Candidates R12: Naka and Gukesh join the lead, Caruana scores

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
4/19/2024 – Round 12 of the Candidates Tournament saw three players scoring full points to greatly increase their chances of achieving overall victory. Hikaru Nakamura and Gukesh D defeated Alireza Firouzja and Nijat Abasov respectively to join Ian Nepomniachtchi in the lead, while Fabiano Caruana got the better of Vidit Gujrathi to go into the final two rounds at a half-point distance from the co-leaders. | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

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Four players in contention

Two rounds ago, six players remained in contention for first place in a very close race at the Candidates Tournament in Toronto. On Wednesday and Thursday, though, Praggnanandhaa R and Vidit Gujrathi suffered losses that left them out of the fight going into the final two rounds of the event.

In round 11, Ian Nepomniachtchi grabbed the sole lead by achieving a 67-move victory in his dramatic encounter against Vidit. Then, in round 12, Hikaru Nakamura and Gukesh D caught up with the Russian grandmaster by defeating Alireza Firouzja and Nijat Abasov, respectively. The three co-leaders are tied for first place with 7½ points each (a plus-three score).

Thursday’s round also saw Fabiano Caruana beating Vidit to remain in contention going forward, as he now stands a half point behind the leaders. Following a painful loss against Nakamura, Caruana scored wins the next two times he played with the white pieces. Importantly, the top seed is set to face Nepomniachtchi — with white — in the final round.

The player who will enter the deciding rounds with the most momentum surely is Nakamura, who scored three consecutive wins in rounds 10-12. In fact, the last time the famous streamer signed a draw in the event was in the seventh round, when he split a point with Nepomniachtchi — he went on to beat Caruana and lose to Vidit in rounds 8 and 9, before scoring the hat-trick that left him tied for first.

Out of the three co-leaders, Nakamura is also the player who has collected the most wins so far in the event (and the most losses, of course), with 5 victories and 2 losses to his name. Gukesh has suffered 1 loss, while Nepomniachtchi is the only participant to remain undefeated in Toronto (in either of the two categories).

Find below the pairings of the final two rounds, set to take place on Saturday and Sunday. In case of a tie for first place, all participants sharing the lead will play a rapid (and blitz, if necessary) tiebreaker on Monday.

Round 13 on 2024/04/20 at 14:30
Rtg Name Result Name Rtg
2758
GM Nepomniachtchi, Ian GM Nakamura, Hikaru
2789
2747
GM Praggnanandhaa, R GM Caruana, Fabiano
2803
2727
GM Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi GM Abasov, Nijat
2632
2743
GM Gukesh, D GM Firouzja, Alireza
2760
Round 14 on 2024/04/21 at 14:30
Rtg Name Result Name Rtg
2789
GM Nakamura, Hikaru GM Gukesh, D
2743
2760
GM Firouzja, Alireza GM Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi
2727
2632
GM Abasov, Nijat GM Praggnanandhaa, R
2747
2803
GM Caruana, Fabiano GM Nepomniachtchi, Ian
2758

Results - Round 12

NameRtg.Nt.Pts.Pts.NameRtgNt.
Nepomniachtchi,I
2758
7
½-½
5½
Praggnanandhaa R
2747
Caruana,F
2803
6
1-0
5
Vidit,S
2727
Nakamura,H
2789
6½
1-0
4½
Firouzja,A
2760
Abasov,N
2632
3
0-1
6½
Gukesh D
2743

Dommaraju Gukesh

Will Gukesh become a World Championship challenger at 17? | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Nakamura 1 - 0 Firouzja

