12/11/2023 – Magnus Carlsen defeated two of his strongest rivals on Sunday to keep his perfect score at the Champions Chess Tour Finals. The former world champion defeated Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura in consecutive rounds. Joining him in the lead is Wesley So, who got the better of Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Alireza Firouzja. | Photo: chess.com / Thomas Tischio
Your personal chess trainer. Your toughest opponent. Your strongest ally. FRITZ 20 is more than just a chess engine – it is a training revolution for ambitious players and professionals. Whether you are taking your first steps into the world of serious chess training, or already playing at tournament level, FRITZ 20 will help you train more efficiently, intelligently and individually than ever before.
Winning starts with what you know The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.
From Mating with a queen; a rook; two bishops; a knight and a bishop; to the basics of pawn endgames – here you will gain the necessary know-how to turn your endgame advantages into victories!
€39.90
Not a fan of the predictions
The commentators at the Champions Chess Tour Finals in Toronto often share their predictions before each match. A fierce competitor, Magnus Carlsen confessed that he pays attention to what the pundits predict before his games. The Norwegian jokingly pointed out that he takes notice, especially when they do not envision him as the winner!
The Indian chess grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi with an ELO of over 2700 (June 2023) is one of the best 20 players in the world. For the first time, the sympathetic top player presents himself in a video course. Let a world-class player show you tactical moti
For the time being, things are going great for Carlsen, though, as he defeated two of his strongest rivals on day 2 of the competition. First, he got a 1½-½ victory over Fabiano Caruana, and then he got the better of Hikaru Nakamura in the Armageddon decider. Carlsen thus has collected four wins in as many matches.
Also with a perfect score is Wesley So, who so far has defeated Nakamura, Denis Lazavik, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Alireza Firouzja.
Two players have won twice and lost twice so far in Toronto, Caruana and Nodirbek Abdusattorov, while the remaining four participants have each collected a single win and three losses. The top two in the final standings of the single round-robin will advance directly to the semifinals, those placed third to sixth will move on to a ‘survival tage’, and the bottom two finishers will be knocked out of the competition.
Coming from consecutive losses in his first two matches on Saturday, Hikaru Nakamura bounced right back by scoring the first 2-0 victory of the event, against Alireza Firouzja. The other marquee match of the round saw Magnus Carlsen beating Fabiano Caruana with black and then drawing with white to collect his third match win of the tournament.
The remaining two matches went to Armageddon, with Wesley So holding a draw with black against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (to win the match), and Nodirbek Abdusattorov beating Denis Lazavik with white in a long, technical endgame — analysed below by GM Karsten Müller, with additions by the ever-helpful Wolfram Schön and Zoran Petronijevic.
Most players prefer to attack rather than defend. But what is the correct way to do it? GM Dr Karsten Müller has compiled many rules and motifs to guide you, along with sharpening your intuition for the exceptions.
Denis Lazavik and Nodirbek Abdusattorov | Photo: chess.com / Thomas Tischio
Round 4: Carlsen chooses white
The fourth round saw 17-year-old Denis Lazavik getting his first win of the event, as he beat Maxime Vachier-Lagrave with white in the Armageddon decider. Similarly, Magnus Carlsen got the white pieces in the sudden-death game against Hikaru Nakamura and obtained the win he needed to take down the famous streamer. Carlsen did not risk not getting the white pieces.
Wesley So, coincidentally, also played white and won in Armageddon, as he inflicted Alireza Firouzja’s second loss of the day.
In the one match that was decided ‘in regulation’ — i.e. after two games — Nodirbek Abdusattorov scored back-to-back wins to beat Fabiano Caruana, who had entered the second day of action sharing the lead with Carlsen and So.
The repertoire against the Giuoco Pianissimo examined on this video course, provides Black with methods of evading this slightly one-sided pattern, yielding sound play in double-edged positions.
Alireza Firouzja | Photo: chess.com / Thomas Tischio
Carlos Alberto ColodroCarlos 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.
In this 60-minute course, IM Andrew Martin presents an unorthodox and powerful antidote: Aiming to seize the initiative early and steer the game into unfamiliar waters.
Opening videos: Mihail Marin on Caruana's shocker in the English Opening – New series ‘Mikhalchishin's Miniatures’: Sicilian O'Kelly, Classical Sicilian and QG Exchange Variation. ‘Lucky bag’ with 39 analyses by Berg, Edouard and many more.
In this brand-new 60 Minutes course, Nico Zwirs shows you how to combine direct attacking play with the powerful light-square strategy to tackle the Najdorf
How much opening prep is really necessary - especially in blitz and rapid games? The idea of a “lazy” but smart repertoire: minimal theory, rich ideas, and easy-to-remember structures.
Whether you‘re a beginner looking for a clear roadmap or an advanced player ready to refine your strategic edge, this comprehensive course will transform the way you think about chess.
€49.90
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.
Pop-up for detailed settings
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies, analysis cookies and marketing cookies. You can decide which cookies to use by selecting the appropriate options below. Please note that your selection may affect the functionality of the service. Further information can be found in our privacy policy.
Technically required cookies
Technically required cookies: so that you can navigate and use the basic functions and store preferences.
Analysis Cookies
To help us determine how visitors interact with our website to improve the user experience.
Marketing-Cookies
To help us offer and evaluate relevant content and interesting and appropriate advertisement.
