Russian newcomers give chase
Three Wijk aan Zee rookies are at the top of the Challengers leader board — two from Russia, one from Belarus. The average age between them is a mere 21 years and through ten rounds of play, they collectively amassed 21½ points. Two rounds later the trio of Kovalev, Chigaev and Esipenko has 26 points and are virtually certain to finish in the top three spots. The only question is, in which order. Kovalev is not only leading, he also has the best Sonneborn-Berger score, which will be the decisive tiebreak criteria, since the three players have drawn their games against each other. He is clearly in the sweet spot with White against Stefan Kuipers, the bottom seed in last place. A draw should be enough, but even a freak accident would put the pressure on his Russian rivals to win with Black.
Standings after Round 12
Vladislav Kovalev is by far the strongest player from Belarus, and also the youngest in the top ten nationally. He won the prestigious Aeroflot Open in 2018 and was invited to the Dortmund super-tournament as a result, where he turned in a strong performance, undefeated with a win over Anish Giri. After Saturday's win in Wijk aan Zee, he has just barely cracked 2700 for the first time.
By the end of play in Friday's Round 11, Maxim Chigaev was tied for the lead with Kovalev on 8/11. But their ascent is largely thanks to one round earlier.
To win a tournament, you not only have to play well, but you also need a little luck, and both Chigaev and Kovalev were very lucky in Round 10. Kovalev was clearly worse against IM Vincent Keymer out of the opening but still managed to win.
Bologan: "If you study this DVD carefully and solve the interactive exercises you will also enrich your chess vocabulary, your King's Indian vocabulary, build up confidence in the King's Indian and your chess and win more games."
Keymer vs Kovalev, Round 10
After dubious opening play from Kovalev, White is a pawn up and has a pleasant position. Kovalev deserves some credit for applying constant pressure and eventually provoking a mistake that changes the course of the game:
You can play the moves on the live diagram
It's understandable that Keymer would love to exchange some pieces, but 31.Nc5? was the wrong way. 31...Rae8 and if White exchanges on e6 the e3-pawn will drop. So Keymer tried 32.Rd2 Rf2 33.Ne4 Rg2 but now Black's piece activity more than compensates for the pawn deficit and he's playing for two results.
Endings with rook and minor piece against rook and minor piece occur very frequently, even more often than rook endings, yet there's not much literature on them. This endgame DVD fills this gap. The four different material constellations rook and knight vs rook and knight, rooks and opposite coloured (and same coloured ) bishops and rook and bishop vs rook and knight are dealt with. In view of the different material constellations Karsten Mueller explains many guidelines like e.g. "With knights even a small initiative weighs heavily".
An unusual sort of zugzwang. 44.Ka1 Rc3 and White can't avoid losing either the g-pawn or the a-pawn (after Rc2). Kovalev converted with relative ease.

Kovalev and Keymer join a long list of talented players whose names start with 'K'! | Photo: Alina l'Ami
Chigaev surged to the lead by scoring 4½/5 from Rounds 6 to 10. In Round 10, down a pawn with Black against Praggnanandhaa, he was able to save himself with a hidden tactical idea in the endgame. Praggnanandhaa lost his bearings and missed a chance to keep the game drawn.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.f4 a6 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3 d5 9.Qe2 Nf6 10.0-0 Be7 11.Bd2 0-0 12.Rae1 Bb7 13.Kh1 g6 14.exd5 cxd5 15.f5 gxf5 16.Bxf5 d4 17.Bd3 Qc6 18.Ne4 Nxe4 19.Bxe4 Qxe4 20.Qxe4 Bxe4 21.Rxe4 h5 22.Rxd4 Rfd8 23.Rxd8+ Rxd8 24.Be3 f5 25.Kg1 Rc8 26.c3 Kf7 27.Rd1 e5 28.Rd5 Ke6 29.Ra5 Rc6 30.Kf1 Bd8 31.Rc5 Rd6 32.Rc8 f4 33.Bc5 Rd7 34.Ke2 Kf5 35.Bf2 Be7 36.Ra8 h4!? 37.Rxa6 h3 38.g3? 38.gxh3 38...Bg5 39.Ra5 Rd2+‼ 40.Kxd2 fxg3+ 41.Kd3 gxh2 42.Rxe5+! Kxe5 43.Bg3+ Bf4 44.Bxh2 Bxh2 45.Ke3? 45.Ke2! 45...Bg3 46.Kf3 Be1 47.a4 Kd5 48.a5 Kc5 49.b3 Kb5 50.b4 Bh4 51.c4+ Ka6 0–1
- Start an analysis engine:
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Praggnanandhaa R | 2539 | Chigaev,M | 2604 | 0–1 | 2019 | | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 10 |
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The Sicilian has been known for decades as the most reliable way for Black to obtain an unbalanced but good position. Among the most popular Sicilians at the top level the two that certainly stand out are the Najdorf and the Paulsen.
Draws against Anton Korobov and Lucas van Foreest, however, let the lead slip away.

Maxim Chigaev has to win on demand on Sunday to have an outside shot at joining the Masters | Photo: Alina l'Ami
16-year-old Andrey Esipenko has had a hotter hand in the second half. He beat the top seed Anton Korobov — who had been leading — in Round 7, and has scored 5/6 since then.
IM Merijn van Delft focused on this game during his last 'Game of the Week' live webcast:
The Semi-Slav (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6) can arise via various move orders, has decided World Championships, and is one of Black's most fascinating replies to 1 d4. Magnus Carlsen's second, Grandmaster Peter Heine Nielsen explains in detail what this opening is all about.
Merijn is live at 19:00 UTC (20:00 CET, 2 pm EST)
Esipenko has Black against Evgeny Bareev in Round 13 and he will also have to press for a win to have any chance at an invitation to next year's Masters group.
Results of Round 12
Round 13 pairings
IM Lawrence Trent also made the Challengers group the focus of his most recent Weekly Show:
Lawrence is live most Tuesdays at 18:00 CEST / 5 pm BST time / 12 Noon EDT
All games
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 h5 9.Nd5 9.Qd2 Nbd7 10.Nd5 Bxd5 11.exd5 g6 12.Be2 Bg7 13.0-0-0 0-0 14.g4 a5 15.a4 Nb6 16.gxh5 Nxh5 17.Bb5 Nf6 9...Nxd5 10.exd5 Bf5 11.Bd3 Bxd3 12.Qxd3 Nd7 13.0-0 Be7 14.Qd2 0-0 15.Na5N 15.c4 Qc7 16.Na5 Bd8 15...Qc8 16.c4 Bd8 17.Rac1 Re8 18.Kh1 e4 19.Nb3 exf3 20.gxf3 Ne5 21.c5 Qh3 22.Qd1 22.Bd4 22...Ng6!-+ 23.Qd2 Rc8 24.Bg1 Nh4 25.Qf2? 25.Rcd1 25...Bg5 26.Rc4 Nf5 27.Qg2 27...Ng3+! 28.Qxg3 Qxf1 29.Rc2 Bf6 30.Rf2 Qb5 31.cxd6 Rcd8 32.Rd2 h4 33.Qf4 Re1 34.Rg2 h3 35.Rg4 Be5 36.Qg5 Rxd6 37.Nd2 Qe2 38.Qf5 Qxh2# 0–1 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Maghsoodloo,P | 2679 | Korobov,A | 2699 | 0–1 | 2019 | B90 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 1 |
Chigaev,M | 2604 | Saduakassova,D | 2472 | 1–0 | 2019 | C50 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 1 |
Esipenko,A | 2584 | Kovalev,V | 2687 | ½–½ | 2019 | A49 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 1 |
Praggnanandhaa R | 2539 | Bareev,E | 2650 | 0–1 | 2019 | C15 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 1 |
Van Foreest,L | 2502 | Gledura,B | 2615 | ½–½ | 2019 | B31 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 1 |
Paehtz,E | 2477 | Keymer,V | 2500 | ½–½ | 2019 | B90 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 1 |
Kuipers,S | 2470 | L'Ami,E | 2643 | 0–1 | 2019 | B62 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 1 |
Korobov,A | 2699 | Gledura,B | 2615 | ½–½ | 2019 | D85 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 2 |
Kovalev,V | 2687 | Praggnanandhaa R | 2539 | ½–½ | 2019 | B31 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 2 |
Maghsoodloo,P | 2679 | Paehtz,E | 2477 | 1–0 | 2019 | A07 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 2 |
Bareev,E | 2650 | Chigaev,M | 2604 | ½–½ | 2019 | A45 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 2 |
L'Ami,E | 2643 | Esipenko,A | 2584 | ½–½ | 2019 | C88 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 2 |
Keymer,V | 2500 | Kuipers,S | 2470 | 1–0 | 2019 | D12 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 2 |
Saduakassova,D | 2472 | Van Foreest,L | 2502 | ½–½ | 2019 | E32 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 2 |
Gledura,B | 2615 | Saduakassova,D | 2472 | ½–½ | 2019 | C42 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 3 |
Chigaev,M | 2604 | Kovalev,V | 2687 | ½–½ | 2019 | C54 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 3 |
Esipenko,A | 2584 | Keymer,V | 2500 | 1–0 | 2019 | B90 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 3 |
Praggnanandhaa R | 2539 | L'Ami,E | 2643 | ½–½ | 2019 | C11 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 3 |
Van Foreest,L | 2502 | Bareev,E | 2650 | 1–0 | 2019 | B13 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 3 |
Paehtz,E | 2477 | Korobov,A | 2699 | ½–½ | 2019 | A62 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 3 |
Kuipers,S | 2470 | Maghsoodloo,P | 2679 | 0–1 | 2019 | B62 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 3 |
Korobov,A | 2699 | Saduakassova,D | 2472 | ½–½ | 2019 | E56 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 4 |
