On either side of the Candidates, Rounds 13 and 14 are essential. The sphere is so tight within the Open Candidates, with 3 leaders, that any break from them this late can be extremely optimistic to their probabilities. Nepomniachtchi and Nakamura went for a reasonably fast draw, nevertheless it was a historic day because the 17 12 months previous Gukesh beat Firouzja, to take the only real lead within the Candidates. Caruana floor down Praggnanandhaa’s fortress to take a full level, making tomorrow every little thing to play for within the Open Candidates. Nakamura has his ultimate sport towards Gukesh, needing a win over him. In the meantime, a draw by Gukesh would assure him at the least the tie-breaks. Caruana faces Nepomniachtchi; once more a important pairing for all of those gamers the place each are just about in a must-win place.
Within the Girls’s Candidates, Tan Zhongyi took a draw to increase her lead, as Lei Tingjie misplaced towards Vaishali R. Mathematically, Zhongyi shouldn’t be assured to take the Girls’s Candidates title, as if she loses tomorrow and Tingjie wins, tiebreaks might be assured. Nevertheless, with a pairing towards Muzychuk, who has regarded susceptible this match, only a draw from ZHongyi is sufficient to make her lead unassailable.
In addition to broadcasting the stay video games from the 2 tournaments, Lichess is offering a stay 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 examine will be discovered right here.
Schedule
Spherical Recap
Open Part
Two of the match leaders had a doubtlessly all however deciding conflict in the present day, as Nepomniachtchi battled Nakamura. Nakamura has had distinctive momentum currently, coming off the again of three victories. Regardless of potential sharpness popping out of a Ruy Lopez, the engine gave Nepomniachtchi a slight edge — however Nepomniachtchi didn’t see sufficient to fulfill himself. Neither participant was ready to take dangers — why threat every little thing when a draw would nonetheless maintain them in competition within the ultimate spherical? So a draw by repetition was agreed on transfer 27. Due to the leads to Gukesh’s sport, Nakamura is now pressured right into a must-win place, however he has appeared to thrive in these conditions currently.
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The third match chief, Gukesh had a important pairing towards Firouzja, who has not been in one of the best form this match. Regardless, Gukesh’s solely loss this Candidates got here by the hands of Firouzja with the white items, giving a possibility to avenge the earlier end result. Gukesh opened with e4, and Alireza responded with a Berlin Protection — making it appear as if a draw might doubtlessly be on the playing cards. A draw certainly appeared just like the probably final result, however a single overambitious inaccuracy by Firouzja allowed Gukesh the barest of positional benefits. After hitting the extra time management, Gukesh once more tried to eke out some momentum or benefit within the place, with a draw nonetheless wanting seemingly. A mistake by Firouzja allowed Gukesh a convertible endgame, and the way in which to progress grew to become very clear; Firouzja’s place had in the end grow to be unholdable and Firouzja resigned as Gukesh superior two handed pawns. An enormous win for Gukesh who at simply the age of 17 leaps into clear first place within the Candidates by half some extent. An enormous day for the younger prodigy tomorrow, who if he can maintain a draw is assured to at the least make tiebreaks, whereas a win would assure him taking the Challenger spot to the World Champion, Ding Liren.
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One other large day for Fabiano Caruana who had the black items towards Praggnanandhaa R. Caruana has been chasing the leaders, simply half some extent behind them. Caruana went in to Rossolimo Sicilian, and went strongly on the assault with an enormous kingside assault. Getting pawns all the way in which to g4 and h3, Caruana created a wonderful outpost on the f3 sq. for his knight — with Praggnanandhaa providing Caruana a possibility to alternate that knight for a rook. Caruana accepted, and it appeared Praggnanandhaa had made a fortress. However, an enormous push now on the queenside by Caruana injected extra threats into the place, and after a collection of errors by Praggnanandhaa, Caruana merely had a successful place, with Praggnanandhaa resigned with a theoretical mate in 30 on the board. Caruana’s win places him into the combination with Nepomniachtchi and Nakamura, all on 8 factors. Caruana now has a important pairing towards Nepomniachtchi tomorrow, with each gamers in a must-win place for hope of changing into the Challenger.
https://lichess.org/examine/Mj0wdEVK/4SzQ50vQ#0
Final however not least, the ultimate pairing of the day was between Vidit Gujrathi and Nijat Abasov. Neither gamers have any mathematical probability of successful the Candidates, and due to this fact nothing to play for past glory, prize cash, and respect for the sport and sport. Each gamers went into a well known Petrov line, nonetheless following beforehand performed video games previous transfer 20. At transfer 31, a draw was provided and agreed — one transfer previous the Sofia guidelines draw restrict (which prevents attracts being agreed earlier than transfer 30).
https://lichess.org/examine/embed/Dc0DQMaQ/nRGbe0nL#0
By way of predictions, Gukesh is now the agency favorite, with Nakamura in second place after which Caruana. In the meantime, Nepomniachtchi’s probabilities have plummeted; seemingly as a result of he solely has a really particular path to now win the Candidates, requiring a number of facets out of his management.
