Decisive results in rapid and semi-classical

The second day of action at the Champions Showdown in Saint Louis featured several competitive encounters, with players demonstrating defensive skills to secure draws in critical positions. The exhibition event, which no longer follows the chess960 format used in previous editions, continues to provide entertainment for competitors and fans alike.

The key pairing of the day saw former leader Wesley So facing Fabiano Caruana. The blitz game ended in a draw after Caruana had amassed an advantage early on. In the rapid game, Caruana made the most of his chances and secured a win, gaining enough prize money to move into the lead. The semi-classical game also ended in a draw, with So showing tactical awareness to hold a difficult position. Despite falling to second place in the standings, So managed to avoid a larger setback by drawing two of the three games.

The Art of Initiative - The key to Opening Success

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In the other matchups, Hikaru Nakamura and Levon Aronian each won their mini-matches by scoring one win and two draws. Nakamura's victory came in his rapid game against Ray Robson, while Aronian defeated Leinier Dominguez in their semi-classical game. Robson remains in third place in the overall standings and will face leader Caruana on the final day of action in the exhibition event.

Caruana 2 - 1 So

The one decisive game of the mini-match saw Caruana winning with black after showing strong strategic play and proficient technique for conversion.

So, Wesley2747

0–1

Caruana, Fabiano2803

Champions Showdown Kings 2025 Saint Louis05.03.2025[Schulz,A]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bb4 5.e3 0-0 6.Bd2 Nbd7 7.Qc2 Re8 7...c6 8.Be2 b6 9.0-0 a5 10.a3 Bxc3 11.Bxc3 Ne4 12.Be1 Ba6 13.Bd3 h6 14.Bxe4 dxe4 15.Nd2 f5 16.f3 exf3 17.Nxf3 1-0 (72) Gukesh, D (2777) - Keymer, V (2733) Wijk aan Zee 2025 8.Rc1 Bf8 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Bd3 c6 11.0-0

A typical Carlsbad structure has now emerged from the Exchange Variation of the Queen's Gambit. However, the rook on c1 and the bishop on d2 are not on ideal squares. 11...g6 11...h6 12.Rfe1 Bd6 13.h3 Nb6 14.Re2 Be6 15.Be1 Nbd7 16.Nd2 Rc8 17.f4 0-1 (51) Krstulovic, A (2452) - Hovhannisyan, R (2619) Bajina Basta 2024 c5= 12.h3 Qe7 13.Rce1 Ne4 14.Bc1 White's play does not appear particularly purposeful, but nothing has gone wrong yet. f5 15.b3 Qg7 16.Nd2 16.Bb2 Bd6= 16...Ndf6 17.Nf3 Nd7 Black does not want to allow the knight to reach e5. 18.Nd2 Bd6 19.Bb2 After its interlude on d2, the bishop has now landed on b2. It remains a poor piece. Nxd2 20.Qxd2 Nf6 21.f3

Black is better due to his space advantage. However, if White manages to play e3-e4, the situation could change rapidly. 21...Qh6 21...Nh5!? 22.Bc1 Qh4 The threat of g3 is now somewhat unpleasant. 23.f4 Bd7 24.Qf2 Qh6 24...Qxf2+ 25.Rxf2 Re7 was also an option. 25.Ne2 a5 26.a4 b5

White is passive but has so far managed to keep Black's initiative under control. With the kingside closed, play now shifts to the queenside. 27.Nc3 Rab8 28.Qc2 Qf8 29.Kh2 Rbc8 30.Ne2 bxa4?! 30...Ne4!? 31.Bxe4 fxe4 with the idea of g5. 31.bxa4 c5 32.Ba6 Rc7 33.dxc5 Bxc5

Black has failed to maintain the tension, and the chances have now equalised. 34.Nd4? 34.Qb3= 34...Qd6 Threatens Bxd4 with a discovered attack. 35.Nb5 Bxb5 36.Bxb5 Bb4?! Stronger was 36...Bxe3 37.Qxc7 Qxc7 38.Bxe8 Bxc1 39.Rxc1 Qe7 with a significant advantage for Black due to the passed pawn on the d-file and White's vulnerable king. 37.Qd1 Rec8 After winning the exchange 37...Bxe1 38.Qxe1 White gets good compensation on the long diagonal. Ree7 39.Bb2 Kg7 40.Bd4 38.Bd2 38.Bb2!?= 38...Ne4 39.Bxb4 axb4 40.Qd4 Rc2 41.Bd3 Rd2 42.Rd1 Rxd1 43.Rxd1 Nc3 44.Rc1 44.Rd2= 44...Qc5 45.Qe5 b3? 45...Kf7 46.Qe6+ Kg7 47.Qd7+

