Sinquefield Cup: A perfect day for So

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
11/28/2023 – Wesley So scored his second victory in this year’s Sinquefield Cup by beating Levon Aronian with the white pieces in Monday’s sixth round. Moreover, wins for Leinier Dominguez (over Anish Giri) and Fabiano Caruana (over Alireza Firouzja) greatly increased So’s chances of qualifying to the Candidates Tournament either by rating or via the FIDE Circuit. | Photo: Lennart Ootes
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Wins for So, Dominguez and Caruana

More wins were recorded in round 6 of the Sinquefield Cup than in all the previous rounds combined, as Wesley So, Leinier Dominguez and Fabiano Caruana all won on Monday to greatly alter the standings table. So now has a full-point lead over Dominguez, Caruana and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, although Caruana and MVL both have played five games, while So and Dominguez have played six.

Besides becoming the clear favourite to win the round-robin tournament, So massively improved his chances to reach the 2024 Candidates Tournament, as the two closest contenders to get the rating spot — Alireza Firouzja and Anish Giri — suffered crucial losses.

On the one hand, Giri now needs to bounce back in the next three rounds to gain some points for the FIDE Circuit, while So is likely to win the event or finish near the top, thus collecting points for the leaderboard. Meanwhile, in the rating race, Firouzja is now trailing So by over 10 points in the live ratings list.

Firouzja’s below-par performance in the last pair of tournaments (the Grand Swiss and the Sinquefield Cup) even allowed Dominguez to surpass him in the live ratings list. However, as pointed out by Tai Pruce-Zimmerman, a.k.a. Chess by the Numbers, the Cuban-born grandmaster has not played enough classical tournaments eligible for the FIDE Circuit to meet the Candidates’ requirements.

Dominguez is still in time to find some other event in December, but then he would need to either maintain his rating or to improve it against (most likely) lower-rated opposition in order to get the coveted spot.

Leinier Dominguez

Leinier Dominguez | Photo: Lennart Ootes

So 1 - 0 Aronian

Analysis by GM Karsten Müller

So, Wesley27521–0Aronian, Levon2727
GCT 10th Sinquefield Cup 2023
Saint Louis27.11.2023[Mueller,Karsten]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 0-0 9.d4 Bf6 10.Re1 Re8 11.Bf4 Rxe1 12.Qxe1 Ne8 13.Nc3 Bxd4 14.Nd5 c6 14...d6 is the alternative. 15.Ne7+ Kf8 16.Nxc8 Qf6! Black's point. 16...Rxc8? 17.Qb4+ c5 18.Qxb7+- 16...Qxc8? 17.Qe4+- 17.Rd1 Rxc8 18.Qe4 Bxf2+ 19.Kxf2 g5 20.Rxd7 Rc7 The resulting ending is suprisingly difficult for Black. 20...gxf4!? 21.Qd4 21.Rxb7?? Nd6-+ 21...Qxd4+ 22.Rxd4 Nf6 23.Rxf4 Kg7= was the alternative. 21.Rxc7 Nxc7 22.Qe5!? Qxf4+ 23.Qxf4 gxf4 24.Kf3 Nd5 25.c4 Nc7?
This passive approach is dangerous as Black has no clear fortress. The active 25...Ne3! is favored by the engines, e.g. 26.Bd3 h5 27.Kxf4 Nxg2+ 28.Kg5 Ke7 29.Bf1 Ne3 30.Be2 Ke6 31.Kxh5 Kf5= 26.Bd3 h6 27.Kxf4? Now Black can activate the knight. 27.Bf5! was called for. I cannot find a defense for Black. But matters are deep. One sample line runs Ke7 28.Kxf4 Ne8 29.c5 Nc7 30.a3 Nd5+ 31.Ke4 Nc7 32.g3 b6 33.Ke5 f6+ 34.Kd4 Nb5+ 35.Kc4 Nc7 36.b4 Kd8 37.a4 b5+ 38.axb5 Nxb5 39.Be4 Kd7 40.Kd3 Nc7 41.h4 Nb5 42.g4 Nc7 43.h5 Ne6 44.Ke3 Ng5 45.Bd3 Ne6 46.Be2 Ke7 47.Ke4 Ng7 48.Bf3 Ne6 49.Bd1 Ng7 50.Kf4 Kd7 51.Ba4 Kc7 52.Ke3 Kd7 53.Ke4 Kc7 54.b5 cxb5 55.Bxb5 a6 56.Ba4+- 27...c5? This opens White's king roads. 27...a5 was called for, e.g. 28.Ke5 Ke7 29.Bf5 Na6 30.Bc8 Nc5= 28.Ke5 Ke7 29.Bf5 b6 30.h4 Ne8 30...f6+ does not defend due to 31.Ke4 Kd6 32.Bg4 Ke7 33.Kf5 Kf7 34.Bh5++- 31.Kd5 Nd6 32.Bh3 Ne8 33.Bf5 Nd6 34.Bc2 f6 35.Bg6 Nb7 36.b3 Nd8 37.Bf5
Black is in zugzwang. 37...Nf7 38.Kc6 The king invasion wins. Nd6 39.Bh7 Nf7 40.Kc7 Ne5 41.Bf5 Nf7 42.a3 Nd6 43.Bd3 Nf7 44.Kb7 Kd6 45.Kxa7 Kc7 46.Ka6 Nd8 47.Be4 Ne6 48.b4 cxb4 49.axb4 Nd4 50.c5 bxc5 51.bxc5
Now White will win by invading with his king thanks to zugzwang. The direct 51.b5? rushes due to c4 52.b6+ Kb8= 51...Ne2 52.Ka5 Nf4 53.Kb4 Ne2 53...f5 is met by 54.Bf3+- Of course not 54.Bxf5? Nxg2= 54.Kc4 Nf4 55.g3 Ne2 56.g4 Nf4 57.Bf3 Ng6 58.Kd5 Nf4+ 59.Ke4 Ng6 60.Kd5 Of course not 60.Kf5?? Nxh4+= 60...Nf4+ After 60...Nxh4?! 61.Be4+- coralls the knight. 61.Kd4 Ng6 62.Be4 Ne7 63.Kc4 Kd7 64.Kb5 Kc7 65.Kb4 Kd7 66.Ka5 Kc7 66...Ke6 can be met by 67.h5 67.c6? Nxc6+ 68.Bxc6 h5 69.gxh5 Kf7= 67...Ke5 68.Bf5 Kd5 69.Kb6+- 67.Kb5 Nc8 68.h5 Ne7 69.c6 Nc8 70.Kc5 Ne7 71.Kb5 Nc8 72.Kc5 Ne7 73.Bg2 Zugzwang. f5 74.g5! The decisve breakthrough. hxg5 75.h6
The rook's pawn is the worst enemy of the knight. 75...Ng6 76.h7 g4 77.Kd5 g3 77...f4 runs into 78.Be4 g3 79.Bxg6 g2 80.h8Q g1Q 81.Qg7+ Kb6 82.Qb2+ Ka5 83.Qa3+ Kb5 84.Bd3+ Kb6 85.Qa6+ Kc7 86.Qb7+ Kd8 87.Qd7# 78.Bh1!? Zugwzang is indeed the sharpest endgame weapon. The direct 78.Ke6? is met by Nf8+ 79.Kxf5 Nxh7= 1–0

