The Open part of the Candidates stays broad open as the 2 leaders, Gukesh and Nepomniachtchi, drew their particular person sport immediately. In the meantime, Nakamura and Caruana bounced again with wins towards Abasov and Firouzja, respectively. Within the Girls’s part, Tan drew her sport towards Humpy as she is now joined by a surging Lei, who received towards Goryachkina to wedge a one-point lead over their two closest rivals, Gorychkina and Lagno. Tomorrow’s relaxation day will likely be essential for the gamers because the event winds all the way down to what guarantees to be a really thrilling end.
In addition to broadcasting the dwell video games from the 2 tournaments, Lichess is offering a dwell stream for every single day of the Candidates. Be sure 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 day by 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
As was talked about in yesterday’s report, Caruana and Nakamura had good possibilities immediately to bounce again, and bounce again they did. With their wins over Firouzja and Abasov, respectively, they’ve saved their event possibilities alive. Nepomniachtchi and Gukesh drew a slightly staid sport as Praggnanandhaa and Vidit additionally did the identical.
After being on the mistaken facet of a decisive sport in spherical 9, Hikaru Nakamura managed to strike again and climb to tied third place on this spherical. Nakamura essayed the Petrov Defence towards Nijat Abasov, with the 2 gamers getting right into a variation also referred to as the “French Assault” (to not be confused with the French Protection). Abasov went for a fast c4 and gained area shortly on the queenside. With 18. b3 performed by Nakamura, Abasov’s pawn storm quickly got here to a screeching halt; cxb3 will not be a good suggestion due to Nxb3 (however axb3 concentrating on the weak a pawn can also be an fascinating different), and White additionally intends to play a4, so Black determined to play a4 (and later a3) himself. If White’s a-pawn might ever be focused, Black’s pawn might be a giant asset. Nevertheless, on this particular place, this was a giant “if” — the a-pawn might at all times turn into a weak spot for Black as nicely. Within the precise sport, although, the occasions unfolded barely in a different way. As a result of some sub-optimal decisions by Nakamura, Abasov managed to briefly get the initiative, and an edge, getting a couple of tempos and bringing his rook to e2. To keep up mentioned benefit, nonetheless, he would wish to seek out 36… Bc7 (Bd8 might additionally work), which didn’t occur. As a substitute, he performed Qe6, and shortly had to surrender an trade for 2 pawns. Beneath the correct circumstances such an imbalance will be playable, or typically even beneficial; nonetheless, the three pawn islands and never very well-coordinated items weren’t in Abasov’s favour. Nakamura later managed to make the most of the weak pawns, get an outdoor handed a-pawn, and convert the benefit right into a full level, climbing again to joint third within the standings. GM Brandon Jacobson explains the ups and downs of this turbulent sport:
https://lichess.org/examine/Mj0wdEVK/cD5pzTId#0
Caruana received his freak on as he performed the Freak Assault towards Firouzja’s Sicilian Najdorf. The sport shortly entered uncharted waters as Firouzja briefly sacrificed his queen to internet it again with a typical queen entice seen usually within the Sicilian Dragon. Caruana received a small, nagging positional benefit out of that operation, although, and shortly went on to extend his fortunes as he received gifted a handed pawn on d6. That pawn quickly determined the sport, for it seemed to be unstoppable and price Black an necessary queenside pawn, finally forcing Firouzja to enter a misplaced bishop endgame. GM Brandon Jacobson covers this distinctive Sicilian:
https://lichess.org/examine/Mj0wdEVK/SuhOn2Ve#0
As most might anticipate, the conflict between the 2 present leaders, Nepomniachtchi and Gukesh, was a slightly tame affair. The 2 gamers didn’t take any dangers on this vital event scenario; a Ruy Lopez was performed, which then steered the sport into very quiet and peaceable waters. By transfer 27, the 2 gamers entered a double rook endgame, later exchanging one pair of rooks, and agreeing to a draw on transfer 40. With this end result within the books, the race for event victory continues, and will likely be decided by their outcomes towards the remainder of the sector.
https://lichess.org/examine/embed/vfqUR38R/1EXPwSwA#0
After dealing with Gukesh within the earlier spherical, Praggnanandhaa in spherical 10 confronted his different compatriot, Vidit. A Berlin Protection was performed — not the aggressive, thrilling Berlin we noticed in spherical 2 between Nepomniachtchi and Firouzja — however one thing nearer to the standard, dependable Berlin prime GMs love at sure factors specifically event conditions to preserve power. Praggnanandhaa opted for a barely totally different transfer order and setup than the mainlines; one of many predominant strains includes Nbd2, O-O, and the b-knight finally being transferred to c4; nonetheless, he went for an early Qe2, exchanging the dark-squared bishops, transferring the knight from f3 to c4, and the b-knight later touchdown on f4. In any case, the 2 gamers entered an endgame with two pairs of rooks and opposite-coloured bishops by transfer 25. Whereas there was an imbalance within the pawn construction on the kingside, with two doubled pawns vs. three pawns, there was no possible way for both facet to make any progress, and the sport later resulted in a draw by repetition, with the 2 gamers, and particularly Praggnanandhaa, nonetheless sustaining life like possibilities within the race for first place.
https://lichess.org/examine/embed/vfqUR38R/WbBpchZb#0
Girls’s Part
Tan can not appear to catch a break as after main the event alone for therefore lengthy, she as soon as once more has to share the lead, this time together with her compatriot, Lei Tingjie, who received immediately towards Goryachkina, the pre-tournament favourite. In the meantime, Vaishali received a topsy-turvy sport towards Salimova.
