Vidit dismantles Firouzja, enters World Top 20

by Tanmay Srinath
2/17/2020 – The 2020 Prague Masters has reached the half-way mark, and it has been a one man show so far! Vidit Gujrathi has exhibited amazing composure and concentration, drawing with Black and winning with White. Today he dismantled Alireza Firouzja in the Exchange Slav after the latter mistakenly grabbed a poisoned pawn and found himself resigning on move 24. David Navara also showed some fighting spirit to best Nils Grandelius in the symmetrical English. Sam Shankland missed too many opportunities, letting David Anton escape. Nikita Vitiugov was close to winning against Harikrishna, but missed some nuances that could have killed the game off and had to split the point. Markus Ragger confidently held J-K Duda to a draw in the Exchange Ruy Lopez. | Photo: Vladimir Jagr
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.

Vidit's shrewd opening choice

I have exhausted words of praise for Vidit's performance in this tournament. It is not that he has played perfectly — he was clearly worse in one of his Black games. However, what is striking is how Vidit is using chess psychology in his favour. His opening choices seem to indicate surety in his approach, and he has not experimented much. His objectives are clear for each of his opponent.

Vidit 1-0 Firouzja

Vidit started the tournament with a bang, and if current form is to be trusted, he is the favourite to win the event! He has been solid with Black and deadly with White, and is currently comfortably placed on 4/5.

Vidit turned on the afterburners today! | Photo: Vladimir Jagr

Let's examine this latest miniature:

 
Vidit - Firouzja, Round 5
Position after 4...cxd5

The Exchange Slav is the perfect choice against a dynamic player like Firouzja. 

 
Position after 9.♗e2

Here 9...♝d6! is the best way for Black to get a defensible position. Instead, 9...♛b6? by Firouzja took him on a one-way road to destruction.

 
Position after 10...Qxb2

10...♛xb2?! is a very greedy pawn grab, but was the point of 9...♛b6. Why is the plan flawed? Black is far too behind in development, and after 11.♘a4! Vidit never lets up!

 
Position after 12.a3

A pawn up, yet close to lost! The best for Alireza would have been to take another pawn on a3. But he decided to play 12...♛a5. After White's 13.♕b3, there was no good way to defend the b7 pawn.

 
Position after 15.♕c3

Frankly, one more tempo and Black will be at least equal, but White has a lot of threats, chiefly ♖c8+ winning a piece. Thus, Black is lost.

 
Position after 21...0-0

Again, Black is materially not yet worse, but will soon lose a piece, because of unfortunate locations of the bishops on b4 and f5, which are hit by ♘c6 and g4.

 
Position after 22...♜c8

To show what good form Vidit is in. He could have taken ♘xb4 here. But here he simply didn't want to give his opponent any counterplay and went 23.g4! getting rid of all back rank threats.

