Sinquefield Cup: Caruana and Dominguez favourites to take the title

Four draws

Co-leader Wesley So was the first to end his run at the Sinquefield Cup. Given Jan-Krzysztof’s Duda withdrawal, every player got a rest day after round 2, with Duda’s draw from the first round removed from the official tournament results. So, who had a full-point lead after beating Levon Aronian in round 5, was supposed to face Duda in the final round.

Sharing first place with So going into Thursday’s deciding round are Fabiano Caruana and Leinier Dominguez, who are the clear favourites to take the title. Only if both players lose, there might be up to six players tied for first with 4½ points after the final round — a very unlikely scenario, surely.

Navigating the Ruy Lopez Vol.1-3

The Ruy Lopez is one of the oldest openings which continues to enjoy high popularity from club level to the absolute world top. In this video series, American super GM Fabiano Caruana, talking to IM Oliver Reeh, presents a complete repertoire for White.

On the final day of action, Grand Chess Tour winner Caruana is set to face an out-of-form Richard Rapport with the white pieces, while Dominguez will play black against Aronian. Coincidentally, both Caruana and Dominguez signed quick draws on Wednesday, which prompted the latter to confess:

I’m happy to be in this position and to be able to fight for first place. [...] For me, it’s good to have kind of half of a rest day.

Leinier Dominguez | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Wesley So | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Rapport ½ - ½ Aronian

Analysis by GM Karsten Müller

Rapport, Richard2748

½–½

Aronian, Levon2727

GCT 10th Sinquefield Cup 2023 Saint Louis29.11.2023[Mueller,Karsten]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 Be7 8.a4 d6 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Nd5 g6 11.h4 Bg7 12.h5!?

White starts a power play on the light squares. A typical strategy against the bishop pair as Black's dark-squared bishop cannot directly influence the light squares. 12...g5 13.Ne3 Ne7 14.Nd2 c6 15.g4 d5 16.Bb3 Kh8 17.Ndf1 17.a5!? 17...Qa5+ 18.Qd2 Qxd2+ 19.Kxd2 Rd8 20.Ng3?! Now Black can break free. 20.f3!? a5 21.Ng3 is favored by the engines and makes more pressure. 20...dxe4 21.Nxe4 f5 22.gxf5 Nxf5 23.Nxf5 Bxf5 24.Rae1 a5 25.Nc5 b6 25...Rd4!? with the idea 26.Nxb7? e4 is favored by the engines. 26.Ne6 Bxe6 27.Bxe6 Rf8 28.Rhf1 Rad8 29.Re4 Rd4 30.c3 Rd6 30...Rxe4 31.dxe4 Rd8+ 32.Ke2 Bf8= draws as well. 31.Bg4 Rfd8 32.Be2 c5

This weakens the light squares, but Black is so solid that it is playable. 33.Kc2 Kg8 34.Kb3 Kf7 35.Kc4 Rf8 36.Re3 Ke7 37.Rf3 Kd8 38.Rxf8+ Bxf8 39.Bg4 Rf6 40.f3 Bd6 41.Re1 Kc7 42.Kd5 Kb7 43.Re4 Kc7 44.Rc4 Kb7 45.b3 Bc7 46.b4!? White has improved his forces to the maximum and now opens roads. But Black can strike back. cxb4 47.cxb4 b5! A good tactical solution of the difficult defensive problems. 48.axb5 a4! The passed pawn is very valuable. 48...axb4? loses due to 49.Rxb4 Without rooks the drawish tendency of pure opposite-colored endings is much reduced and opposite-colored bishops favor the attacker like in the middlegame. Rb6 50.Bf5 Rd6+ 51.Kc5 Rf6 52.Be4+ Kc8 53.Kd5 Kd7 54.Rc4 Rd6+ 55.Kxe5 Rb6+ 56.Kd4+- 49.Rc6 Rxc6 50.bxc6+ Kb6

Black's blockade now holds clearly. 51.Kc4 Kxc6 52.Be6 Bd6 53.Kc3 a3 54.Bc4 Kb6 55.Be6 55.Kb3 a2 56.Kxa2 Bxb4= 55...Kc6 56.Bc4 Kb6 57.Be6 Kc6 ½–½

Attacking with the Jobava London System

The Jobava London System is a minor form of the London System. White tries to play Lf4 quickly followed by Nc3.

Richard Rapport | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Standings after round 8

All games

Links

• Grand Chess Tour website
• Race for the Candidates: Four Two places still up for grabs
• Alireza Firouzja conquers Saint Louis! (2022)