Azerbaijan(w)
Georgia(w)
1
3
R11
Ukraine(w)
Poland(w)
3
1
R11
India(w)
USA(w)
1
3
R11
Uzbekistan
Netherlands
2.5
1.5
R11
Armenia
Spain
2.5
1.5
R11
Germany
India2
1
3
R11
Germany(w)
Ukraine(w)
1.5
2.5
R10
Georgia(w)
Poland(w)
2
2
R10
India(w)
Kazakhstan(w)
3.5
0.5
R10
USA
Turkey
3
1
R10
Azerbaijan
Armenia
1
3
R10 LIVE
India2
Uzbekistan
2
2
R10
Bulgaria(w)
Kazakhstan(w)
1
3
R9
Georgia(w)
Ukraine(w)
2
2
R9
Poland(w)
India(w)
2.5
1.5
R9
Greece
USA
1.5
2.5
R9
Uzbekistan
Armenia
3
1
R9
India2
Azerbaijan
2
2
R9
India3(w)
Poland(w)
1
3
R8
Georgia(w)
Armenia(w)
3.5
0.5
R8
India(w)
Ukraine(w)
2
2
R8
Germany
Uzbekistan
1.5
2.5
R8
USA
India2
1
3
R8
Armenia
India
2.5
1.5
R8
Ukraine(w)
Netherlands(w)
3.5
0.5
R7
Georgia(w)
Romania(w)
2.5
1.5
R7
Azerbaijan(w)
India(w)
1.5
2.5
R7
France
Netherlands
2
2
R7
Armenia
USA
2
2
R7
India
India3
3
1
R7
Azerbaijan(w)
Kazakhstan(w)
3
1
R6
Romania(w)
Ukraine(w)
2
2
R6
India(w)
Georgia(w)
3
1
R6
USA
Iran
2.5
1.5
R6
India2
Armenia
1.5
2.5
R6
Uzbekistan
India
2
2
R6
India2(w)
Georgia
1
3
R5
Ukraine(w)
Azerbaijan(w)
2
2
R5
France(w)
India(w)
1.5
2.5
R5
Spain
India2
1.5
2.5
R5
Israel
USA
1.5
2.5
R5
India
Romania
2.5
1.5
R5
Georgia(w)
India3(w)
3
1
R4
Bulgaria(w)
Ukraine(w)
1.5
2.5
R4
India(w)
Hungary(w)
2.5
1.5
R4
India3
Spain
1.5
2.5
R4
USA
Uzbekistan
2
2
R4
France
India
2
2
R4
CZE(w)
Georgia(w)
1.5
2.5
R3
Ukraine(w)
Slovakia(w)
4
0
R3
England(w)
India(w)
1
3
R3
Italy
Norway
3
1
R3
Georgia
USA
1
3
R3
India
Greece
3
1
R3
Georgia(w)
Lithuania(w)
2.5
1.5
R2
Turkey(w)
Ukraine(w)
1
3
R2
India(w)
Argentina(w)
3.5
0.5
R2
Norway
Uruguay
4
0
R2
USA
Paraguay
2.5
1.5
R2
Moldova
India
0.5
3.5
R2
Iraq(w)
Ukraine(w)
0
4
R1
Ukraine(w)
RSA(w)
4
0
R1
Tajikistan(w)
India(w)
0
4
R1
Lebanon
Norway
0.5
3.5
R1
Angola
USA
0.5
3.5
R1 LIVE
India
Zimbabwe
4
0
R1
Iraq(w)
Ukraine(w)
0
4
R1
Ukraine(w)
RSA(w)
4
0
R1
Tajikistan(w)
India(w)
0
4
R1
Lebanon
Norway
0.5
3.5
R1
Angola
USA
0.5
3.5
R1 LIVE
India
Zimbabwe
4
0
R1
Duda
Nepo
1/2
1/2
R14
Liren
Nakamura
1
0
R14 LIVE
Caruana
Firouzja
0
1
R14
Rapport
Radjabov
0
1
R14
Radjabov
Caruana
1/2
1/2
R13
Firouzja
Liren
1/2
1/2
R13
Nakamura
Duda
1
0
R13
Nepo
Rapport
1/2
1/2
R13
Nepo
Nakamura
1/2
1/2
R12
Duda
Firouzja
1/2
1/2
R12
Liren
Radjabov
0
1
R12
Rapport
Caruana
1/2
1/2
R12
Caruana
Liren
0
1
R11
Radjabov
Duda
1/2
1/2
R11
Firouzja
Nepo
0
1
R11
Nakamura
Rapport
1/2
1/2
R11
Nakamura
Firouzja
1
0
R10
Nepo
Radjabov
1/2
1/2
R10
Duda
Caruana
1
0
R10
Rapport
Liren
0
1
R10
Liren
Duda
1
0
R9
Caruana
Nepo
1/2
1/2
R9
Radjabov
Nakamura
1
0
R9
Firouzja
Rapport
1
0
R9
Firouzja
Radjabov
1/2
1/2
R8
Nakamura
Caruana
1
0
R8
Nepo
Liren
1/2
1/2
R8
Rapport
Duda
1
0
R8
Caruana
Radjabov
1
0
R7
Liren
Firouzja
1/2
1/2
R7
Duda
Nakamura
1/2
1/2
R7
Rapport
Nepo
0
1
R7
Nepo
Duda
1
0
R6
Nakamura
Liren
1/2
1/2
R6
Firouzja
Caruana
0
1
R6
Radjabov
Rapport
1/2
1/2
R6
Nakamura
Nepo
1/2
1/2
R5
Firouzja
Duda
1/2
1/2
R5
Radjabov
Liren
1/2
1/2
R5
Caruana
Rapport
1/2
1/2
R5
Liren
Caruana
1/2
1/2
R4
Duda
Radjabov
1/2
1/2
R4
Nepo
Firouzja
1
0
R4
Rapport
Nakamura
1/2
1/2
R4
Firouzja
Nakamura
1/2
1/2
R3
Radjabov
Nepo
1/2
1/2
R3
Caruana
Duda
1/2
1/2
R3
Liren
Rapport
1/2
1/2
R3
Duda
Liren
1/2
1/2
Nepo
Caruana
1/2
1/2
Nakamura
Radjabov
1
0
Rapport
Firouzja
1/2
1/2
Radjabov
Firouzja
1/2
1/2
Caruana
Nakamura
1
0
Liren
Nepo
0
1
Duda
Rapport
1/2
1/2
Aronian
MVL
0
1
TB 1.3
MVL
So
1
0
TB 1.2
So
Aronian
1
0
TB1.1
Dominguez
So
1/2
1/2
R9
Firouzja
MVL
0
1
R9
Deac
Caruana
1/2
1/2
R9
Rapport
Nepo
1/2
1/2
R9
Aronian
Mamedyarov
1/2
1/2
R9
Nepo
Aronian
1/2
1/2
R8
Caruana
Rapport
1/2
1/2
R8
MVL
Deac
1/2
1/2
R8
So
Firouzja
1/2
1/2
R8
Mamedyarov
Dominguez
1/2
1/2
R8
Firouzja
Dominguez
1
0
R7
Deac
So
1/2
1/2
R7
Rapport
MVL
0
1
R7
Aronian
Caruana
1/2
1/2
R7
Nepo
Mamedyarov
0
1
R7
Caruana
Nepo
1/2
1/2
R6
MVL
Aronian
0
1
R6
So
Rapport
1/2
1/2
R6
Dominguez
Deac
1
0
R6
Mamedyarov
Firouzja
1/2
1/2
R6
Deac
Firouzja
1/2
1/2
R5
Rapport
Dominguez
1/2
1/2
R5
Aronian
So
1/2
1/2
R5
Nepo
MVL
1/2
1/2
R5
Caruana
Mamedyarov
1
0
R5
MVL
Caruana
1
0
R4
So
Nepo
1
0
R4
Dominguez
Aronian
0
1
R4
Firouzja
Rapport
1/2
1/2
R4
Mamedyarov
Deac
1/2
1/2
R4
Rapport
Deac
0
1
R3
Aronian
Firouzja
1/2
1/2
R3
Nepo
Dominguez
1/2
1/2
R3
Caruana
So
1/2
1/2
R3
MVL
Mamedyarov
1/2
1/2
R3
So
MVL
1/2
1/2
R2
Dominguez
Caruana
1/2
1/2
R2
Firouzja
Nepo
0
1
R2
Deac
Aronian
1/2
1/2
R2
Mamedyarov
Rapport
1/2
1/2
R2
Aronian
Rapport
1/2
1/2
R1
Nepo
Deac
1/2
1/2
R1
Caruana
Firouzja
1/2
1/2
R1
MVL
Dominguez
1/2
1/2
R1
So
Mamedyarov
1
0
R1
MVL
Wang
1
0
Ding
Nepo
1
0
Giri
Alekseenko
0
1
Caruana
Grischuk
1/2
1/2
Grischuk
Giri
1
0
Ding
Alekseenko
1
0
MVL
Nepo
1/2
1/2
Caruana
Wang
1
0
Nepo
Wang
0
1
MVL
Alekseenko
1
0
Ding
Grischuk
1
Caruana
Giri
0
1
Ding
Giri
0
1
MVL
Grischuk
0
1
Wang
Alekseenko
1/2
1/2
Caruana
Nepo
1/2
1/2
ALekseenko
Nepo
0
1
Grischuk
Wang
1/2
1/2
Giri
MVL
1/2
1/2
Ding
Caruana
1/2
1/2
MVL
Ding Liren
1/2
1/2
Wang
Giri
0
1
Nepo
Grischuk
1/2
1/2
Caruana
Alekseenko
1/2
1/2
Grischuk
Alekseenko
0
1
Giri
Nepo
1/2
1/2
Ding
Wang
1/2
1/2
MVL
Caruana
0
1
Grischuk