 
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Again, it was difficult to choose which game to cover in detail - this or Navara-Grandelius. In the end I chose this game, as it had not only a lot of other factors linked to it, like Vidit's breakthrough into the top 20, but it also shows how to punish unnecessary pawn grabs. 1.d4 d5 Alireza hasn't played the King's Indian since his loss to Caruana. It seems that he is still trying out symmetrical openings that suit his active style. In Wijk Ann Zee it was the Queen's Gambit Accepted, and today it is the Slav. 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.cxd5! This is the best decision that Vidit took in the game. Why? Well, against such a dynamic and double-edged player like Alireza, it makes no sense to go bang into one of the sharpest lines of the Slav and find an advantage, as he would have been prepared for that line of play. Instead, taking him slightly out of the main theoretical backwaters and aiming to outplay him with an extra tempo in a symmetrical position. cxd5 5.Nc3 Nc6 The theoretical main line of the Exchange Slav. I have shown some alternatives in the notes, but all of them lead to the typical small advantage for White. 5...a6!? is interesting - wasting a tempo to prevent Nb5. However, after 6.Bf4 Nc6 7.e3 Bg4 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 e6 10.Bd3 White has a definitive advantage common in these structures - the bishop pair is an asset, and even if the dark squared bishops are traded off the bishop on d3 is a beast! 5...Qb6!? is slightly more combative - 6.Ne5! Nc6 7.e3 e6 8.f4!? White really doesn't mind going for a Stonewall structure here, as he has got something to play with now. Be7 9.Bd3 Nb4 10.Bb1! Important to preserve this bishop. Nc6 11.0-0 0-0 12.a3 with a small but nagging edge for White. 5...e6 is too passive for my taste - 6.Bf4 Bd6 7.Bxd6! Qxd6 8.e3 Nc6 9.Bd3 with a good bishop versus bad scenario. 5...Bd7!? is another interesting option, developing a piece and not comitting the e-pawn just yet. However, after 6.Bf4 Qb6 7.Rb1! Nc6 8.a3 Nh5 9.Bd2!? Nf6 10.e3 Black now plays e6 as the White bishop is inside the pawn chain. However, White can still try to seize the initiative with some energetic queenside play 11.b4!? Bd6 12.b5 Ne7 13.a4 0-0 14.a5 Qc7 15.Bd3 with a stable plus. 6.Bf4 a6 7.Rc1 Vidit's move seems to be one of the many one can play. This is one of the advantages of playing a symmetrical opening - one can choose any setup suitable for him. 7.e3 is initially liked universally by the machines, and soon we can transpose to one of the lines given above - Bg4 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 e6 10.Bd3 7.Qb3!? is again interesting - White provokes Na5 before playing Qc2. Na5 8.Qc2 e6 9.e3 Bd6 10.Bxd6 Qxd6 11.Bd3 with the typical good bishop vs bad scenario. 7...Bf5 8.e3 e6 In an otherwise symmetrical position White has played Rc1 and Black a6. Black should be able to equalise with a few more precise moves. 9.Be2 The best move by far in the position. 9.Qb3!? is interesting, but Black has the nice resource - Nh5! 10.Qxb7 Na5! Two knights on the rim. White has nothing better than 11.Qc7 Nxf4 12.Qxd8+ Rxd8 13.exf4 but here due to White's slightly loose queenside Black gains enough counterplay, for example Rb8! 14.Nh4 Be4 15.f3 Bg6 16.Bxa6 Rxb2 9...Qb6? Alireza's lack of experience in these positions show, as he is the first to err. In general it can't be right to move your queen so early, when your opponent can castle and start harassing you with Na4 and Nc5, when the rook will be perfectly placed on c1. 9...Bd6! If Black wants to equalise he should do this. Now after 10.Bxd6 Qxd6 11.Na4 0-0 12.0-0 Rac8 13.Nc5 Rc7 14.Qb3 Qe7= Black should slowly be able to trade off some pieces and get an equal game. 10.0-0!± I guess this move is something even a 1200 will make - just castle and complete your development. Qxb2?! The idea behind Qb6 is to do this, but I think this is too risky, and perhaps Black's position is already borderline lost. Good or bad 10...Be7! Had to be tried. Now after the relatively logical sequence 11.Na4 Qa7 12.Qb3 Nd7! preventing Qb6. 12...0-0 13.Qb6! Nd7 14.Qxa7 Rxa7 15.a3 f6 16.Rc3± with a huge positional advantage. 13.Rc3 Na5!? Forcing the queen back 14.Qd1 Nc6 15.Bd3! Bxd3 16.Qxd3 0-0 17.Rfc1± Black is definitely fighting only for a draw, but the position doesn't lose immediately. In the game it was a slaughter. 11.Na4! of course Vidit doesn't need a second invitation to take up the task of dismantling Black's position. Qb4 if Black is too greedy, he gets punished - 11...Qxa2 12.Nh4! Bb4 13.Nxf5 exf5 14.e4‼ with a extra queen for White on the next move and a completely winning position. 12.a3! Qa5? I don't understand this approach from Firouzja. First he grabs a pawn, which is completely unnecessary, and now when he is practically forced to grab a second pawn he declines, ending up in a lost position. 12...Qxa3! is the only move to stay in the game. After 13.Nb6 Rd8 14.Bc7 Bd6 15.Bxd8 Kxd8 16.Na4 Kc7 17.Ra1 Qb4 18.Ra2!± White is better, but there is still a lot of work to be done and the game is no where closed to finished for Black. 13.Qb3!+- The rest of the game is an example of how to perfectly convert a winning position. b5 14.Rxc6 Qxa4 15.Qc3 it is important to understand why Black is lost here - had he gotten an extra move with Be7 he would have infact been better after 0-0!. But here he needs two moves to complete development with Be7 and 0-0, and he is not going to get the time to do it! For starters, White threatens Rc8+ winning, so Black's next move is forced. e5 16.Nxe5! b4!? Desperation, but Vidit is upto the task. 17.axb4! Ne4 18.Qa1! This surprising move is the point of White's strategy. By exchanging queens Black's major menace is removed from the board and White will soon dominate the open files with his rooks. Qxa1 19.Rxa1 Bxb4 20.Rcxa6 Rxa6 21.Rxa6 0-0 Now, if you still don't understand why Black is lost here, let me explain - despite the pawns being equal, Black has pieces which are completely discoordinated, and White still has the initiative. Here the poor location of the bishop on b4 and the bishop on f5 simplify White's task - he just uses motifs of double attack and fork to gain a decisive material advantage. 22.Nc6! Rc8 Firouzja tries to use White's weak back rank, but that was precisely my point - White has more than one idea after Nc6! 23.g4! Clearing the back rank with tempo! Nc3 24.Bf1! Now Black is destined to lose a piece, and he decided to throw in the towel. A majestic performance by Vidit! 1–0
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Vidit,S2721Firouzja,A27261–02020D13Prague Festival Masters 20205.5

IM Sagar Shah analyzes the game between Vidit and Firouzja in detail

This is the first time that Vidit has entered top 20 in the world:

Source: 2700Chess.com

Navara 1-0 Grandelius

A very creative contest. Grandelius again got a very good position out of the opening, but as has been the trend in this tournament he has blown hot and cold, and today this unfortunately cost him a point! Credit to Navara for fighting on and on — dropping to -2 in a tournament can off sap a player's motivation. Here are a few highlights:

 
Navara - Grandelius, Round 5
Position after 6...♛b6

Here the main move these days is 7.♘db5!?, but Navara chose the classical main line of 7.♘b3.

 
Position after 12.Na1

Here the natural move 12...0-0 played by Nils is surprisingly an inaccuracy. Instead, Black has two decent alternatives in ♞eg4!? and ♝c5!?.

 
Position after 20.♗xc8

The game suddenly turned in Black's favour here, and Nils chose the wrong capture with 20...exf4?. Instead, 20...♜fxc8! grants Black a serious advantage.

 
Position after 23...♝xd4

White's best move please!

 
Position after 25.b3

Here 25...♜ad8! and ♛c7 is the best way for Black to get an acceptable game. Instead, 25...♞h5?! allowed White to seize the initiative with 26.♕xh5 ♝xc3 27.f5!

 
Position after 34.♖1d2

Here the last chance for Black to stay in the game is 34...♛c6! followed by ♜a5. Instead, 34...♜fe8 quickly led to a demolition after 35.♖d7!

 
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1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.g3 Qb6 7.Nb3 7.Ndb5 Ne5 8.Bg2 a6 9.Qa4 Rb8! 9...Bc5? 10.Bf4! Bxf2+ 11.Kf1 Nfg4 12.h3 g5 13.Bxg5 Bxg3 14.c5 Qxc5 15.Ne4 Qg1+ 16.Kxg1 was an embarrasment for Wei Yi in Ganguly,S (2638)-Wei,Y (2737) Changsha 2019. 10.Na3!? 10.Be3 Bc5! 10...axb5? 11.Bxb6 bxa4 12.Bc7 Ra8 13.Bxe5± and Black survived by a hair's breadth in Harikrishna,P (2731)-Grischuk,A (2794) Tsaghkadzor 2015 11.Bxc5 Qxc5 12.Qa3 b6 13.Nd6+ Ke7 14.Qxc5 bxc5 15.Nxc8+ Rhxc8 16.b3 g5!?∞ is unclear, but probably equal. 10...Bxa3 11.Qxa3 Nxc4 12.Qb3 Qxb3 13.axb3 Ne5 14.0-0N d6 15.Be3∞ and White has good compensation for the pawn. 7...Ne5 8.e4 Bb4 9.Qe2! d6 10.Bd2 a5 11.0-0-0 a4 12.Na1 0-0?! 12...Neg4 13.f3 Nf2 14.Be3 Bc5 15.Bxf2 Bxf2 16.Nc2 Bc5 17.a3 e5 18.Qd3 0-0= 12...Bc5 13.f3 0-0 14.Nc2 Bd7 15.g4 Rfc8 16.g5 Ne8∞ 13.Nc2! Bc5 14.f4 14.Be3!?N Rd8 15.Bxc5 Qxc5 16.f4 Nc6 17.Qe3 14...Nc6 15.e5!? 15.Be3 Seems to be the better move. 15...dxe5 16.fxe5 Nd7 17.Bf4 f6 18.exf6 Nxf6 19.Bh3 19.Bd6 Bxd6 20.Rxd6 a3 21.b3 Qc5= is equal, but Navara goes for more! 19...e5 20.Bxc8 exf4? 20...Rfxc8! 21.Be3 Nd4 22.Bxd4 exd4 23.Nb5 Re8 21.Be6+! Kh8 22.gxf4 Nd4 23.Nxd4 Bxd4 24.Rd3?! 24.Kc2! Bxc3 25.Kxc3‼ is Fat Fritz's stunning idea, and after Qf2 26.Rhe1 Qxf4 27.Qe5 Qf2 28.Re2 Qf3+ 29.Rd3 White has a definitive advantage. 24...a3 25.b3 Nh5 25...Rad8! 26.Na4 Qc7∞ 26.Qxh5 Bxc3 27.f5 Bb2+ 28.Kb1 h6 29.Rhd1 Bf6 30.Qe2 Qa5 30...Qc7! 31.Rd5 Rad8 31.Qe1 Qc7 32.Qg3 Be5 33.Qe3 Bf6 34.R1d2 Rfe8? 34...Qc6 35.Rd1 Ra5 36.Rd5 Rxd5 37.Rxd5 Ra8 35.Rd7!± Qc6 36.R2d5 Rac8? 36...Re7 37.R7d6 Qe8± 37.Rf7 37.R7d6! Qc7 38.Qb6 Bg5 39.Bxc8 Rxc8 40.Qxc7 Rxc7 41.Rd7+- 37...Bb2 38.Qd2 Rb8 39.Bd7 Qb6 40.c5 Qd8 41.f6! Bxf6 42.Bb5 Re1+ 43.Kc2 Qg8 44.Rxf6 gxf6 45.Rd7 Qg6+ 46.Bd3 Re4 47.Re7 f5 48.Bxe4 fxe4 49.Qd4+ Kg8 50.Qd5+ Kf8 51.Re6 Qg5 52.Re5 Qg6 53.Rf5+ Kg7 54.Qe5+ Kh7 55.Qc7+ 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Navara,D2717Grandelius,N26591–02020A33Prague Festival Masters 20205.2

A pair of fighters, David Navara vs Nils Grandelius | Photo: Vladimir Jagr

Is this the start of Navara's Renaissance in this tournament? | Photo: Vladimir Jagr

Shankland ½-½ Anton

Sam is having a bad time in Prague, as he missed numerous opportunities to finish David Anton off, and had to settle for a half-point. Here are a few critical moments:

 
Shankland - Anton, Round 5
Position after 11...bxa6

Here 10.exd5! is the only way to keep the game level. Instead, after 10.e5? ♞e8! Black gets a serious advantage.