A position with plenty of chances for mistakes under time pressure. 47...Kh8? 47...Kh6 48.g4 Rc7 49.Qe8 d4 50.g5+ Kg7= 48.a5? 48.Qb7+- wins the b-pawn. 48...b2 49.Re1 Qc7 50.Qe6 Rb8 51.a6 Kg7 52.Rf1 Rb6 53.Qe8 Rb8 54.Qe6 Rd8 55.Rf2 Na4 Threatens a fork on c5. 56.a7? White miscalculates. 56.Bb1 Nc5 57.Qe5+ Qxe5 58.fxe5 Nxa6 59.Rxb2= 56...Nc5 57.a8Q Rxa8 58.Qxd5 Rd8 59.Qc4 Rxd3

Winning a piece. Game over? Not just yet. With time running low, White forces Black to demonstrate the win. 60.Rxb2 Qd6 61.Rb5 Nd7 62.Ra5 Kh6 63.Ra6 Qd5 64.Qxd5 Rxd5 65.g4 Kg7 66.Ra7 Kf6 67.Kg3 h6 68.Ra6+ Kg7 69.Ra7 Kf7 70.Kf3 Ke6 71.Ra6+ Rd6 72.Ra5 Rc6 73.Ra8 Nf6 74.Rh8 Rc2 75.gxf5+ gxf5 76.Kg3 Kf7 77.Kh4 Kg6 78.Ra8 Rc3 79.Ra7 Rb3 80.Rc7 Ra3 81.Rb7 h5 82.Re7 Ne4 83.Re6+ Kf7 84.Rh6 Rxe3 85.Rxh5 Ke6 86.Rh6+ Kd5 87.Rh5 Nd6 88.Kg5 Ke4 89.Rh4 Rf3 90.Rh7 Rg3+ 91.Kf6 Kxf4 92.Rh4+ Ke3 93.Ke5 f4 94.Kxd6 f3 95.Ke5 f2 96.Re4+ Kf3 97.Rf4+ Kg2 0–1

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Wesley So and Fabiano Caruana | Photo: Crystal Fuller

Nakamura 2 - 1 Robson

The blitz encounter, the first one of the day, featured a sharp pawn race which ended drawn. Grandmaster Karsten Müller highlights the key moments of the endgame.

Nakamura, Hikaru2802

½–½

Robson, Ray2689

Champions Showdown Kings 2025 Saint Louis05.03.2025[Mueller,Karsten]

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.0-0 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 0-0 8.Nb3 e6 9.e4 Nc6 10.Qe2 d4 11.Nb1 e5 12.Rd1 b6 13.c3 Bg4 14.Bf3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 a5 16.cxd4 exd4 17.Bf4 Nd7 18.Qe2 a4 19.Nc1 Re8 20.Nd3 Qe7 21.Nd2 a3 22.Rac1 Nce5 23.Bxe5 Bxe5 24.b3 Bg7 25.f4 Nf6 26.Ne5 Rac8 27.Ndf3 Nd7 28.Nc6 Qe6 29.Ng5 Qd6 30.e5 Qf8 31.Nxd4 Nc5 32.Nb5 Rcd8 33.Rxd8 Rxd8 34.Nf3 h6 35.Nbd4 Qe8 36.Rd1 Rc8 37.h4 Ne6 38.h5 Nxd4 39.Nxd4 Bf8 40.hxg6 fxg6 41.Kg2 Rc3 42.Qe4 Bc5 43.Nf3 Re3 44.Qd5+ Kh8 45.Rd2

45...g5 Race of the passed pawns. The following fight is very sharp and both players are short of time. Many of the following lines are extremely deep and have a "clear computer flavor": 46.Qd8? Without queens Black has enough counterplay. After 46.f5+- White's attack wins sooner or later. 46...Qxd8 47.Rxd8+ Kg7 48.Rd2 Kg6 49.b4? This plays with fire. 49.fxg5 hxg5 50.g4= is completely equal. 49...Bxb4 50.Rd8? Now Black is winning. 50.Rc2 Bc5 51.fxg5 hxg5 52.g4 was the last chance to fight. 50...Re2+ 51.Kh3 Rxa2 52.Nd4 Bc5? 52...gxf4 53.gxf4 Rd2 54.f5+ Kh5 55.e6 a2-+ 53.f5+ Kf7 54.Nc6?