Analysis by André Schulz

Nakamura, Hikaru27891–0Firouzja, Alireza2760
FIDE Candidates 2024
Toronto18.04.2024[Schulz,A]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 The Exchange Variation against the French is currently very popular among top players. exd5 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.c4 5.h3 Ne7 6.c4 c6 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Bd3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Nd7 10.0-0 Nb6 11.Bb3= 1-0 (57) Carlsen,M (2830)-Rapport,R (2731) Samarkand 2023 5...Nf6 6.c5 Be7 7.Qa4+ 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 10.Be3 Nc6 11.Nbd2 1-0 (64) Ju,W (2549)-Firouzja,A (2759) Wijk aan Zee 2024 7...Bd7 8.Qc2 0-0 9.Be3 Nc6 9...Ng4 10.Bf4 Nc6 11.a3 Bf6 12.h3 Re8+ 13.Be2 Nh6 14.Bxh6 gxh6 15.Qd2 Bf5 0-1 (38) Bacrot,E (2672)-Holt,C (2549) Chess.com INT 2021 10.Nc3 b6 11.Be2 Nb4 12.Qd2 Bf5 12...a5 13.cxb6 cxb6 14.0-0 Ne4 15.Qd1= 1-0 (54) Bacrot,E (2678)-Fodor,T (2529) England 2019 13.Rc1 Ng4 14.Bf4!
White wants to keep the bishop. If Black captures on c5, the d5-pawn becomes weak and the b5-knight gets into trouble. 14...bxc5 15.dxc5 Bxc5 16.0-0 Re8 16...c6 17.Na4 Bd6 18.Nd4+- and the black knights are both at risk. 17.a3 d4 17...Nc6 18.Nb5+- 18.Nb5 d3 19.Rxc5 19.Bd1 Na6 20.Nxc7 Nxc7 21.Rxc5± 19...dxe2 20.Re1 Nd3 21.Rxf5
A rather complicated situation. 21...Nxe1 After 21...Qd7!? 22.Rg5 Rad8 23.h3 Ngxf2 White could force a perpetual check: 24.Rxg7+ Kxg7 25.Bh6+ Kh8 26.Qc3+ f6 27.Qxf6+ Kg8 28.Qg5+ 22.Nxe1 Qxd2 23.Bxd2 Rad8 24.Bc3± White has two pieces for the exchange and a pawn. However, the pawn on e2 must be carefully guarded. Rd1 25.f3 Ne3 26.Nxc7 Re7 27.Rc5 f6 28.Bb4 Kf7 29.h4 h5 30.Kf2 Rb1 31.Nd5 Nd1+ 32.Kg3 Re5 33.Nd3 Re8 34.Be1 Nxb2 35.Rb5 Rd1 36.Rxb2 Rxd3 37.Rb7+ Kf8 38.Nf4 Rxa3 39.Kf2 a5 40.Ra7 Ra4 41.g3
41...g5? After 41...Ra3 42.Rxa5 42.Nxh5 Ree3 43.f4 Rf3+ 44.Kxe2 Rae3+ 45.Kd2 Rd3+ is a perpetual check. 42...Rxa5 43.Bxa5 Kg8 44.Nxe2 Rb8 White's chances of winning are rather small. 42.hxg5 fxg5 43.Nxh5 Re5 44.g4 Ke8 45.Ng7+ Kf8 46.Nf5 Ra2 47.Ra8+ Kf7 48.Nd6+ Ke6 49.Nc4 Rb5 50.Rxa5 Rbxa5 51.Nxa5 Kd5 52.Ke3
White brings the knight to d2, captures the e-pawn and wins with his passed pawn on the kingside. 1–0

Hikaru Nakamura, Alireza Firouzja

Hikaru Nakamura obtained a third win in a row on Thursday | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Expert analysis by GM Daniel King

Abasov 0 - 1 Gukesh

Analysis by André Schulz

Abasov, Nijat26320–1Gukesh D2743
FIDE Candidates 2024
Toronto18.04.2024[Schulz,A]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 h6 An unusual move at this point in the Nimzo-Indian Classical Variation. The main moves are 4...0-0 4...c5 or 4...d5 5.Nf3 c5 6.dxc5 Na6 7.g3 Nxc5 8.Bg2 Nce4 9.0-0 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Bc5 11.e4 Nh7 12.e5 Rb8 13.Nd2 b6 14.Ne4 Bb7 15.h4 Qc7
The game has taken on the structure of the Sicilian Paulsen Variation, with the somewhat clumsy doubled pawns on the c-file. The chances are equal. 16.Rd1 Bxe4 17.Qxe4 0-0 18.Bf4 Rfd8 19.Rd2 Nf8 20.h5 Prevents Ng6. b5 21.cxb5 Rxb5 22.Bf1 Rb6 23.Rad1 Rdb8 24.a4 24.Bd3!? e.g.: Rb2 25.Kg2 Qa5 26.Qc4= 24...Rb3 25.Rd3 Ra3 26.Rf3? The move costs the a-pawn. 26.Bc1 Ra1 27.Bf4= 26...Qc6 27.Qxc6 dxc6 28.Rfd3 Rxa4 29.Bg2 Ra2 30.R1d2 Rxd2 31.Rxd2 Rc8 32.Be4 a5 33.Bc2 After 33.Ra2 Bb6 34.Kf1 Nd7 35.Ke2 Kf8 36.g4 converting Black's extra pawn into a win is not so easy. 33...g5 34.hxg6 Nxg6 35.Kg2 35.Bxh6 Nxe5 35...Kg7 36.Ba4 Ne7 37.c4 Rb8 38.Ra2 Bb4 39.Kf3 Rd8 40.Be3 Even after 40.Ke4 c5 41.Be3 Nf5 Black has a clear advantage. 40...Rd3
As the rook inflitrates, Black gets a clear initiative. 41.Ke2 Rc3 42.c5 Nd5 43.Rc2 Rxc2+ 44.Bxc2 a4 45.Kd3 45.Bxa4?? Nc3+ 45...a3 46.Bb3 Kg6 47.Bd4 Kg5 48.Kc4 Be1 49.Kd3 Kg4 50.Bd1+ Kg5 51.Bb3 Kf5 White is in zugzwang. 52.Kc4 52.Ba2?? Nb4+ 52.Ke2 Bc3 52...Ke4 53.Bd1 a2 54.f3+ Kf5 55.Bc2+ Kg5 56.Bb3
White grabs the annoying passed pawn. But a new one is created on the other wing. 56...Bxg3 57.Bxa2 h5 0–1

