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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.
Some bad news from Moscow: Mikhail Antipov withdrew from the tournament, with the reasons not provided for the public immediately. The games played by him are rated, so whoever can no longer play against him receives a point without a fight.
Should one make a safe move, aimed primarily at holding one’s position together, or is it justified to move forward risking getting in trouble? This might be the question of all questions in a game of chess, which simply cannot be answered satisfactorily under time pressure while at the board. Sergey Karjakin was faced with this problem on move 18. The former World Championship challenger opted for the brute liberation of his position constricted by the white pawn on d6 — but his decision was a mistake:
Ian Nepomniachtchi and Sergey Karjakin — two top players sitting opposite a real board, a rare sight during this terrible pandemic
In the women's tournament, the leader Polina Shuvalova gave up half a point for the first time in the tournament — against Leya Garifullina. Formally, the game was drawn by a threefold repetition, but in fact the players repeated the position no fewer than five times!
Leya Garifullina facing leader Polina Shuvalova
Aleksandra Goryachkina, one of the favourites to win the title, came within one point of Shuvalova. The two players are scheduled to meet directly in the tenth round on Tuesday.
In her game against Olga Girya, Goryachkina was on the better side of an uncommon ending:
Aleksandra Goryachkina is still in the hunt
