
Shipov’s live commentary on the Candidates Final, Game 3
Here I nearly fell off my chair – that was GM Sergey Shipov’s immediate reaction to Boris Gelfand’s 9…b5!! novelty. Alexander Grischuk recovered from the shock and responded well, but this was no short grandmaster draw. Shipov noted the game will be remembered for many years to come.

Shipov’s live commentary on the Candidates Final, Game 2
The second game of the Candidates Final saw Boris Gelfand and Alexander Grischuk engage in a hair-raising theoretical battle. When the dust cleared Grischuk had a near-winning edge in the endgame, but Gelfand found enough counterplay to hold on. Sergey Shipov explained an enthralling struggle.

Shipov’s live commentary on the Candidates Final, Game 1
The first game of the Candidates Final got off to a promising start, as Alexander Grischuk tried a new approach – playing for a win with the white pieces! Despite taking his time (Shipov wondered if he was trying to save Tal’s hippo, or waiting for his wife to fly in from Georgia) he couldn’t quite break through.

Shipov’s live commentary on the Candidates SF, Game 4
The final classical game between Vladimir Kramnik and Alexander Grischuk was a fantastic advert for chess. Spectators around the world watched in high resolution video as both players missed winning chances in time trouble. Sergey Shipov compared Grischuk to “his great predecessor, Harry Houdini”.

Shipov’s live commentary on the Candidates SF, Game 3
While Sergey Shipov is yet to commentate on a non-drawn game in the Candidates Matches it would be hard to get closer than yesterday’s “street brawl” between Gata Kamsky and Boris Gelfand. Both players missed clear wins in an enthralling and nerve-wracking encounter.

Shipov’s live commentary on the Candidates SF, Game 2
Grandmaster Sergey Shipov was perhaps a bit harsh on himself (“a known gravedigger for won positions”) when he took the blame for Boris Gelfand’s failure to beat Gata Kamsky in the second game of their semifinal! A fantastic struggle saw the American GM again demonstrate nerves of steel to hold the draw.

Shipov’s live commentary on the Candidates SF, Game 1
In today’s game Alexander Grischuk offered Vladimir Kramnik an early draw in an apparently promising position. Sergey Shipov’s, “that’s not how you become a champion,” no doubt voiced the feelings of many chess fans, though the players blamed computer preparation.

Shipov’s live commentary on Candidates QF, Game 4
It had all looked so good for Veselin Topalov in his must-win game against Gata Kamsky. He unleashed not one, but two novelties, upped the pressure until his opponent cracked in time trouble, and then… and then a ‘real chess drama’, as GM Sergey Shipov described it, unfolded before our eyes.

Shipov’s live commentary on Candidates QF, Game 3
In his introduction to Gata Kamsky – Veselin Topalov, Sergey Shipov compared the American grandmaster to ex-World Champion Anatoly Karpov, who was also able to play a tournament immediately before a vital match. Karpov-like defensive qualities were also in evidence as Topalov failed to hit back.
Shipov’s live commentary on the Candidates Final, Game 4
By mishanp on May 23, 2011
Another day, another draw, but if you look beyond the headlines it was still an intriguing battle. The only problem was most of us don’t understand chess at anywhere near the level required to follow what was happening – which was where GM Sergey Shipov stepped in with a free masterclass.
Posted in Live commentary, Russian | Tagged Candidates Matches, Crestbook, Gelfand, Grischuk, Shipov | 4 Responses