C Li   ½-½ 41 2016 Tal Memorial D73 Neo-Grunfeld, 5.Nf3 5. Svidler vs Kramnik ½-½ 66 2016 Tal Memorial A30 English, Symmetrical 6. Svidler vs Nepomniachtchi ½-½ 22 2016 Tal Memorial D80 Grunfeld 7. Tomashevsky vs Aronian ½-½ 23 2016 Tal Memorial D56 Queen's Gambit Declined 8. Anand vs Mamedyarov 1-0 54 2016 Tal Memorial C92 Ruy Lopez, Closed 9. Gelfand vs Giri 0-1 36 2016 Tal Memorial E60 King's Indian Defense 10. Kramnik vs C Li ½-½ 60 2016 Tal Memorial C42 Petrov Defense 11. Giri vs Tomashevsky 1-0 82 2016 Tal Memorial A46 Queen's Pawn Game 12. Mamedyarov vs Gelfand 1-0 28 2016 Tal Memorial D43 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav 13. Aronian vs Svidler   ½-½ 41 2016 Tal Memorial D70 Neo-Grunfeld Defense 14. C Li vs Anand   ½-½ 31 2016 Tal Memorial E21 Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights 15. Nepomniachtchi vs Kramnik 1-0 47 2016 Tal Memorial A30 English, Symmetrical 16. Nepomniachtchi vs Aronian ½-½ 43 2016 Tal Memorial C55 Two Knights Defense 17. Kramnik vs Anand 1-0 51 2016 Tal Memorial C53 Giuoco Piano 18. Tomashevsky vs Mamedyarov   ½-½ 83 2016 Tal Memorial D12 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav 19. Gelfand vs C Li 0-1 59 2016 Tal Memorial D97 Grunfeld, Russian 20. Svidler vs Giri 0-1 59 2016 Tal Memorial A37 English, Symmetrical 21. Aronian vs Kramnik ½-½ 83 2016 Tal Memorial A30 English, Symmetrical 22. Anand vs Gelfand 1-0 58 2016 Tal Memorial B31 Sicilian, Rossolimo Variation 23. C Li vs Tomashevsky   ½-½ 41 2016 Tal Memorial E21 Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights 24. Giri vs Nepomniachtchi ½-½ 67 2016 Tal Memorial D97 Grunfeld, Russian 25. Mamedyarov vs Svidler   ½-½ 50 2016 Tal Memorial E61 King's Indian  page 1 of 2; games 1-25 of 45    REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)   < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 16 OF 16 ·  Later Kibitzing> Oct-06-16    Jambow: <pajaste: I like these kinds of rounds. It makes me believe there is market for other games for those who are obsessed by winning and losing.> Who were the past tic tac toe champions? A draw after an epic struggle or brilliant tactical drama is perfectly acceptable and even worth examination. A strategy of getting draws in hopes of luring your opponent into a lax state and take advantage of a mistake is really not the stuff of spectator sports. Neither are 15 move draws imho. If you can weary world class chess players who's lives are consumed with chess what chance do mortals have? Fischer was exciting because he played for a win from both sides of he board. (Black or white not top or bottom)... Oct-06-16    diagonal: Congratulation to Ian Nepomniachtchi for winning the tenth Tal Memorial at Moscow in 2016 as clear first, just within three months after he took the strong international invitation tournament in Danzhou City (Hainan Province) outright. Another big success for Ian who is born in 1990, as MVL, Karjakin, and Carlsen... Oct-06-16    diagonal: <z> and <PhilF> on listing of tournament serials: Fully agree, plus starting and ending dates of a past series should be added as well as it is done in the numbering with the present series. Well, there is a lot of work to do ;-) In general, the reasons why a long time running series has a break or collapse are economically driven, lack of financial sponsoring: either the main private industrial company lost its interest, has a new marketing strategy and / or the public hand did no longer subsidy — often due to a change of responsible chairman or reigning government) or the principal initiator (private maecenas) passed away, is forced to stop his, her organizational and financial support, unfortunately mostly due health problems. Sometimes the momentum in a region has just gone, new series are launched. A few of the past series and most of the present elite events are summarized in Wikipedia, Chessgames index offers already more than 2’000 (single) tournaments, team events and matches. The year-by-year <cg. chronicle of Lone Pine>, is fantastic, of course. I can’t recall another Open tournament featured in such brilliant and extensive way! An <overall survey of significant Serials> (individual international invitational or open in classical chess circuit, meaning apart from the well-documented official FIDE Candidate’s cycles, matches and team events), is difficult to find, that’s why I try to build such an overview. There are a lot of informative chess Websites, I have linked about two hundreds, and added some words on its principal character: http://www.chessdiagonals.ch/402840... Oct-06-16    Jambow: Nepo on the move his strongest achievement to date... Go Nepo&*$#%@ or however you spell it!!! Giri deserves honorable mention Go Giri!! Oct-06-16    Sally Simpson: I'm a bit disappointed with the games considering in whose honour the tournament was being held. I think one should get into the swing of things. If I was in the Tal Memorial the first chance I got I'd spec-sac in every game. If I played in the Nimzovitch Memorial I'd develop and then undevelop all my pieces and make mysterious Rook moves. If I played in the Fischer Memorial I'd send in a list of 900 demands. Oct-06-16    Boomie: <Sally Simpson: If I was in the Tal Memorial the first chance I got I'd spec-sac in every game.> Yeah. I would lose material in every game and call it a sac. Oct-07-16    Jambow: <Sally Simpson: I'm a bit disappointed with the games considering in whose honour the tournament was being held.