Sinquefield Chess Cup 2023

Wesley So’s active king facing Levon Aronian’s struggling knight | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Firouzja 0 - 1 Caruana

Analysis by GM Karsten Müller

Firouzja, Alireza27770–1Caruana, Fabiano2795
GCT 10th Sinquefield Cup 2023
Saint Louis27.11.2023[Mueller,Karsten]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3 Nd5 9.h4 h6 10.Qh5 Qf6! 11.Ne4 Qe6 12.b3 g6 13.Qe2 f5 14.Nec3 Bg7 15.Bb2 0-0 16.Na3 e4 17.Bc4 Nxc4 18.Qxc4 Rb8 19.0-0-0 Rb4 20.Qe2 a5 21.Rhe1 a4 22.g3 axb3 23.axb3 Qd6 24.f3 Qc5 25.Nab1 Re8 26.fxe4 fxe4 After 26...Rbxe4 one amazing line runs 27.Nxe4 Qxc2+ 28.Kxc2 Nb4+ 29.Kc1 Na2+ 30.Kc2 Nb4+= 27.Ba3 Qa5 28.Bxb4 Nxb4 29.d4 29.Qc4+!?= 29...e3 30.Kb2?
The king moves into the lines of fire. White should counterattack with 30.g4 Kh7 31.Qf3= 30...h5 31.Na3 31.Na4 Kh7 32.Qc4 Bf5 33.Na3 Nd5 34.Qc5 Qc7 35.Nc3 Qxg3-+ 31...Bg4 32.Qc4+ Kh7 33.Qf7 Rf8 34.Qe7 Bxd1 35.Rxd1 Rf2? Surprisingly the wrong way to strengthen the attack. 35...c5 wins, e.g. 36.Nc4 36.Qxc5 Qxc5 37.dxc5 Nd5 38.Rxd5 e2-+ 36...Qa8 37.Qxc5 e2 38.Rc1 Na6 39.Qd6 Rd8 40.Qe6 Re8 41.Qd6 e1Q 42.Rxe1 Rxe1-+ 36.Ne4?
A tactical oversight. 36.Nc4! was forced and draws, e.g. Rxc2+ 37.Kb1 Qf5 38.Nxe3 Qf2 39.Qxb4 Rb2+ 40.Ka1 c5 41.Qa3 Rd2 42.Qc1 Rxd4 43.Ned5= 36...Rxc2+!? The spectacular solution. 36...Nd5 37.Qd7 e2-+ wins as well. 37.Kb1 37.Nxc2?! Qa2+ 38.Kc3 38.Kc1 Qxc2# 38...Nd5+ 39.Kc4 Qxc2+ 40.Nc3 Qxc3# 37...Rf2! 38.Ng5+ 38.Nxf2 Qxa3-+ 38...Kh8 39.Qe8+ Rf8 40.Qxg6 Qf5+
The only move, but it wins. 41.Qxf5 Rxf5 42.Re1 Bxd4 43.Nc2 Bc3! 44.Nxe3 44.Rxe3 Rf1+-+ 44...Rxg5 44...Rxg5 45.Rc1 45.hxg5 Bxe1-+ 45...Rc5-+ 0–1

