So escapes with a draw
There was only one decisive game in round six, but it could easily have been two. Fabiano Caruana missed a golden opportunity to take the outright lead after failing to spot a forced checkmate against Wesley So.
The two leading players entered a complex middlegame resembling a reversed Benoni, in which Caruana gradually gained the upper hand. So fell behind on the clock and found himself under increasing pressure as Caruana won material and launched an attack against the king.
However, the critical moment came on move 41. Just after receiving extra time, Caruana spent 17 seconds before playing 41.Qf6, an impulsive choice that let the advantage slip.
With the moves d4-Nf3-e3-Bd3 White aims for simple piece development and to slowly build up a devastating attack on the kingside!
One of the simplest openings for White to learn, and one of the most frustrating ones for Black to face! With the moves d4-Nf3-e3-Bd3 White aims for simple piece development and to slowly build up a devastating attack on the kingside!
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample video: e4-e5 attacking ideas
Both 41.Qb8 and 41.Qd8 would have secured victory on the spot, as confirmed by computer analysis showing a forced mate in nine moves. So defended accurately thereafter, and the game soon fizzled into a draw, leaving both players tied for the lead alongside Hans Niemann.
Wesley So | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Niemann, who was playing with black against Levon Aronian, also drew his game. Their Nimzo-Indian encounter was balanced throughout, with both sides creating practical chances without ever tipping the scales decisively. As a result, So, Caruana and Niemann remain jointly on top after six rounds.
The only player to win on the day was 15-year-old Andy Woodward, who continued his impressive run by beating Dariusz Swiercz for a second consecutive victory. Woodward admitted afterwards that he had been tricked in the opening, but he quickly turned the tables when Swiercz chose the wrong capture on move 17.
The King‘s Indian Attack is a universal opening: easy to learn, flexible, and rich in both tactical and positional opportunities.From that moment, the momentum shifted in Woodward's favour, and he converted efficiently to reach an even score. For Swiercz, it marked a second straight defeat.
After six rounds, Caruana, So and Niemann share the lead on 4 points, followed by Levon Aronian in sole fourth place with 3½ points, while Woodward joins those on 3 points - Awonder Liang and Grigoriy Oparin - tied for fifth place.
Andy Woodward | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Results - Round 6
Standings after round 6
All games
Zatonskih and Lee share the lead
The women's championship once again featured four decisive games, maintaining the tournament's reputation for fighting chess.
Anna Zatonskih moved into joint first place with Alice Lee after defeating Atousa Pourkashiyan, while Lee was held to a draw by Thalia Cervantes. Zatonskih's victory extended her unbeaten run, making her the only player in the field yet to lose a game. She later described the win as bittersweet, noting her sympathy for Pourkashiyan, who is in the seventh month of her pregnancy.
In this insightful video course, Grandmaster David Navara shares practical advice on when to calculate deeply in a position — and just as importantly, when not to.
In this insightful video course, Grandmaster David Navara shares practical advice on when to calculate deeply in a position — and just as importantly, when not to.
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample video: Invisible moves
Anna Zatonskih | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Carissa Yip scored an important win against Irina Krush to stay within striking distance of the leaders. Continuing a familiar rivalry, Yip once again prevailed, this time from the black side of a King's Indian Defence. Krush employed a Petrosian setup with an early h3 and later won a pawn - though in reality, Yip had sacrificed it for activity. Accurate defence might have secured equality for Krush, but her decision to delay castling and keep her king in the centre proved costly as tactical complications arose.
Elsewhere, Nazi Paikidze returned to winning ways by defeating former sole leader Anna Sargsyan, who suffered her second consecutive loss. Their endgame, featuring queens and opposite-coloured bishops, appeared balanced, but Paikidze found a precise plan of activating her king on the queenside, turning the position decisively in her favour.
The remaining win came from Jennifer Yu, who overcame Megan Paragua to move closer to the upper half of the table. With five rounds remaining, Lee and Zatonskih lead the women's championship on 4 points, followed by a five-player chasing pack on 3½.
Nazi Paikidze | Photo: Lennart Ootes
From Mating with a queen; a rook; two bishops; a knight and a bishop; to the basics of pawn endgames – here you will gain the necessary know-how to turn your endgame advantages into victories!
Carissa Yip | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Sargsyan 0-1 Paikidze
Analysis by GM Karsten Müller
Results - Round 6
Standings after round 6
All games
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