Chennai Masters R4: Gukesh beats Predke, joins Harikrishna in the lead

by Shahid Ahmed
12/18/2023 – D Gukesh scored his first win of the event against Alexandr Predke in the fourth round of the Chennai Grand Masters. Gukesh joined Pentala Harikrishna in the lead with 2.5/4 points each. Harikrishna had a well contested draw against Levon Aronian. Parham Maghsoodloo also scored his first win of the event, against Sanan Sjugirov. Arjun Erigaisi had a well contested draw against Pavel Eljanov. Five players are trailing the leaders at 2/4 each. They are Aronian, Eljanov, Maghsoodloo, Sjugirov and Arjun. | Photos: Shahid Ahmed
In this Fritztrainer: “Attack like a Super GM” with Gukesh we touch upon all aspects of his play, with special emphasis on how you can become a better attacking player.

Gukesh and Maghsoodloo score

Levon Aronian elaborated on his previous day's tweet reply. He shared,

...I think serving more than two terms always leads to trouble. Because you know leadership is something that is very infectious. It's something you want to do forever. But no matter how good of a leader you are. You know eventually you are going to start developing those bad traits, that belonged to all of the leaders that stayed for too long. So it's my personal opinion and I think that when you make such decisions, lot of good things that you do, get undone... I don't like the decision and I am disappointed in FIDE, which I was not up to that moment.

Chennai Grand Masters 2023 Official logo

Gukesh - Predke: 1-0

GM D Gukesh and GM Alexandr Predke played only two rated games against each other. Both occurred in 2019 and ended in draws.

Gukesh - Predke
Position after 24.Kg3

Gukesh hadn't started using an engine until recently. So he plays humane moves like 24.Kg3 which is safe for the moment because it cannot be harmed for now. Of course, it will not stay like that for the rest of the game, as it is prone to future attacks.

Position after 33...h5??

The final mistake by Black was 33...h5?? Despite the white king seeming to be quite vulnerable, it's the e6-pawn which decides the fate of the game. 34.e7 Rxg4 35.e8Q+ Kh7 36.Bxf7 and White won the game in the next few moves.

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Position not in LiveBook
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e5 4.0-0 Be7 5.Re1 Nd4 6.Nxd4 cxd4 7.c3 Nf6 8.cxd4 exd4 9.d3 0-0 10.Nd2 d5 11.e5 Nd7 12.Nf3 Qb6 13.Ba4 Nc5 14.Bc2 Bg4 15.h3 Bh5 16.g4 Bg6 17.Nxd4 Ne6 18.Nf3 18.Nf5!?= 18...Rac8 19.Bb3 Qb5 20.d4 Bb4 20...Rfd8!? 21.Re3 Nf4? The prophylactic retreat 21...Be7= was called for. 22.Bd2? Too slow. 22.Nh4! Rfd8 23.Nf5 gives Gukesh a very strong attack. 22...Nxh3+?! Black plays with fire. 22...Be7= was safer. 23.Kg2 Nf4+ 24.Kg3 Ne6?! 24...Bxd2 25.Qxd2 Ne6 is more precise. 25.a4 The direct 25.Bxb4! Qxb4 26.Bxd5 is objectivly better and better for White as now Rcd8 can be met by 27.Qb3 Qxb3 28.Bxb3 Nxd4 29.Nxd4 Rxd4 30.Rc1 h5 31.gxh5 Bxh5 32.f3 Kh7 33.Rc7± 25...Qa5 26.Bxb4 Qxb4 27.Bxd5 Rc2? In the end this leads nowhere. The deep 27...Rcd8‼ 28.Rb3 28.Qb3 Qxb3 29.Bxb3 Nxd4 30.Nxd4 Rxd4 31.Rc1 h5 32.gxh5 Bxh5 33.f3 Rb4= 28...Qe7 29.Rxb7 Qe8 is given by the enignes and gives Black good compensation. 28.b3 A really cool move. Rd8 29.Bc4 Nxd4 30.Nxd4 Rd2 31.Qe1! Pin and win. R8xd4 32.e6 The ram opens the gates. 32.Ra2+- was also very strong and is favored by the engines. 32...Qd6+?! The wrong order of moves. First 32...Rxc4 had to be played: 33.bxc4 Qd6+ 34.f4 Now 34.Kh3? can be met by fxe6 35.Rxe6 Qf4= 34...fxe6 35.Rxe6 Rd3+ 36.Re3 h5 with more counterplay. But White should win also here. 33.Kh3! The right hiding place. h5?! Now White is just quicker. 33...fxe6 is more tenacious due to 34.Rxe6 R2d3+ 35.Kg2 Rxc4 36.Rxd6 Rxg4+ 37.Kf1 Rxd6 38.Rd1+- White should win in the long run. 34.e7 Rxg4 After 34...hxg4+ White's king can find shelter with 35.Kg2 Qc6+ 36.Kg1+- 35.e8Q+ Kh7 36.Bxf7 Qf6 36...Bxf7 37.Qxf7 Rg5 38.Qb1+ Rg6 39.Qbf5+- 37.Bxg6+ Kh6 38.Qh8+ Gukesh comes first. Kxg6 39.Re6 Rh4+ 40.Kg2 Rg4+ 41.Kf1 Rxf2+ 42.Qxf2 Qxe6 43.Re1 Qa6+ 44.Re2 Black has no check and it is over. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Gukesh D2720Predke,A26891–02023B30Chennai Grand Masters 20234.1

