After a taxing first day in Almaty, the main gamers entered the enjoying corridor with renewed power and lots to smile about. The 4 leaders have been break up in half throughout spherical six due to scientific play from Carlsen and GM Vladimir Fedoseev towards van Foreest and GM Arjun Erigaisi respectively.

⏰ It’s that point once more! ⏰

Join @DavidHowellGM and @LawrenceTrentIM for day two protection of the World Rapid Chess Championship!

📸 @photochess #RapidBlitz pic.twitter.com/Aw5qVFLYHD

— Chess.com (@chesscom) December 27, 2022

Van Foreest highlighted the hazards {that a} second can pose and garnered a snug place with Black after 15 strikes. Carlsen as soon as once more demonstrated his mastery of clarifying middlegames in his favor and inside 5 strikes the world champion discovered himself poised to liquidate into a very profitable endgame.

Fedoseev, who scored wins towards GMs Nodirbek Yakubboev, Jules Moussard, and giant-killer IM Arystanbek Urazayev (who defeated GMs Dmitry Andreikin and Sam Shankland in consecutive rounds), confronted Carlsen in spherical seven and could not crack by the Norweigian’s Bogo-Indian Defense. A draw was agreed in 47 strikes because the pair moved to six/7.

Joining the leaders off the again of a trio of wins was the younger Abdusattorov, who noticed off GMs Vahap Sanal, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, and Ian Nepomniachtchi. The defending champion, who had simply gained the 2022 Gashimov Memorial with 5 rounds to spare, has up to now confirmed that his astonishing run in 2021 was no fluke and after six rounds he seemed primed to make a play at back-to-back titles. It is value noting that the title of world fast champion has solely been efficiently defended as soon as, by his important rival Carlsen, in 2014 and 2015.

Round seven additionally noticed GM Nihal Sarin‘s title ambitions take a tumble after the Indian maestro was crushed by the ever-creative GM Daniil Dubov in simply 18 strikes. A one-move blunder on transfer 17 opened Nihal’s king as much as a shocking queen sacrifice resulting in a compelled checkmate in 4 strikes.

Chessbrah’s GM Eric Hansen failed to point out as much as his round-six sport towards Australian GM Bobby Cheng and it was later introduced by the Canadian GM through Twitter that he had developed “flu-like signs in a single day.” Given that Hansen had direct contact with lots of the event’s leaders on day one solely time will inform whether or not this information may have wider repercussions on the rest of the event and the forthcoming blitz championship.

I withdrew from the World Rapid at the moment after creating some aggressive flu-like signs in a single day 😞

I’ll see how I’m feeling in 48 hours earlier than I decide on the blitz. Very irritating

— Eric Hansen (@hansenchess) December 27, 2022

As it reached 6:15 p.m. native time in Almaty, all eyes turned to the essential board one and two round-eight matchups which might go an extended solution to figuring out a frontrunner heading into the ultimate day of play. Carlsen discovered himself dealing with one more second in Dubov, who floated up because the highest-rated participant on 5.5/7, whereas Abdusattorov was paired as White towards co-leader Fedoseev.

Draws on the highest boards amongst the leaders allowed German GM Vincent Keymer to catch them on 6.5/8 after he transformed a troublesome rook and pawn endgame towards Erigaisi which coincidentally resembled a really related ending he had gained in his earlier spherical towards GM Yu Yangyi.

GM Hikaru Nakamura has had a quiet fast championship by his lofty requirements and 4 straight attracts on Wednesday did little to vary his fortunes. The Fischer Random world champion shared distinctive insights into the thoughts of an elite chess participant, publishing his customary Youtube recap hours after the primary day of play reached its conclusion on Tuesday.

The remaining spherical of the second day noticed Carlsen take the only lead for the primary time within the event after conquering the quick-moving Georgian Quparadze with the black items. Clearly in Kazakhstan to cement his standing as the best participant on this planet, Carlsen dominated his opponent with the French Defense and gained in 57 strikes.

Draws between co-leaders Fedoseev and Keymer in addition to Dubov and Abdusattorov left them half some extent shy of the highest-rated participant of all time, who will go into the ultimate day having already performed most of his closest chasers.

Erigaisi discovered himself again within the limelight after paralyzing GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in some of the thrilling video games of the occasion up to now. The Indian famous person was so convincing that he made tripled pawns look useful! GM Rafael Leitao has unpacked our fascinating sport of the day beneath.

2022 World Rapid Championship | Round 9 Standings (Top 20)

(Full standings right here.)

All World Rapid Chess Championship Games

Following an ideal begin on day one within the girls’s occasion, GM Valentina Gunina was stung by Tan in spherical 5. The event chief’s place shortly dissipated after the spirited Chinese third seed was capable of introduce ample chaos and construct a -4 place with Black after 20 strikes, which was duly transformed by Tan.

GM Elina Danielian was additionally capable of leapfrog Gunina and be part of Tan and thirty third seed IM Leya Garifullina on 4.5/5 after defeating GM Humpy Koneru with a phenomenal tactical end. 

Tumult amongst the highest boards continued in spherical six as native hope Abdumalik overwhelmed Garifullina with the white items whereas GM Bela Khotenashvili dealt Gunina her second defeat of the day. A draw between Tan and Danielian meant that 4 gamers would enter the day’s penultimate spherical as co-leaders on 5/6.

As destiny would have it, the four-way tie for first would double within the following spherical, with 4 decisive outcomes amongst the ten gamers on 4.5/6.

Of the eight gamers tied for first, Tan, Goryachkina, and Sri would end the day with wins and transfer to six.5/8. The prime seed Goryachkina had quietly labored her manner again to the highest boards after conceding attracts in rounds two and three earlier than she swept apart Danielian after the latter missed a intelligent tactical shot.

The girls’s championship will virtually definitely come right down to the wire on Wednesday with 9 gamers all inside half some extent of the lead.

2022 Women’s World Rapid Championship | Round 8 Standings (Top 20) 

(Full standings right here.)