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GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov beat GM Magnus Carlsen within the closing spherical of the 2024 Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Problem Fast to prime the standings with an unbeaten 5.5/7. That arrange a Quarterfinal in opposition to World Champion Ding Liren, who made a last-round draw to scrape 0.5/7. The opposite Quarterfinals, performed over two video games of classical chess, will probably be GM Vincent Keymer (2nd) vs. GM Levon Aronian (seventh), GM Fabiano Caruana (third) vs. GM Gukesh Dommaraju (sixth), and GM Alireza Firouzja (4th) vs. Carlsen (fifth).
The primary sport of the Quarterfinals begins on Sunday, February 11, at 7 a.m. ET / 13:00 CET / 5:30 p.m. IST.
Fast Closing Standings
The primary day of the fast opener of the G.O.A.T Problem left the highest half of the desk occupied by the gamers aged 20 or youthful. The second and closing day noticed Caruana break into the highest half, however it so occurs that each one the pairings will however pit youth in opposition to expertise. Let’s check out the 4 upcoming Quarterfinals and the way the gamers have carried out.
1. Abdusattorov vs. Ding
It is an uncommon reward for profitable a event to be paired in opposition to the present world chess champion and simply one in every of 15 gamers ever to cross a 2800 score, however on the proof of present type, the 19-year-old from Uzbekistan needs to be a heavy favourite. Abdusattorov stated of his event: “The whole lot went very easily… a dream efficiency for me!”
The whole lot went very easily… a dream efficiency for me!
—Nodirbek Abdusattorov
He completed with 4 wins and because the solely unbeaten participant.
On the ultimate day he fought arduous to outlive a harmful place in opposition to Keymer, whipped up a sudden, lethal assault to beat Gukesh, after which got here out on prime in opposition to a participant he is made a behavior of beating in huge video games in his younger profession, Carlsen. Abdusattorov recognized his opponent’s third transfer as a mistake, whereas Carlsen’s want to win noticed him make an unnatural pawn seize on transfer six. The teen performed completely to succeed in a profitable endgame…
Abdusattorov has a profitable endgame in opposition to Carlsen… except all rook endgames are drawn! https://t.co/r1VNM2yqZ3#FreestyleChess pic.twitter.com/7Jz3NyNk9M
— chess24.com (@chess24com) February 10, 2024
…however the world number-one nearly escaped earlier than making a closing mistake in what tablebases inform us is a drawn place. A fittingly tense end to the fast event!
Whereas Abdusattorov was flying, Ding’s event went from unhealthy to worse earlier than what felt like a quick, mercy draw from Firouzja within the closing spherical.
One thing is up with Ding, as he confessed himself in an interview earlier than Wijk aan Zee, however maybe he was additionally affected by one of many benefits of Chess960—that nobody is aware of the best way to play for a draw within the unfamiliar openings, so the previous knowledge of first stopping the bleeding with a quiet sport is tough to implement.
Ding’s vulnerability has as an alternative been inspiring his opponents, with Carlsen profitable a effective sport in spherical 5 of their first conflict for the reason that world championship title modified fingers earlier than Aronian received to play an excellent miniature which he rounded off with a queen sacrifice.
Levon Aronian received to sacrifice his queen to pressure resignation from Ding Liren! #FreestyleChess pic.twitter.com/Rw2ocgCHQF
— chess24.com (@chess24com) February 10, 2024
That sport is our Sport of the Day and has been analyzed by GM Rafael Leitao beneath:
As soon as once more, nevertheless, if Ding can proper the ship earlier than Sunday’s Quarterfinal in opposition to Abdusattorov, nothing is but misplaced. No rankings are at stake in Weissenhaus, and the classical knockout to comply with will resolve who takes the $60,000 prime prize.
2. Keymer vs. Aronian
Native hero Keymer led after day one and was solely knocked down into second place as a result of, with 58 seconds in opposition to his opponent’s seven minutes, he made a weakening transfer and went on to get put to the sword by Firouzja within the penultimate spherical. Keymer nonetheless hit again to win the ultimate sport with an excellent tactical flurry in opposition to Gukesh.
Keymer will now face Aronian who, as we noticed from the sport in opposition to Ding above, could be a very harmful participant. On the ultimate day he additionally had probabilities in opposition to Firouzja, although he was well-beaten within the closing matchup in opposition to Caruana.
3. Caruana vs. Gukesh
Caruana had a terrific closing day, scoring 2.5/3. He managed to construct a fortress with Black in what appeared a determined endgame in opposition to Carlsen and gained two good attacking video games with the white items. One was in opposition to Aronian, as talked about above, whereas the opposite was a notable achievement: the one sport a “veteran” gained in opposition to one of many children in your complete fast event.
Caruana beats Gukesh in type — the primary time one of many veterans has overwhelmed one of many younger weapons on this occasion! #FreestyleChess pic.twitter.com/qJXmSahH8Y
— chess24.com (@chess24com) February 10, 2024
It was much more notable, since Caruana took Gukesh’s spot within the prime half of the desk, however now they are going to meet once more within the Quarterfinals. The younger Indian has been on a rollercoaster, and after his three wins in a row on Friday, he went on to lose all three video games on Saturday. It appears to be like unhealthy on paper, however such outcomes occur while you mix an aggressive type with dealing with prime opposition: other than Caruana he confronted the top-two of Abdusattorov and Keymer. The U.S. number-one can take nothing with no consideration within the coming match.
4. Firouzja vs. Carlsen
It appears Firouzja and Carlsen merely cannot escape one another. On Wednesday they performed two mini-matches in the Grand Closing of the Chessable Masters, with the 20-year-old profitable the primary 2.5-1.5 however shedding the “reset” 2-0. They have been taking part in from their resort rooms in Weissenhaus, however now they are going to play a two-day match face-to-face after each gamers had blended closing days. Firouzja beat second-placed Keymer and drew his remaining two video games; the one fast sport he misplaced was to the winner Abdusattorov.
Carlsen additionally misplaced to Abdusattorov, in that final spherical we witnessed above, and was pissed off in opposition to Caruana, however he received to beat the participant who has taken over as world champion, Ding, and likewise to play maybe probably the most satisfying transfer of the day: the longest potential “quick castles.” You may see the transfer within the viewer beneath:
Magnus Carlsen beats Ding Liren, making it a fifth loss in 5 video games for the present World Champion! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/bIrHNp2DFl
— chess24.com (@chess24com) February 10, 2024
All 4 Quarterfinal matchups have the potential to be epic, and we’re additionally going to see what Chess960 appears to be like like at a classical time management. The gamers have 90 minutes for 40 strikes, however no increment till then. Why?
Magnus says there is no increment earlier than transfer 40: “with the sadistic concept that these GMs most likely will all get into time hassle as a result of they are going to spend all their time within the opening and we’ll get these huge time scrambles and, to be trustworthy, I am all for it!” #FreestyleChess pic.twitter.com/Vgv13wgZm1
— chess24.com (@chess24com) February 9, 2024
It needs to be enjoyable!
The Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Problem takes place February 9-16, 2024 within the Weissenhaus Non-public Nature Luxurious Resort, Germany. All video games are Chess960. It begins with a seven-round fast event to resolve pairings earlier than a classical knockout event with two-game matches. A tie is determined by two 15+10 fast video games, then, if wanted, two 5+2 blitz video games, then single 5+2 video games till a participant wins. The prize fund is $200,000 with $60,000 for first place.
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