Teenaged Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh shot into sole lead after defeating Firouzja Alireza of France in the thirteenth and penultimate spherical of Candidates’ Chess match in Toronto, his quest for the extraordinary putting him on the cusp of becoming the youngest ever world championship contender.
If the 17-year-old from Chennai emerges victorious at the Candidates, he’ll take on China’s Ding Liren for the world champion’s crown.
In the ladies’s occasion, Humpy Koneru drew with Anna Muzychuk whereas Vaishali Rameshbabu obtained the higher of Lei Tingjie. The 22-year-old Vaishali has now registered 4 consecutive wins in her final 4 video games.
Needing a win to go forward after the different in a single day leaders, Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi and American Hikaru Nakamura performed out a fast draw, Gukesh was awarded for his perseverance as he capitalised on a late blunder by Alireza in a tough state of affairs.
Gukesh took his tally to eight.5 factors out of a attainable 13 to emerge a half level forward of Nepomniachtchi, Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana of the United States.
R Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi share the fifth spot on six factors apiece with Firouzja on 4.5 and Abasov has 3.5 factors.
Of the three gamers in pursuit, Caruana defeated Praggnanandhaa in a hard-fought recreation whereas Gujrathi might solely get a draw with Nijat Abasov of Azerbaijan.
Gukesh will subsequent meet Nakamura who performs white in the final spherical recreation and Caurana could have the benefit of the beneficial color towards Nepomniachtchi.
While anybody amongst the 4 gamers can win the occasion, the odds are massively in favour of Gukesh as the pundits consider {that a} draw may simply be sufficient to see him emerge as the youngest ever contender for the world championship match.
In the ladies’s part, Zhongyi Tan took a full level lead over nearest rival and compatriot Tingjie Lei following a draw with high seed Russian Aleksandra Goryachkina.
R Vaishali spoiled the occasion for Lei by scoring a superb victory whereas Koneru Humpy and Nurgyul Salimova of Bulgaria drew with Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine and Kateryna Lagno of Russia respectively.
Just a draw away from clinching the crown, Lei is in second spot on 7.5 factors. Goryachkina, Lagno, Humpy and Vaishali are on 6.5 factors, sharing the third spot as Salimova and Muzychuk share the seventh spot with 5 factors apiece.
Made for giant video games ============= Gukesh, by consent, is made for giant video games on his day and the thirteenth spherical was no completely different. Playing the white aspect of a Berlin protection out of a Ruy Lopez, Gukesh went for a line identified to have a sound repute with little danger for white.
Alireza equalized comfortably however then began to indicate some ambition in the center recreation that led to king aspect weak spot. The Frenchman fell beneath time strain too beneath the first time-control however did nicely to maintain a tangible place.
It was on the forty seventh transfer that Alireza lastly faltered and allowed Gukesh to achieve a profitable rook and minor piece endgame. Gukesh knocked down a couple of pawns en path to ending the technicalities in model. The recreation lasted 63 strikes.
Ian Nepomniachtchi determined towards taking a lot danger whilst Nakamura selected a uncommon variation as black in one other Ruy Lopez of the day.
The Russian had causes to be happy as his place was preferable in the center recreation however the absence of any actual threats didn’t depart a lot to be desired. Nakamura drew vide repetition in a mere 26 strikes.
Praggnanandhaa was outdone out of a Rossolimo opening as white towards Caruana. The American launched a harmful wanting assault on the king aspect after the gamers castled on completely different flanks and Praggnanandhaa parted with a rook for a knight to remain afloat.
The nature of the place nonetheless remained tough and with the clock ticking away, the protection was all the time tough to seek out. The longest recreation of the day ended after 89 strikes.
Gujrathi confronted the Petroff protection as white towards Abasov. The Azerbaijani has caught to the identical opening as black towards the King pawn and in his remaining black recreation too, he determined to make use of the identical set-up.
Gujrathi went for one of the fundamental traces and a pair of minor items obtained modified in a symmetrical pawn construction. The recreation obtained a little bit spiced up on the 14th transfer and white obtained an optical benefit with higher management in the centre.
However, as issues occurred, Abasov neutralized white’s initiative by simply retaining his place intact. Gujrathi improved and carried on for a while earlier than realising there was not a lot to hope for. The recreation lasted 31 strikes and ended by means of repetition.
In the ladies’s part, the buying and selling of queens ensured that black didn’t get any likelihood in the recreation and a draw was a simply outcome between Zhongyi Tan and Goryachkina.
After a slightly subdued seventh to ninth spherical the place she misplaced three in a row, Vaishali continued along with her demolition act to attain her fourth victory on the trot. The Indian is in with an opportunity to complete in high three if she will be able to pull off one other win in the remaining spherical.
Zhongyi Tan has her job lower out towards Muzychuk, whereas Tingjie has a tricky nut to crack in Humpy. Vaishali meets Lagno and Goryachkina is up towards Salimova.
Results spherical 13 (Indians until specified): Vidit Gujrathi (5) vs Nijat Abasov (Aze, 3); D Gukesh (7.5) vs Firouza Alireza (Fra, 4.5); R Praggnanandhaa (6) vs Fabiano Caruana (Usa, 7); Ian Nepomniachthi (Fid, 7.5) vs Hikaru Nakamura (Usa, 7.5).
Women: Zhongyi Tan (Chn, 8.5) drew with Aleksandra Goryachkina (Fid, 6.5); Koneru Humpy (6.5) drew with Anna Muzychuk (5); R Vaishali (6.5) beat Tingjie Lei (Chn, 7.5); Nurgyuaal Salimova (Bul, 5) drew with Kateryna Lagno (Fid, 6.5).