The wrong knight road. 54.Ne6 defends, e.g. Be7 55.Rh8 Re2 56.Rh7+ Ke8 57.f6 Bxf6 58.Nc7+ Kf8 59.exf6 Re5 60.Kg4 a2 61.Ne6+ Rxe6 62.Ra7 Re5 62...Rxf6 63.Rxa2 Kf7 64.Kh5= 63.Rxa2 Kf7 64.Kh5 White has stalemate tricks. Kxf6 65.Rb2 b5 66.Kxh6= 54...h5! 55.g4 Ra1? The wrong rook road. 55...Re2 wins, e.g. 56.Ra8 Re3+ 57.Kg2 hxg4 58.Ra7+ Kg8 59.f6 b5 60.Rg7+ Kf8 61.Nb8 Bb4 62.Ra7 Kg8 63.Rg7+ Kh8 64.Nc6 Bf8 65.Ra7 Kg8 66.Ra8 Re4 67.Ne7+ Kf7 68.Rxa3 Bxe7 69.fxe7 Kxe7 70.Kg3 Ke6 71.Ra6+ Kxe5-+ 56.e6+? White rushes. 56.Ra8 defends, e.g. hxg4+ 57.Kxg4 a2 58.Nd8+ Ke8 59.Ne6+ Kd7 60.Nxc5+ bxc5 61.e6+ Kd6 62.Ra6+ Ke7 63.Ra7+ Kd8 64.Ra8+ Ke7 65.Ra7+= 56...Kf6 57.Ra8 hxg4+ 58.Kh2 a2 59.Ra7 g3+ 60.Kh3 Rh1+ 60...Kxf5!? 61.e7 Bxe7 62.Nxe7+ Ke4-+ 61.Kg4 Rh4+ 62.Kxg3 Bd6+ 63.Kf3 63.Kf2 Kxf5 64.e7 Re4 65.Rxa2 Bxe7 66.Nxe7+ Rxe7-+ 63...Rh3+? The wrong check. 63...g4+ wins, e.g. 64.Ke4 g3+ 65.Kd5 65.Kf3 Rf4+ 66.Kg2 Rf2+ 67.Kh3 g2-+ 65...g2 66.Kxd6 Re4 66...g1Q?? 67.Rf7+ Kg5 68.Rg7++- 67.Rf7+ Kg5 68.Ra7 Kxf5-+ 64.Kg4?

The wrong king direction to the kingside. 64.Ke4 defends, e.g. g4 65.Rxa2 Rh1 65...Ra3 66.Rxa3 Bxa3 67.Kf4 b5 68.Kxg4 Bd6= 66.Ra7 Re1+ 67.Kd5 Rd1+= 64...Rg3+ 65.Kh5 Rh3+ 66.Kg4 Rg3+ 67.Kh5 Kxf5 68.Nd4+ Ke5 68...Kf6!? 69.Rxa2 Rh3+ 70.Kg4 Rh4+ 71.Kf3 Rxd4-+ 69.Nb5 69.e7 Bxe7 70.Nc6+ Kd6 71.Nxe7 Rg2 72.Kg6 b5-+ 69...Kxe6 70.Rxa2 Bf4 70...Bc5-+ 71.Ra6 Kf5 72.Nd4+ Ke4 73.Nb5 Kf5?! 73...Rh3+ 74.Kg6 g4-+ wins easier. 74.Nd4+ Ke4 75.Nb5 Be3 76.Nd6+ Kd5? This runs into a knight fork. Winning are 76...Kf3 77.Nf5 Rh3+ 78.Kg6 Rh8 79.Nxe3 Kxe3 80.Kxg5 Rb8-+ and 76...Kf4 77.Nf7 b5 78.Ra5 b4 79.Nxg5 Bd2-+ 77.Nf5! Rf3 78.Nxe3+ Rxe3 79.Rxb6 Rg3 80.Rb5+ Ke4 81.Rxg5 Rxg5+ 82.Kxg5 What an amazingly sharp fight! ½–½

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Navigating the Ruy Lopez Vol.1-3

The Ruy Lopez is one of the oldest openings which continues to enjoy high popularity from club level to the absolute world top. In this video series, American super GM Fabiano Caruana, talking to IM Oliver Reeh, presents a complete repertoire for White.

Hikaru Nakamura | Photo: Crystal Fuller

Arnoian 2 - 1 Dominguez

In the one decisive game of the mini-match, Aronian gained a couple of pawns in the middlegame and converted his material advantage in an ending with rooks and bishops of opposite colours. However, on move 28, he failed to find a fine tactical shot which would have probably led to a quicker win.

Aronian's 28.c5 is very natural and keeps White's advantage, but 28.Bd5 is much more forcing - 28...exd5 fails immediately to 29.Rxe7, while the threat is to break open the centre via a temporary sacrifice on e6.

Still, the Armenian-born star got the win by move 52.

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Master Class Vol.17 - Boris Spassky

In this video course, experts including Dorian Rogozenco, Mihail Marin, Karsten Müller and Oliver Reeh, examine the games of Boris Spassky. Let them show you which openings Spassky chose to play, where his strength in middlegames were and much more.

Leinier Dominguez facing Levon Aronian | Photo: Crystal Fuller

Links

• Official website
• Fabiano Caruana wins Chess 9LX Showdown in Saint Louis (2024)
• Sevian beats Kasparov and Caruana to win Chess 9LX tournament (2023)
• Caruana beats Firouzja in Armageddon, wins Champions Showdown (2022)
• Leinier Dominguez wins Champions Showdown in Saint Louis (2021)
• Chess 9LX: Carlsen and Nakamura share first place (2020)
• Caruana beats Kasparov with a day to spare (2019)