GMs Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu gained their white video games within the Tata Metal Chess Match‘s ninth spherical to affix GMs Anish Giri and Gukesh Dommaraju within the lead. GM Max Warmerdam misplaced in simply in regards to the worst potential method to GM Parham Maghsoodloo by spoiling a very profitable endgame to a draw after which to a loss.

GM Marc’Andria Maurizzi maintained his lead within the Challengers group with a win in opposition to IM Divya Desmukh. GM Leon Luke Mendonca, who additionally gained, continues to be trailing by half some extent.

Outcomes – Masters Spherical 9

Standings – Masters Spherical 9

Few have described dropping in chess higher than GM Jan Hein Donner in 1972 after dropping a match to GM Hans Ree:

After I resigned this sport with excellent self-control and solemnly shook palms with my opponent in the very best of Anglo-Saxon traditions, I rushed house, the place I threw myself onto my mattress, howling and screaming, and pulled the blankets over my face. For 3 days and three nights the Erinnyes had been after me. Then I received up, dressed, kissed my spouse and thought of my state of affairs.

Warmerdam continues to be younger and has an extended chess future forward if he would not change to a “regular job” after ending his economics research. Nonetheless, after as we speak’s sport he should be in an identical state to Donner at the moment.

The younger Dutchman as soon as once more decided the course of play within the opening, this time selecting an previous gambit named after Alexander Schara en Heinz von Hennig, who first analyzed it totally. Maghsoodloo, who got here to the board with confidence, made an enormous mistake early on. Quickly, he discovered himself in an endgame an change down. He was misplaced, and he knew it.

Warmerdam, nevertheless, did not proceed in one of the simplest ways potential and even returned the change for 2 handed pawns, solely to find that White had sufficient counterplay. Then it was Maghsoodloo once more to go improper, and Warmerdam reached one other profitable place. However, identical to in opposition to Praggnanandhaa, it wasn’t meant to be.

With sufficient time on the clock, however after greater than 5 hours of play, Warmerdam first allowed a drawing mixture, after which fell into the final (and quite crafty) trick Maghsoodloo had within the place. All of a sudden White was profitable. A study-like transfer primarily based on a fork accomplished Warmerdam’s (okay)nightmare. It was an unbelievable turnaround, from the doorstep of heaven straight to the ninth circle of hell.

“I used to be extremely fortunate as we speak, however I’m so completely happy, so completely happy that I received my first win,” stated Maghsoodloo.

For this ninth spherical, the 14 contributors of the Masters travelled about 70 km (43 mi) to The Hague for this yr’s “Chess on Tour.”  The venue, for one spherical solely, was the AFAS Circustheater, a stone’s throw away from Scheveningen seaside. Whether or not the change of venue was the explanation or not, as we speak was the bloodiest to date within the event with 5 decisive video games.

The primary winner of the day was Abdusattorov, who knocked down one other Dutchman. GM Jorden van Foreest is nowhere close to his type of 2021, when he gained the event, and as we speak he received outplayed fully. As early as transfer 24, he threw within the towel.

Abdusattorov was not stunned by this early resignation as he thought of the place “useless misplaced.” To be honest to Van Foreest, the sport was principally determined within the opening. White’s tough 10.Nh4 transfer must be answered by a reply that’s tough to seek out on the board:

Abdusattorov is now again within the shared lead, since Gukesh and Giri each drew their video games, the latter in his house city. Together with his spouse and oldest son within the viewers, Giri took on the function of interviewer, chatting with his good buddy and opponent of Gukesh, GM Vidit Gujrathi:

For the primary time, Praggnanandhaa will also be discovered on the high of the leaderboard. India’s new primary defeated GM Ju Wenjun as we speak from an fascinating line of the Two Knights. “I actually wished to win as we speak,” he defined.

In a variation that’s tons of of years previous, it’s fairly an achievement to play a novelty on transfer 10, however Pragg managed. Ju quickly performed barely inaccurately, and with that, her typical compensation on this line began to vanish. When the g-file received opened, Praggnanandhaa may rapidly arrange an assault, additionally due to his bishop on the lengthy diagonal. GM Rafael Leitao has annotated the sport:

GM Alireza Firouzja has supplied extra leisure than every other participant, with attracts in solely two of his first 9 video games. In The Hague, issues went the improper manner once more, though the opening (a Ragozin) truly went fairly effectively for Black.

It appeared that GM Alexander Donchenko was extra on high of all of the small however essential particulars within the middlegame. On scoring his first win of the event, he commented: “I do not know that I deserve that one however I am completely happy that each one I wanted to win a sport in Wijk aan Zee is to get out of Wijk aan Zee!”

I am completely happy that each one I wanted to win a sport in Wijk aan Zee is to get out of Wijk aan Zee!
—Alexander Donchenko

It is unlikely that GM Ian Nepomniachtchi will probably be combating for event victory after as we speak’s loss in opposition to GM Wei Yi, who performed a very wonderful sport after saving some power within the earlier rounds.

Nepomniachtchi sooner or later sacrificed a pawn within the heart, however Wei felt he was simply higher as a result of Nd7 is a foul piece.

Outcomes – Challengers Spherical 9

Standings – Challengers Spherical 9

Little modified within the Challengers group, performed in Wijk aan Zee as every other day. Maurizzi’s win was instructive because it appeared to be primarily based on a single, positional error from Desmukh:

Being Dutch myself, I can’t assist focusing a bit extra on the native contributors than normal. Nonetheless, when somebody is fearless sufficient to play the King’s Gambit, I do not care the place they’re from, that’s simply sensible.

IM Eline Roebers is having a event as wild as Firouzja’s however with fewer factors. She has probably reached a stage the place she simply desires to have enjoyable video games. The Bishop’s Gambit (3.Bc4) is thought to be considerably doubtful even for King’s Gambit requirements, however she managed to get a really playable place finally… solely to blunder a full rook in time hassle. That comes near Warmerdam’s expertise as we speak. 

Pairings – Masters Spherical 10

Pairings – Challengers Spherical 10

The Tata Metal Chess event takes place January 13-28, 2024, in Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands. The time management is 100 minutes for 40 strikes adopted by 50 minutes to complete every sport with a 30-second increment. Each the Masters and Challengers teams are 14-player round-robin tournaments.

How you can watch?

Earlier posts: