11/5/2023 – Round 10 of the FIDE Grand Swiss saw decisive games on the seven top boards, with Hikaru Nakamura, Andrey Esipenko and Vidit Gujrathi scoring full points to go into the final round in shared first place. Nakamura got the better of Fabiano Caruana in the duel of top seeds, Vidit defeated Bogdan-Daniel Deac with the black pieces, while Esipenko beat Parham Maghsoodloo on board 3. In the women’s tournament, Vaishali Rameshbabu climbed to the sole lead by beating Tan Zhongyi with the white pieces. | Photo: chess.com / Maria Emelianova
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Decisive, decisive, decisive
Two rounds remained to be played at the FIDE Grand Swiss on the Isle of Man, and the players topping the standings showed their fighting spirits by playing decisive games on all seven top boards in the penultimate round of the open tournament.
Most notably, in a duel of top seeds, Hikaru Nakamura all but secured a spot in next year’s Candidates Tournament, as he defeated world number two Fabiano Caruana with the white pieces — not only allowing him to enter the final round as a co-leader, but also gaining 5.1 rating points (Naka now has a 25-point advantage over Alireza Firouzja in the race to get the rating spot in the Candidates).
Vidit Gujrathi and Andrey Esipenko also grabbed full points to join Nakamura in the lead. Curiously, all three co-leaders have already faced each other, so they will play against participants with 7 or 6½ points in the final round.
Wins for Vincent Keymer, Arjun Erigaisi and Alexandr Predke on Saturday left them still in contention for first place, as all three stand a half point behind the leaders and, since the frontrunners will not play each other, it is theoretically possible for all three chasers to score wins and create a tie for first place on 8 points in the final standings — i.e. an extremely unlikely scenario!
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
Vidit Gujrathi | Photo: chess.com / Maria Emelianova
Analyses by GM Karsten Müller
All three co-leaders showed good endgame technique to convert their advantages in the penultimate round, much like Anish Giri, who needed 94 moves to defeat Hans Niemann in what was his second consecutive victory on the Isle of Man, and Arjun Erigaisi, who defeated an in-form Sam Sevian.
Endgame expert Karsten Müller analysed the wins by Nakamura, Vidit, Arjun and Giri!
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1.e4
1,158,681
54%
2422
---
1.d4
941,833
55%
2434
---
1.Nf3
279,666
56%
2441
---
1.c4
181,067
56%
2443
---
1.g3
19,629
56%
2427
---
1.b3
14,068
54%
2427
---
1.f4
5,835
48%
2377
---
1.Nc3
3,722
51%
2384
---
1.b4
1,731
48%
2378
---
1.a3
1,182
53%
2403
---
1.e3
1,058
48%
2407
---
1.d3
932
50%
2377
---
1.g4
652
46%
2360
---
1.h4
438
52%
2371
---
1.c3
418
51%
2423
---
1.h3
266
56%
2414
---
1.a4
102
58%
2474
---
1.Nh3
88
66%
2510
---
1.f3
84
46%
2432
---
1.Na3
39
62%
2474
---
Please, wait...
1.e4e52.Nf3Nf63.Nc3Nc64.d4exd45.Nxd4Bb46.Nxc6bxc67.Bd3d58.exd50-09.0-0cxd510.h3Be611.Qf3c512.Rd1Bxc313.bxc3Qa514.Bg5Ne415.Bxe4dxe416.Qg3Kh817.a4Rfe818.Rd6 Opposite-colored bishops
favor the attacker. This guideline is valid in the middlegame and the endgame:h6? This weakens the position a lot.18...f619.Bd2Rac8 is
almost equal.19.Bf4Re7?19...Rad8 limits the damage.20.Qe3?20.Re1 brings another attacker and wins.20...Rc8?20...Rd8 was
called for to limit the damage.21.Bxh6?! Beautiful, but not the best.21.Be5 was called for, e.g.Kh722.Qxe4+Kg823.Qh4Rce824.Rb1f625.Rb5Qc726.Rxe6fxe527.Rxe7Qxe728.Qc4++-21...f6? Now
White's attack is too strong.21...Rd7! to reduce the attacking
potential was forced, with chances to defend.21...gxh6?22.Qxh6+Kg823.Qg5+Kf824.Qf6Ree825.Qh6+Kg826.Re1Qxc327.Re3+-22.Qxe4Qxc323.Rad1Rce824.Rd8Bg825.Qh425.Qg6!? is even better due toRxd826.Rxd8Qa1+27.Kh2Qe5+28.g3Qe629.Be3+-25...Qxc225...Qc426.Qxc4Bxc427.Be3+-26.R1d3 The next attacker comes.Bh726...gxh6?!27.Qxh6+Rh728.Qxf6+Rg729.Rg3Ree730.Rg4+-27.R3d7g527...gxh6?!28.Qxf6+Kg829.Rxe8+Rxe830.Qg7#28.Qg3Qb1+?!28...Rxd7 loses as well, but is much more tenacious:29.Rxd7Qxa429...Bf530.Qf3+-30.Qc7Qa1+31.Kh2Qe5+32.Qxe5fxe533.Bxg5+-29.Kh2Qf530.Rxe7Rxd831.Qc7Qf4+32.Qxf4gxf433.Bg7+Kg834.Bxf6Bb135.Rg7+35.Rxa7 wins as well. But the transformation to a pure opposite-colored
bishop endgame is easier.35...Kf836.Bxd8Kxg737.Bg5f338.g4! The
pawns must stay connected. Of course not 38.gxf3??a539.Bd2Bc240.Bxa5Bxa441.Kg3Bd742.h4Kg6=38...c439.Kg3Be440.Bd21–0
In over 4 hours in front of the camera, Karsten Müller presents to you sensations from the world of endgames - partly reaching far beyond standard techniques and rules of thumb - and rounds off with some cases of with own examples.
