Candidates R7: Nepo sole leader as Firouzja beats Gukesh

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
4/12/2024 – At the halfway mark in the Candidates Tournament, Ian Nepomniachtchi tops the standings with 4½ points to his name. Former co-leader Gukesh D was defeated by Alireza Firouzja, who came from losing 3 out of the first 6 games he played in Toronto. Gukesh is now sharing second place — a half point behind Nepomniachtchi — with Praggnanandhaa R and Fabiano Caruana. Rounds 8-10 will take place between Saturday and Monday, following the tournament’s second rest day. | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

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Firouzja bounces back

After Ian Nepomniachtchi grabbed the sole lead in round 4 of the Candidates Tournament, we pointed out that the Russian GM had similarly climbed to sole first place in the tournament’s previous edition (which he ended up winning). Three rounds later, Nepomniachtchi regained the sole lead thanks to Firouzja’s victory over former co-leader Gukesh D.

Nepo was also the sole leader at the halfway mark in Madrid, though back then he had impressively collected 5½ points by round 7 (he beat Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Ding Liren in rounds 5 and 6), while he is now atop the standings ‘only’ with 4½ points to his name.

If we continue looking for coincidences between the two editions, we note that Fabiano Caruana also stood a half point behind Nepo in 2022 — back then, though, he was in sole second place, while now he is tied for second with Praggnanandhaa R and Gukesh D.

Two other parallelisms can be made between the events in Madrid and Toronto: i.e. the number of points achieved by Firouzja and Hikaru Nakamura after seven rounds of play. Nakamura finished the first half of both events with 3½ points, while an out-of-form Firouzja collected 2½ points on both occasions.

Firouzja signed 3 draws and suffered 3 losses in the first six rounds of the tournament in Toronto. After a painful loss against Vidit on Wednesday, though, the 20-year-old bounced immediately back with a victory over Gukesh. Since Nepo did not have a first half as strong as his first half in Madrid, Firouzja stands not 3 but 2 points behind the leader this time around — still with outside (yet realistic) chances of fighting for the title.

Results - Round 7

NameRtg.Nt.Pts.Pts.NameRtgNt.
Caruana,F
2803
3½
½-½
3½
Praggnanandhaa R
2747
Nakamura,H
2789
3
½-½
4
Nepomniachtchi,I
2758
Firouzja,A
2760
1½
1-0
4
Gukesh D
2743
Abasov,N
2632
1½
½-½
3
Vidit,S
2727

Fabiano Caruana

A half point behind the leader — Fabiano Caruana drew Praggnanandhaa with white in the seventh round | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Firouzja 1 - 0 Gukesh

