The Eighth spherical of the 2022 Candidates Match is over with Ian Nepomniatchi pushing his result in a full level over Fabiano Caruana, who stumbled at the moment in opposition to his countryman Hikaru Nakamura.

Each 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 Nijat Abasov/GM Ulvi Bajarani, and video recaps by WGM-elect Jesse February.

Sport 1: Richard Rapport – Jan-Krzysztof Duda 1 – 0

The 2 Candidates rookies confronted off at the moment, hoping to climb again to a good rating. It might be defeatist to have a look at issues in these phrases, however scoring 50% in your first candidates event in opposition to the perfect gamers on the earth can be a pleasant end result for these two. In a 4-Knights Sport, Rapport lived as much as his fame of enjoying unusually within the opening with the considerably unusual 4. g3 and the marginally more bizarre 8. b3. These strikes are a slower form of unusual, and a cautious maneuvering sport ensued. Duda appeared to have barely the higher of it till Rapport performed 14 fxe3, buying and selling a piece of Stockfish analysis for attacking probabilities. Duda could not discover the perfect defensive strikes and was finally overrun on the kingside.

https://lichess.org/research/embed/450dtcgH/4UPm9LKl

Credit: FIDE/Stev Bonhage

Sport 2: Ian Nepomniachtchi – Liren Ding ½ – ½

Generally GMs arrive on the board whereas not completely stuffed to their eyeballs with a need to win the sport. It doesn’t essentially come from laziness both. If you happen to’re forward in a event by an inexpensive margin, taking a fast draw (or an extended however equally straightforward draw) is a wonderfully cheap strategic determination by itself deserves, forgetting any human elements like the additional relaxation you’ll get earlier than the following sport.

This was a kind of video games.

https://lichess.org/research/embed/fsvj5GFW/uoH0r3Se

Credit: FIDE/Stev Bonhage

Sport 3: Hikaru Nakamura – Fabiano Caruana 1 – 0

The 2 People performed one another at the moment in what was a vital sport for each of them. Coming into the spherical, Caruana was a half-point behind the chief and Nakamura a full level behind that. The opening was a trendy and unbalanced line of the Ruy Lopez with White buying and selling a bit for two pawns and central management. Caruana appeared to have gained equality however misplaced the plot a bit with 22… c4 and particularly 27.. Nc5. Out of the blue, Nakamura was profitable. Caruana misplaced one in all his vital central pawns, and the opposite was firmly blockaded on the darkish squares. Unable to search out any counter-play in opposition to superior fireplace energy, Caruana resigned on Transfer 74.

https://lichess.org/research/embed/450dtcgH/bnWFf3AZ

Credit: FIDE/Stev Bonhage

Sport 4: Alireza Firouzja – Teimour Radjabov ½ – ½

Alireza entered this occasion with excessive hopes of a match with Magnus however issues haven’t gone his means. He managed a gradual Italian Sport for 74 strikes of positions that have been largely higher for him. Our GM annotator received a number of observe utilizing the “White is healthier” image, however, sadly for Alireza, by no means had a cause to make use of something extra excessive.

https://lichess.org/research/embed/450dtcgH/S6ua1gd7

Credit: FIDE/Stev Bonhage