Thanks for these excellent overviews. Do you agree with Magnus that Gukesh should basically take extreme risks in his last White game, on the theory that his chances in a rapid tiebreaker would be poor?
I agree that Gukesh almost desperately needs to avoid a rapid and especially a blitz tiebreaker, as his results at faster time controls are awful compared to his 2800 and near-2800 peers. But I don't think the "extreme risk" approach is correct, at least not as a first choice.
Instead, I'd recommend the approach Kasparov took in game 24 of the 1987 match with Karpov: play something that keeps the game going, letting the tension build. That worked for Kasparov in that game (and to some degree, for Karpov in the preceding game) as well as for Gukesh in game 11 and Ding in game 12. When the pressure is on Ding he reacts well; when the situation in the match and the position on the board don't force him to do something, he drifts like a party-loving undergraduate whose term papers aren't due for another two months. Give him some rope, and let him hang himself.
Thanks for these excellent overviews. Do you agree with Magnus that Gukesh should basically take extreme risks in his last White game, on the theory that his chances in a rapid tiebreaker would be poor?
You're welcome - thanks for the kind words.
I agree that Gukesh almost desperately needs to avoid a rapid and especially a blitz tiebreaker, as his results at faster time controls are awful compared to his 2800 and near-2800 peers. But I don't think the "extreme risk" approach is correct, at least not as a first choice.
Instead, I'd recommend the approach Kasparov took in game 24 of the 1987 match with Karpov: play something that keeps the game going, letting the tension build. That worked for Kasparov in that game (and to some degree, for Karpov in the preceding game) as well as for Gukesh in game 11 and Ding in game 12. When the pressure is on Ding he reacts well; when the situation in the match and the position on the board don't force him to do something, he drifts like a party-loving undergraduate whose term papers aren't due for another two months. Give him some rope, and let him hang himself.
That sounds very wise. Looks like I’ll have to get up at 4 AM for the game!