Hope you will benefit from the link,which is were I am right now.As they are a good duo Hansen & Yasser,while Kramnik plays the Berlin....in Berlin ;) (Sorry couldn´t resist).

Was with Hannah watching some local girls playing handball which was funny compared to see the profesionals all the time.And a fine warm up before the candidates.

So let us see what happens after the short draw in the Aronian game.

Take care and may you too enjoy the remains of your sunday. And hugs to Maria as well s.v.p.

The link you provided works, but the only one with video of the playing hall is the one from the official page. Great broadcast. I took a break from problem solving on Playchess, my rank is still 'brilliant player'.

Big cold&snow wave coming up in a few days here, 43 cm of snow predicted in Iasi. The weather is definitely turned upside down lately.

Going to Onesti tomorrow. Health is stabile, the usual daily headaches. State of mind rather foggy, but cool.

While Peter and Jan are in my earplugs and wife is on the couch reading.A cosy time we have,except that I am nervous about todays games.Will net a lot of bucks and some real money if Ding wins.Right now he has an advantage,but still a long way to go.

Still some snow left and yesterday the wind was blowing everywhere and left the most magnifique scenerie.It is about enjoying the last part of the show before the spring sets in.

Yesterday with JWH and once again we found our magic space.Like time flies but at the same time stands still.Just like when we were kids :)!

All in all it has been a very interesting journey in Berlin with a lot of blood on the tracks and still uncertain about who will take the spot. Rihgt now Caruana must be the favourite.

Hope you are enjoying it too and that you may gain pleasure and chessstrenght from all your puzzle solving !

No more puzzle solving lately, but I am about to start again. For some reason I thought yesterday would be a free day in Berlin, so I didn't follow the games. Instead I've watched a bit the EICC in Batumi, where our lad Deac has won against Wojtaszek, a pleasant surprise.

Still some snow here,but the blackbird has begun singing,so the spring can not be that far away ;) Which makes me think of <achieve> and wonder what happened to him.Still missses his contributions...Do you btw have his e-mail adress ?

So you made it through the lizard !? And safe back home----good !

With such a weather there should be a fine chess tournament just around the corner,nést pas.Hey but there is!And do you follow it and if so,what is your opinion about the course and the games ?

I do enjoy it.Especially the company of
Svidler and Gustafsson.They have a wonderful way of communicating IMO. And Caruana with excellent chances,who seems to be one of the few who could give Magnus a match.

I did follow Berlin and a bit of Batumi, but Deac after beating Wojtaszek lost badly in two miniatures... I don't know what to say about the Candidates, it's exciting to see how they keep changing places and so the qualifier for the challenger position remains open. Chess is beautiful but difficult, and a so a loss can affect you pretty much.

Caruana indeed, if only he would be more stable. But look at Kramnik, I though he was stable, only to find him with the tail enders in the last two rounds...We're not machines, of course. But for the spectators it's a win-win position anyway :) provided one is not too one sided for some reason. I agree, Svidler-Gustafsson is a fine couple.

Still minus 7 this morning and a lot of snow&ice, but signs of it starting to melt. We need to solve an issue with rain water infiltration in the kitchen wall since quite a few years, and this can only be done on the outside of building, so we have to find someone who would bring an escalating device (I live on the second floor).

What a load of snow you got...hopefully it si the prelude,before spring sets in.At least this is how it used to be(up here) in the good old days...

Yes Aronian is deep beyond his real (chess) self,and though it was perhaps some masterpiece from Vlad,it is also the story of Aronian who can not perform when he is in the candidates. Which is a pitty since he along with Caruana seems to have the best chances against the reining champ.

But now we are close to the first pawn moves and I await with joy and anxiousness ;)

Yeah the dwonfall of the kamikaze Kramnik will probably make the most headlines,besides from the winners tale.

Let us enjoy and take care !

På gesyn.

But I really don't know why I don't follow more closely this event. It's not for the first time that I eagerly await a certain competition, and when it happens, I'm just far from being drawn into it. Should I call it human nature? If so, then it's gotta be hundreds of facets in it. Anyway, awoken with a headache this morning and it doesn't look like going away easily. Haha, I guess you've got used to my complaining by now...

And thanks for posting though you have this nasty headache! And dont feel you are complaining too much.You are not. As humans we get a better life when we at least occasionally express e.g. what bothers us.And what makes us happy.

Now we only need countries/societes were people acctually are listening ): /;) .

It is an interesting phenomenia about your take on the Candidates.But it doesn´t sound like too heavy expectations to me,at first glance. Yes there are probably hundreds of facets in it.But as a psycologist once said:"The human nature is very complex,but the solution sometimes very simple".. Or as danish poet said:

"I the house of my loved one
there are many windows".

Some days ago I saw on television a healer,Charlie Goldsmith.He is the real deal as I see him.And he has been checked and approved by traditionel doctors all over the country.He can be googled.