Girls Part
Three wins in a row? Make it 4. Vaishali is on a roll — although, sadly for her, it’s too late for her to win the Candidates. This time, Vaishali didn’t go for her trusty Alapin, nevertheless it didn’t matter as she appears to have cracked the Sicilian with a number of totally different traces for White. From a Moscow Variation of the Sicilian, Vaishali achieved the best middle with the Alapin-like c3 and d4, properly complimenting her pawn on e4. After some regular strikes by Vaishali, Lei started going astray as she couldn’t discover a good setup for her items and weakened her place with 13…f6. Vaishali had a long-lasting benefit, however Lei saved the strain and the breakthrough for Vaishali was in no way clear. After equality for an extended whereas, Vaishali discovered a solution to win once more as Lei blundered twice on strikes 61 and 62.
https://lichess.org/examine/Mj0wdEVK/BBjTPAx1#0
Kateryna Lagno missed a golden alternative to win in the present day towards Nurgyul Salimova — with the win doubtlessly giving her an opportunity to win the match general, relying on the outcomes of Tan Zhongyi and Lei Tingjie. Salimova emerged from her chosen Catalan with the everyday small positional pull attribute of the Catalan; quickly, although, she even appeared to have an assault going with 14. Qg4. Lagno discovered a solution to liquidate, although, and simply because the place appeared equal, Lagno’s items infiltrated and he or she received a pawn. The place saved getting worse for Salimova, and, ultimately, Salimova parted methods with a chunk to show Black’s king. Her technique paid off as, regardless of the place being objectively successful, it was not simple in any respect for Lagno to transform. Actually this was a heartbreaking draw for Lagno, however a really welcome one for Salimova.
https://lichess.org/examine/Mj0wdEVK/XaEcT2HB#0
Tan Zhongyi doesn’t must threat a lot; if Lei Tingjie wins and he or she attracts, Lei would the one be tied with Tan. Seeing as how a surging Vaishali, who’s received three video games back-to-back, was going to be White towards Lei, Tan determined to not go for too many dangers towards Goryachkia. From a Queen’s Gambit Declined, the queens obtained traded as early as transfer 7 and the ensuing place lacked dynamism and imbalances. The gamers quickly repeated strikes and a draw was agreed as early as transfer 29.
https://lichess.org/examine/embed/XbBwvNRd/Lw910uXC#0
Anna Muzychuk has come well-prepared for this match and has been getting many good and successful positions. Sadly for her, although, the match merely has not been going her means. As we speak, regardless of displaying stellar Queen’s Gambit Declined preparation towards Koneru Humpy, the benefit was by no means greater than nominal. Items had been traded and although Muzychuk saved some kind of benefit, at the least theoretically, it was by no means sufficient as Humpy merely defended properly. A draw was quickly agreed in a queen endgame.
https://lichess.org/examine/embed/XbBwvNRd/WOnFHEZD#0
By way of predictions, Zhongyi is the large favorite, with very small probabilities for Tingjie; comprehensible as Zhongyi is a full level up.
Spherical 14 Preview
An thrilling and massively vital day as Gukesh should defend towards a Nakamura who might be pushing in a must-win place, with the chance that Nakamura will overpush and Gukesh will be capable to safe a win. This could make Gukesh the youngest participant to ever be the Challenger within the fashionable period. Equally, Caruana is dealing with towards Nepomniachtchi, with each gamers in a must-win place to at the least have an opportunity of forcing the Candidates into tiebreaks.
Within the Girls’s, the Girl Candidate is nearly definitely going to be Zhongyi Tan who merely wants a draw to forestall any threat of tiebreaks. Nevertheless, if Muzychuk did get her first victory within the match towards Zhongyi, and if Tingjie received her sport towards Koneru, then the Girls’s Candidates can be pushed into tiebreaks. Nevertheless, that is an outdoor probability, and realistically a draw by Zhongyi is all she must be the Girl Candidate once more, giving the previous Girls’s World Champion her first shot on the title once more, since she misplaced it to incumbent Ju Wenjun in 2018.