Kovalev,V | 2687 | Van Foreest,L | 2502 | 1–0 | 2019 | C67 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 4 |
Maghsoodloo,P | 2679 | Esipenko,A | 2584 | ½–½ | 2019 | A34 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 4 |
Bareev,E | 2650 | Gledura,B | 2615 | ½–½ | 2019 | D03 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 4 |
L'Ami,E | 2643 | Chigaev,M | 2604 | ½–½ | 2019 | C77 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 4 |
Keymer,V | 2500 | Praggnanandhaa R | 2539 | ½–½ | 2019 | D24 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 4 |
Paehtz,E | 2477 | Kuipers,S | 2470 | ½–½ | 2019 | C13 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 4 |
Gledura,B | 2615 | Kovalev,V | 2687 | 0–1 | 2019 | C50 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 5 |
Chigaev,M | 2604 | Keymer,V | 2500 | ½–½ | 2019 | B90 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 5 |
Esipenko,A | 2584 | Paehtz,E | 2477 | ½–½ | 2019 | D11 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 5 |
Praggnanandhaa R | 2539 | Maghsoodloo,P | 2679 | ½–½ | 2019 | C54 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 5 |
Van Foreest,L | 2502 | L'Ami,E | 2643 | ½–½ | 2019 | B56 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 5 |
Saduakassova,D | 2472 | Bareev,E | 2650 | 0–1 | 2019 | A58 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 5 |
Kuipers,S | 2470 | Korobov,A | 2699 | 0–1 | 2019 | B32 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 5 |
Korobov,A | 2699 | Bareev,E | 2650 | ½–½ | 2019 | D19 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 6 |
Kovalev,V | 2687 | Saduakassova,D | 2472 | 1–0 | 2019 | C42 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 6 |
Maghsoodloo,P | 2679 | Chigaev,M | 2604 | 0–1 | 2019 | C54 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 6 |
L'Ami,E | 2643 | Gledura,B | 2615 | 0–1 | 2019 | C92 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 6 |
Keymer,V | 2500 | Van Foreest,L | 2502 | ½–½ | 2019 | A18 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 6 |
Paehtz,E | 2477 | Praggnanandhaa R | 2539 | ½–½ | 2019 | E01 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 6 |
Kuipers,S | 2470 | Esipenko,A | 2584 | ½–½ | 2019 | C54 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 6 |
L'Ami,E | 2643 | Gledura,B | 2615 | | 2019 | | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 6.3 |
Keymer,V | 2500 | Van Foreest,L | 2502 | | 2019 | | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 6.4 |
Maghsoodloo,P | 2679 | Chigaev,M | 2604 | | 2019 | | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 6.5 |
Kuipers,S | 2470 | Esipenko,A | 2584 | | 2019 | | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 6.7 |
Bareev,E | 2650 | Kovalev,V | 2687 | ½–½ | 2019 | E11 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 7 |
Gledura,B | 2615 | Keymer,V | 2500 | 1–0 | 2019 | A07 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 7 |
Chigaev,M | 2604 | Paehtz,E | 2477 | 1–0 | 2019 | B90 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 7 |
Esipenko,A | 2584 | Korobov,A | 2699 | 1–0 | 2019 | D43 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 7 |
Praggnanandhaa R | 2539 | Kuipers,S | 2470 | 1–0 | 2019 | C11 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 7 |
Van Foreest,L | 2502 | Maghsoodloo,P | 2679 | ½–½ | 2019 | B06 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 7 |
Saduakassova,D | 2472 | L'Ami,E | 2643 | ½–½ | 2019 | A85 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 7 |
Korobov,A | 2699 | Kovalev,V | 2687 | ½–½ | 2019 | E94 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 8 |
Maghsoodloo,P | 2679 | Gledura,B | 2615 | ½–½ | 2019 | A06 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 8 |
L'Ami,E | 2643 | Bareev,E | 2650 | 1–0 | 2019 | D19 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 8 |
Esipenko,A | 2584 | Praggnanandhaa R | 2539 | 1–0 | 2019 | B69 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 8 |
Keymer,V | 2500 | Saduakassova,D | 2472 | 1–0 | 2019 | A18 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 8 |
Paehtz,E | 2477 | Van Foreest,L | 2502 | 0–1 | 2019 | E06 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 8 |