And what a race we have at the candidates!5 players in the mix and this comeback kid from Russia.So perhaps another Carlsen-Karjakin match !? (Magnus doesn´t really like the thought hereof;)

Wife is having breakfast with a friend in town and I am off to mine.

So yeah let us enjoy our weekend and I sincerely hope your headache will vanish or become as bearable as possible.

As about Grischuk, well, his chances seem smallest only due to his, uhm, ability to enter and stay 'forever' in time trouble. It's true that most of the times he gets away with it quite honorably, but there were also instances when bullet thinking took its toll. Not that I would mind seeing him as a challenger of Carlsen, on the contrary. Its only that, somehow, contemplating their possible match, he appears as less likely to give the champion a good run for the money. At least if compared to the other three would-be challengers. Just my two cents.

<virginmind: Hello and here we go into the last round...who would have thought that we will have such finish with tangible chances for quite a few players to finish first>

Yup,things are really heating up.3 players(Ding only has around 1% chance) in the running,where almost anything can happen...Will the coldblooded and stubborn russian finally deliver Ding his first defeat ? Will Caruana play it safe vs the perhaps demoralized Grischuk and will Kramnik come with blazing guns like in all the other games he has had ?

Later today we will have the new challenger and this fantastic tournament is over.It has been a pleasure to watch and witness and perhaps I gonna miss the fine company of Svidler and Gustafsson.Everyday they entertain and are giving masterclasses
in their own way.

Till then: Let us enjoy !

And I hope it will be Caruana who IMHO
is the one who plays the most interesting chess,at least compared to Karjakin.Shak is not strong enough to match Carlsen I guess,but nevertheless I like him and his playing style.

Here is quite and fine.Enjoying easter and the rather silent and calm road outside with significantly less traffic.

Also this kind of calmeness after such a great tournament we jusy have witnessed. With a winner almost the entire chessworld is looking forward to enter the ring vs the reining champ.A guy who could give Magnus a hell of a resistance ;) I think that Caruana is able to raise his level a bit and that Magnus feel this as a more interesting challenge than the Karjakin match.. Are you shure we can wait until November ?? ;)

Hope all is well on your part andd you do enjoy the easter time !

See you up the road.

<<>Grenke Chess Classic 2018<>>

Less than 2 days to go!

Countdown to Grenke 2018:

https://www.timeanddate.com/countdo...

♘Baden♘Grenke Chess Classic2018♗Baden♗

http://www.grenkechessclassic.de/en/

This tournament will run from Mar. 31st thru Apr. 9th 2018. (9 Rounds)

Participants include: Carlsen, Aronian, Caruana, Vachier-Lagrave, Anand, Vitiugov, Naiditsch, Hou Yifan, Meier & Bluebaum.

Average rating: 2736 (as of 3/28/18) - Category XX

*****
*****

<<>Grenke Chess Classic 2018<>>

Schedule -

Round 1 is Saturday March 31st & it starts @ 15:00hrs(3pm) Baden-Baden time(9am chessgames time). All games for the 9 rounds are @ 15:00 hrs.

<***The only Prediction game that has confirmed they will be up & running is <Golden Executive>'s 'The Game Prediction Contest'. This may change though so stay tuned.***>

< 3 Prediction Contests: (Win virtual medals - Gold, Silver & Bronze) >

*** User: lostemperor (FINAL STANDINGS PREDICTIONS) - Predict the order the players will finish. Run & hosted by <lostemperor>. (3 categories to medal in) ***

**User: Golden Executive - (The Game Prediction Contest) - Predict the result 1-0, 1/2, or 0-1. Run & hosted by <Golden Executive>. (3 categories to medal in)

This year will be the 11th Anniversary for this contest! (from 2007 to 2018 - 11 years running)**

*User: OhioChessFan (Moves Prediction Contest) - Predict the result 1-0, 1/2, or 0-1 & the number of moves. (4 categories to medal in). This contest is run by <chessmoron> & hosted by <OhioChessFan>.*

*****
*****

Also, don't forget about <chessgames> ChessBookie game for this event. She can't wait to take some or all of your chessbucks. ;)

ChessBookie Game

Don't miss out on the fun for this Super Event!!!

Yup, we surely hope Caruana will prepare well and strengthen even more his abilities for the autumn encounter.

Minus 1 this morning, but finaly plus 10 at noon! And the weekend will bring even warmer hours. There's no way you could be late anymore, spring!

At the Danish championship in chess-quite another level than our usual fellows,but interesting to see my old friends how they are doing.

Sun has been out today with a lot of warmth.By far the hottest(?) day of the year.Which we celibrated with coffee and cakes at the lakeside.A wonderful experience.

Right now wife is texting with a romanian colleque,as I am with you :)

All is well and I send you my best wishes!