Goryachkina has been having a very stable event up to now, however, sadly for her and far to the delight of her nearest rivals, she lastly cracked, and at a most inopportune time, for now Lei has leapfrogged her within the standings. From an Alternate Slav, Goryachkina was by no means actually higher — if something, barely worse at some factors after the opening. Goryachkina’s safety-first strategy certainly did backfire as Lei gained area on the kingside with an h-pawn push and activated her king, first to f7 and later to h6, a very exceptional and really correct plan. Goryachkina did stabilize sooner or later, however she couldn’t provide you with a transparent plan and slowly drifted once more, permitting Lei to complicate issues in time strain as Lei sacrificed her bishop for some handed pawns. Goryachkina nonetheless had a attract hand, however the drawing line hinged on a 50/50 seize, and Goryachkina went for the mistaken seize and shortly misplaced the sport. A tragic loss for Goryachkina, however a really welcome victory for Lei, who’s now in shared 1st after making an incredible comeback after her spherical 1 loss to Tan. IM / WGM Padmini Rout takes us by way of the problems within the endgame:
https://lichess.org/examine/Mj0wdEVK/r7BuXBpQ#0
Vaishali didn’t shrink back from confrontation immediately as immediately she additionally performed a dynamic opening within the Grünfeld Protection. For her half, Salimova reacted aggressively as nicely, pushing her h-pawn up the board in what has turn into a well-liked manner of assembly the Grünfeld Protection. As some tremendous sharp video games go, items had been pressured off the board and a comparatively equal, however not drawn, place appeared on the board. Salimova finally received a handed d-pawn, however Vaishali appeared to have it beneath management; a couple of strikes, later, although, chaos had taken maintain of the board and White’s king and rook had been infiltrating. Salimova allowed Black to get counterplay with a handed f-pawn, nonetheless, and it was this handed pawn that might finally flip the sport from a draw (from a successful place for Salimova) to a loss. Actually this was a heartbreaking sport for Salimova, who was after all successful within the early endgame, however Vaishali must be applauded for preventing again so valiantly. IM / WGM Padmini Rout explains this second scintillating endgame in additional element:
https://lichess.org/examine/Mj0wdEVK/jSwDgknf#0
The Scotch will not be such a well-liked weapon these days, but it surely does have its place on the GM degree, being tried a couple of instances right here and there. In immediately’s Scotch, Black, Koneru Humpy, was capable of seize a pawn, if solely briefly, however Tan Zhongyi was well-equipped to struggle within the ensuing pawn-down middlegame, simply recovering the pawn. A double rook endgame quickly appeared on the board, and whereas it appeared difficult, the place by no means veered off from equality, and a draw was quickly agreed on transfer 72.
https://lichess.org/examine/embed/gZXnqV5K/mc3I6cnb#0
Anna Muzychk has clearly come ready in 1. e4 e5, each as White and Black. Taking part in the Black facet of an Open Ruy, she received out of the opening unscathed and neutralized White’s theoretical opening benefit fairly comfortably. With White’s pawns barely overextended, it appeared like if any facet was higher, it might be Black, however after all such a nominal benefit can be tough to transform in any case. A number of strikes down the highway, Black needed to accept a knight vs. bishop endgame, the place after all White’s bishop ought to, in principle no less than, give White a slight pull. The precise place was very equal, nonetheless, and it was clear that White couldn’t make any kind of headway, so a draw was finally agreed on transfer 60.
https://lichess.org/examine/embed/gZXnqV5K/KFxDBHUx#0
Spherical 11 Preview
Within the Open, Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa have the White items towards the surging Caruana and Nakamura, respectively, so they’ll each be seeking to put their event hopes to relaxation. One other necessary matchup will likely be that of Vidit towards Nepomniachtchi — can Vidit preserve producing decisive outcomes, and can they be in his favor? Final however not least, the 2 gamers in final and next-to-last place, Abasov and Firouzja, respectively, will play towards one another.
Within the Girls’s part, Tan has the White items towards Lagno, who stays a risk to Tan’s event aspirations, so she will likely be seeking to win Wednesday’s sport. Match co-leader Lei Tingjie will even have the White items, dealing with off towards Anna Muzychuk. In the meantime, Goryachkina will face the up-and-down Vaishali, whereas Humpy will face Salimova.
Be sure that to observe the motion with us in Spherical 11!