Kuipers,S | 2470 | Chigaev,M | 2604 | 0–1 | 2019 | C54 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 8 |
Kovalev,V | 2687 | L'Ami,E | 2643 | ½–½ | 2019 | C01 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 9 |
Bareev,E | 2650 | Keymer,V | 2500 | ½–½ | 2019 | D02 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 9 |
Gledura,B | 2615 | Paehtz,E | 2477 | 1–0 | 2019 | A05 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 9 |
Chigaev,M | 2604 | Esipenko,A | 2584 | ½–½ | 2019 | C50 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 9 |
Praggnanandhaa R | 2539 | Korobov,A | 2699 | ½–½ | 2019 | C54 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 9 |
Van Foreest,L | 2502 | Kuipers,S | 2470 | 0–1 | 2019 | C11 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 9 |
Saduakassova,D | 2472 | Maghsoodloo,P | 2679 | 0–1 | 2019 | A34 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 9 |
Korobov,A | 2699 | L'Ami,E | 2643 | ½–½ | 2019 | D00 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 10 |
Maghsoodloo,P | 2679 | Bareev,E | 2650 | 1–0 | 2019 | B12 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 10 |
Esipenko,A | 2584 | Van Foreest,L | 2502 | 1–0 | 2019 | D37 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 10 |
Praggnanandhaa R | 2539 | Chigaev,M | 2604 | 0–1 | 2019 | B47 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 10 |
Keymer,V | 2500 | Kovalev,V | 2687 | 0–1 | 2019 | A10 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 10 |
Paehtz,E | 2477 | Saduakassova,D | 2472 | ½–½ | 2019 | B47 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 10 |
Kuipers,S | 2470 | Gledura,B | 2615 | ½–½ | 2019 | B48 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 10 |
Kovalev,V | 2687 | Maghsoodloo,P | 2679 | 1–0 | 2019 | B01 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 11 |
Bareev,E | 2650 | Paehtz,E | 2477 | ½–½ | 2019 | A00 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 11 |
L'Ami,E | 2643 | Keymer,V | 2500 | ½–½ | 2019 | B90 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 11 |
Gledura,B | 2615 | Esipenko,A | 2584 | ½–½ | 2019 | A05 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 11 |
Chigaev,M | 2604 | Korobov,A | 2699 | ½–½ | 2019 | B90 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 11 |
Van Foreest,L | 2502 | Praggnanandhaa R | 2539 | ½–½ | 2019 | B41 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 11 |
Saduakassova,D | 2472 | Kuipers,S | 2470 | ½–½ | 2019 | D43 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 11 |
Korobov,A | 2699 | Keymer,V | 2500 | 1–0 | 2019 | D35 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 12 |
Maghsoodloo,P | 2679 | L'Ami,E | 2643 | ½–½ | 2019 | C02 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 12 |
Chigaev,M | 2604 | Van Foreest,L | 2502 | ½–½ | 2019 | E32 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 12 |
Esipenko,A | 2584 | Saduakassova,D | 2472 | 1–0 | 2019 | C42 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 12 |
Praggnanandhaa R | 2539 | Gledura,B | 2615 | 0–1 | 2019 | A05 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 12 |
Paehtz,E | 2477 | Kovalev,V | 2687 | 0–1 | 2019 | A48 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 12 |
Kuipers,S | 2470 | Bareev,E | 2650 | 0–1 | 2019 | B13 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 12 |
Kovalev,V | 2687 | Kuipers,S | 2470 | 1–0 | 2019 | C07 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 13 |
Bareev,E | 2650 | Esipenko,A | 2584 | 1–0 | 2019 | A49 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 13 |
L'Ami,E | 2643 | Paehtz,E | 2477 | 1–0 | 2019 | E00 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 13 |
Gledura,B | 2615 | Chigaev,M | 2604 | 1–0 | 2019 | B08 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 13 |
Van Foreest,L | 2502 | Korobov,A | 2699 | ½–½ | 2019 | B30 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 13 |
Keymer,V | 2500 | Maghsoodloo,P | 2679 | ½–½ | 2019 | D71 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 13 |
Saduakassova,D | 2472 | Praggnanandhaa R | 2539 | ½–½ | 2019 | A05 | 81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019 | 13 |
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Andre Schulz and Johannes Fischer contributed reporting
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