Gukesh Tops the Standings As Fedoseev & Giri Win • lichess.org

Tournament Information

The Tata Steel Chess tournament is one of the longest-running chess tournaments in history. It has attracted the world’s top players for decades and is currently celebrating its 87th edition. The Masters section pits 14 players in a big single-player round robin, setting the stage for exhilarating chess battles as the clash of styles and ratings makes for quite the spectacle. The Challengers section is similarly structured, and Tata Steel Chess also includes a well-attended Amateurs section.

The Lichess broadcast coverage can be found here.

Schedule

Leaderboard

GM Gukesh D vs. GM Leon Luke Mendonca 1-0

Photo credit: Jurriaan Hoefsmit / Tata Steel Chess

World champion GM Gukesh D has shown, time and time again, that he does not mind taking a slightly worse position if it means wild complications could ensue. In today’s game, he showed just that type of fighting spirit against GM Leon Luke Mendonca, whose enterprising 9…h6 and 10…g5 plan in the Ruy Lopez also has to be commended. Even though Mendonca was very slightly better at some points in the game, the engine’s evaluation seemed to matter little as Gukesh went on to control the a-file and planted his rook on f5. His bishop pair then masterfully sprung to life and Mendonca’s weaknesses came back to haunt him as Gukesh infiltrated with alacrity.

https://lichess.org/study/embed/y1UCH4bb/4FLBOrpy#0

GM Anish Giri vs. GM Praggnanandhaa R 1-0

Photo credit: Jurriaan Hoefsmit / Tata Steel Chess

GM Anish Giri came up with some dazzling preparation in the Catalan Opening, which he employed to great effect against round 9’s tournament co-leader GM Praggnanandhaa R. 7. Qc1 was the start of Giri’s deep opening preparation, where the queen, which dissuaded Black from playing Nh5, provoked Black to move the a-pawn forward and only then, with 11. Qc2, did it come to a more natural square. Praggnanandhaa’s 15…b5 was a choice he would later regret as Giri gained space with the normal reaction, 16. c5. From that point onward, Giri let Black in the game as he played somewhat inaccurately, but Praggnanandhaa’s position remained difficult to defend as his weak d-pawn continued being a target. Giri was finally able to convert on move 63, finishing off what was a long and tough game.

https://lichess.org/study/embed/y1UCH4bb/Z0Qi1OnD#0

GM Vladimir Fedoseev vs. GM Pentala Harikrishna 1-0

Photo credit: Jurriaan Hoefsmit / Tata Steel Chess

GM Vladimir Fedoseev’s London System try was much more favorable than Caruana’s as Fedoseev was able to make his slight advantage snowball into a winning one. 8. g4 by Fedoseev signaled his aggressive intentions, and as he expanded on the kingside, putting more of his pawns on dark squares, his light-squared bishop became menacing. GM Pentala Harikrishna’s king position was proving to be difficult, and soon he was enticed to sacrifice an exchange, whereafter his position seemed tenable. Having said that, ultraprecise defense was needed, and Harikrishna simply could not find the rather impossible computer defense and his position collapsed immediately.

https://lichess.org/study/embed/y1UCH4bb/PnxwQUUb#0

GM Fabiano Caruana vs. GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov 1/2-1/2

Photo credit: Jurriaan Hoefsmit / Tata Steel Chess

GM Fabiano Caruana surprised his opponent, GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and surely some fans around the world, with the London System. It was Abdusattorov who hit back with a near-novelty of his own, though, in 3…a5, which did not seem to disturb Caruana much. Throughout the middlegame, a lot of piece trades occurred, but the position on move 24, with Caruana’s smart bishop retreat to d1, remained tense. Nevertheless, Caruana did not find the best way to press his advantage, and with the queens off the board, the position was balanced and a draw was soon agreed.

https://lichess.org/study/embed/y1UCH4bb/7AIakEiH#0

GM Wei Yi vs. GM Arjun Erigaisi 1/2-1/2

Photo credit: Jurriaan Hoefsmit / Tata Steel Chess

The dynamic, albeit highly theoretical, Marshall Gambit of the Ruy Lopez has been part of GM Arjun Erigaisi’s repertoire for a while now. Allowing the Marshall was surely a sign that GM Wei Yi did not want to win at all costs and did not mind a theoretical draw all too much. While the position by move 20 seemed to have a lot of play left, mass liquidation would occur only a few moves later, after which the drawn rook endgame made matters clear.

https://lichess.org/study/embed/y1UCH4bb/H04CGpc7#0

GM Alexey Sarana vs. GM Vincent Keymer 1/2-1/2

Photo credit: Jurriaan Hoefsmit / Tata Steel Chess

GM Vincent Keymer showed some courage today as he essayed the Nimzo-Indian Defense against one of its foremost experts from the White side, GM Alexey Sarana. Sarana pushed a slight advantage throughout the game, but the tables turned in the endgame and it was Black who was slightly better. Ultimately, though, both sides played well and the game was drawn.

https://lichess.org/study/embed/y1UCH4bb/x8BoVLMS#0

GM Jorden Van Foreest vs. GM Max Warmerdam 1/2-1/2

Photo credit: Jurriaan Hoefsmit / Tata Steel Chess

GM Jorden van Foreest was really close to winning his first game of the tournament as he had a splendid attacking position against his compatriot, GM Max Warmerdam. At some point, the position looked very dangerous for Warmerdam, but with precise calculation and defensive prowess, Warmerdam put van Foreest in a tough spot: on move 24, to preserve his advantage, van Foreest had to find the very difficult intermediate move, 24. Rd7!!. After he had failed to find said brilliant move, van Foreest was compelled to force a draw as he was down material.

https://lichess.org/study/embed/y1UCH4bb/kDn5QGqC#0

Round 10 Pairings