Analysis by André Schulz

Firouzja, Alireza27601–0Gukesh D2743
FIDE Candidates 2024
Toronto11.04.2024[Schulz,A]
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 d5 3.e3 c5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Nbd2 Qb6 5...Nc6 6.c3 cxd4 7.exd4 Nh5 8.Be3 Bd6 9.Bb5 Nf4 10.0-0 Ng6= ½-½ Firouzja,A (2777)-Dominguez Perez,L (2745) Sinquefield Cup 10th Saint Louis 2023 (4) 6.Rb1 cxd4 7.exd4 Bd7 8.c3 Bb5 9.h4 Nbd7 10.Rh3 Be7 11.h5 h6 12.a4 Bxf1 13.Kxf1 0-0 14.Kg1 Qc6
15.Ne5 Nxe5 16.dxe5 Nd7 17.Rg3 Kh8 18.a5 Sacrificed or defenestrated? White always gets compensation in the form of initiative. Qc7 19.Nf3 Qxa5 20.c4 20.Qc1 would be the prelude to a draw: Kh7 21.Qc2+ Kh8 22.Qc1= 20...Rg8 21.Ra1?! 21.cxd5 Qxd5 22.Qxd5 exd5 23.Rd1 Nb6 24.Nd4 Bc5 25.Nf5 d4= 21...Qb4 22.b3 Nc5 23.Nd4 Ne4 24.Re3 Qc5
Black has counterplay. White's initiative has somewhat evaporated. 25.Rc1 Rgd8 25...Rgc8!? 26.b4 Qxb4 26...Qb6 27.cxd5 exd5 28.Nf5 Bxb4 29.Rb1 a5 27.cxd5
27...Nxf2 Black had prepared this move. For the piece, he gets to put pressure on his opponent by creating a number of pins. 28.Kxf2 Rxd5 29.Re4 29.Rd3 Rad8 30.Be3 Bc5 31.Rb1 Qa5 32.Rxb7 Rxe5 33.Qd2 Qxd2+ 34.Rxd2 Red5= with three pawns for the piece. 29...Rad8 29...a5 30.Qd2 Qxd2+ 31.Bxd2 a4 32.Nf3 a3 33.Bb4 Ra4 34.Bxe7 Rxe4 35.Bxa3= 30.Be3 Bc5 31.Qb3 Qxb3 32.Nxb3 Bxe3+ 33.Rxe3
Here too Black has three pawns for the piece. The chances are equal. 33...a5 34.Rc7 a4 35.Nc5 Ra8 35...b5 36.Rf3 Rxe5 37.Rfxf7 a3 38.Rxg7 Rxc5 39.Rh7+ Kg8 40.Rcg7+ with perpetual check. 36.Nd7 Kh7?? Black wants to avoid a mating attack, but only makes things worse. Black must be careful: 36...b5 37.Rf3 a3?? Correct is 37...Rd2+ 38.Kg3 a3 39.Rxf7 Rxd7 40.Rfxd7 a2 41.Ra7 a1Q 42.Rxa1 Rxa1= 38.Rxa3 Rxa3 39.Rc8+ Kh7 40.Nf8+ Kg8 41.Ng6+ Kh7 42.Rh8# Also leads to a draw 36...Rd2+ 37.Kg1 b5 38.Rf3 b4 39.Rxf7 Rxd7 40.Rfxd7 b3= 37.Rf3 a3 37...Rd2+ no longer works: 38.Kg3 a3 39.Rxf7 Rxd7 40.Rfxd7 a2 41.Rxg7+ Kh8 42.Rh7+ Kg8 43.Rcg7+ Kf8 44.Rh8+ Kxg7 45.Rxa8+- 38.Rxf7 Kh8 39.Nf8 a2
40.Ng6+ Black will be checkmated. 40.Ng6+ Kh7 41.Rxg7# 1–0

Dommaraju Gukesh

Dommaraju Gukesh | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Nakamura ½ - ½ Nepomniachtchi

