Firouzja wins, Duda escapes
The most important result of round 3 was Pentala Harikrishna’s win with black over former sole leader Nils Grandelius. However, we also saw Jan-Krzysztof Duda barely escaping in a double-edged struggle against Fabiano Caruana, and Alireza Firouzja showing impressive endgame technique to get his first victory of the event.
Special: AVRO 1938. "All in One": Anish Giri and Igor Stohl dissect two topical opening lines. Analyses from Norway Chess 2020 by Duda, Firouzja et al. Videos by Erwin l'Ami, Daniel King and Mihail Marin. 11 opening articles and much more!
Due to Harikrishna’s victory, five players are now sharing the lead on +1 — besides the Indian, Grandelius, Caruana, Magnus Carlsen and Anish Giri have also collected 2 points so far in the tournament.
At 34, ‘Hari’ is, remarkably, the oldest player in the field. Currently ranked 22nd in the world, he was called up as a replacement when Shakhriyar Mamedyarov cancelled his participation in mid-December. This is not his first time in the Dutch fishing village, though, as he was first invited to the chess festival back in 2001. Harikrishna himself pointed out that a couple of this edition’s participants had not been born yet at the time — he was talking about Alireza Firouzja (b. 2003) and Andrey Esipenko (b. 2002).
Harikrishna played once in the C group, three times in the B group, and this is his fourth participation in the main event. He achieved his best result in 2017, when he won the B group with an impressive 9/13 score, ahead of Alexander Motylev and Lazaro Bruzon.

Co-leader Anish Giri | Photo: Jurriaan Hoefsmit
A spectacular draw
Duda later commented that he expected for Caruana to play 1.d4, and when 1.e4 appeared on the board he did not shy away from playing the Petroff, a defence Caruana had used with immense success prior to and during his World Championship match against Carlsen.
1...e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 Nd7 8.Qd2 0-0 9.0-0-0 Nf6 10.Bd3 c5
This line had been explored in the London World Championship match, and many times later on. Caruana was the first to deviate, though, as he played the impressive 11.Rhg1 preparing to advance his g-pawn.
11...b5 12.g4 The idea.
12...Bb7
[In case of 12...Bxg4 White planned to go for an immediate attack with 13.Bh6 as 13...Bxf3 is not possible due to 14.Rxg7+ Kh8 15.Qg5 Rg8 and the spectacular 16.Qxf6 Bxf6 17.Rxh7# mate.]
13.Qe2 c4
The Petroff (or Russian) Defence which is characterised by the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 has been popular at the highest levels for many years and enjoys the reputation of being an extremely solid defence.
The plot thickens as White is forced to play 14.Bf5 and the bishop has nowhere to go in case of ...g6 — although capturing the piece would dangerously open up the g-file. Thus, 14...Re8 15.Nd4 Nd5
Caruana spent almost 45 minutes before deciding on 16.Ne6, while with 16...Qa5 Black went for counterplay on the queenside.
White here found the strong 17.Qf3
A hugely complicated position has appeared on the board. Duda, of course, spent a long time before playing 17...Bf6
[Duda needed to calculate 17...Nxc3 18.Qh3 (18.Qxb7); and
17...g6 18.Rxd5 Qxa2 with a mess on the board.]
18.g5
18...Bxc3 19.Bxh7+ White’s bishop sacrifice comes with a check.
And after 19...Kxh7 White checks again — 20.g6+ fxg6 21.Ng5+ Kh8 22.Bd4
Two tactical wizards have found precise moves one after another! 22...Bxd4 23.Rxd4 and the game continued 23...Nf6 24.Qxb7 Rab8 25.Qf7 Re1+ 26.Rd1 Rxg1 27.Rxg1
27...Re8 planning to give up the exchange after 28.Ne6 as otherwise White’s attack is too strong.
28...Rxe6 29.Qxe6 Qxa2 30.Qh3+ Kg8 31.Qe6+ Kh7 32.Qh3+ Kg8
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.
Duda has shown amazing resourcefulness in defence, and now Caruana correctly decides to exchange down into an endgame with 33.Qa3
The game continued 33...Qxa3 34.bxa3 Kf7 35.Kd2 a6 36.Ke3 Nd5+ 37.Kd4 Ne7
After finding one precise move after another, Caruana plays an imprecise move in the endgame — 38.Re1
[It was necessary to immediately go for 38.a4 Ke6 39.axb5 axb5 40.Rb1]
38...Ke8 39.a4 Kd7 40.axb5 axb5
As endgame specialist Karsten Müller pointed out (see full analysis below), White was still winning here — 41.Rg1 was a mistake.
[41.Kc3 was correct.]
41...Kc6 42.h4 Nf5+ 43.Kc3 Nxh4 44.Kb4 Nf3 45.Rxg6 Nd4 46.c3 Ne2 47.Rxg7 Nf4 48.Ka5 Ne2 49.Kb4 Nf4 50.Ka5 Ne2 51.Kb4
This is the perfect example of how a drawn game can also be exciting! Caruana demonstrated his usual stunning calculating skills, while Duda defended impressively as the position got more and more complicated! ½-½
Endgame analysis by GM Karsten Müller
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 Nd7 8.Qd2 0-0 9.0-0-0 Nf6 10.Bd3 c5 11.Rhg1 b5 12.g4 Bb7 13.Qe2 c4 14.Bf5 Re8 15.Nd4 Nd5 16.Ne6 Qa5 17.Qf3 Bf6 18.g5 Bxc3 19.Bxh7+ Kxh7 20.g6+ fxg6 21.Ng5+ Kh8 22.Bd4 Bxd4 23.Rxd4 Nf6 24.Qxb7 Rab8 25.Qf7 Re1+ 26.Rd1 Rxg1 27.Rxg1 Re8 28.Ne6 Rxe6 29.Qxe6 Qxa2 30.Qh3+ Kg8 31.Qe6+ Kh7 32.Qh3+ Kg8 33.Qa3 Qxa3 34.bxa3 Kf7 35.Kd2 a6 36.Ke3 Nd5+ 37.Kd4 Ne7 38.Re1 Ke8 39.a4 Kd7 40.axb5 axb5 41.Rg1? 41.Kc3! Nd5+ 41...Nc6 42.Rg1 Ne7 43.Kb4 Kc6 44.Rg5 Nd5+ 45.Ka5 b4 46.Ka4 b3 47.cxb3 cxb3 48.Kxb3+- 42.Kb2 Ne7 43.Ka3 Nd5 43...Nc6 44.Rg1 Nd4 45.Kb2 b4 46.Rg4 c3+ 47.Kb1 Nf3 48.Ka2 Nd2 49.Rxb4+- 44.Rg1 b4+ 44...Ne7 45.Kb4 Kc6 46.Rg5+- 45.Ka4 b3 46.cxb3 cxb3 47.Kxb3 Ne7 48.Re1 Ke8 49.Kc4 Kf7 50.Kb5 Ke8 51.Re3 Kf7 51...Kd7 52.Kc4 Ke8 53.Rf3 Nf5 54.Kd5 Kd7 55.Rd3 Ne7+ 56.Ke4 Ke6 57.Kf4 Kd7 58.Kg5 Ke6 59.Re3+ Kf7 60.Rf3+ Ke6 61.Rf4 d5 62.Ra4 Kf7 63.Ra7 Ke6 64.Rb7 Kd6 65.Kf4 Ke6 66.Rb6+ Kf7 67.h4 Ng8 68.Kg5 Ne7 69.Rd6 Kg8 70.Kf4 Kf7 71.Ke5+- 52.Re4 Ke8 53.Rf4 Nf5 54.Kc6 Kf7 55.Kd5 Kf6 56.Ra4 Kf7 57.Ra7+ Kf6 58.Rb7 Kg5 59.Ke6 Kf4 60.Kf7 Kg5 61.Rb5 Kh6 62.f4 Kh5 63.h3 Kh6 64.Rb8 Kh7 65.Rd8 Nh6+ 66.Ke7 Nf5+ 67.Ke6 Nd4+ 68.Kxd6+- 41...Kc6! 42.h4 42.Rg5 d5 43.c3 Nf5+ 44.Ke5 Kc5 45.Rxg6 d4 46.cxd4+ Nxd4 47.Ke4 c3 48.Kd3 c2 49.Kd2 b4 50.Rxg7 b3 51.Rb7= 42.Re1 Nf5+= 42...Nf5+ 43.Kc3 Nxh4 44.Kb4 Nf3 45.Rxg6 Nd4 46.c3 46.Kc3 Kc5 47.Rxg7 b4+ 48.Kd2 b3 49.cxb3 Nxb3+ 50.Kc3 d5 51.Rc7+ Kb5 52.f4 d4+ 53.Kb2 d3 54.Kc3 d2 55.Rd7 Kc6 56.Rd8 Kc7= 46...Ne2 47.Rxg7 Nf4 48.Ka5 Ne2 49.Kb4 Nf4 50.Ka5 Ne2 51.Kb4 ½–½ - Start an analysis engine:
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Caruana,F | 2823 | Duda,J | 2743 | ½–½ | 2021 | C42 | 83rd Tata Steel Masters 2021 | 3.4 |
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 Nd7 8.Qd2 0-0 9.0-0-0 Nf6 10.Bd3 c5 11.Rhg1!N 11.Rhe1 Be6 12.a3 c4 13.Bf1 Ne4 14.Qe2 d5 15.Bd4 b5 16.Nd2 Nd6 17.g3 11...b5 12.g4 Bb7 13.Qe2 c4 14.Bf5 Re8 15.Nd4 Nd5 15...g6= 16.Ne6! Qa5 17.Qf3! Bf6 17...Qxa2? 18.Bxh7+! Kxh7 19.Qxf7+- 17...g6± 18.Rxd5 Qxa2 17...g6 18.Rxd5 18.g5!+- Bxc3 19.Bxh7+! Kxh7 20.g6+! 20.Qxf7 Qxa2 21.bxc3 21.g6+ Kh8 21...Qa3+ 22.Kd2 Qxc3+ 23.Kc1 Qa1+ 24.Kd2 Qc3+ 25.Kc1 Qa3+ 26.Kd2 Qc3+ 20...fxg6 21.Ng5+ Kh8 22.Bd4! Bxd4 23.Rxd4 Nf6 23...Re1+? 24.Rxe1 Qxe1+ 25.Rd1+- 24.Qxb7 Rab8 24...Qxa2? 25.Rh4+ Nh5 26.Ne6!+- 25.Qf7 25.Rh4+ Nh5= 25...Re1+ 26.Rd1 Rxg1 27.Rxg1 Re8 27...Qxa2? 28.Rg3+- 28.Ne6 Rxe6 29.Qxe6 Qxa2 30.Qh3+ Kg8 31.Qe6+? 31.Qa3± Qxa3 32.bxa3 31...Kh7= 32.Qh3+? 32.Re1= 32...Kg8± 33.Qa3 Qxa3 34.bxa3+- Kf7 35.Kd2 a6 36.Ke3 Nd5+ 37.Kd4 Ne7 38.Re1 Ke8 39.a4 Kd7 40.axb5 axb5 41.Rg1 41.Kc3± 41...Kc6!= 42.h4 Nf5+ 43.Kc3 Nxh4 44.Kb4 Nf3 45.Rxg6 Nd4! 46.c3 Ne2 47.Rxg7 Nf4 48.Ka5 Ne2 49.Kb4 Nf4 50.Ka5 Ne2 51.Kb4 ½–½ - Start an analysis engine:
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Caruana,F | 2823 | Duda,J | 2743 | ½–½ | 2021 | | 83rd Tata Steel Masters 2021 | 3.4 |
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Did Caruana know beforehand this would be an insane fight? | Photo: Jurriaan Hoefsmit
Winning with the French
Out of a French Defence, a balanced position appeared on the board in Grandelius vs Harikrishna. However, after 16 moves, the Swedish grandmaster played what Harikrishna considered to be an inaccuracy.
This French Defence DVD is a complete attacking opening repertoire for black after 1.e4 e6. GM Nick Pert has played the French defence his whole life and provides all his la test and most up to date analysis crammed into 1 DVD.
Grandelius vs. Harikrishna
17.Bf4
[Better was 17.Bxb4 Nxb4 18.Qd2 Nbc6 and the strategical battle continues.]
There followed 17...Qa5 18.b3 b5 19.Nb2 Ba3
The engines consider this to be equal still, but, as Harikrishna mentioned, it is quite natural for a French player to place the bishop on a3, gaining a strong initiative on the queenside while White cannot create anything on the kingside — the knight on f3 is stuck defending e4.
20.Qe2 0-0 21.Rab1 Rc7 22.Nd3 Qb6 23.b4 a5 24.bxa5 Nxa5 25.Bc1 Bxc1 26.Rdxc1 Rxc1+ 27.Nxc1 Nc4 28.Nb3 Ra8 29.Rc1 Nc6 30.g3 Ra3 31.Kg2 Qa7 32.Rc2
Black has three pieces attacking a2, while White can only defend passively — 32...Nb4 33.Rc3 Nxa2 34.Rd3 Rxb3 35.Rxb3 Nc1 36.Qc2 Nxb3 37.Qxb3 Qa4 38.Qb1
An excellent positional victory by India’s second highest-rated player — 38...b4 0-1
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1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Nf3 Bd7 6.Be2 cxd4 7.cxd4 Bb5 8.0-0 Bxe2 9.Qxe2 Nc6 10.Nc3 Nge7 11.Qd3 11...Rc8!? 12.Rd1N 12.Bg5 Ng6 13.Qb5 Qxb5 14.Nxb5 a6 15.Nc3 h6 16.Bd2 Bb4 17.a3 Bxc3 18.Bxc3 0-0 19.Rac1 12...h6 12...Nb4= 13.Qb5+ Qxb5 14.Nxb5 Nec6 13.Bd2 Ng6 14.h4 Bb4 14...Qxb2? 15.h5+- 15.Na4 Qc7 16.h5 Nge7 17.Bf4 Qa5 18.b3 18...b5 19.Nb2 Ba3 20.Qe2 0-0 21.Rab1 Rc7 22.Nd3 Qb6 23.b4 a5 23...Nxd4 24.Nxd4 Qxd4 25.Be3± 24.bxa5 Nxa5 25.Bc1 25.Nde1= 25...Bxc1 26.Rdxc1 Rxc1+ 27.Nxc1 Nc4 28.Nb3 Ra8 29.Rc1 Nc6 30.g3 30.Ra1 30...Ra3-+ 31.Kg2 Qa7 32.Rc2? 32.Qd3 32...Nb4 33.Rc3 Nxa2 34.Rd3 Rxb3! 35.Rxb3 Nc1! 36.Qc2 Nxb3 37.Qxb3 Qa4 38.Qb1 38.Qxa4 bxa4 39.Ne1 38...b4 0–1 - Start an analysis engine:
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Grandelius,N | 2663 | Harikrishna,P | 2732 | 0–1 | 2021 | | 83rd Tata Steel Masters 2021 | 3.5 |
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Nils Grandelius is yet to sign a draw in the tournament | Photo: Jurriaan Hoefsmit
Firouzja’s endgame skills
In round 3 Firouzja demonstrated that he can also win games without throwing all his pieces at the opponent in sharp tactical battles. Playing white, he converted his slight positional advantage into a full point.