Alireza Firouzja, Fabiano Caruana

Game over | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Giri 0 - 1 Dominguez

Analysis by GM Karsten Müller

Giri, Anish27520–1Dominguez Perez, Leinier2745
GCT 10th Sinquefield Cup 2023
Saint Louis27.11.2023[Mueller,Karsten]
1.g3 c5 2.Bg2 Nc6 3.e4 g6 4.d3 Bg7 5.f4 d6 6.Nh3 h5 7.Nf2 e5 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.h3 Bh6 10.Ne2 Nd4 11.0-0 Ne6 12.fxe5 12.f5!? Bxc1 13.Qxc1 is more natural. 12...Bxc1 13.Qxc1 dxe5 14.Nd1 h4 15.g4 g5 16.Ne3 16.Rf5!? 16...Nf4 17.Qe1 Be6 18.Nxf4 gxf4 19.Nf5?! 19.Nd5 is more natural. 19...Bxf5 20.exf5 Qd4+ 21.Kh1 0-0-0 22.Qa5 Kb8 23.Rae1 Rhe8 24.c3?
This goes too far. 24.Re2 was called for, e.g. Qd6= 24...Qxb2?! 25.Qxc5 opens roads for White. 24...Qxd3 25.Qxc5 Qg3 26.Qf2?! Without queens Black's power play on the dark squares will decide. 26.Rd1! was more tenacious to reduce the pressure by exchanges, but does not defend due to Rd3! 27.Rxd3 27.Qb4 f3 28.Bxf3 Qxh3+ 29.Kg1 Qg3+ 30.Kh1 Qxf3+ 31.Rxf3 Rxd1+ 32.Kg2 e4 33.Re3 Red8-+ 27...Qxd3 28.Qf2 28.Qb4 Qd7-+ 28...Nd5 29.Re1 29.Bxd5 Qxd5+ 30.Kg1 Qxa2-+ 29...Ne3 30.Qf3 Qd7-+ 26...Qxf2 27.Rxf2 Nh7!
A very strong regrouping. The monster knight on g5 will dominate the board. 28.f6 Ng5 29.Be4 Rd6 30.Kg2 Kc7 31.Bf5 Kd8 31...Rxf6 wins as well due to 32.Rxf4 exf4 33.Rxe8 Rd6-+ 32.b4 Rxf6 33.Rd2+ Kc7 The right direction to the left. 34.Rd7+ Kb8 35.c4 e4 36.c5 e3 37.Kf1 a6 38.Rd6 38.Rd4 runs into Nxh3 39.Kg2 Nf2 40.Rxf4 Nd3-+ 38...Rxf5!?
The creative solution - Black's pawns will decide the day. The normal 38...Rxd6 39.cxd6 Re5-+ wins as well. 39.gxf5 Nf3 40.Re2 Re4 41.a3 Ne5 42.Rc2 f3 43.Rc1 Rc4 44.Re1 44.Rxc4 Nxc4 45.Ke1 f2+ 46.Ke2 Nd2-+ 44...Rc3 45.Rd8+ Kc7 46.Re8 e2+ 47.Kf2 Nd3+ 48.Kxf3 Nxe1+ 49.Kxe2 Ng2 50.Re7+ Kc6 51.Rxf7 Nf4+ 52.Kd2 Rxh3 53.Rf6+ Kd5 54.Rd6+ Ke5 55.f6 Rf3 56.f7 Ne6 56...Ne6 57.Rd7 h3 58.Rxb7 h2 59.f8Q Nxf8 60.Re7+ Kd4 61.Re1 Rf2+ 62.Kc1 Rg2-+ 0–1

Anish Giri, Leinier Dominguez

Anish Giri and Leinier Dominguez | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Standings after round 6

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Carlos 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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