Candidates 2024 LIVE UPDATES: Gukesh is on top of the standings along with Ian Nepomniachtchi, who he faces today. Praggnanandhaa is half a point behind. (FIDE/Michal Walusza)FIDE Chess Candidates 2024 Round 10 Highlights: In a top-of-the-standings clash at the Candidates chess tournament, India’s D Gukesh, while playing with black pieces, held Ian Nepomniachtchi to a draw. Both players entered the Round 10 contest on top of the standings. Nepo is a two-time Candidates winner, while 17-year-old Gukesh is the second youngest player ever to compete at the ultra-elite competition.
Meanwhile, Vidit Gujrathi agreed to a draw against compatriot R Praggnanandhaa on Monday.
With just four games left in the event, 18-year-old Pragg is just half a point behind Gukesh and Nepomniachtchi. The American duo of Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana are also with Pragg, which means six people are still in contention to win the open section, including Vidit.
In the women’s section, Vaishali defeated Nurgyul Salimova while Humpy drew against Tan Zhongyi. This was Vaishali’s first win in five games. She lost her last four games.
Scroll down to check out our live coverage of the 10th round of the Candidates
INTERACTIVE: You can follow the move-by-move action from the Round 10 Candidates game between Gukesh and Ian Nepomniachtchi below and also click on the notations at the right of the board to retrace the way the game developed:
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INTERACTIVE: You can follow the move-by-move action from the Round 10 Candidates game between Vidit Gujrathi and Praggnanandhaa below and also click on the notations at the right of the board to retrace the way the game developed:
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INTERACTIVE: You can follow the move-by-move action from the Round 10 Candidates game between Humpy Koneru and Tan Zhongyi below and also click on the notations at the right of the board to retrace the way the game developed:
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Candidates chess controversy: Alireza Firouzja claims arbiter told him not to walk during game against Ian Nepomniachtchi which cost him his focus. (PHOTO: Maria Emelianova via Chess . com/FIDE)
Want to improve your chess? Praggnanadhaa and Vaishali’s coach RB Ramesh has advice for youngsters
Last year, at the FIDE World Cup, where Praggnanadhaa secured his spot at the Candidates, even former world champion Magnus Carlsen had told Praggnanadhaa that he wanted to “be like Pragg”, one of the biggest compliments the Indian grandmaster has been paid.
So how does one go about being like Pragg? Does RB Ramesh, the man who shaped Pragg and Vaishali, have any advice he would offer kids who would like to get better at chess?
The Indian Express asked grandmaster RB Ramesh what it took to “be like Pragg” and if he had any tips to get better at chess.
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Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: What happened in Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Gukesh game?
A decisive result in today’s matchup between Ian Nepomniachtchi and Gukesh D could have potentially decided the outcome of the FIDE Candidates Tournament. But the two co-leaders played a calm game in the Ruy Lopez, which uneventfully finished in a draw. Both players continue their pursuit for the top spot but did not want to take risks in this game.
“I was Black, and he played a solid game, so it was a fair result,” said Gukesh. The 17-year-old Indian prodigy is one of the participants who has impressively kept his composure, seemingly not affected by the pressure of the tournament’s status. “I am in good shape and hopefully it can continue in the last [few] games.”
Candidates 2024: What do chess players do on a rest day of such a hectic event?
After his draw with Fabiano Caruana, Praggnanandhaa was asked what he planned to do on the rest day. “I’ll be resting,” he said, with a look of mild surprise at the thought that anyone could imagine that he would spend the additional day doing anything else.
At long events like the Candidates, rest days provide an opportunity to hunker down with the group of seconds and trainers, take stock, and recalibrate. Barring Humpy, none of the five Indians have played at the high-pressure Candidates event before.
For Humpy, Pragg, Gukesh and Vaishali, it’s the first time ever in Canada. But a rest day for most chess players is a chance to work harder and rest longer. Spend more time in the hotel room.
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Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: What happened in Hikaru Nakamura vs Nijat Abasov game?
Nakamura and Abasov was difficult for the eventual winner. Nakamura confessed that 7. Bd3 was one of the ideas in the Petroff that he prepared specifically for this tournament. Nakamura, with White, managed to obtain an edge from the opening; he was particularly happy with his 22. Ng4 move, which promised him an easy advantage without risk. Later on, Abasov started to find tricky moves that caught Nakamura by surprise; 24…Ba5 being one of them.
Nakamura was full of self-criticism after the game: “On 26. Rb7, I spent 18 minutes. [This move] was my first instinct; I could have played this move in three minutes, but I used so much time, which is stupid.” He continued: “And then I played 27. Bf4, a terrible move, after a seven-minute think.” After he also overlooked 30…Bg4 and 31…h5, the position became double-edged. Nakamura was low on time and Abasov continued to make difficult, unexpected moves for the American player. But luckily for White, Black blundered with 36…Qe7. Nakamura immediately spotted the error and played 37. Be5, after which his position became winning. On move 38, he won an exchange and managed to convert the position without any further difficulties.
(VIA FIDE)
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: What happened in Fabiano Caruana vs Alireza Firouzja game?
Alireza Firouzja chose to play a rarely seen line with 6…h5 in the Najdorf Sicilian, but Caruana was prepared. After 9…Qa5, however, he was on his own. “I thought the endgame [after 12. Qxg5] was slightly better but I did not find the right path,” said Caruana after the game.
At the post-game press conference, one of the journalists pointed out the possibility of 14. Bxe6 fxe6 and 15. e5! Both players did not see it during the game but agreed that this variation must be winning for White.
The endgame was not an easy one for Firouzja with Black. He was defending well until he started to err in time trouble. “We were down to seconds, so it was very difficult,” said Caruana. He capitalised on his opponent’s mistakes and was precise until the end.
(VIA FIDE)
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: What happened in Vaishali vs Nurgyul Salimova game?
Vaishali R terminated her losing streak with a much-needed victory against Nurgyul Salimova. After losing four games in a row, Vaishali made a comeback from yet another bad position in this 88-move encounter, capitalising on Salimova’s mistakes in the sixth hour of play.
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: What happened in Aleksandra Goryachkina vs Lei Tingjie game?
In the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament, Lei Tingjie took down fellow chaser Aleksandra Goryachkina with the black pieces in a solid and calm Exchange Slav. After 26. a4 and 27. Nc8, the white knight became stuck in Black’s territory and could not find a way out. Lei managed to exchange the queens and got a winning position, but then misplayed it. She spent more than 20 minutes on 41…e5, in a critical position after the time control, choosing the right way to victory. Shockingly, just two moves later, Lei misplayed the position with 43…Bc8. At the post-game press conference, Lei mentioned that she was not sure about the other riskier continuations but acknowledged that this move allowed her advantage to slip away. Nevertheless, later on, Lei was given another chance and this time, she did not fail to capitalize. In a seemingly drawn position, Goryachkina blundered with 61. Nxe5.
“I just thought, oops, there may be some chances!” said Lei during the post-mortem analyses. “I calculated 61…Kf4 and I was also shocked [that it is winning].”
Lei has won four out of her last five games and now finds herself at the top of the leaderboard. When asked what happened a week ago that has led to her winning streak, Lei said: “I thought I did not have a chance anymore, and so there was no pressure.” Her co-leader is compatriot Tan Zhongyi, who made a solid draw against Humpy Koneru today. Both Chinese players are going into a free day with 6.5 points out of 10.
(VIA FIDE)
The bond between teenage prodigy Gukesh and India’s first GM Viswanathan Anand
“(Vishy) Anand sir has been my idol since the time I started playing chess. He’s one of the prominent reasons why I started playing the sport actually," Gukesh had told The Indian Express in an exclusive interview in June last year when he was on the verge of becoming India's top-ranked chess player ahead of Anand, who had held the spot for 36 years.
"Overtaking Anand sir would be something memorable for me. But no matter how many Indians get to the next level, get to the Candidates or maybe even enter the World Championships and become the World Champion, Anand sir will always be the special one. He started all this. Without him, this success (for Indian chess players) would not be possible. So no matter what, he will always be the greatest Indian chess player. Overtaking him would be nice but I have more important goals to look forward to,” Gukesh had told The Indian Express in an exclusive interview.
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Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: Here are the standings after 10 rounds in open section
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: Here are the standings after 10 rounds in women's section
What do chess players think of when they allow their minds to wander during games?
At the ongoing Candidates chess tournament, no matter how high the stakes, players will allow the occasional butterfly of whimsical distraction to fly into the dungeon of their minds.
Many grandmasters have allowed their minds to take a stroll in the middle of a classical game, because it is simply impossible to concentrate on a chess game for five or six straight hours. Some games can stretch even longer: for example, game 6 of the 2021 world chess championship battle between Magnus Carslen and Ian Nepomniachtchi lasted for seven hours and 47 minutes.
When a classical game stretches on for 5 or 6 hours, chess players allow the occasional butterfly of whimsical distraction to fly into the dungeon of their minds. Here are the oddest thoughts chess players like Tal, Anand, Gukesh, Vachier-Lagrave and Grischuk entertained in the middle of games.
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Remembering Magnus Carlsen's pre-Candidates predictions about the three Indians in the Open category
In an interview with Chess dot com before the start of the Candidates, Magnus Carlsen had given his assessment of each of the eight players' chances. Here's what he had said about the Indians. Two of them are joint second at the halfway stage of the tournament:
Magnus’ verdict on Praggnanandhaa: “I don’t think Pragg is ready to win the tournament. He’s very unlikely to win. But I also cannot see it going really poorly for him. He has weak moments, but he’s fairly stable psychologically. He has an improving repertoire and is very serious.”
Magnus’ verdict on Gukesh: “I cannot imagine him winning the Candidates. I can see him being anywhere from +2 to -5 (at the end of the tournament). I think he will certainly win at least a couple of games, but will have some fairly bad losses as well. I don’t think he will do poorly, but I don’t think he will do too well either. He’s not quite ready yet to make the leap. It’s more likely that he has a bad event.”
Magnus’ verdict on Vidit Santosh Gujrathi: “Vidit has improved a lot, especially from a psychological point. I’m sure he will be very serious and well prepared. He will not win the tournament. Although, I feel he has the capacity to make a really good score if things go his way. I really like the way he plays. But I can also see him losing quite a few games. He’s more likely to make a -4 score than +3 (by the end).”
Is the Candidates tournament more demanding than the World Championships?
In 2013, right after Magnus Carlsen won the Candidates tournament in London, a photograph by Norwegian photographer Morten Rakke went viral. In it, the grandmaster is captured behind a door, slumped on the handrail of a staircase, shirt untucked, his face buried into his arm.
Barely had the world championship challenger caught his breath after qualifying for the world championship, he was interviewed by International Master Lawrence Trent, who asked him how he planned to celebrate his victory. Carlsen’s answer was revealing. “My thoughts have not gone further than getting back to my hotel and lying down. That’s what’s next for me.”
Trent prodded him further, asking if he was more exhausted physically or emotionally. “It’s a lethal combination right now,” offered Carlsen.
That was probably the last time the world has seen Carlsen exhausted by the rigours of elite chess. In the decade that has followed, Carlsen scythed his way through the world of chess, racking up five crowns after battling through five World Championship jousts, before eventually abdicating his throne.
A case can be made that the World Championship battle is more forgiving than the Candidates. If you err, you come back with redrawn battle plans and take on the same opponent once more. At the Candidates, though, one loss can suddenly become a slippery slope to the bottom of the standings.
Alireza Firouzja’s father allegedly threatened to call police against Candidates organisers in fresh controversy
The controversy surrounding Iran-born French grandmaster Alireza Firouzja is showing no signs of dying down.
A day after Alireza claimed he was warned by the chief arbiter at the Candidates 2024 chess tournament for his shoes making too much noise during games, FIDE’s Technical delegate for the Candidates chess tournament has alleged in an interview with Chess24 that Alireza’s father threatened to call the police if he was not allowed to watch games of his son from the balcony of the playing hall whenever he wanted to.