Nijat Abasov

Nijat Abasov | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Caruana 1 - 0 Vidit

Analysis by André Schulz

Caruana, Fabiano28031–0Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi2727
FIDE Candidates 2024
Toronto18.04.2024[Schulz,A]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Nbd2 0-0 9.h3 Ne7 10.Re1 Ng6 11.a5 c6 12.Bb3 Re8 13.d4 d5 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Nxe5 Rxe5 16.exd5 Rxe1+ 17.Qxe1 Nxd5 18.Bc2 Be6
Black has come out of the opening quite well. 19.Nf3 Qd7 20.c4 Ne7?! Black is then gradually pushed back. 20...Nf6!? 21.Qc3 21.Bg5 Bxh3 22.gxh3 Qxh3 23.Bxf6 Qg3+ 24.Kf1 Qxf3-+ 21.Be3 Bxe3 22.Qxe3 Bxc4 21...Bxh3 22.gxh3 Qxh3 23.c5 Qg4+ 24.Kf1 Qh3+ with a perpetual check. 21.Be3 Bxe3 22.Qxe3 Rd8 23.Qc5 h6 24.b3 Qc7 25.Re1 Kf8
Black is running out of moves, as the e7-knight is a big problem and doesn't have a good square available. 26.Re3 Ke8 27.Qh5 Kf8 28.Qc5 Ke8 All Black can do is wait and see. 29.g4 Qf4 30.Kg2 Rd7 31.Re4 Qd6 32.Qe3 c5 33.Re5 Nc6 Finally the knight comes into play, but at the cost of a pawn. 34.Rd5 Qc7 35.Rxc5 Re7 36.Qc3 Qd6 37.Rh5?! Stronger was 37.b4+- 37...f6 38.Bg6+ Kd8 39.Qe3 Kc8 40.Qb6 Kb8? Tougher was 40...Qf4 with the idea Bxg4. 41.Bf5 Bxf5 42.Rxf5 Qc7± 41.Rc5 Threatening Rxc6 and Qd8+ Bd7 42.b4 Now b5 is always hanging in the air. Qf4 43.Bf5 43.b5! axb5 44.cxb5 Bxg4 45.Ng1+- 43...Bxf5 44.Rxf5 Qc7 45.Qc5 Re4 46.Qd5 Re2
47.b5 Nxa5 48.Nd4 Rb2 49.bxa6 Nc6 49...Nxc4 50.Qg8+ Ka7 51.Nb5++- 50.Qg8+ Nd8 50...Ka7 51.Nb5++- 51.Rd5 Ka7 52.Rxd8 1–0

Fabiano Caruana

Fabiano Caruana | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Expert analysis by IM Robert Ris

Standings after round 12

Rk.NameRtg.Nt.Pts.n
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
TBPerf.
1
Gukesh D
2743
7.5
12
½
½ ½
½ ½
1 ½
½ 1
0
1 1
40.75
2835
2
Nakamura,H
2789
7.5
12
½
½
½ 1
½ 1
0 0
1 1
½ 1
40.50
2832
3
Nepomniachtchi,I
2758
7.5
12
½ ½
½
½
½ ½
1 1
1 ½
½ ½
40.50
2829
4
Caruana,F
2803
7.0
12
½ ½
½ 0
½
½
½ 1
½ 1
1 ½
36.75
2791
5
Praggnanandhaa R
2747
6.0
12
0 ½
½ 0
½ ½
½
1 ½
½ ½
1
33.50
2749
6
Vidit,S
2727
5.0
12
½ 0
1 1
0 0
½ 0
0 ½
1
½
31.25
2699
7
Firouzja,A
2760
4.5
12
1
0 0
0 ½
½ 0
½ ½
0
½ 1
25.25
2657
8
Abasov,N
2632
3.0
12
0 0
½ 0
½ ½
0 ½
0
½
½ 0
19.50
2572
TBs: Sonneborn-Berger