Rules of thumb are the key to everything when you are having to set the correct course in a complex endgame. In this final DVD of his series on the endgame, our endgame specialist introduces you to the most important of these rules of thumb.
White started to slowly advance on the kingside with 36.g4 hxg4+ 37.Kxg4 Rh8 38.h5
This was the position twelve moves later:
Much like Grandelius, Anton found himself forced to defend passively for quite a while and, as it usually happens, he ended up cracking under pressure — the Spaniard missed the trick 51.Ne7
Black tried to complicate matters, but to no avail. There followed Ng5+ 52.fxg5 Kxe7 53.gxf6+ Kxf6 54.Rg6+ Kf7 55.Nf3 Rdf8 56.Ne5+ Ke7 57.Rxg7+
White has successfully broken through. The game only lasted four more moves — 57...Rxg7 58.Rxg7+ Kf6 59.h6 Rh8 60.Kg4 Rxh6
Firouzja forced his opponent to resign with 61.Rd7 — Black is in zugzwang 1-0
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1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.Nbd2 cxd4 6.exd4 Bf5 7.Bb5 Rc8 8.c3 e6 9.Qe2N 9.Qa4 Qb6 10.Bxc6+ bxc6 11.b4 Bd3 12.Ne5 Bb5 13.Qb3 Bd6 14.Nxf7 Bxf4 15.Nxh8 9...Nd7 10.h4 a6 11.Bd3 11...Bxd3 12.Qxd3 Be7 13.Kf1 Qb6 14.Rb1 Qb5 15.Qxb5 axb5 16.a3 h5 17.Nb3 f6 18.Re1 Kf7 19.Nc1 Nf8 20.Nd3 Ng6 21.Bg3 Na5 22.Kg1 Nc4 23.Re2 Rhe8 24.Kh2 Bf8 25.Rhe1 b6 26.Kg1 Ra8 27.Bf4 Rac8 28.g3 Rc6 29.Kg2 Be7 30.Ng1 Bf8 31.Nh3 Be7 32.Ng1 Bf8! 33.Nf3 Be7 34.Kh3 Ra8 35.Bc1 Re8 36.g4 hxg4+ 37.Kxg4 Rh8 38.h5 Nf8 39.Nf4 Bd8! 40.Rh1 Rg8 40...Bc7= 41.Nh4± Bc7 42.Nfg6 Nd7 43.Rhe1 Re8 44.Bf4 Bxf4 45.Nxf4 Rd6 46.Kh3 Nf8 47.Nfg6 Nh7 48.f4 Rdd8 49.Rg1 Nd6 49...Rd7 50.Reg2 Rg8 50...Kg8 51.Ne5 Ng5+ 52.Kh2 52.fxg5 fxe5 53.dxe5 Nb7± 52...Nf5 51.Ne7!+- Ng5+? 51...Rde8 52.fxg5 Kxe7 53.gxf6+ Kxf6 54.Rg6+ Kf7 55.Nf3 Rdf8 55...Rde8 56.Ng5+ Ke7 57.Nxe6 Kd7 56.Ne5+ Ke7 57.Rxg7+ Rxg7 58.Rxg7+ Kf6 59.h6 Rh8 60.Kg4 Rxh6 61.Rd7 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
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Firouzja,A | 2749 | Anton Guijarro,D | 2679 | 1–0 | 2021 | | 83rd Tata Steel Masters 2021 | 3.7 |
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Alireza Firouzja vs. David Anton | Photo: Jurriaan Hoefsmit
Round 3 results
Standings after Round 3
All games
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