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Credits: Stev Bonhage / FIDE
The first day of the Candidates Tournament in Madrid has concluded with an action-packed first day.
Daily, Lichess is offering a broadcast of the video games performed in real-time. We even have a choice of annotated video games by GM Nijat Abasov and video recaps by WGM-elect Jesse February, additional beneath.
Rapport is named a artistic attacking participant, and Duda additionally has his moments of thought of aggression, so this recreation promised to be attention-grabbing and presumably unconventional. The first couple of strikes had been an ordinary Taimanov variation, earlier than leaving any trodden path by transfer 7. Definitely an unconventional begin. A curious 8… g6 by Rapport in an try to fianchetto appeared weird with conference ordinarily indicating to not fianchetto in case your pawn is on d6 (as Rapport’s was). Duda pressed exhausting, and nonetheless within the opening had a substantial benefit. Rapport needed to tread fastidiously; in some traces misplaying led to pressured mates in 9. Rapport did certainly tread fastidiously, and by the middlegame Duda’s momentum had largely fizzled out. A cagey recreation of cat and mouse ensued, with the primary probabilities and the bishop pair with Duda. But, Duda couldn’t construct up the identical dominance he’d achieved within the opening, maybe on account of nerves – being his first Candidates event, and didn’t convert the sport with it ending in a draw.
https://lichess.org/research/450dtcgH/rWfcVLE2
Credit: Maria Emelianova
Liren opted for the English, 1. c4, a probably explosive opening. The gamers went down a line much less traveled early on, with Liren sustaining the everyday small benefit white has within the opening. By transfer 20, going into the middlegame, Nepomniachtchi had nullified Liren’s slight benefit and truly constructed up a small one among his personal. Nepomniachtchi constructed up his assault, getting his items coordinated on excellent squares for an eventual g5 push to use a possible weak spot of his opponent on h4. A couple of strikes later, Nepomniatchi was able to push g5 and Liren misplayed permitting a crushing assault on his king. A clearly upset and disillusioned Liren tried to play on and confuse the place, however just a few strikes later may solely resign.
Credits: Stev Bonhage / FIDE
An all-American showdown as Candidates veteran Caruana performed Nakamura who just lately got here out from an OTB hiatus with a sequence of 2850+ performances. They’re additionally no strangers to one another, with at the very least 46 encounters (barely in Caruana’s favour by 1 win). Caruana opened 1. e4 and Nakamura opted for the Berlin Defense line, made well-known by Kramnik as a constant drawing line for black. A flurry of exchanges within the centre launched some stress however left Nakamura with a scary wanting pawn construction and assault on the kingside. Cold-blooded Caruana stared it down, mitigating the assault and breaking it down – with Nakamura now wanting dangerously overextended. A sequence of cautious maneuvering strikes later, Caruana had a transparent benefit and with classical surgical style it was solely a matter of time earlier than Nakamura was dispatched.
Radjabov just lately has appeared to have a droop in type so it was troublesome to know what to anticipate from him. Likewise, Firouzja has been making ready away from the chess circuit with little or no current play, like some type of Kung Fu grasp meditating in solitude. Overall, the sport gave the impression to be a bit nervy from Firouzja, maybe easing himself again into the saddle. Firouzja gave the impression to be pushing extra for a win, and at phases Radjabov gave the impression to be extra on the backfoot, however in the end Radjabov’s defenses had been adequate, or Firouzja’s assaults weren’t fairly urgent sufficient, and neither appeared at any severe danger of shedding. In a theoretically drawn place, Radjabov performed it out a bit however Firouzja wasn’t going to slide up and the 2 gamers agreed to a draw.
https://lichess.org/research/450dtcgH/9ESwbJbk
Credits: Stev Bonhage / FIDE
Round 2 of the Candidates event begins at 13:00 UTC. Watch it stay on Lichess.
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