GM Fabiano Caruana continues to steer the 2024 SuperUnited Fast & Blitz Croatia, now by 4.5 factors after the primary day of blitz. GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave scored probably the most factors on Saturday and is Caruana’s closest rival, together with GM Wesley So.
In the meantime, native hero GM Ivan Saric earned our Recreation of the Day distinction after successful an thrilling “road battle” within the Sicilian Najdorf in opposition to GM Ian Nepomniachtchi. This got here after he additionally upset GM Levon Aronian earlier within the day.
The ultimate day begins 45 minutes earlier on Sunday, July 14, at 8:15 a.m. ET / 14:15 CEST / 5:45 p.m. IST.
SuperUnited Croatia Fast & Blitz Standings After Day 1 Of Blitz
With three days of speedy chess behind us, the occasion ends with two days of blitz. Within the speedy portion, every win earned two factors, whereas now a win is value only one—an element that definitely favors Caruana, who enjoys a large lead forward of the final day.
‘Good And Fortunate’ Caruana Shines, Regardless of Blundering Full Rook
“One must be good and be fortunate” to achieve blitz, stated GM Evgenij Miroshnichenko on the printed, which sums up Caruana’s day. The highest seed’s loss in spherical one was a short scare, however with good play—and a little bit of luck, particularly in opposition to GMs Gukesh Dommaraju, Saric, and So—he managed to extend his already promising lead. All this, even with a horrific rook blunder in opposition to GM Alireza Firouzja in spherical six.
Caruana suffered a reasonably one-sided loss in spherical one, and it was his first loss since touchdown in Zagreb. His bishop pair wasn’t a bonus, and crucial issue was Black’s a-pawn.
However the American GM rapidly righted the ship within the subsequent spherical, beating Gukesh in a recreation that would have additionally been a catastrophe.
Caruana bravely pushed the b-pawn and ended up successful, however in truth Gukesh might have received with 47…Qe3+!.
As a substitute, 47…Qxg3 was performed and the white king ran to the queenside.https://t.co/LfWwigb656#GrandChessTour pic.twitter.com/9N5XdqgO6x
— chess24 (@chess24com) July 13, 2024
The blitz portion has been nothing wanting a disaster for the Indian star, who suffered six losses and scored simply 2.5 factors out of the 9 rounds.
After successful a clear alternate in opposition to Vidit, Caruana was once more on the ropes in opposition to Saric, who performed a pleasant alternate sacrifice and obtained a successful place—however went on to lose. Caruana’s blundered with 46…Nxf2?? in opposition to So, which ought to have misplaced a bit on the spot, but it surely was So who later dropped a pawn and the sport in response.
Caruana’s second loss got here in opposition to Firouzja in spherical six when he performed 38.Rc8+??, anticipating checkmate to comply with. Think about the shock he felt, after all, the second he let go of the piece that the sport was in truth not over:
A stunning blunder from Caruana, who was successful with an additional rook!https://t.co/l2VP0MPcSl#GrandChessTour pic.twitter.com/HxQaKyUVzi
— chess24 (@chess24com) July 13, 2024
“I’ve this downside with hanging rooks. I actually do hold rooks.” admitted Caruana. “I blundered two rooks in opposition to Levon [in Germany] however by some means received the match. It is an issue for me. I additionally blundered a rook in opposition to Anish, not that I blunder them to ways, I simply put them on squares that are protected.”
I’ve this downside with hanging rooks. I actually do hold rooks.
—Fabiano Caruana
With two attracts after which a win in opposition to Aronian within the last spherical (no hanging rooks this time!), he expanded his lead from yesterday.
Vachier-Lagrave Performs Finest In Blitz Day 1, Adopted By Firouzja And So
When GM Ioan Chirila requested how he will catch Caruana on the ultimate day, So responded with a joke: “I must put sleeping capsules in his drink!” It actually does appear that determined, however Vachier-Lagrave and So are the 2 closest gamers.
Let’s begin with the French number-two, who had one of the best day within the blitz alone, if ignoring the truth that the speedy scores do matter.
Vachier-Lagrave scored +5 -1 =3, and his win in opposition to a struggling Gukesh in spherical eight was surprisingly quick, with resignation on transfer 21. Whereas he certainly did not miss the counterattack 18…Qc3!, Gukesh could have missed that his queen will get trapped a number of strikes later:
So scored 4.5 factors, with three wins, three losses, and three attracts. His most dramatic recreation got here within the last spherical in opposition to Nepomniachtchi, as So was lifeless misplaced by place however received on time.
It was a bitter finish to the day for Nepomniachtchi, who began optimistically with 5 wins in his first six video games. However he misplaced his final three and has additionally filed an enchantment in opposition to the rating of this last recreation, although the video does present his clock operating all the way down to zero.
Nepomniachtchi appears to have misplaced on time vs. So within the final spherical however is submitting an enchantment.
If dominated in So’s favor, will probably be three consecutive losses for Nepomniachtchi.https://t.co/5uB8XLuEx8#GrandChessTour pic.twitter.com/YtwqvGIMOK
— chess24 (@chess24com) July 13, 2024
So is pessimistic about his possibilities of catching Caruana within the final 9 rounds. “Sadly, he is superb in classical, speedy, and blitz. It is unlucky Magnus is just not right here to problem Fabi.”
Croatian GM Saric Performs Recreation of the Day On House Soil
Saric suffered seven losses in a row between Friday and Saturday, however he is additionally the bottom seed within the occasion. As soon as he stopped the bleeding with a draw in opposition to GM Anish Giri, he went on to attain two wins in opposition to Aronian after which Nepomniachtchi.
The second is our Recreation of the Day, which is an opposite-sides-castling “road battle” type of recreation that options key attacking and defensive themes. Significantly spectacular is Saric’s 25.Rxh7! adopted by the ingenious 27.Ba7!!. GM Rafael Leitao annotates the complete recreation beneath:
Yet one more day, 9 extra rounds. Can Caruana preserve it collectively for yet another day? Tune in 45 minutes earlier to seek out out on Sunday.
And, who is aware of, there could also be different shock company on the printed to come back.
Anastasia’s daughter, Nicole, joins the commentary!
“Who’s your favourite commentator?”
“Anastasia Karlovich.” Right reply!#GrandChessTour pic.twitter.com/D3JKLDRxWf
— chess24 (@chess24com) July 13, 2024
Tips on how to watch?
The 2024 SuperUnited Croatia Fast & Blitz is the third occasion of the 2024 Grand Chess Tour and runs July 10-14 within the Westin Lodge in Zagreb, Croatia. The ten gamers first compete in a single speedy round-robin with a time management of 25 minutes plus a 10-second increment per transfer that’s adopted by a blitz double round-robin with a 5+2 time management.
Earlier protection:
