Grandmaster D. Gukesh of India and Grandmaster Nijat Abasov of Azerbaijan throughout their Round 5 match on the FIDE Candidates 2024 chess event, in Toronto, Canada, Tuesday, April 9, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Teenaged Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh produced one other unbelievable efficiency to crash by the defences of Azerbaijan’s Nijat Abasov and regain a share of the lead however R. Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi bowed out of contention after the twelfth spherical of the Candidates chess event right here.
With American Hikaru Nakamura scoring a victory over Firouza Alireza of France, it’s now a three-way lead on the prime.
Candidates chess: Gukesh slips to tied 2nd after draw; losses for Pragg, Gujrathi
Gukesh and Nakamura joined in a single day top-placed Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia, who drew with Praggnanandhaa, on 7.5 factors and these three at the moment are adopted by Fabiano Caruana of United States who’s on seven factors.
Candidates Chess: Gukesh and Nepomniachtchi retain lead after agreeing to 40-move draw
Praggnanandhaa continues to be fifth with six factors with Gujrathi following him on 5 factors.
However, with simply two rounds to come in the eight-player double round-robin event, it’s nearly inconceivable for the duo to end on the rostrum. Alireza and Abasov refill the rear of the desk with 4.5 and three factors respectively.
In the ladies’s part, the Chinese domination was cemented by Zhongyi Tan, who performed out a draw with Nurgyul Salimova of Bulgaria.
Russian Kateryna Lagno was solely ready to squeeze half a degree in opposition to one other Chinese Tingjie Lei.
India’s Koneru Humpy did effectively to maintain Aleksandra Goryachkina of Russia to a draw whereas R. Vaishali scored her second straight victory on the expense of Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine.
With Tan on eight factors, Lei is half a degree behind. The trio of Humpy, Lagno and Goryachkina are a distant third on six factors. Vaishali moved to 5.5 factors to take the sixth spot, forward of Salimova and Muzychuk.
The 17-year previous Gukesh is barely the second youngest in historical past to ever compete in a Candidates event and the final time somebody youthful performed was method back in 1959 – when Bobby Fischer stormed into the chess world.
Black in opposition to Abasov and needing a victory desperately, the Indian didn’t disappoint in the Nimzo Indian protection recreation whereby the Azerbaijani was outwitted in all departments of the sport.
Choosing side-variations correctly has been a trademark of Gukesh’s technique all through the occasion and but once more, he got here out on prime.
Abasov could have thought he was higher however as the sport progressed into the center recreation, Gukesh made some good manoeuvres to attain an endgame the place white reeled beneath stress with pawn weaknesses.
Gukesh received a pawn on the queen facet and in the following minor items endgame, his handed pawns had been clearly superior.
Nepomniachtchi has been dealing with the event neatly and nearly with none dangers.
Against Praggnanandhaa too, the Russian took no probabilities regardless of taking part in white. The French protection led to a level-playing subject for each and with each piece trade the place grew to become less complicated. It was a rook and pawns endgame on board which was a useless draw.
Gujrathi suffered one other defeat in the occasion and misplaced to Caruana out of an Italian opening recreation the place the latter performed white.
Caruana received a great grip on the place in the center recreation and progressively outplayed Gujrathi with some good calculation coupled with a well-formed technique.
Nakamura was a category act but once more. It was one other French trade however this time Nakamura ensured issues on each flanks. The endgame was balanced however Alireza but once more blundered and located himself looking at a misplaced place.
Vaishali was the lone winner in the ladies’s part. Muzychuk got here up with a gap shock in the open Ruy Lopez and Vaishali had to defend appropriately.
The Ukrainian lacked the extent of accuracy that was required.
Vaishali transformed to a minor piece endgame in which her Bishop proved significantly better than Muzychuk’s Knight. The recreation lasted 57 strikes.
Humpy confronted the Catalan opening as black in opposition to Goryachkina and had little hassle. Just out of the opening, the 2 gamers repeated strikes and shortly signed peace.
Results spherical 12 (Indians except specified):
Nijat Abasov (Aze, 3) misplaced to D Gukesh (7.5); Fabiano Caruana (Usa, 7) beat Vidit Gujrathi (5); l Ian Nepomniachthi (Fid, 7.5); drew with R Praggnanandhaa (6); Hikaru Nakamura (Usa, 7.5) beat Firouza Alireza (Fra, 4.5).
Women: Aleksandra Goryachkina (Fid, 6) drew with Koneru Humpy (6); Anna Muzychuk (4.5) misplaced to R Vaishali (5.5); Nurgyuaal Salimova (Bul, 4.5) drew with Zhongyi Tan (8); Kateryna Lagno (Fid, 6) drew with Tingjei Lei (Chn, 7.5).
