So Edges Out Xiong, Aronian Knocks Out Sevian

Puzzles

Team FunTrove

October 3, 2022

So Edges Out Xiong, Aronian Knocks Out Sevian

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GM Wesley So overcame GM Jeffery Xiong in a neck-and-neck match with all decisive video games to start the spherical of 16 on the Chess.com Global Championship on Sunday. GM Levon Aronian went undefeated to knock out GM Sam Sevian in three video games.

The spherical of 16 continues on Monday, October 3, beginning at 9 a.m. PT / 18:00 CET, that includes GM Fabiano Caruana vs. GM Dmitry Andreikin and GM Hikaru Nakamura vs. GM Leinier Dominquez.

So drew the primary blood, defeating Xiong with the well-timed intermezzo Rh3+! to offset Xiong’s king place earlier than cracking open the middle.

This is our Game of the Day.

So and Xiong are two nice chess gamers and the match between them was very shut with two wins every throughout regular time. So’s victory within the first recreation was his finest within the match.

Xiong instantly bounced again within the subsequent recreation. After utilizing nearly no day without work his clock for the primary 20 strikes, Xiong created vital stress on the kingside and heart.

In recreation three, Xiong revealed beautiful opening preparation, sacrificing two pawns and giving up his capacity to fort however gaining a lead in growth and open strains for his bishops and rooks to goal at So’s kingside.

In a essential place, Xiong neglected the profitable thought, letting So again into the sport. Can you discover the missed alternative?

After So was given some respiratory room, he solved his queenside growth issues and transformed together with his additional materials.

In a must-win place in recreation 4, Xiong instantly capitalized after So made an inaccurate transfer, hanging within the heart to realize an additional pawn.

With this victory, Xiong earned himself an armageddon playoff for a spot within the prime eight towards the fifth-highest-ranked chess participant in historical past. Xiong gained an additional trade for a pawn and got here near profitable, however finally So’s wonderful defensive expertise prevailed. After a 131-move duel, the gamers drew.

In the post-match interview, So shared his ideas on his opponent: “Jeffery’s an excellent participant. I’ve plenty of respect for him. He’s additionally very difficult and might spot plenty of ways.”

After a draw of their first recreation, Aronian took the lead vs. Sevian by taking up the sunshine squares to win materials after which buying and selling right into a profitable bishop endgame.

In recreation three, Aronian gained the match, once more by taking up the sunshine squares and making a potent handed e-pawn.

So and Aronian advance to compete in Toronto for the $200,000 first prize whereas Xiong and Sevian every earn $15,000 for his or her aggressive efforts all through the occasion.

Round of 16 Scoreboard

To be added.

Round of 16 Bracket

The 2022 Chess.com Global Championship (CGC) is the primary Chess.com world championship cycle open to all Chess.com verified gamers. Players compete in official Chess.com verified occasions for his or her share of the $1,100,000 prize fund and the Chess.com Global Champion title.

Chess legends, equivalent to GMs Viswanathan Anand, Vasyl Ivanchuk, Vladimir Kramnik, and Veselin Topalov, compete towards at present’s finest (on-line) gamers, together with GMs Hikaru Nakamura, Ding Liren, Levon Aronian, and Jan-Krzysztof Duda, and extra.

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