GM Magnus Carlsen gained a full-point lead at Casablanca Chess 2024 on day one. Combining his information of chess historical past and his enjoyment of venturing past trendy opening principle, Carlsen scored 2.5/3, defeating his longtime rivals GMs Viswanathan Anand and Hikaru Nakamura.
Nakamura is in clear second as a consequence of his convincing victory vs. GM Bassem Amin within the Evans Gambit. Anand and Amin share a tie for third.
The match concludes on Sunday, Could 19, beginning at 2:15 p.m. ET / 8:15 p.m. CEST / 11:45 p.m. IST.
Standings – Day 1
The great thing about variants is that they take the chess items everyone knows and love on a journey into one other world―this time on a visit into the epic moments from chess historical past. Within the new variant, Casablanca Chess, trendy grandmasters are thrown into middlegames from clashes of the previous to duke it out in a fast time management.
Whereas celebrating the fascinating historical past of chess, this can also be a contemporary strategy to ask the query: How do gamers fare with out trendy opening principle?
The occasion can also be uniquely interactive―in several rounds, the beginning positions are chosen by the commentators, by the gamers themselves, and even by the viewers. Study extra in regards to the format within the video beneath.
Carlsen, Nakamura, Anand, and Amin will battle out epic moments from chess historical past at Casablanca Chess, beginning in 10 min! pic.twitter.com/UgkOi9or6P
— chess24 (@chess24com) Could 18, 2024
Casablanca Chess is the centerpiece of the Morocco Chess Week, a competition showcasing chess via a wide range of occasions in Casablanca, Morocco.
World #1 Magnus Carlsen arriving on the Mechouar Palace, the Casablanca Chess venue!
♟️ Carlsen, along with Hikaru Nakamura, Viswanathan Anand and Amin Bassem, will check out the novel “Casablanca chess variant” designed to have a good time the historical past of chess. The grandmasters will… pic.twitter.com/BtbSzBTt4K
— Worldwide Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) Could 18, 2024
Spherical 1: Carlsen, Nakamura Bloodthirsty within the Evans Gambit
In spherical one―by selection of commentators GMs Daniel Naroditsky and Jan Gustafsson―the gamers traveled again to the Romantic period right into a duel between the primary world champion, Wilhelm Steinitz, and one in all his main rivals, Mikhail Chigorin.
The beginning place dives into the guts of their rivalry. Chigorin thrived on gambit play whereas Steinitz was the daddy of positional chess, keen to indicate the worth of an additional pawn. The Evans Gambit was the proper battleground for his or her contrasting types.
How would the common types of the fashionable grandmasters fare unearthing this swashbuckling gambit from the previous?
Spherical 1 Beginning Place
Carlsen, identified for a rare reminiscence for historic video games, was acquainted with the place, later sharing: “I used to be simply considering this smells of Steinitz to excessive heaven.”
I used to be simply considering this smells of Steinitz to excessive heaven.
―Magnus Carlsen
On the black aspect, Anand struggled to get his footing. Unsettled by the beginning place of his items, his queenside forces discovered themselves jumbled into one another, and Carlsen quickly noticed a successful tactical concept. Can you discover it within the puzzle beneath?
White to maneuver.
As Black, Amin was additionally unable to repair his queenside improvement points. With brutal sacrifice-laden play, Nakamura sliced via on the kingside whereas Black’s forces watched from their beginning squares and scattered posts. Nakamura defined his considering: “With White, I do know I’ve to go all-in right here as a result of if Black can get as an instance …b6 and …Bb7, Black is a lot better, if not successful.”
Chiming in from the peanut gallery, GM Fabiano Caruana shared his ideas on his rivals’ victories.
Chigorin in 1889 > Magnus and Hikaru in 2024
— Fabiano Caruana (@FabianoCaruana) Could 18, 2024
But, traditionally, it was Steinitz as Black who prevailed. The daddy of positional play untangled his items to finish his queenside improvement after which took over the sport.
