The sport between the 2 co-leaders, the very skilled Ian Nepomniachtchi and 17-year-old D. Gukesh concludes in a draw. Photo: X/@FIDE_Chess
Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh held on to the joint high spot with Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi after they performed out a straightforward draw in the 10th spherical of the Candidates chess event in Toronto.
The all-Indian duel between R Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi additionally ended in a draw whereas Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura defeated Firouza Alireza and Nijat Abasov respectively to come again inside putting distance of the 2 leaders.
With simply 4 rounds to come in the most important occasion of the yr, Gukesh and Nepomniachtchi have an an identical six factors every with Praggnanandhaa, Caruana and Nakamura shut on their heels half some extent behind.
Gujrathi, on six factors, is sole sixth whereas for all sensible functions, Alireza and Abasov are out of the race with 3.5 and two factors respectively.
Nepomniachtchi has not been taking many dangers in the occasion with both color and his stable play makes him the one participant who’s unbeaten after 10 rounds.
The Ruy Lopez as white gave the Russian simply an optical benefit after the opening and the 17-year-old Gukesh ensured parity with some well timed exchanges main to a rook and pawns endgame.
The contest was nearly uneventful aside from the opening half and in the endgame, the gamers exchanged one other pair of rooks and some pawns to attain a theoretically drawn place.
Praggnanandhaa has additionally been very stable with only a lone loss early in the second spherical in opposition to Gukesh. The 18-year outdated confronted the Berlin protection by Gujrathi who equalised simply as black.
With three minor items and the queen off the board early, the rook and reverse color Bishop endgame didn’t fairly supply probabilities to both participant. The sport was drawn after 39 strikes.
Caruana confronted the Sicilian Najdorf by Alireza and secured the benefit out of a aspect variation. The gamers ignored a easy tactic however Caruana nonetheless remained forward in endgame after profitable a pawn on the 29th transfer. Alireza fought on however the results of the sport was by no means in doubt.
Nakamura transposed to a French change out of a Petroff protection and piled up stress on the queen aspect.
At one level in a posh center sport, Abasov missed the thread of the place and ended up dropping a rook for a Bishop. The relaxation was only a matter of time and the American wrapped the difficulty in 58 strikes.
In the ladies’s part, Tinjie Lei of China ended the unbeaten run of Aleksandra Goryachkina of Russia and regained joint lead with compatriot Zhongyi Tan who performed out a draw with Koneru Humpy.
R Vaishali bounced again after a string of losses in a roller-coaster sport with Nurgyul Salimov of Bulgaria whereas Russian Kateryna Lagno drew with Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine.
With 6.5 factors apiece, the Chinese duo of Lei and Tan are sitting fairly with a full level lead over Goryachkina and Lagno.
Humpy is a distant fifth on 4.5 factors, a half level forward of Salimova and Muzychuk and Vaishali, regardless of the victory nonetheless holds the final spot on 3.5 factors.
To hold her probabilities alive, Humpy had to win and despite the fact that she tried onerous, Tan proved a troublesome nut to crack.
The battle went on for 72 strikes and in the tip the Chinese cut up the purpose.
Vaishali performed a sport of fluctuating fortunes in opposition to Salimova out of a Grunfeld protection sport. The center sport noticed benefit going to Salimova however Vaishali fought again whereas in the endgame the Indian was ready to flip the tables regardless of blundering. This sport lasted 88-moves.
Tuesday is a relaxation day and the battle will resume on Wednesday.
Results spherical 10 (Indians except specified):
Ian Nepomniachthi (6) drew with D Gukesh (6); R Praggnanandhaa (5.5) drew with Vidit Gujrathi (5); Hikaru Nakamura (Usa, 5.5) beat Nijat Abasov (Aze, 3); Fabiano Caruana (Usa, 5.5) beat Firouza Alireza (Fra, 3.5).
Women: Nurgyuaal Salimova (Bul, 4) misplaced to R Vaishali (3.5); Zhongyi Tan (6.5) drew with Koneru Humpy (4.5); Aleksandra Goryachkina (Rus, 5.5) misplaced to Tingjei Lei (Chn, 6.5); Kateryna Lagno (Fid, 5.5) drew with Anna Muzychuk (Ukr, 4).