---

Round 8:

It was a truly pitiful effort, to the point where this site's annoyingly eternal optimist, <WinKing> felt compelled to give the contestants a Win One For the Gipper speech. <lostemperor> responded to the impassioned speech by saying "Mind your own business, you haven't even hit a #1 yet, who's your daddy?"

In any case, <lostemperor's> daddy, <Fiona Macleod>, has at least a share of the lead in 3 Rankers. <Penguincw> continues his bizarre strategy of not scoring in Moves Ranker and leading Bonus Ranker. <amw> still has a share of the #1 Ranker lead, as does the eternally grateful <OhioChessFan>.

<Ding-Aronian, 1/2-1/2 in 41 moves.>

Exact, 10 points: []
Under, 7 points: [['chessmoron', '1/2-1/2', '38']]

2nd Under, 6 points: [['OhioChessFan', '1/2-1/2', '35']]

3rd Under, 5 points: [['Count Wedgemore', '1/2-1/2', '34']]

Over, 3 points: []
2nd Over, 2 points: []
3rd Over, 1 point1: []

===

<Grischuk-Kramnik, 1-0 in 91 moves.>

Exact, 10 points: []
Under, 7 points: [['alfamikehiskey', '1-0', '32']]

2nd Under, 6 points: []
3rd Under, 5 points: []
Over, 3 points: []
2nd Over, 2 points: []
3rd Over, 1 point1: []

===

<Mamedyarov-Karjakin, 1/2-1/2 in 30 moves.>

Exact, 10 points: []
Under, 7 points: [['alfamikwhiskey', '1/2-1/2', '26']]

2nd Under, 6 points: [['lostemperor', '1/2-1/2', '15']]

3rd Under, 5 points: []
Over, 3 points: []
2nd Over, 2 points: [['WinKing', '1/2-1/2', '38']]

3rd Over, 1 point1: [['Fiona Macleod', '1/2-1/2', '40']]

===

<So-Caruana, 1/2-1/2 in 65 moves.>

Exact, 10 points: []
Under, 7 points: [['offramp', '1/2-1/2', '48']]

2nd Under, 6 points: [['Count Wedgemore', '1/2-1/2', '46']]

3rd Under, 5 points: [['chessmoron', '1/2-1/2', '42']]

<Mamedyarov - Karjakin 1/2-1/2 40>

Round 8 Summary:

Perfect # moves predictions for this round goes to:

NONE

Highest scores in the Bonus Ranker: 11 points: <Count Wedgemore>

Results:

Moves Ranker - Through <Round 8>

Score, UserID, Over, Under, Exact

34, alfamikewhiskey, 2, 4, 0
28, Fiona Macleod, 0, 4, 0
21, lostemperor, 0, 3, 0
20, OhioChessFan, 2, 2, 0
20, wordfunph, 1, 1, 1
17, SwitchingQuylthulg, 0, 1, 1
10, chessmoron, 1, 1, 0
7, Count Wedgemore, 0, 1, 0
7, juan31, 0, 1, 0
7, offramp, 0, 1, 0
7, Robin01, 0, 1, 0
3, Golden Executive, 1, 0, 0
0, Penguincw, 0, 0, 0
0, WinKing, 0, 0, 0

===

Bonus Ranker - Through <Round 8>

Score, UserID, 3-Over, 2-Over, 3-Under, 2-Under

37, Penguincw, 1, 1, 2, 4
33, chessmoron, 0, 0, 3, 3
21, WinKing, 2, 1, 1, 2
19, Count Wedgemore, 2, 3, 1, 1
18, OhioChessFan, 1, 0, 1, 2
14, alfamikewhiskey, 0, 1, 0, 2
13, lostemperor, 1, 0, 0, 2
13, SwitchingQuylthulg, 2, 3, 1, 0
12, Fiona Macleod, 2, 2, 0, 1
10, Golden Executive, 0, 0, 2, 0
10, juan31, 1, 2, 1, 0
4, offramp, 2, 1, 0, 0
4, Robin01, 0, 2, 0, 0
0, wordfunph, 0, 0, 0, 0

===

Moves+Bonus Ranker - Through <Round 8>

Score, UserID

48, alfamikewhiskey
43, chessmoron
40, Fiona Macleod
38, OhioChessFan
37, Penguincw
34, lostemperor
30, SwitchingQuylthulg
26, Count Wedgemore
21, WinKing
20, wordfunph
17, juan31
13, Golden Executive
11, offramp
11, Robin01

===

Moves Ranker (# of 1st place UNDER/OVER) - Through <Round 8>

Score,UserID

<alfamikewhiskey>, whose initials are my favorite type of root beer, surged to the lead in 3 Rankers. <Penguincw> still leads Bonus Ranker while not having scored in Moves Ranker. He's joined in that by Pollyanna <WinKing> who keeps yelling at the contestants to do better but can't get a #1 himself.

Most of the races are still very close and the entire contest is wide open. Early leader <wordfunph> was heard to yell on the playing floor, "I'LL SHAVE MY LEGS IF I CAN JUST GET BACK IN THE LEAD!" He was shushed by Wesley So, who blamed <word> for breaking his concentration and making him settle for a draw instead of a win. <Count Wedgemore> blamed his incorrect prediction of a draw for Kramnik on Kramnik's excessively large and clumsy hands making the wrong moves.