Spherical 2: When the Previous and Current Align
In spherical two, the gamers voted amongst themselves to decide on the preliminary place. They selected to enterprise to a Sicilian between the seventh ladies’s world champion, GM Xie Jun, and one in all her rivals, GM Alisa Galliamova. Xie was the primary participant from Asia to grow to be ladies’s world champion, starting the rise of China as a formidable pressure in elite chess. Within the 1999 match, Xie regained her title for a second reign.
Spherical 2 Beginning Place
Taking up Xie’s aspect as Black, Carlsen achieved the thematic d5-center break early within the middlegame. Whereas this maintained equality, a lot of the dynamics of the place was traded away. But, Carlsen nonetheless stirred up some pleasure within the ensuing endgame.
After the identical d5-pawn break, Anand and Nakamura’s recreation simplified and remained balanced all through. Afterwards, Anand shared: “I did not see a plan. I do not know why place two was in there… It is not a really thrilling place for White.”
The historic recreation matched up with the gamers’ trendy method. Xie achieved the d5-break, and the gamers traded right into a stage ending and finally drew.
Spherical 3: Carlsen Reignites Kasparov’s Sicilian
Spherical three featured one other battle within the saga between Carlsen and Nakamura. The joy of the matchup was enhanced by the selection of place. The gamers discovered themselves within the midst of one other conflict of titans, GM Anatoly Karpov vs. GM Garry Kasparov in 1985―the match that started Kasparov’s reign as world champion.
Spherical 3 Beginning Place
Taking Kasparov’s aspect with the black items, Carlsen deviated from his predecessor with the dangerous resolution to recapture together with his king within the middle in a double-edged middlegame.
Jan: Magnus taking part in with hearth!
Daniel: Has he gone too far? pic.twitter.com/Dm5aiCzwaU
— chess24 (@chess24com) Could 18, 2024
Carlsen revealed after the sport: “I wasn’t thinking about a draw.” His bold method in the end paid off. Nakamura selected an inaccurate plan, and Carlsen gained the benefit with inventive play. White’s overexpanded place started to crumble, and Carlsen capitalized, ripping open the middle to make sure the demise of the enemy king.
“That is a Magnus transfer!” pic.twitter.com/Lxrz5SlMjF
— chess24 (@chess24com) Could 18, 2024
Get pleasure from evaluation of our Recreation of the Day by GM Rafael Leitao beneath.
Unsurprisingly, Carlsen was acquainted with the place and the pivotal match it arose from:
I used to be fairly fortunate with the beginning place that we received… This seemed like one of many video games from the second match the place Garry was making an attempt to play these programs, and it appeared like a fairly good one for Black from the start.
He additionally shared his emotions on the occasion thus far: “I do not get many possibilities to play Evans Gambits… It is tremendous enjoyable to have the ability to play some positions that I do not usually play.”
It is tremendous enjoyable to have the ability to play some positions that I do not usually play.
―Magnus Carlsen
Nakamura shared his personal reflections in regards to the recreation on his YouTube Channel:
Already from the get-go, I am feeling just a little uncomfortable as a result of I do not like these positions from the white aspect. I attempt to keep away from them if I can… To make issues worse, I am taking part in in opposition to Magnus Carlsen―who just about loves each place you will get.
To make issues worse, I am taking part in in opposition to Magnus Carlsen―who just about loves each place you will get.
―Hikaru Nakamura
Contrastingly, Anand performed pragmatically as Black, resulting in an early repetition. The unique Karpov vs. Kasparov recreation additionally resulted in a draw, although it was a vigorous battle between the giants.
On day two, the gamers will face one another another time with three contemporary historic positions to discover.
You’ll be able to watch Casablanca Chess 2024 on Chess.com/TV. You may as well benefit from the present on Twitch and catch reside broadcasts on YouTube. Video games from the occasion may be considered on our occasions web page.
Casablanca Chess is an occasion the place 4 star gamers play out well-known chess positions in a sequence of fast video games. The 4 invited gamers compete in a double round-robin with a 15+10 time management. Every spherical is performed with a special beginning place primarily based on well-known chess video games, totaling six completely different positions. Positions one, two, 4, and 5 are pre-selected by the organizers, whereas positions three and 6 are decided by spectators’ votes.
