The Open part of the Candidates stays huge open as the 2 leaders, Gukesh and Nepomniachtchi, drew their particular person recreation as we speak. In the meantime, Nakamura and Caruana bounced again with wins towards Abasov and Firouzja, respectively. Within the Ladies’s part, Tan drew her recreation towards Humpy as she is now joined by a surging Lei, who gained towards Goryachkina to wedge a one-point lead over their two closest rivals, Gorychkina and Lagno. Tomorrow’s relaxation day might be essential for the gamers because the event winds right down to what guarantees to be a really thrilling end.

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. Make certain 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 research may be discovered right here.

Schedule

Spherical Recap

Open Part

As was talked about in yesterday’s report, Caruana and Nakamura had good possibilities as we speak to bounce again, and bounce again they did. With their wins over Firouzja and Abasov, respectively, they’ve stored their event possibilities alive. Nepomniachtchi and Gukesh drew a reasonably staid recreation as Praggnanandhaa and Vidit additionally did the identical.

After being on the improper aspect of a decisive recreation 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 isn’t a good suggestion due to Nxb3 (however axb3 focusing on the weak a pawn can also be an fascinating various), and White additionally intends to play a4, so Black determined to play a4 (and later a3) himself. If White’s a-pawn may ever be focused, Black’s pawn might be a giant asset. Nevertheless, on this particular place, this was a giant “if” — the a-pawn may all the time develop into a weak point for Black as effectively. Within the precise recreation, although, the occasions unfolded barely in another way. Attributable to some sub-optimal selections by Nakamura, Abasov managed to briefly get the initiative, and an edge, getting a number of tempos and bringing his rook to e2. To keep up mentioned benefit, nonetheless, he would wish to seek out 36… Bc7 (Bd8 may additionally work), which didn’t occur. As an alternative, he performed Qe6, and shortly had to surrender an change for 2 pawns. Underneath the precise circumstances such an imbalance may 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 reap the benefits 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 recreation:

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Caruana obtained 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 standard queen lure seen usually within the Sicilian Dragon. Caruana obtained a small, nagging positional benefit out of that operation, although, and shortly went on to extend his fortunes as he obtained gifted a handed pawn on d6. That pawn quickly determined the sport, for it appeared to be unstoppable and value Black an essential queenside pawn, ultimately forcing Firouzja to enter a misplaced bishop endgame. GM Brandon Jacobson covers this distinctive Sicilian:

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As most may anticipate, the conflict between the 2 present leaders, Nepomniachtchi and Gukesh, was a reasonably tame affair. The 2 gamers didn’t take any dangers on this essential 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 consequence within the books, the race for event victory continues, and might be decided by their outcomes towards the remainder of the sphere.

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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 particularly event conditions to preserve power. Praggnanandhaa opted for a barely completely different transfer order and setup than the mainlines; one of many important strains entails Nbd2, O-O, and the b-knight ultimately 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 aspect to make any progress, and the sport later resulted in a draw by repetition, with the 2 gamers, and particularly Praggnanandhaa, nonetheless sustaining practical possibilities within the race for first place.

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Ladies’s Part

Tan can’t 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 gained as we speak towards Goryachkina, the pre-tournament favourite. In the meantime, Vaishali gained a topsy-turvy recreation towards Salimova.

Goryachkina has been having a very strong 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 method 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 really outstanding and really correct plan. Goryachkina did stabilize in some unspecified time in the future, however she couldn’t provide you with a transparent plan and slowly drifted once more, permitting Lei to complicate issues in time stress 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 improper 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 issues within the endgame:

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Vaishali didn’t draw back from confrontation as we speak as as we speak she additionally performed a dynamic opening within the Grünfeld Protection. For her half, Salimova reacted aggressively as effectively, pushing her h-pawn up the board in what has develop into a well-liked approach of assembly the Grünfeld Protection. As some tremendous sharp video games go, items had been compelled off the board and a comparatively equal, however not drawn, place appeared on the board. Salimova ultimately obtained a handed d-pawn, however Vaishali appeared to have it below management; a number 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 may ultimately flip the sport from a draw (from a successful place for Salimova) to a loss. Actually this was a heartbreaking recreation 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:

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The Scotch isn’t such a well-liked weapon these days, nevertheless it does have its place on the GM stage, being tried a number of instances right here and there. In as we speak’s Scotch, Black, Koneru Humpy, was in a position to seize a pawn, if solely briefly, however Tan Zhongyi was well-equipped to battle 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.

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Anna Muzychk has clearly come ready in 1. e4 e5, each as White and Black. Enjoying the Black aspect of an Open Ruy, she obtained 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 aspect was higher, it could be Black, however after all such a nominal benefit can be troublesome to transform in any case. Just a few strikes down the highway, Black needed to accept a knight vs. bishop endgame, the place after all White’s bishop ought to, in principle not less than, give White a slight pull. The precise place was very equal, nonetheless, and it was clear that White couldn’t make any form of headway, so a draw was ultimately agreed on transfer 60.

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Spherical 10 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 essential matchup might 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 Ladies’s part, Tan has the White items towards Lagno, who stays a menace to Tan’s event aspirations, so she might be seeking to win Wednesday’s recreation. 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.

Make certain to observe the motion with us in Spherical 11!