 
Position after 12.Qxd5

12...♛a5! is the only move for Black to maintain his advantage. But, 12...♛b6? is a grave error, and hands White a clear advantage.

 
Position after 19...♛f2

20.♗g3! followed by ♗h4 is the best plan White has as his disposal, but Shankland didn't play this, and his move 20.♖f1?! is an inaccuracy.

 
Position after 28...♜b8

Possibly the biggest miss of the game. 29.♕e4? is a serious mistake, which Shankland played in the game. Instead, after 29.f4, Black is lost. There were some other moments where Shankland could have won, but I will only mention the last one:

 
Position after 45...♝b4

Here 46.♖c7! is White's last chance to win. Instead, after 46.♖a1? Black managed to draw by sacrificing his bishop and play ♜h3xh2.

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 c5 3.dxc5 Na6 4.f3 e6 5.e4 Bxc5 6.Nc3 d5 7.Qd2 0-0 8.0-0-0 Bd7 9.Bxa6 bxa6 10.e5?! 10.exd5! Nxd5 11.Nxd5 exd5 12.Qxd5 Qa5 13.Qb3 Ba4 14.Bd2 Qxd2+ 15.Kxd2 Rad8+ 16.Qd3 Rxd3+ 17.Kxd3 Rd8+ 18.Ke2 Re8+= 10...Ne8! 11.Nxd5?! 11.Be3! 11...exd5 12.Qxd5 Qb6? 12...Qa5! 13.Qxa8 Nd6 14.Qd5 Be6 15.Bd2 Qb6 16.Qxd6 Bxd6 17.exd6 Qxd6 13.Qxd7 Nc7 14.Ne2 Ne6 15.Kb1 Ba3 16.b3 Qf2 17.Qd3 Rfd8 18.Qe4 Qxg2 19.Rdg1 Qf2 20.Rf1?! 20.Bg3! Qb6 21.Bh4+- 20...Qb6 21.Be3 Bc5 22.Bc1! Rac8 23.Rd1 Bf8 24.Bb2 a5 25.Nc3 Qf2 26.Qe2 Qh4 27.Ne4 a4 28.Nd6 Rb8 29.Qe4? 29.f4! Qxf4 30.Rhf1 Qb4 31.Rxf7 a3 32.Bxa3‼ Qxa3 33.Qc4 Re8 34.Rxf8+ Kxf8 35.Qf1+ Kg8 36.Qf7+ Kh8 37.Nxe8+- 29...Qxe4 30.Nxe4 a5 31.Nc3 axb3 32.cxb3 Rdc8 33.Rd5 Rb4 34.Rxa5 Rf4 35.Ne2 35.Rf1! Ng5 36.Rd5 Rxf3 37.Rxf3 Nxf3 38.h3 Ng5 39.Rd3+- 35...Rxf3 36.Nd4 Nxd4 37.Bxd4 h5 38.Rc1 Re8 39.Rb5 Kh7 40.a4 Rd8 41.Bb6! Rdd3 42.a5? 42.Rc2! Rxb3+ 43.Rxb3 Rxb3+ 44.Rb2 Rc3 45.a5 Bc5 46.Bxc5 Rxc5 47.a6 Rc8 48.a7 Ra8 49.Rb7+- 42...Rxb3+ 43.Rxb3 Rxb3+ 44.Kc2 Ra3 45.Kb2 Bb4 46.Ra1? 46.Rc7! Kg6 47.Rb7 Rxa5 48.Bxa5 Bxa5 49.Kc2 Be1 50.Kd3 Ba5 51.Ke4+- should be winning for White. 46...Rh3 47.Ra4 Rxh2+ 48.Kc1 Bxa5 Very under-confident play by Shankland when converting his advantage. He needs to trust himself! ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Shankland,S2683Anton Guijarro,D2697½–½2020A45Prague Festival Masters 20205.1

David Anton stays on 50%, but only just | Photo: Vladimir Jagr

Vitiugov ½-½ Harikrishna

Despite his plus score, Vitiugov has not been himself. He had two clear chances to gain a winning advantage, but he either failed to find them over the board or failed to assess them properly. Here is one such instance:

 
Position after 14...bxc6

Here White's best move is 15.a5! fixing the weakness on c6 and beginning play against two clear weaknesses. Also, now c5 is impossible because of ♘b6 ♜b8 ♕a4+, followed by ♖fd1, with a winning game. Instead, Nikita's 15.♘e5? is not such a bad move, but it does drastically reduce White's advantage. There were a couple other chances as well, but this was the main one, and after this Harikrishna somehow managed to hang on.

 
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1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.Nbd2 cxd4 6.exd4 D02: 1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 sidelines, including 2...Nf6 3 g3 and 2...Nf6 3 Bf4. Bf5 7.Bb5 Qb6 8.c4 The position is equal. dxc4 9.a4 e6 10.0-0 Bd3 11.Ne5
White has the initiative. 11...a6N 11...Qxd4?! 12.Ndxc4 12.Nxc6 Qxf4 13.g3 Qd6= 12...Qxf4 13.Qxd3± 11...Bxf1= 12.Qxf1 Qxd4 Predecessor: 11...Bxf1 12.Qxf1 Rc8 13.Ndxc4 Qxd4 14.Be3 Qd8 15.Bxa7 Nd5 16.a5 Bd6 17.a6 0-0 18.axb7 Nxa7 19.Rxa7 Rxc4 20.Nxc4 Bxh2+ 21.Kxh2 1/2-1/2 (52) Perez Ponsa,F (2559)-Saric,I (2655) chess.com INT 2020 12.Ndxc4± Bxc4 13.Nxc4 Qd8 14.Bxc6+! bxc6 15.Ne5 15.a5± 15...Qd5 16.Rc1 Bd6 17.Re1 Rc8 18.Qe2 0-0 19.Qxa6 White should play 19.Bg5 19...Ra8 19...Qxd4= 20.Bg3 Ra8 21.Qxc6 Bxe5 22.Bxe5 Qxa4 20.Qxc6 20.Qc4± 20...Qxc6 21.Rxc6 Bxe5 22.Bxe5 Ra1 is the strong threat. Much worse is 22.Rxe5?! Rxa4 23.g3 Rxd4= 22...Rxa4 23.Bd6 Rfa8 24.b4 h5 25.b5 R8a5 26.b6 Rb5 27.Rc8+ Kh7 28.Bc5 Ra2 29.Rc7 Kg6 30.Ra7 Rab2 30...Re2 is interesting. 31.Rc1 Reb2 32.h3 Nd5 33.Rca1 Nxb6 34.R1a3 Nc4 31.h3 Nd5 32.Ra3 R2b3 33.Rea1 Threatening Rxb3. Nxb6 33...Rxa3 seems wilder. 34.Rxa3 Nxb6 35.Bxb6 Rxb6 36.h4 Rb4 34.Rxb3 Rxb3 35.Bxb6 Rxb6= Endgame KR-KR 36.h4 Rb4 37.Rd1 Kf5 38.d5 e5 39.d6
And now d7 would win. 39...Rb8! 40.d7 Rd8 41.Rd6 f6 42.f3 Kg6 43.Kf2 Kf7 44.f4 exf4 45.Kf3 Ke7 46.Ra6 Rxd7 aiming for ...g5. 47.Kxf4 Rd4+ 48.Kg3! g6 49.Kh3 Rd6 50.Ra3 Ke6 51.Kg3 Ke5 52.Kf3 Rd5 53.g3 Kf5 54.Rb3 g5 55.hxg5 fxg5
56.g4+! hxg4+ 57.Kg3 Rd4 58.Rb5+ Kg6 59.Rb8 Ra4 Accuracy: White = 84%, Black = 89%. ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Vitiugov,N2731Harikrishna,P2713½–½2020Prague Festival Masters 20205.3

Harikrishna has had an insipid first half in Prague | Photo: Vladimir Jagr

Duda ½-½ Ragger

The last game Duda-Ragger was a rather quiet draw:

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nc3 f6 6.d4 exd4 7.Qxd4 Qxd4 8.Nxd4 Bd7 9.Be3 0-0-0 10.0-0-0 Ne7 11.h4 h5 12.Nde2 Ng6 13.f3 Bd6 13...Be7! 14.Ng3 Rde8 15.Nce2 a5! 14.Na4 Be6 15.Nc5 Bf7 16.Nd3 b6 17.b3 Ba3+ 18.Kb1 c5 19.Bc1 Bxc1 20.Kxc1 c4 21.Ndf4 Rxd1+ 22.Kxd1 cxb3 23.cxb3 Ne5= 24.Kc2 Rd8 25.Rd1 Rxd1 26.Kxd1 Kd7 27.Kd2 Kd6 28.Nd4 g6 29.Kc3 c6 30.a3 a5 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Duda,J2755Ragger,M2670½–½2020C68Prague Festival Masters 20205.4

Can Duda mount a fresh challenge for the top places in the last four rounds? | Photo: Vladimir Jagr

Chess legend Boris Gelfand arrived in Prague on Sunday | Photo: Vladimir Jagr

Standings after Round 5

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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.g3 a6 7.Bg2 Nf6 8.0-0 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Bc5 10.Bf4 d6 11.Qd2 h6 12.Rad1 e5 13.Be3 Bb4 B47: Sicilian: Taimanov: 5 Nc3 Qc7 6 f4, 6 g3 and 6 Be2. 14.a3 14.Nb5!? axb5 15.Qxb4 14...Bxc3! 15.Qxc3 Qxc3 White has an edge. 16.bxc3 Be6 17.Rxd6 Rc8
18.Bb6N 18.Bd2 seems wilder. Ke7 19.Rb6 Rhd8 20.Rxb7+ Kf8 21.Be3 Predecessor: 18.Rb1 Rxc3 19.Rxb7 0-0 20.Ra7 Ng4 21.Bd2 Rxa3 22.Bf1 Rc8 23.Bd3 Ra1+ 24.Kg2 1-0 (60) Rocco,F (2157)-Wadsworth,M (2418) Torquay 2019 18...0-0 19.Ba5 Rc4! 20.Rb6 Nxe4 21.Re1 Nxc3 22.Bxb7 Na4 23.Rxa6 Nc5 The position is equal. 24.Ra7 Nxb7 25.Rxb7 Rxc2 26.Rxe5 Ra2 27.Kg2 Re8
aiming for ...Bh3+! 28.Bc7 Rxa3 29.Rb8 Rxb8 30.Bxb8=       Endgame KRB-KRB g5 31.h3 Rd3 32.Re1 h5 33.Ba7 Kg7 34.Kh2 Kg6 35.Be3 g4 36.h4 Bd5 Accuracy: White = 90%, Black = 95%. ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Grandelius,N2659Harikrishna,P2713½–½2020B47Prague Festival Masters 20201.1
Firouzja,A2726Ragger,M2670½–½2020C84Prague Festival Masters 20201.2
Vitiugov,N2731Anton Guijarro,D26971–02020B31Prague Festival Masters 20201.3
Vidit,S2721Shankland,S26831–02020E46Prague Festival Masters 20201.4
Navara,D2717Duda,J27550–12020B90Prague Festival Masters 20201.5
Shankland,S2683Navara,D2717½–½2020E06Prague Festival Masters 20202.1
Grandelius,N2659Firouzja,A2726½–½2020C67Prague Festival Masters 20202.2
Anton Guijarro,D2697Vidit,S2721½–½2020D38Prague Festival Masters 20202.3
Harikrishna,P2713Duda,J2755½–½2020A40Prague Festival Masters 20202.4
Ragger,M2670Vitiugov,N2731½–½2020C11Prague Festival Masters 20202.5
Firouzja,A2726Harikrishna,P27131–02020C84Prague Festival Masters 20203.1
Navara,D2717Anton Guijarro,D26970–12020D35Prague Festival Masters 20203.2
Duda,J2755Shankland,S2683½–½2020B90Prague Festival Masters 20203.3
Vitiugov,N2731Grandelius,N2659½–½2020A48Prague Festival Masters 20203.4
Vidit,S2721Ragger,M26701–02020D85Prague Festival Masters 20203.5
Ragger,M2670Navara,D2717½–½2020C50Prague Festival Masters 20204.1
Harikrishna,P2713Shankland,S2683½–½2020B90Prague Festival Masters 20204.2
Firouzja,A2726Vitiugov,N2731½–½2020C84Prague Festival Masters 20204.3
Anton Guijarro,D2697Duda,J2755½–½2020A05Prague Festival Masters 20204.4
Grandelius,N2659Vidit,S2721½–½2020C65Prague Festival Masters 20204.5
Shankland,S2683Anton Guijarro,D2697½–½2020A45Prague Festival Masters 20205.1
Navara,D2717Grandelius,N26591–02020A33Prague Festival Masters 20205.2
Vitiugov,N2731Harikrishna,P2713½–½2020D02Prague Festival Masters 20205.3
Duda,J2755Ragger,M2670½–½2020C68Prague Festival Masters 20205.4
Vidit,S2721Firouzja,A27261–02020D10Prague Festival Masters 20205.5
Harikrishna,P2713Anton Guijarro,D2697½–½2020E01Prague Festival Masters 20206.1
Ragger,M2670Shankland,S2683½–½2020C55Prague Festival Masters 20206.2
Grandelius,N2659Duda,J2755½–½2020B51Prague Festival Masters 20206.3
Firouzja,A2726Navara,D2717½–½2020C50Prague Festival Masters 20206.4
Vitiugov,N2731Vidit,S2721½–½2020A45Prague Festival Masters 20206.5
Shankland,S2683Grandelius,N26591–02020D86Prague Festival Masters 20207.1
Anton Guijarro,D2697Ragger,M2670½–½2020A50Prague Festival Masters 20207.2
Navara,D2717Vitiugov,N2731½–½2020A20Prague Festival Masters 20207.3
Duda,J2755Firouzja,A27260–12020A11Prague Festival Masters 20207.4
Vidit,S2721Harikrishna,P2713½–½2020D37Prague Festival Masters 20207.5
Harikrishna,P2713Ragger,M2670½–½2020C84Prague Festival Masters 20208.1
Grandelius,N2659Anton Guijarro,D26970–12020B31Prague Festival Masters 20208.2
Firouzja,A2726Shankland,S2683½–½2020C50Prague Festival Masters 20208.3
Vitiugov,N2731Duda,J2755½–½2020D02Prague Festival Masters 20208.4
Vidit,S2721Navara,D27170–12020E12Prague Festival Masters 20208.5
Navara,D2717Harikrishna,P27130–12020D25Prague Festival Masters 20209.1
Ragger,M2670Grandelius,N2659½–½2020B52Prague Festival Masters 20209.2
Anton Guijarro,D2697Firouzja,A2726½–½2020E92Prague Festival Masters 20209.3
Shankland,S2683Vitiugov,N27311–02020A10Prague Festival Masters 20209.4
Duda,J2755Vidit,S27211–02020D38Prague Festival Masters 20209.5

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Tanmay Srinath has been writing for ChessBase India since quite some time now. His tournament reports and depth of analysis have been widely appreciated. Pursuing a full-fledged career in engineering Tanmay doesn't get enough time to pursue chess, but he loves to follow top-level encounters and analyzes those games with his Fat Fritz engine. We hope you find his analysis useful in your games.

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