The relaxations have come too late for the Tata Steel chess tournament. The event will end this weekend in the same way it started two weeks ago: with no audience and no amateurs. Only the grandmasters and the challengers are allowed to fight each other in ‘the Wimbledon of chess.’
So there is nothing to do for chess lovers at the sports hall De Moriaan. Or is it? A woman has positioned herself at the side entrance of the hall, the place where the top performers enter the hall. It is Marjan van Houwelingen from Aalsmeer, an admirer of the chess players, who are present here for several days every year. Now that she can’t be at the parties inside, Marjan hopes to catch a glimpse of the grandmasters outside.
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“Why am I doing this? I respect what they do,” says Marjan. “And I want to show that. I don’t ask for autographs and don’t talk. I just think it’s nice to see the best chess players in the world.”
Marjan also has some favorite chess players. “Erwin l’Amie always says hello, I also like Lucas and Jorden van Foreest. But of course especially Magnus Carlsen, because he is the number one in the world. And I am also a fan of Anish Giri.”
Carlsen last in
Giri is one of the first grandmasters to report. He looks straight ahead. “Anish is in supreme concentration”, Marjan is understanding. “These people are so busy with their party. They have to think about so many things, have to be prepared for everything, but they can still overlook something that makes them lose the game. It seems difficult to deal with that feeling of uncertainty .”
Traditionally, world champion Magnus Carlsen is the last one, one minute before the start. He has to hurry to be on time. Marjan does not get to see more than a glimpse. “Doesn’t matter. I just saw them and it feels good. I’m a chess group? Feel free to call me that. Who cares?”
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Positive corona test from Dubov: Magnus Carlsen has the final victory up for grabs
Daniill Dubov failed to appear for his party with Richard Rapport today. He tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday. The Russian will no longer be in action this tournament. Report, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa (Saturday) and Magnus Carlsen (Sunday) see their matches against the Russian turned into a regulatory victory.
Magnus Carlsen has his eighth overall victory in Wijk aan Zee up for grabs at the start of the final weekend. He played a draw against Indian Santosh Gujrathi Vidit . today. With two laps to go, he is half a point ahead of Rapport. Including the regulatory victory over Dubov in the last lap, that is one and a half points.
Anish Giri had no chance today due to a defeat against Jorden van Foreest, the surprising winner of last year. Giri was also declared the winner of his match against Dubov earlier this week. Someone close to the Russian had tested positive, which made the organization demand that he play with a mouth cap. Dubov refused, so the point automatically went to the Dutchman.
Tournament director Jeroen van den Berg calls it ‘bizarre’ that exactly the three contenders for the final victory are allowed to add a full point because they did not have to play against Dubov. “It could have turned out very differently in terms of draw. From a sporting point of view, this is a stroke of luck.”