Giri
1/2
1/2
Alekseenko
Ding
1/2
1/2
Nepo
MVL
0
1
Wang
Caruana
1/2
1/2
Caruana
MVL
1/2
1/2
Wesley So, Levon Aronian and Andrey Esipenko share the top spot after a fighting first round of the WR Chess Masters. They won the first three decided games of the tournament.
This is what the crosstable looks like after the first day of #WRChessMasters.
So 1-0 Duda
Esipenko 1-0 Keymer
Aronian 1-0 Praggnanandhaa
Giri 1/2-1/2 Gukesh
Nepomniachtchi 1/2-1/2 Abdusattorov pic.twitter.com/kMw434nScP
Ian Nepomniachtchi – Nodirbek Abdusattorov ½-½
The game that started the most combative ended first. After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4, the 18-year-old Uzbek’s double-edged 2…c5 was already a fighting proposition, and 3…b5 even more so. Benko Gambit! This is rarely seen at this level.
Fruit of targeted opening preparation, Abdusattorov’s exotic opening choice was not, instead, an intuition. “I hadn’t expected 1.d4,” he explained in the interview after the game. Recently he had looked at the Volga Gambit, “so I played it.”
Perhaps he’d been watching the old main variations that Yasser Seirawan and Elisabeth Pähtz were discussing in the livestream: take the gambit pawn with 5.bxa6 or reject the gambit with 5.b6? Meanwhile, if you let your Stockfish calculate 50 or 60 half-moves deep on the fifth white move, you get shown that the machine likes 5.e3 best. And that was what Nepomniachtchi played.
Abdusattorov explained that after Nepo’s 9.b3 he was out of book, a mysterious explanation, because according to the engine’s assessment he had been almost lost two moves earlier: 8.Nxf6 Bxf6 9. Qd5 followed by Dxc5, and black compensation for the two minus pawns is hardly visible. Nepomniachtchi played 8.Nf3 instead.
At first glance it looked as if the world number two, with two bishops shining magnificently on the black king, was building advantageous prospects despite this missed opportunity. Abdusattorov engaged in loosening his kingside – rightly so, as it turned out.No, the bishop on e7 is not really hanging. After 15.Qxe7, Black can force a draw with the repetition …Rf7-f8-f7.
What looked dangerous was not in practice, and on move 15 Nepomniachtchi had to make a fundamental decision: submit to a repetition of the move or play on without a tangible advantage? 15.Qxe7 or 15.Qg3? Confronted with these choices, Ian Nepomniachtchi took almost fifteen minutes to convince himself that he’d rather take the half-point here than tempt fate after 15.Qg3.