Analysis by André Schulz

Nakamura, Hikaru2789½–½Nepomniachtchi, Ian2758
FIDE Candidates 2024
Toronto11.04.2024[Schulz,A]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 8.c4 c6 9.Re1 Nepomniachtchi has plenty of experience on the Petroff Defence. 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Bg4 12.Rb1 Nd7 13.h3 Bh5 14.Rb5 Nf6 15.Bg5 a6 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.Rxd5 Bxf3 18.Qxf3 Qxf3 19.gxf3 Rfd8 20.c4 Ba3 21.Be4 Rxd5 22.Bxd5 Rd8 23.Bxb7 Rxd4 24.Bxa6 Rd2 25.Re1 25.Rb1 g6 26.Rb5 Rxa2 27.Bb7 Rb2 28.Bd5 Rxb5 29.cxb5 Bc5 30.Kg2 Kg7 ½-½ Anand,V (2754)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2779) Global Chess League Dubai rapid 2023 (3.1) 25...g6 26.c5 Bxc5 27.Re2 Rxe2 28.Bxe2 Ba3 29.Kg2 Kg7 30.f4 f5 31.Bc4 Kf6 32.Bg8 Kg7 33.Bc4 Kf6 34.Bg8 Kg7 35.Bc4 ½-½ Rapport,R (2748)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2771) Sinquefield Cup 10th Saint Louis 2023 (1) 9...Bf5 10.Qb3 10.Qc2 Na6 11.a3 Bg6 12.Be3 Rc8 13.Nc3 Nxc3 14.Qxc3 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 dxc4 16.Qxc4 Nc7 ½-½ Vidit,S (2742)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2769) Tata Steel-A 86th Wijk aan Zee 2024 (3) 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Bxd3 12.Qxd3 dxc4 13.Qxc4 Nd7 14.Qb3 Qc7 15.c4 Rfe8 16.g3 b6 1-0 Carlsen,M (2839)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2771) AI Cup Div 1 W Chess.com INT rapid 2023 (2.3) 10...Qd7 11.c5 11.Be3 Re8 12.Nc3 dxc4 13.Bxc4 Nxc3 14.Qxc3 Na6 15.Ne5 Bxe5 16.dxe5 Nc7 ½-½ Vachier Lagrave,M (2747)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2779) Global Chess League Dubai rapid 2023 (2.1) 11...Bc7 12.g3 12.Nc3 Re8 13.Be3 h6 14.Nh4 Bh7 15.g3 Bd8 16.Nf3 Bf6 17.Rad1 Na6 18.Bxe4 dxe4 19.Ne5 Bxe5 20.dxe5 Qe7 ½-½ Maghsoodloo,P (2740)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2769) Tata Steel-A 86th Wijk aan Zee 2024 (7) 12...a5 12...b6 13.Be3 Re8 13...bxc5 14.dxc5 a5= 14.Nbd2 Qd8 15.Qc2 bxc5 16.dxc5 Nxd2 17.Bxd2 Bxd3 18.Rxe8+ Qxe8 19.Qxd3 Nd7 20.Re1 Qd8 21.b4± 1-0 Esipenko,A (2679)-Dragnev,V (2593) Sharjah Masters 6th 2023 (1) 13.Nbd2 Be6=
14.Qxb7 Nxf2 15.Bxh7+ 15.Kxf2?? Bxg3+-+ 15.Qxa8 Nxd3 16.Re3 Nb4 15...Kxh7 16.Qxa8 Nh3+ 17.Kg2 Bg4 Black has sufficient compensation for the lost exchange. 18.Qb7 Re8 19.Qb3 Rxe1 20.Nxe1 Qe6 Droht Matt nach De2. 21.Qd3+ Bf5 21...Kg8 22.Nef3 Nd7= 22.Qf1 Nd7 23.Nef3 Nf6 24.Ng1 Kg8 25.Qe2 25.Ndf3!? Ne4 26.a4 g5 27.Qe2 25...Ne4 26.a4
Black now captures the white queen with a clever combination... 26...Bxg3 27.hxg3 Nf4+ 28.gxf4 Qg6+ 29.Kf1 29.Kh2?? Qg3+ 30.Kh1 Nf2+ 31.Qxf2 Qxf2 32.Ra3 Qxd4 33.Kg2 Qxc5-+ Black gets a few more pawns here. 29...Ng3+ 30.Ke1 Nxe2 31.Nxe2 ...but also gives away some of his own material. Bg4 32.Ra3 Bxe2 33.Kxe2 Qg1 34.Nb3 Qg2+ 35.Kd1 Qf3+ 36.Kc2 Qe4+ 37.Kc3 Qf3+ 38.Kc2 Qe4+ 39.Kc3 Qf3+ 40.Kc2 Qe4+ You can't get more than a perpetual check. ½–½

Ian Nepomniachtchi

On his way to a third Candidates victory in a row? — Ian Nepomniachtchi | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Expert analysis by IM Robert Ris

Standings after round 7

Rk.NameRtg.Nt.Pts.n
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
TBPerf.
1
Nepomniachtchi,I
2758
4.5
7
½
½
½
½
1
1
½
14.75
2845
2
Gukesh D
2743
4.0
7
½
½
1
½
½
0
1
13.75
2795
3
Caruana,F
2803
4.0
7
½
½
½
½
½
½
1
13.00
2787
4
Praggnanandhaa R
2747
4.0
7
½
0
½
½
1
½
1
12.75
2795
5
Nakamura,H
2789
3.5
7
½
½
½
½
0
1
½
11.75
2739
6
Vidit,S
2727
3.5
7
0
½
½
0
1
1
½
11.00
2747
7
Firouzja,A
2760
2.5
7
0
1
½
½
0
0
½
9.00
2641
8
Abasov,N
2632
2.0
7
½
0
0
0
½
½
½
7.00
2603
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

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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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