Hans Niemann and Anish Giri | Photo: chess.com / Maria Emelianova
1.e43e542.Nf313Nf663.Nc36Nc644.d44exd455.Nxd47Bb496.Nxc615bxc657.Bd37d5138.exd550-021 is cutting edge theory.9.0-06cxd52210.h35 Against Bg4. C47: Scotch Four Knights and Four Knights with 4 g3.Be61:2711.Qf329c52212.Rd153 The position is equal.Bxc314:1313.bxc333Qa52714.Bg533 A strong pair of Bishops.Ne4915.Bxe41:15dxe41916.Qg346 Black must now prevent Bf6.Kh813:13
16...f6is interesting.17.Bh6Rf718.Rab1Re717.a4N2:45Predecessor:17.Rab1Qxa218.Rb7e319.Qxe3Qxc220.Rd6a521.Qxc5Qf522.Qxf5Bxf523.Be3½-½ Lugovskoy,M (2405)-Aleksandrov,A (2585) St Petersburg Korchnoi Memorial op 2018 (6)17...Rfe83:0418.Rd64:42h65:5518...f6=remains equal.19.Bf4Re719.Bf4±1:45Re717:4820.Qe315:0320.Be5?!f621.Bf4Rae8=20.Re1with more complications.c421.Rxe4Qf522.Be520...Rc815:09
24.Rd8!2:48 aiming for R1d3.Bg821:5524...gxh6?25.Rxe8+Rxe826.Qg6+-25.Qh418:24 White is more active.25.Qg6!Rxd826.Rxd825...Qxc21:58
25...gxh6?26.Rxe8Rxe827.Qxh6+Bh728.Rd7Qe1+29.Kh2Qe5+30.f4+-25...Re1+?26.Kh2Qc427.R1d4Qxd428.Rxd4cxd429.Bd2+Bh730.Bxe1+-30.Qxd4Rd1±26.R1d3!40 Rxe8 would kill now.Bh76:31
26...gxh6?27.Qxh6+Rh728.Qxf6+Rg729.Rg3+-26...Re1+?27.Kh2Bf728.Bd2+Kg829.Bxe1+-27.R3d79:49 Hoping for Rxe8+.g53
28.Qg315 White has strong attack.White should try28.Qg4!Rxd829.Rxd8+Bg830.Qf3Qc1+31.Kh2Qf4+32.Qxf4gxf433.Bxf428...Qb1+1:1928...Rxd7±29.Rxe8+Bg829.Kh2+-5 Threatening mate with Qd6.Qf51729...Rxd830.Rxd8+30.Rxe7Rg8+-30...Bg830.Rxe71:40 White threatens Bg7+ and mate.Rxd8331.Qc75 White wants to mate with Bg7+.31.Rxa7?!Rd7+-31...Qf4+2232.Qxf46gxf41 Endgame KRB-KRB33.Bg7+26But not33.Rxa7?!Rd234.Ra8+34.Bxf4Rxf235.Kg3Rc2+-34...Bg8+-33.Bxf4?!a634.Bh6Rd6±33...Kg8334.Bxf64Don't take34.Rxa7?!Rd2±34...Bb12:0435.Rg7+1:21Kf8336.Bxd81:14Kxg7437.Bg59f3?1037...c438.Bxf4Kf638.g42 White is clearly winning.Weaker is38.gxf3a538...c4639.Kg38Be4340.Bd223 Weighted Error Value: White=0.09 (flawless) /Black=0.301–0
Vaishali only needs a draw to reach the Candidates
Decisive results were also seen in the most important games of the penultimate round in the women’s tournament, with Vaishali Rameshbabu scoring her sixth win of the event by beating Tan Zhongyi with the white pieces. The Indian star is now the sole leader with one round to go, and only needs a draw on Sunday to secure at least second place in the final standings — i.e. a spot in next year’s Candidates Tournament.
Anna Muzychuk also scored a crucial win, as she defeated Deysi Cori to go into the eleventh round in sole second place, a half point behind Vaishali.
Similarly, Mongolian IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul (the 40th seed in the field) scored a key full point on Saturday. The biggest underdog among the players fighting for tournament victory defeated Mai Narva with black and is now in sole third place, a full point behind Vaishali.
In a total of 6 chapters, we look at the following aspects: the right decision based on tactical factors, decisions in exchanges and moves, complex and psychological decisions in longer games and in defence.
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.
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