By IM Kostya Kavutskiy
Check out the full replay of live coverage from the day here. The event features Chess 960 (aka Fischer Random), a chess variant where the starting position of the pieces is randomized along the first rank. The tournament format is a 10-player round-robin, with a time control of 20 minutes per side plus a 5-second increment added every move.
The day kicked off with three decisive games, as Kasparov stunned Wesley So in the first round with Black, after launching a vicious counter-attack against So’s king. Meanwhile Shankland defeated Caruana, while Sevian managed to trick Aronian deep into a knight vs. bishop endgame.
So - Kasparov: 22…Qd3! was a killer shot, threatening Bf5 next.
“I decided that I have to trust my hand.” - Kasparov | Photo: Lennart Ootes
In the second round Caruana, Aronian, and So all bounced back with victories, while Kasparov drew with Nakamura after holding a difficult endgame.
Aronian - Robson: 10.Be4! was a crusher, as 10...Nxe4 runs into 11.Qxg7#
Three draws for Nakamura, who ended day 1 with 1½/3. | Photo: Lennart Ootes
In the third and final round of the day Kasparov pounced on Robson, generating a powerful initiative in the endgame as Kasparov’s pieces flooded in.
Robson - Kasparov: 35…Rxf3! finished things off, in view of Nf2+ next.
Aronian also won his second game, after getting an extra pawn against Shankland and smoothly converting a rook and bishop endgame.
After dropping the first game Aronian scored two back-to-back wins | Photo: Lennart Ootes