Gukesh on his first win at the Chennai Grand Masters 2023 | Video: ChessBase India

Gukesh = Human AlphaZero - Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India

Gukesh handed Alexandr Predke his second consecutive loss of the event

Ukraine no.1 Pavel Eljanov vs India no.4 Arjun Erigaisi | Video: ChessBase India

Pavel Eljanov and Arjun Erigaisi had a well contested draw

Levon Aronian - Pentala Harikrishna: 0.5-0.5 

Harikrishna draws against Aronian to maintain lead | Video: ChessBase India

More than two terms always leads to trouble - Levon Aronian | Video: ChessBase India

Maghsoodloo - Sjugirov: 1-0

GM Parham Maghsoodloo and GM Sanan Sjugirov have defeated each other once in Classical and Rapid games. Both took place in Hungary. Maghsoodloo, in search of his first win of the event, was determined to score one in this round.

Parham - Sjugirov
Position after 22.Rc3
After 22.Rc3 one can see the white king being surrounded by pawns only, whereas the black king is under heavy fire by queen, rook and bishop. 22...Qe7 23.Kg1 Re6 24.Bd3 Rxe3 25.Kh2 and White found a nice shelter for his king. Rd6 26.Rf1 Rxd3 — a desperate exchange sacrifice did not help Black. White soon went on to realize his advantage.

I ate an ice cream so I was 99% sure that I would win — Parham Maghsoodloo | Video: ChessBase India

Parham's classy opening preparation in the Ragozin - Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India

GM Parham Maghsoodloo - GM Sanan Sjugirov: 1-0

Round 4 in progress

For more photos, please click here.

Gukesh unleashed - IM Sagar Shah's Chennai Grand Masters 2023 Round 4 summary | Video: ChessBase India

The Amazing Setup Tour of the Production of Chennai Grand Masters 2023 | Video: ChessBase India

Those who wish to spectate the tournament at the venue, please click here and check the procedure.

Replay Round 4 live stream

Replay the round-4 live commentary by IM Sagar Shah, Amruta Mokal with guest commentators GM Anish Giri and IM Sopiko Guramishvili | Video: ChessBase India

Replay Round 4 games

Round 4 results

Bo. No. Rtg Name Result Name Rtg No. PGN
1 8 2720
GM Gukesh, D 1 - 0 GM Predke, Alexandr
2689 6 PGN
2 7 2691
GM Eljanov, Pavel ½ - ½ GM Erigaisi, Arjun
2727 5 PGN
3 1 2723
GM Aronian, Levon ½ - ½ GM Harikrishna, Pentala
2696 4 PGN
4 2 2742
GM Maghsoodloo, Parham 1 - 0 GM Sjugirov, Sanan
2703 3 PGN

Details

Standings after Round 4

Rk. SNo Name FED Rtg Pts.  TB1   TB2   TB3   TB4 
1 Harikrishna, Pentala 2,5 0
2 Gukesh, D 2,5 0
3 Aronian, Levon 2 0
4 Eljanov, Pavel 2 0
5 Maghsoodloo, Parham 2 0
6 Sjugirov, Sanan 2 0
7 Erigaisi, Arjun 2 0
8 Predke, Alexandr 1 0

Details

Round 5 pairings

Bo. No. Rtg Name Result Name Rtg No. PGN
1 3 2703
GM Sjugirov, Sanan GM Gukesh, D
2720 8
2 4 2696
GM Harikrishna, Pentala GM Maghsoodloo, Parham
2742 2
3 5 2727
GM Erigaisi, Arjun GM Aronian, Levon
2723 1
4 6 2689
GM Predke, Alexandr GM Eljanov, Pavel
2691 7

Details

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Shahid Ahmed is the senior coordinator and editor of ChessBase India. He enjoys covering chess tournaments and also likes to play in chess events from time to time.
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