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1.e4 4 c5 10 2.Nf3 5       d6 4 3.d4 14 cxd4 6 4.Nxd4 3 Nf6 6 5.Nc3 4 e5 5 6.Bb5+ 3:44       Nbd7 30 7.Nf5 4:07 a6 43 8.Ba4 9:20 8.Nxd6+? Bxd6 9.Qxd6 axb5-+ 8...b5 14 9.Bb3 3 Nc5 5 10.Bg5 1:40 aiming for Bd5. Bxf5 6 White is slightly better. 11.exf5 1:54 Be7 5       12.Bxf6 5:30 Bxf6 1:43 13.0-0 10:14 e4 2:43 14.Nxe4 9:35 Nxe4 1:16 15.Re1 20 15.Qd5!? 0-0 15...Ng5? 16.Rae1+ Kf8 17.h4± 16.Qxe4 15...0-0! 8 16.Rxe4 3       Black needs to defend precisely. Bxb2 14 Black is weak on the light squares 17.Rb1 2 Bf6 3:52 18.Qd5 2:38 Rc8 6:37       19.Qb7 12:29 Rc5 34:27 20.Qxa6 1:21 Rxf5 4:27 21.Rd1 4:45 White is more active. d5 2:49 22.Rb4 20:56       22.Qxb5? dxe4 23.Bxf7+ Rxf7-+ 22...Bc3 20:10 23.Rxb5 23 Rxf2 7 24.Rbxd5 10:18 Of course not 24.Kxf2?! Qh4+ 25.Kg1 Bd4+ 26.Kh1 Be5= 24...Qh4 31 25.Qd3 2:31 Rf6 2:45 26.g3 2:30 26.Qxc3? is a self mate. Qf2+ 27.Kh1 Qf1+ 28.Rxf1 Rxf1# 26...Qb4 3:18 27.Kg2 2:48 Bb2 0 28.Rf5 2:58 g6 9:41 29.Rxf6 3 Bxf6 4 30.Qf3 17 Qe7 4 31.a4 56 Kg7 1:28 32.a5 16 White should play 32.Bd5 32...Ra8= 2:55 33.Rd5 1:03 33.Qxa8!? Qe2+ 34.Kh3= 33...Ra7 5 34.Rb5 1:38 Qd8 1:25 35.Rd5 54 Qc7 1:35 But not 35...Qa8?! 36.a6 36.h4 52 Rxa5 6:15 37.Rxa5 4 Qxa5 3 38.Qb7 3 Qd8 22 39.Qxf7+ 6 Kh6 1 40.Kh3 0 Qe7 0 41.Qc4 2:23 Qe3 52 Weighted Error Value: White=0.08 (flawless) /Black=0.08 (flawless) . Mistake: White=1 --- Inaccurate: White=2 Black=5 OK: White=13 Black=15 Best: White=1 Black=1 Strong: --- Black=1 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Caruana,F2803Nakamura,H2789½–½2024B56FIDE Candidates 20241.1
Abasov,N2632Nepomniachtchi,I2758½–½2024D53FIDE Candidates 20241.2
Firouzja,A2760Praggnanandhaa R2747½–½2024C83FIDE Candidates 20241.3
Gukesh D2743Vidit,S2727½–½2024D40FIDE Candidates 20241.4
Praggnanandhaa R2747Gukesh D27430–12024E20FIDE Candidates 20242.1
Nakamura,H2789Vidit,S27270–12024C65FIDE Candidates 20242.2
Nepomniachtchi,I2758Firouzja,A27601–02024C65FIDE Candidates 20242.3
Caruana,F2803Abasov,N26321–02024B30FIDE Candidates 20242.4
Gukesh D2743Nepomniachtchi,I2758½–½2024E01FIDE Candidates 20243.1
Abasov,N2632Nakamura,H2789½–½2024D13FIDE Candidates 20243.2
Firouzja,A2760Caruana,F2803½–½2024B30FIDE Candidates 20243.3
Vidit,S2727Praggnanandhaa R27470–12024C70FIDE Candidates 20243.4
Nakamura,H2789Praggnanandhaa R2747½–½2024C78FIDE Candidates 20244.1
Nepomniachtchi,I2758Vidit,S27271–02024C67FIDE Candidates 20244.2
Caruana,F2803Gukesh D2743½–½2024C54FIDE Candidates 20244.3
Abasov,N2632Firouzja,A2760½–½2024E32FIDE Candidates 20244.4
Praggnanandhaa R2747Nepomniachtchi,I2758½–½2024C42FIDE Candidates 20245.1
Firouzja,A2760Nakamura,H27890–12024C54FIDE Candidates 20245.2