> Glad you weren't the promoter for this event... ;0] Oct-07-16    Mr. V: <Sally Simpson> Levon played like Tal in the Giri game, then I guess he decided he could go back into his genie bottle for a while because he went back to draws. Oct-07-16    offramp: <dumbgai: <offramp: If a champion perceives that a player might be a future challenger it would not be logical to choose him or her as a second.> If only Kasparov had heard this advice when recruiting Kramnik to his team for the Anand match!> You are right, sir! Kramnik was a Wunderkind who Kasparov knew would be a challenger when Kasparov chose him as a second. I have racked my brain thinking of other seconds in WC matches who subsequently became challengers, but I can't think of any. There are a few ex-World Champions who became seconds; Anand for example. And Kramnik. Oct-07-16    WorstPlayerEver: Well, as usual the players turned to "secure the draw" for the last 3 rounds. 14 wins/30 went to 15 wins/45. Oct-07-16    HeMateMe: which will happen first: A new USA president or a new chess world champion? Oct-07-16    Sally Simpson: Hi Jambow, I would have brought in a rule that nobody was allowed win whilst material ahead. In the afore mentioned Aronian - Giri game. Final position. click for larger view Black resigns. OK a White win. But if Black had played on in this line. 34...Rb8 35.Nxb8 Nc5 36.Nxa7 Nxc7 click for larger view White is now two pawns up. He would not be allowed to accept the resignation. On the other hand White can resign here as he his material ahead. Unless of course he can find some way to sac 3 pawns and mate Black. Something like this. click for larger view I think they should try out this rule in the Carlsen - Karjakin W.C. Match. --- BTW a very well worked out sequence of moves by Aronian in that game. It will a find a place in future tactical books within the chapter 'Pawn Promotion Combinations.' Aronian vs A Giri, 2016 Oct-07-16    Chessinfinite: <There are a few ex-World Champions who became seconds; Anand for example. And Kramnik.> Just out of curiosity, when was Anand working as second and to whom? iirc, he was busy qualifying for the world title most of the time. I think Anand did work with a lot of players in his lifetime ranging from Patrick Wolf, to PHN. Even if he did help someone, it must have been greatly beneficial to the player, the analysis for which Anand and his team are famous. Ofcourse Anand has also had his share of unlucky or incompetent seconds such as John Speelman for e.g., who was incidentally also seconding Short, and with practically useless contribution imho.. I guess, It is all part of the game.. Oct-07-16    Chessinfinite: On the topic of these players as seconds, it would be interesting if Anand worked as second for Karjakin - just to be able to 'beat' Carlsen indirectly !, or maybe Carlsen himself has employed Anand to work for him this November, who knows.. Oct-08-16    Mr. V: Karjakin was a second for Ponomariov when he was younger. Oct-08-16    moronovich: <Oct-08-16 Mr. V: Karjakin was a second for Ponomariov when he was younger.> Right.And not when he was older. Oct-08-16    rogge: Thanks for clearing that up. Oct-08-16    john barleycorn: am I not more understand anglish? Oct-08-16    Sally Simpson: "I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now." 'My Back Pages' by Bob Dylan, --- Trying to think of who Anand aided in the role of a second. Maybe it was with Carlsen in 2013. Everyone says what a nice chap Anand is so I can just imagine him turning up at Camp Carlsen to help Carlsen prepare against himself. "Thanks Vishy," says a relieved Carlsen. "It's true what they say, you are a nice chap." Vishy leave Camp Carlsen and fire bombs two butcher shops. He's a nice guy at the chessboard but when it comes to Veggies v Meat Eaters he's Mr. McNasty No Prisoners. Oct-08-16    not not: Ian Nepomniachtchi beat Magnus Carlsen 3 to 0, with 2 draws sounds like a good recommendation for future WC match Oct-08-16    not not: perhaps Nepo is "messiah" not So? Oct-08-16    cormier: search "Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Magnus Carlsen" Oct-08-16    Jambow: <Sally Simpson: Hi Jambow, I would have brought in a rule that nobody was allowed win whilst material ahead.> Interesting idea??? I'm sure we could find plenty of examples where individual games support what ever idea we like though. I don't mind football scoring and yet it is anathema to many. I actually thought it was an enjoyable tournament... I was mostly giving you a lighthearted poke thanks for giving more thought and time to my comment than it truly warranted. Oct-09-16    Sally Simpson: Hi Jambow, 'A light hearted poke.' I think before the Pun Makers see that one you might want to re-phrase it. :) Oct-11-16    WarewolfofLondon: Congrats to Nepo, Carlsens' second may one day be the first, it will not be Girli that is for sure. Jump to page #    (enter # from 1 to 16) search thread:    < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 16 OF 16 ·  Later Kibitzing> NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion. Please observe our posting guidelines: No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members. Nothing in violation of United States law. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members. No trolling. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers. Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times. See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator. NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific tournament only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café. Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors. All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration. Spot an error? Please suggest your correction and help us eliminate database mistakes! Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC