This LCC is going to be fun! Not just because of the chessbookie game and the prediction contests, but to follow the chess as well, of course. It will be interesting to see how Carlsen will perform. He hasn't won a tournament for a while now (excluding the WCC Rapid tournament), which is quite unusual for him.

< L E A D E R B O A R D
updated Fri Dec 4, 16:59
(8) Karposian 3,528
(9) Penguincw 3,507 >

You and I both crashed today, but since Dec/01, I only lost 172 cbs, while you lost 648 cbs.

The only reason why you're still ahead is you had this gigantic lead, but you blew your lead faster than I can blow bubble gum.

Sometimes, one damn chess move can make all the difference.

33.Qxa7??

That horrible blunder by Topalov probably cost me ca. 800 cbs. If they had drawn that game I would have gained app. 150 cbs. And if Topalov had just played the OBVIOUS 33.Bxe4, I''m convinced the game would have ended in a draw. Instead Topalov threw away the game and stole my money, LOL.

That Bulgarian @#$%@#$%!

<The only reason why you're still ahead is you had this gigantic lead, but you blew your lead faster than I can blow bubble gum.>

Hah! You're a funny guy, you know that?

Annyway, I'm still ahead of you. That's some consolation at least.

OK, let's see what happened:

(6) Karposian 4,129

Result: +601 chessbucks *****

I did what you did when you had a big loss: struck back immediately. That's a really good tactic, isn't it? :=

By the way, I noticed that you were whining to <Annie> today on the ChessBookie forum that you arrived too late for today's bets.

Well, BOO HOO--poor little <Penguincw>, he woke up too late!!

You're the only person I know that would copy your opponent's strategy, and celebrate about it.

< By the way, I noticed that you were whining to <Annie> today on the ChessBookie forum that you arrived too late for today's bets. >

<Karposian> logic: assume any comment made by your enemy is whining.

< I told you, these are the Big Leagues. >

I guess you can say this is the big leagues, but I see it more as the regular season vs. the playoffs. Good ahead and celebrate doing well in the regular season, only to choke in the playoffs.

< Good luck getting up in time for tomorrow's games, <Pengo>. LOL. Remember to set the alarm clock := >

Well, the Moves Prediction Contest is not the same without you and your humorous round recaps, <OCF>. I hope we will get some of your witty remarks during this contest also.

<Penguincw: Good (sic) ahead and celebrate doing well in the regular season, only to choke in the playoffs.>

At least choking in the playoffs is better than consistently choking in the regular season, you know--like the Blue Jays always do (well, except for last season, but that was just an anomaly)..hahaha.

Me neither (ChessBookie Game).

< Karposian: ... Well, the Moves Prediction Contest is not the same without you and your humorous round recaps, <OCF>. I hope we will get some of your witty remarks during this contest also. >

I completely agree. Glad to see I'm not the only one who enjoys your commentary.

< At least choking in the playoffs is better than consistently choking in the regular season, you know--like the Blue Jays always do (well, except for last season, but that was just an anomaly)..hahaha.

Sorry, couldn't pass that up :) >

Shocking developments in the Chessbookie tournament. One of the main competitors, <Penguincw> (aka PENGO, aka "The Frozen Wretch of Antarctica") has disappeared from the Leaderboard!

Speculations about the reason for his demise are intense. Rumors say that he has suffered a complete breakdown after his recent poor showings not only at the bookies, but also in the ongoing prediction contests, where he struggles to keep up with the more astute predictors, like his arch-nemesis <Karposian>.

Will he mount a comeback? Or are his dreams of the Chessbookie playoff leg already about to get shattered?

< 12. WinKing 3,539
13. Penguincw 3,538 >

< after his recent poor showings not only at the bookies >

I've gained about 400 cbs in the last 3 weeks, and still remain in the 90th percentile.

< Karposian: ... If you look at the Leaderboard, things are looking good for us both, though. >

Penguincw chessforum

< but also in the ongoing prediction contests >

Well, in <GE>'s contest, that's usually my weakest contest, so obviously you're going to be ahead. <le>'s contest, you may be ahead, but this tournament is very tight. One decisive game, and it could be curtains for you. <cm>'s contest, it's currently tied 1-1-2.

