Credit: FIDE/Stev Bonhage

The ninth spherical of the Candidates Event in Madrid has concluded. With three wins and one draw, Nepomniachtchi solidified his lead, whereas Firouzja, Radjabov and Ding scored their first wins, and the period of the Berlin Protection as a drawing weapon appears to be coming to an finish…

Day by day, Lichess is offering a broadcast of the video games performed in real-time. We even have a collection of annotated video games by GM Jon Speelman and video recaps by WGM-elect Jesse February.

The sport between Alireza Firouzja and Richard Rapport in Spherical 2 was in all probability not the double edged sharp recreation filled with fireworks we could have anticipated; nonetheless, their Spherical 9 recreation was greater than adequate compensation! With the Berlin protection on the board, one may count on a dry fast draw (even when it as a rule wasn’t the case on this Candidates match). Effectively, that doesn’t sound very like Firouzja or Rapport… By transfer 10, the 2 gamers are out of their preparation and attain a place that was performed in high degree solely as soon as, in a recreation between Karjakin and Vidit in World Blitz Championship 2019. With 11. Nc4 performed, Black may go for 11… Bc7 like the unique recreation or proceed with 11…Bg4 12. Qe1 Bc7. Certainly, Rapport performed 11… Bg4 however at 12. Qe1, he replied with …Bc5, getting ready the extra bold albeit riskier a5-a4-b5 plan, whereas Firouzja ready and performed f4. With this place reached, Firouzja determined to sacrifice one more pawn, by enjoying 13. Be3!?. He could also be two pawns down, however he had fairly some compensation for it – Black king continues to be within the middle and his items not very effectively coordinated, whereas Firouzja has a lot better piece coordination and is able to grasp the initiative! And, that is what occurred within the subsequent strikes, with Rapport having to seek out the perfect strikes and Firouzja enhancing his piece placement with tempi and being able to punish the slightest mistake. And whereas one may argue this place reached at transfer 26 is at the least not objectively higher for white (particularly if you happen to test the analysis), it’s by far simpler to play – which is what mattered within the recreation. 26… Bc4 could appear pure however it allowed 27. Rf5! Additional disorganising Rapport’s items and giving Firouzja an amazing assault – completely appropriate to his model. In an more and more hopeless place, Rapport tried to create counterplay with 31… h5, a queens commerce which was after all not accepted and h4. These makes an attempt have been nonetheless in useless, and Black was compelled to resign at transfer 41 being a chunk down with no counterplay or defensive assets. Firouzja convincingly obtained his first win within the Candidates, reminding us why he is likely one of the most promising younger gamers, regardless of not having his greatest efficiency on this match. 

https://lichess.org/research/embed/E5069VUJ/kfHwi0ta

Credit: FIDE/Stev Bonhage

The match between Teimour Radjabov and Hikaru Nakamura in Candidates 2022 is also described as a Berlin battle; In spherical 2, Radjabov performed the Berlin protection towards Nakamura – and misplaced; right this moment was the time for the roles to be reversed… Nakamura, at transfer 6 determined to deviate from the 6… d6 mainline, and play 6… d5 7. Nbd2 dxe4 8. dxe4 a5; whereas it’s not the commonest, there are nonetheless a number of video games between high layers – together with Vidit – on this place. One of many decisive moments of this recreation, even when in all probability not obvious at first sight, was 13… Bg4; by enjoying this Nakamura sacrificed his a-pawn for some compensation on the kingside; the issue was that Radjabov may defend this, however in return obtained  a pawn majority to march on the queenside, and an a-pawn that was in a while confirmed important. In fact the place was nowhere close to dropping for Nakamura, however Radjabov would have a better play and an edge. Radjabov constructed on his benefit whereas Hikaru struggled to seek out an environment friendly protection; with the place getting more and more tough to deal with and him beneath stress, catastrophe was virtually inevitable to occur – and certainly did at transfer 28. After 28… cxb4 29. cxb4 Rf6 30. b5, Radjabov will get a robust knight on c6, a particularly harmful outdoors handed pawn on the a-file supported by an additionally harmful b-pawn, and energetic rooks (the rook on e2 may help at any second), whereas Nakamura is left with a knight on the opposite aspect of the board, a passive rook on a8 and no practical counterplay or clear defensive plan. Radjabov went on changing this place, scoring his first win within the match and shattering any slight hopes created for Hikaru to doubtlessly win candidates, after his Spherical 8 win.

https://lichess.org/research/embed/E5069VUJ/5qxgeSgO

Credit: FIDE/Stev Bonhage

Fabiano Caruana and Ian Nepomniachtchi, the primary contenders after the primary half of the match, for the primary place – and the best to face Magnus Carlsen within the World Championship Match – confronted one another once more in Spherical 9 of the Candidates. With Caruana being 1 level behind from Nepomniachtchi, a decisive outcome from both participant may considerably have an effect on the result of the match.  The 2 gamers stayed in identified territory sticking to one in all Petrov’s Protection mainlines – or that’s what it seemed like till transfer 10. Caruana had apparently ready a novelty for this place, and inside seconds performed 11. Nh4, adopted by 12. Qc2. This undoubtedly took Nepomniachtchi out of preparation; by transfer 17 he had spent 55 minutes and having problem discovering the perfect strikes, whereas Caruana had spent barely lower than 6. Caruana developed an edge – primarily resulting from higher piece coordination. This edge, nonetheless, was proved fairly fragile; after the natural-looking 24. Bxf5 and the ensuing exchanges, any difficulties black was dealing with in his place have been resolved and white’s benefit evaporated. Caruana, in all probability shocked, given the significance of a win on this recreation, spent 13 minutes debating with himself between 28. Re4 and 28. Re2, or doubtlessly searching for a hidden method to keep his benefit;  ultimately he opted for Re4, being left with 5 minutes till transfer 40. The sport led to a draw by repetition at transfer 40. This outcome solidifies Nepomniachtchi’s lead and places much more stress on Caruana if he desires to remain within the race for first place, however with 5 rounds left, and some gamers having nothing to lose whereas 2nd place nonetheless being in attain, the Candidates match should have some surprises in retailer…

https://lichess.org/research/embed/E5069VUJ/n4hx3LQ1

Credit: FIDE/Stev Bonhage

Ding Liren, regardless of having a tough begin within the Candidates match – together with his spherical 1 loss and his missed win vs Rapport, proved his class as soon as extra, convincingly outplaying Jan-Krzysztof  Duda within the endgame. With 1. c4,  performed, the queens have been exchanged already by transfer 18; however no, a fast draw was not what Ding had in thoughts. The 2 gamers obtained into an endgame the place white appeared to always have a slight edge and higher management of the place – out of which he wished to squeeze his first win within the Candidates. Certainly, after the pure 28… Rd8, Ding is able to put together getting an outdoor handed pawn on h-file with 29. Nc6 – 30. Nxa5 – 28… Bb3 29. Rc4 Rb8 would had been a greater possibility with black being fairly snug. Ding saved making progress with Duda spending a variety of time to determine how you can proceed; after 37. Rc1! Bf3+ 38 Kg1 Ra3, white has a really robust thought, and black would have only one minute to determine how you can take care of the subsequent two strikes. 39. Nc4 was performed, gaining a tempo and desirous to carry the knight on e5 and the rook on seventh rank; the one protection would have been 40… Bh4! 41 Rc7 g5! 42 fxg5 Nxe4 with white nonetheless having a bonus however black having practical probabilities of holding the place. As a substitute, beneath stress, Duda performed 40… Bxe4 permitting Ding to execute his plan. 46. f3! was a really attention-grabbing thought by Ding! The bishop can’t depart the h1-a8 diagonal resulting from a7-Rc8+-a8=Q incoming, eliminating the knight which was one of many final defensive assets of black would solely favor white – even at the price of a pawn – whereas 46… Bd5 could be met by 47. Bc5 Bxc4 48. Rxc4! and black’s knight is in hassle – after Ne2 black must sacrifice it because of the incoming Rc7+ with the pawn being promoted in a number of strikes. In sight of all these, Duda took on f3, and Ding went on to transform this place into his first win!

https://lichess.org/research/embed/E5069VUJ/gLSS2Dxc

Credit: FIDE/Stev Bonhage