In a day full of untamed oscillating video games and drama, the 17 yr outdated Indian prodigy, Gukesh D, formally received the FIDE Candidates 2024 and will probably be dealing with the reigning World Champion, Ding Liren, to struggle for the World Champion title later this yr. Gukesh drew in his personal recreation towards Hikaru Nakamura, and for a while it seemed as if the sport would go to speedy tiebreaks, as Caruana had a profitable place towards Nepomniachtchi. In the meantime, within the Girls’s Candidates Lei Tingjie performed a spectacular and ambitions queen sacrifice for a knight, which finally was her downfall, whereas Tan Zhongyi had substantial probabilities towards Muzychuk however a blunder held it to a draw.

In addition to broadcasting the stay video games from the 2 tournaments, Lichess is offering a stay stream for day-after-day of the Candidates. Be sure that to tune in to our Twitch or YouTube channels, with streams ranging from 14:15 Toronto time (18:15 UTC).

We’re additionally offering every day annotations on among the video games from GM Brandon Jacobson and IM / WGM Padmini Rout. The complete examine might be discovered right here.

Schedule

Spherical Recap – Open Part

The sport between Nakamura and Gukesh was a should win for Nakamura, and a should draw for Gukesh — though he would like a win to cleanly stop anybody from catching him. With the Queen’s gambit accepted performed, the 2 gamers received right into a place with an imbalance; Nakamura had an remoted d pawn, which he couldn’t actually use in any means in his favour, and was later transformed to a different imbalance – Gukesh enjoying 19 Bxf3 and giving white the bishop pair benefit, in alternate for a fabric benefit. Nakamura was in a position to defend this place and get the fabric again, however to not obtain something additional. After an extended struggle with each gamers hoping to create one thing, the sport led to a draw, with a sanguine Nakamura shedding his likelihood for the World Championship, and Gukesh nonetheless ready for the outcome between Caruana and Nepomniachtchi.

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In the meantime, with each Caruana and Nepomniachtchi on 8 factors, each had been in a must-win place for an opportunity of forcing Gukesh to a speedy tie-break if he drew. After a cautious begin, it swiftly fell into Caruana’s favour, and it seemed as if Caruana was sure to transform. However a shock blunder allowed Nepomniactchi to discover a drawing line, however a number of strikes later Nepomniachtchi blundered again and once more it seemed sure to be in Caruana’s favour. Once more, the unbelievable occurred as Caruana was in time strain, and maybe strain general, and a blunder by Caruana made it a drawing place for Nepomniachtchi once more. This time, Nepomniachtchi held the drew. The outcome meant neither participant caught Gukesh, and ended Caruana’s hopes in maybe among the most devastating style. A subdued Nepomniachtchi later apologised to Caruana within the press convention: “I am sorry [for drawing]” he mentioned, after agreeing the sooner place was merely profitable for Caruana. “It is my very own fault”, a crestfallen Caruana quietly mentioned.

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Abasov, being out-rated by at the least 100 Elo factors by the opposite gamers, wasn’t capable of finding his tempo on this Candidates Event, or rating a win within the occasion, regardless of his spectacular efficiency within the World Cup. Dealing with Praggnanandhaa with white for spherical 14, he determined to deploy the Fianchetto Variation towards his opponent’s King’s Indian Defence setup. That is typically thought of a really strong strategy, and certainly, he managed to keep up a largely equal middlegame. Praggnanandhaa nevertheless, was in a position to outplay Abasov within the ensuing rook, queen and minor piece endgame, having a knight towards his opponent’s bishop, and end the event on a win – leaving Abasov within the final place with 3.5/14.

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The sport between Firoujza and Vidit, the gamers who had probably the most decisive video games, till spherical 13, was a moderately fast one; the quickest in the entire occasion. With Firoujza having had a tough event general, however with fairly a number of good moments, and Vidit not managing to get his ideally suited efficiency, the 2 gamers didn’t have a lot to purpose for, and the sport led to a fast draw inside 5 minutes, by transfer 14.

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Spherical Recap – Girls’s Part

Lei Tingjie undeniably had a formidable comeback and efficiency particularly since spherical 6, with 3 consecutive wins and no losses, till spherical 13. If she needed to win the occasion, she might hope just for one state of affairs: Her profitable towards Koneru, and Anna Muzychuk profitable towards Tan; then – and solely then – the primary place could be selected tiebreaks. However, neither outcome got here. Lei, in her recreation was by no means in a position to get a transparent benefit towards her opponent. Within the middlegame, she selected to lure her queen, nevertheless it was not but recreation over! With good knight and rook manoeuvring, she ready to sacrifice her queen for a knight, and he or she maintained possibilities of counterplay. After the sacrifice and following a mix of strikes, the 2 gamers entered an endgame with Lei being an alternate down, which the engine discovered holdable. Nevertheless doing this was completely not a simple job, and as an alternative Koneru was in a position to reverse the fortunes and convert the purpose.

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Tan, alternatively, with the event scenario shaped after Spherical 13, wanted solely to not lose towards Anna Muzychuk with white, with the intention to safe profitable the Girls’s Candidates and keep away from tiebreaks. Tan, enjoying a Sicilian towards her opponent, managed to get a bonus within the middlegame, making a handed e-pawn and with higher piece exercise general. The one situation along with her place was her open king as a result of ruined pawn construction round it. Anna Muzychuk managed to grab a possibility for a perpetual verify, on account of this weak point and saved the draw. This missed alternative was of little of no significance for Tan nevertheless; the draw was greater than enough to safe the primary place, whatever the outcome between Lei and Koneru, and Tan Zhongyi can now be wanting forward for the Girls’s World Championship match!

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Vaishali, being one of many event’s underdogs, may had had a tough first half of the event, however she has been the optimistic upset of the event in each sections, within the second half – along with her spherical 14 win towards Lagno, she completed by her win streak to a historic 5 in a row! She additionally had the best variety of victories amongst all gamers in Girls’s Candidates. Of their recreation, Lagno sacrificed a bit for 2 pawns, with the intention to expose her opponent’s king and create an assault, with Vaishali giving again the fabric on the proper second within the middlegame. Lagno didn’t handle to reap the benefits of her opponent’s weaker king, and after 28… Bxf2+! 29. Qxf2?!, Vaishali managed to transform her positional edge and materials benefit right into a fifth consecutive win. Her first half of the event and probably the dearth of expertise, in comparison with the opposite individuals – veterans in this sort of occasions, did not let her realistically hope to say the Challenger spot within the Girls’s World Championship – but when she maintains her type she displayed within the 2nd half, she will completely hope so for the longer term!

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In the meantime, Goryachkina had a recreation towards Salimova, a possibility to extend her prize cash and statistics, however to not win the event general. Choosing a (not often seen!) Philidor Protection, Goryachkina pushed exhausting however was unable to seek out any edge over an excellently defending Salimova. The sport finally led to a draw, but it surely was a combating draw pushing to maneuver 59; a robust defensive masterclass by Salimova.

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