Winning starts with what you know
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.
This is the sixth season of the Grand Chess Tour, which has been held yearly since 2015 (except in 2020). So far, 16 rapid and blitz tournaments — with the trademark format of 9 rounds of rapid and 18 rounds of blitz — have been organized. And for the first time ever, a player has managed to go through all the 27 rounds without losing a single game, a feat that will surely be difficult to repeat!
Looking through the crosstables of all the previous tournaments, we in fact only find one player who has finished the blitz section of an event undefeated — and that player is Hikaru Nakamura, who did not lose once in blitz at the 2019 Tata Steel Rapid and Blitz, although his one loss in rapid against Magnus Carlsen meant he finished the tournament in second place behind the world champion.
At the 2021 Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz event, Nakamura scored 3 wins in rapid and 6 wins in blitz to secure first place with 3 rounds to spare. Of course, getting zero losses in a rapidplay tournament goes a long way. Managing to do so in a field of 2700+ rated players is no small feat!
Famously, Nakamura became the most successful chess streamer in the world in recent years, despite still having chances to fight in the World Championship cycle and other elite events at the professional level. The 5-time US champion explained in an interview after winning the rapid section on Friday that a single result at the 2019 Grand Swiss tournament on the Isle of Man had much to do with his decision:
It would have been nice if [Fabiano Caruana] could have done this in the Isle of Man in 2019, rather than playing it here today — because this is the line I looked at even back then. In the game he played a Petroff. It was a draw, I didn’t qualify for the Candidates and I became a streamer instead.
Opening package: 1.b3 and Black Secrets in the Modern Italian
Wesley So published two new opening DVDs: 1.b3, the so called Nimzo-Larsen-Attack, for White and his black secrets in the modern Italian. Get them in a package and save money!
Nakamura had just beaten Caruana in round 9 of the rapid section. The player born in Hirakata (Japan) was referring to his final-round encounter at the Grand Swiss against the same opponent. Going into that deciding game, Nakamura was one of seven players trailing a half point behind Caruana, and a win would have granted him a spot in the 2020 Candidates Tournament, as he would have shared first place with Wang Hao in that case.
Notwithstanding, his career as a streamer seems to be working well for him, both financially and in terms of his playing strength in quick time controls. After all, he was one of the first elite players to admit that playing online chess was an integral part of his early development as a chess player!
Final standings (click to enlarge)
Avoiding mistakes was a key factor in Nakamura’s incredible run, as every single other player suffered unexpected blows in an action-packed tournament. Caruana and Richard Rapport finished second and third respectively, but they also blundered games away throughout the weekend.
Facing Leinier Dominguez in round 15 of the blitz, Rapport failed to foresee a double attack.
43.Rxc4 was responded by 43...Qd3, attacking the rook and the bishop at the same time. Rapport resigned shortly after.
Richard Rapport with his wife, Serbian WGM Jovana Vojinović | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Of course, those finishing near the top of the standings were more often than not the ones on the favoured side of a blunder. After playing an excellent (blitz) game, Sam Shankland gave away his advantage against Caruana, also in round 15.
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.
35.Qc3 loses to 35...Rf1+ (35.Qf5 was the way to go). There followed 36.Kg3 Re4 37.Nh3 h5 38.Nf2 h4+
The pair of rooks, the bishop and the h-pawn have coordinated perfectly in the attack — 39.Kf3 Re2 and Shankland resigned three moves later.
Fabiano Caruana | Photo: Bryan Adams
Nakamura was the top scorer in both sections, showcasing an incredibly stable performance. On the other hand, the player who finished last in the rapid went on to finish in second place in the blitz section of the event — Vietnamese star Le Quang Liem. Le played quickly and confidently to get an 11½/18 score in the blitz.
Le, however, also missed a couple of simple tactics — for his level — along the way. For example, in round 9 against Nakamura.
The aim of this course is to help you understand how to make tactical opportunities arise as well as to sharpen your tactical vision - these selected lectures will help to foster your overall tactical understanding.
38...Nc5 was Le’s blunder, as now came 39.Qf7, attacking the bishop, and after 39...Be5 White has 40.Qf8+ followed by grabbing the loose knight. Le resigned soon after.
Le Quang Liem climbed to fifth place thanks to his great performance in the blitz | Photo: Lennart Ootes