Gukesh D2743Abasov,N26321–02024C43FIDE Candidates 20245.3
Vidit,S2727Caruana,F2803½–½2024B30FIDE Candidates 20245.4
Nepomniachtchi,I2758Caruana,F2803½–½2024C47FIDE Candidates 20246.1
Gukesh D2743Nakamura,H2789½–½2024B27FIDE Candidates 20246.2
Vidit,S2727Firouzja,A27601–02024B57FIDE Candidates 20246.3
Praggnanandhaa R2747Abasov,N26321–02024D40FIDE Candidates 20246.4
Firouzja,A2760Gukesh D27431–02024D02FIDE Candidates 20247.1
Nakamura,H2789Nepomniachtchi,I2758½–½2024C42FIDE Candidates 20247.2
Caruana,F2803Praggnanandhaa R2747½–½2024C02FIDE Candidates 20247.3
Abasov,N2632Vidit,S2727½–½2024C65FIDE Candidates 20247.4
Praggnanandhaa R2747Firouzja,A2760½–½2024B47FIDE Candidates 20248.1
Vidit,S2727Gukesh D27430–12024C55FIDE Candidates 20248.2
Nakamura,H2789Caruana,F28031–02024C78FIDE Candidates 20248.3
Nepomniachtchi,I2758Abasov,N2632½–½2024C01FIDE Candidates 20248.4
Vidit,S2727Nakamura,H27891–02024C55FIDE Candidates 20249.1
Gukesh D2743Praggnanandhaa R2747½–½2024C77FIDE Candidates 20249.2
Firouzja,A2760Nepomniachtchi,I2758½–½2024A07FIDE Candidates 20249.3
Abasov,N2632Caruana,F2803½–½2024E40FIDE Candidates 20249.4
Praggnanandhaa R2747Vidit,S2727½–½2024C65FIDE Candidates 202410.1
Nakamura,H2789Abasov,N26321–02024B22FIDE Candidates 202410.2
Nepomniachtchi,I2758Gukesh D2743½–½2024C70FIDE Candidates 202410.3
Caruana,F2803Firouzja,A27601–02024B90FIDE Candidates 202410.4
Praggnanandhaa R2747Nakamura,H27890–12024D06FIDE Candidates 202411.1
Vidit,S2727Nepomniachtchi,I27580–12024C42FIDE Candidates 202411.2
Gukesh D2743Caruana,F2803½–½2024D35FIDE Candidates 202411.3
Firouzja,A2760Abasov,N26321–02024D04FIDE Candidates 202411.4
Nepomniachtchi,I2758Praggnanandhaa R2747½–½2024C01FIDE Candidates 202412.1
Nakamura,H2789Firouzja,A27601–02024C01FIDE Candidates 202412.2
Abasov,N2632Gukesh D27430–12024E32FIDE Candidates 202412.3
Caruana,F2803Vidit,S27271–02024C54FIDE Candidates 202412.4
Nepomniachtchi,I2758Nakamura,H2789½–½2024C64FIDE Candidates 202413.1
Praggnanandhaa R2747Caruana,F28030–12024B30FIDE Candidates 202413.2
Vidit,S2727Abasov,N2632½–½2024C42FIDE Candidates 202413.3
Gukesh D2743Firouzja,A27601–02024C65FIDE Candidates 202413.4
Nakamura,H2789Gukesh D2743½–½2024E51FIDE Candidates 202414.1
Caruana,F2803Nepomniachtchi,I2758½–½2024D35FIDE Candidates 202414.2
Firouzja,A2760Vidit,S2727½–½2024C67FIDE Candidates 202414.3
Abasov,N2632Praggnanandhaa R27470–12024E69FIDE Candidates 202414.4

A completely exhausted Ian Nepomniachtchi!

Vaishali and her mother, Nagalakshmi

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Carlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.
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