< where he struggles to keep up with the more astute predictors, like his arch-nemesis <Karposian>. >

<(5) Karposian 6,661>

Meanwhile, at the no.12 spot, there is a well known creature..who is it? it's.. PENGO!!

<(12) Penguincw 3,593>

There is now more than 3,000 cbs between us. Safe to say, I have proven my superiority.

But do not despair, you're only 179 cbs from the no.10 spot. You can still qualify. I sincerely hope you do.

As for me..well, what can I say. With 95% certainty I'm already qualified. You're more of an expert than me on the cutoff issue, but I sincerely doubt the cutoff will exceed 6,500 in any case. So, I think I've already made the cut.

<15. Penguincw 3,345>

Suddenly you are 866 cbs away from qualification. <FSR> & <moronovich> have leapt into the Top Ten, thus raising the cutoff rate to 4,411.

If you miss out on qualification, there is one thing I'd like to say, though, because I think it's a fair point. Okay, here it goes:

Since you were the bookie during the summer leg, you had one less opportunity to qualify than the rest of us. And that seems a bit unfair.

So, my suggestion is this: those participants who have been prevented from playing one or more legs because of administrative/bookmaker duties during the regular season, should be automatically qualified for the playoffs.

What do you think about my proposal? >

Never thought of that proposal, mostly because all other bookies were actually good enough to qualify for the Championship leg the year they were bookie.

Whether or not it's fair, I'm not sure. Obviously I would like that free pass, but some could argue it's not fair.

Well, the eventual cutoff was only app. 4,000 in the summer leg, so you were not that far behind.

Anyway, the LCC is now over. And right now I'm at 4th place with 6,301 cbs (I lost 300+ cbs when my winner bets were discarded, I had Giri and MVL as winners, so I was really unlucky given that those two were leading the whole thing going into the final day!), while you are at 15th with 3,571 cbs.

I would say that you still have good chances to qualify, after all there are at least three weeks left of the leg.

But it's been a disappointing LCC for you, that's for sure. You've dropped out of the Leaderboard, and in the prediction contests you didn't win a single medal..I feel for you, PENGO (actually I don't, given that you didn't even bother to congratulate me with my bronze medal in the GPC 1-2-3 Ranker in your recent post on <Golden Executive>'s forum).

The TPC Final Standings are not yet up and running, but I think I may have won a gold medal there, actually. At least a couple of medals. I'm pretty sure you haven't won anything there either so..a really bad week, huh?

Well, there's always next year.. :)

Oh, and by the way, what on Earth is going on with <syd>? He has completely self-destructed. Right now he's at 71st place. Of course, he has already qualified for the Playoffs, but still..

As each day goes by I become more and more convinced that I've got what it takes to win the Championship.

Yep. It was a weird leg, as <Switch> won with 42996 cbs, which is a record for the <highest>, but the 10th place was 4022, which is a record for the <lowest> (in terms of profit, because Pay Day gave the boost).

Whether or not I could've crossed 4022 cbs had I continued to keep track, I don't know.

< (actually I don't, given that you didn't even bother to congratulate me with my bronze medal in the GPC 1-2-3 Ranker in your recent post on <Golden Executive>'s forum). >

Don't worry about asking a question in my forum, it's fine.

As for your actual question, I'm guessing you're asking if <cg> will broadcast live the Qatar Masters?

I don't have a sure answer, but I'm guessing not, as <cg> usually doesn't broadcast Swiss style tournaments (usually only major single and double round-robin).

But some other sites such as chess24 I'm sure will.

Like most users, I was around longer than December 2010, but only decided to make an account around late December, because I saw <cg> was having a free membership giveaway (Santa Claus). I then registered, and then made my first kibitz there.

My first kibitz on this site was Dec-23, but my profile says I registered on Dec-22, although I remember making my first kibitz on the same day I registered.

(is anyone still reading up to this point)

Anyway, this site is probably the best site to go on, if I ever want to escape from my real life, and into a different life, as there is no connection between my real life and <cg>.

I am glad that I'm still on this site up to this point, as looking in the past, I was rather really active on the site, or inactive. I think I finally found the balance. :D

I would like to add some words, but unfortunately, this is only a post, not my journal nor a play-by-play of my life on this site (and I don't think anyone would be interested either).

I'd just like to finish by saying that this site is awesome, as are many of the users here, and I actually feel like I belong here.