In a day full of untamed oscillating video games and drama, the 17 12 months previous Indian prodigy, Gukesh D, formally gained the FIDE Candidates 2024 and will probably be going through the reigning World Champion, Ding Liren, to struggle for the World Champion title later this 12 months. Gukesh drew in his personal recreation in opposition to Hikaru Nakamura, and for a while it seemed as if the sport would go to fast tiebreaks, as Caruana had a profitable place in opposition to Nepomniachtchi. In the meantime, within the Girls’s Candidates Lei Tingjie performed a spectacular and ambitions queen sacrifice for a knight, which in the end was her downfall, whereas Tan Zhongyi had substantial possibilities in opposition to Muzychuk however a blunder held it to a draw.
In addition to broadcasting the reside video games from the 2 tournaments, Lichess is offering a reside stream for on daily basis of the Candidates. Be certain that to tune in to our Twitch or YouTube channels, with streams ranging from 14:15 Toronto time (18:15 UTC).
We’re additionally offering every day annotations on among the video games from GM Brandon Jacobson and IM / WGM Padmini Rout. The complete research might be discovered right here.
Schedule
Spherical Recap – Open Part
The sport between Nakamura and Gukesh was a should win for Nakamura, and a should draw for Gukesh — though he would like a win to cleanly forestall anybody from catching him. With the Queen’s gambit accepted performed, the 2 gamers received right into a place with an imbalance; Nakamura had an remoted d pawn, which he couldn’t actually use in any approach in his favour, and was later transformed to a different imbalance – Gukesh enjoying 19 Bxf3 and giving white the bishop pair benefit, in trade for a fabric benefit. Nakamura was capable of defend this place and get the fabric again, however to not obtain something additional. After a protracted struggle with each gamers hoping to create one thing, the sport led to a draw, with a sanguine Nakamura shedding his probability for the World Championship, and Gukesh nonetheless ready for the outcome between Caruana and Nepomniachtchi.
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In the meantime, with each Caruana and Nepomniachtchi on 8 factors, each have been in a must-win place for an opportunity of forcing Gukesh to a fast tie-break if he drew. After a cautious begin, it swiftly fell into Caruana’s favour, and it seemed as if Caruana was sure to transform. However a shock blunder allowed Nepomniactchi to discover a drawing line, however a number of strikes later Nepomniachtchi blundered again and once more it seemed sure to be in Caruana’s favour. Once more, the unbelievable occurred as Caruana was in time stress, and maybe stress total, and a blunder by Caruana made it a drawing place for Nepomniachtchi once more. This time, Nepomniachtchi held the drew. The outcome meant neither participant caught Gukesh, and ended Caruana’s hopes in maybe among the most devastating vogue. A subdued Nepomniachtchi later apologised to Caruana within the press convention: “I am sorry [for drawing]” he mentioned, after agreeing the sooner place was merely profitable for Caruana. “It is my very own fault”, a crestfallen Caruana quietly mentioned.
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Abasov, being out-rated by not less than 100 Elo factors by the opposite gamers, wasn’t capable of finding his tempo on this Candidates Match, or rating a win within the occasion, regardless of his spectacular efficiency within the World Cup. Dealing with Praggnanandhaa with white for spherical 14, he determined to deploy the Fianchetto Variation in opposition to his opponent’s King’s Indian Defence setup. That is usually thought-about a really strong method, and certainly, he managed to take care of a principally equal middlegame. Praggnanandhaa nevertheless, was capable of outplay Abasov within the ensuing rook, queen and minor piece endgame, having a knight in opposition to his opponent’s bishop, and end the event on a win – leaving Abasov within the final place with 3.5/14.
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The sport between Firoujza and Vidit, the gamers who had essentially the most decisive video games, till spherical 13, was a somewhat fast one; the quickest in the entire occasion. With Firoujza having had a tough event total, however with fairly a number of good moments, and Vidit not managing to get his perfect efficiency, the 2 gamers didn’t have a lot to goal for, and the sport led to a fast draw inside 5 minutes, by transfer 14.
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Spherical Recap – Girls’s Part
Lei Tingjie undeniably had a powerful comeback and efficiency particularly since spherical 6, with 3 consecutive wins and no losses, till spherical 13. If she needed to win the occasion, she may hope just for one state of affairs: Her profitable in opposition to Koneru, and Anna Muzychuk profitable in opposition to Tan; then – and solely then – the primary place could be selected tiebreaks. However, neither outcome got here. Lei, in her recreation was by no means capable of get a transparent benefit in opposition to her opponent. Within the middlegame, she selected to lure her queen, nevertheless it was not but recreation over! With good knight and rook manoeuvring, she ready to sacrifice her queen for a knight, and he or she maintained probabilities of counterplay. After the sacrifice and following a mix of strikes, the 2 gamers entered an endgame with Lei being an trade down, which the engine discovered holdable. Nevertheless doing this was completely not a straightforward job, and as a substitute Koneru was capable of reverse the fortunes and convert the purpose.
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Tan, then again, with the event state of affairs shaped after Spherical 13, wanted solely to not lose in opposition to Anna Muzychuk with white, so as to safe profitable the Girls’s Candidates and keep away from tiebreaks. Tan, enjoying a Sicilian in opposition to her opponent, managed to get a bonus within the middlegame, making a handed e-pawn and with higher piece exercise total. The one challenge along with her place was her open king as a result of ruined pawn construction round it. Anna Muzychuk managed to grab a possibility for a perpetual examine, because of this weak point and saved the draw. This missed alternative was of little of no significance for Tan nevertheless; the draw was greater than adequate to safe the primary place, whatever the outcome between Lei and Koneru, and Tan Zhongyi can now be wanting forward for the Girls’s World Championship match!
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Vaishali, being one of many event’s underdogs, may had had a tough first half of the event, however she has been the optimistic upset of the event in each sections, within the second half – along with her spherical 14 win in opposition to Lagno, she completed by her win streak to a historic 5 in a row! She additionally had the best variety of victories amongst all gamers in Girls’s Candidates. Of their recreation, Lagno sacrificed a bit for 2 pawns, so as to expose her opponent’s king and create an assault, with Vaishali giving again the fabric on the proper second within the middlegame. Lagno didn’t handle to reap the benefits of her opponent’s weaker king, and after 28… Bxf2+! 29. Qxf2?!, Vaishali managed to transform her positional edge and materials benefit right into a fifth consecutive win. Her first half of the event and probably the shortage of expertise, in comparison with the opposite individuals – veterans in this sort of occasions, did not let her realistically hope to say the Challenger spot within the Girls’s World Championship – but when she maintains her type she displayed within the 2nd half, she will completely hope so for the longer term!
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In the meantime, Goryachkina had a recreation in opposition to Salimova, a possibility to extend her prize cash and statistics, however to not win the event total. Choosing a (hardly ever seen!) Philidor Protection, Goryachkina pushed laborious however was unable to seek out any edge over an excellently defending Salimova. The sport in the end led to a draw, nevertheless it was a combating draw pushing to maneuver 59; a powerful defensive masterclass by Salimova.
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