Levon Aronian – Praggnanandhaa 1:0
Most VIPs who make the ceremonial opening move have to watch afterwards that the player takes it back and starts again. Vadim Rosenstein was spared this fate. The tournament organizer and name giver had agreed on 1.c4 with Levon Aronian. Aronian left the neatly placed pawn in the center of the square without any j’adoubing – expecting a symmetrical English, as he and Praggnanandhaa had on the board before. Instead, a very unorthodox English soon developed.
What Aronian called a “cheap trick” after the game represents the reason why he is one of the most exciting chess players even at an advanced age (by professional chess standards): his creativity.
The idea behind it did not appear on the board. If Black is tempted to play 11…Ne5, 12.g5 Nf3+ 13.Qxf3! follows, and White enjoys splendid compensation for the sacrificed queen. Praggnanandhaa played 11…h6 instead. “Unfortunately, nobody falls for my cheap tricks,” Aronian grinned afterwards.
The Indian was on the losing track only five moves later. Where to put the king? In fact, short castling is not recommended in view of the lever g4-g5 and the Lc3 radiating to g7. The problem: long castling is not recommended either, because then f7 hangs. The solution to the problem: stay cool. 15…Rc8 or 15…Rd8 is considered playable and roughly equal by chess friend machine. Aronian agrees: “Not so bad for Black, no need to worry.”
Praggnanandhaa castled long, forfeited the f7 pawn and quite soon ended up in a desolate and prospectless rook ending that White gradually played out to the full point.
Andrey Esipenko – Vincent Keymer 1:0
Already in January at Tata Steel Chess Vincent Keymer had earned the nickname “Marathon Man”. He was usually the last to sit at the board, often defending a critical endgame. At the opener in Düsseldorf, this scene was repeated. The others had finished, Keymer was still sitting and defending this endgame:
Theoretically, the position is unwinnable for White. But in practice, after six tough hours of chess, things look different. The black task is more than thankless. Yasser Seirawan summed it up in the stream, “Vincent must be suffering.” Naturally, Esipenko kept the thumbscrews on – and was rewarded with the full point after 101 moves.
That it could come to this endgame was the result of a lapse by Keymer in the opening. His move 14…Nd5 looks quite natural, but it has a concrete hook, which Andrey Esipenko threw out on move 16:
This not-so-obvious piece sacrifice almost leads to a black losing position. Black has nothing better than to capture the horse. But after that g7 will fall on the black side, h7 too, and black will find neither coordination nor development.
Wesley So – Jan-Krzysztof Duda 1:0
Jan-Krzysztof Duda has to reproach himself for falling into a well-known Catalan opening trap. On the other hand, he is in good company. For example, the former world-class player Ljubomir Ljubojevic or the Dutch top grandmaster Loek van Wely have already seen this position from Black’s perspective after 15.Bh6!
Black has nothing better than the sad retreat 15…Bf8, after which he remains underdeveloped and with his king in the centre – lost in a higher sense. 15…0-0 would be even worse, then 16.Bxg7! wins. The same applies to 15…Bxf2+ 16.Kg2 0-0 17.Bxg7! +-.
To see what Black should have done, we have to rewind two moves:
Not the tempting 13…Qb6, but only 13…Qa5! which is not particularly logical at first sight, gives Black good play. The idea is that white ideas with Bh6 0-0 Bxg7 (as in the game) now don’t work well. Black counters with …Bxf2+, then plays …Kxg7, and White has no check on g5 because of the black queen on a5.
Anish Giri – Gukesh ½-½
White is playing for two results, Elisabeth Pähtz noted in the livestream. Yasser Seirawan explained it more like the storyteller he is. The constellation reminded him of games from the 1984 World Championship match between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov, in which Kasparov presented the defending champion with the Tarrasch Defense. And the latter, true to his style, enjoyed kneading Kasparov’s isolated d-pawn.
How much Anish Giri enjoyed giving Gukesh a massage à la Karpov is not known. What is certain is that the Wijk winner won’t have been satisfied with the result. His Indian opponent was balancing on the edge at times, having to fight off a persistent white initiative due to the opposite-colored bishops, but saved himself in an endgame with minus pawns. And here the opposite-colored bishops were the deciding factor to secure the draw.
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