Reports from Toronto, where the 2024 Candidates is being held, suggested that Alireza’s father Hamidreza was escorted out of the playing arena at the Great Hall during Round 10. Alireza lost to Fabiano Caruana in Round 10, which left him seventh in the eight-player standings.
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WHAT A VICTORY FOR VAISHALI!!!!
Vaishali Rameshbabu secured a victory against Nurgyul Salimova in their second encounter. Vaishali, who finds herself at the bottom of the women's standings, came out swinging from the start.
The turning point came when Nurgyul declined a repetition. Later on her endgame errors ultimately led to Vaishali claiming a rare victory at the 2024 Candidates.
Before this win, Vaishali had endured four consecutive losses.
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: The relief and the agony in one frame
Hikaru Nakamura and Nijat Abasov react after the American won their Round 10 contest at the Candidates. (PHOTO: FIDE/Michal Walusza)
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: here are all the results from the open section
Pragganandhaa R ½-½ Vidit Santosh Gujrathi
Hikaru Nakamura 1-0 Nijat Abasov
Ian Nepomniachtchi ½-½ Gukesh D
Fabiano Caruana 1-0 Alireza Firouzja
So Gukesh stays on top of the standings after the 10th round where he is joined by Nepomniachtchi.
A three-man chasing pack compriosing of Pragganandhaa, Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana is on their heels with just half a point seperating the top 5!!
Check out all the results and standings
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: Abasov loses
All four games in the Open section are now over!
After two draws involving the three Indians, we have two wins for the two Americans.
Minutes after Fabiano Caruana forced Alireza Firouzja to resign, Hikaru Nakamura defeats Nijat Abasov. Both Americans now join Pragg in second spot!!!
"The tournament is wide open," declares Vishy Anand.
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: Alireza resigns!!!
The French GM has waved the white flag and Fabiano Caruana leaps into second spot with Pragg.
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: Caruana holds advantage on board
In the Fabiano Caruana vs Alireza Firouzja game, the American GM holds a two-pawn advantage over his French opponent, who has been rattled in the game due to things happening away from the board.
Can Caruana convert his advantage though? Here's what the board looks like after 43 moves
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: Gukesh speaks after his draw with Ian Nepomniachtchi
“He played a solid game. It was a fair result,” says Gukesh after his draw against Nepo. “I wanted to play a normal game. I wasn’t really thinking about what his intentions were. I was prepared for both cases (Nepo attacking or choosing to play out for a draw).”
Asked how he is managing his nerves with just four games remaining.
“From the start there has been nerves. It’s the same for all the players. In the last few games I haven’t felt anything that’s different. I’m in good shape. Hopefully, I can continue.”
Anish Giri's guide on walking during chess games for grandmasters
Even as the controversy shows no signs of calming down, grandmaster Anish Giri has offered a helpful guide on how to walk during games for grandmasters. Meanwhile, Norway Chess has gotten in on the act as well.
Here's what Norway Chess tweeted.
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: Here's how the Pragg vs Vidit game played out
Another draw, as Pragg and Vidit agree to ceasefire by threefold repititon
There were some knowing smiles between the duo as they agreed to a draw. They started to talk to each other even as the chief arbiter was confirming whether there had been cause for three-fold repitition. It was a safe game from both with not too much excitement. That might come as a surprise to anyone who has followed the Candidates, since Pragg and Vidit have both been the most exciting players at the open section this year.
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: A look at how the Gukesh vs Nepo game played out
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates:
Nepo apparently forgot his move order to put in the scoresheet. Thank God, Gukesh was at hand to help him out!
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: GUKESH VS NEPO ENDS IN A DRAW
After 40 moves, Gukesh and Ian Nepomniachtchi have agreed to a draw!
This is the first result we have had in the open section tonight! This means both players will stay on the top of the standings and could be joined by Pragg if he can defeat Vidit!!
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: Nepo didn't like that move from Gukesh, clearly
Gukesh brings up his queen to d7 in his 22nd move, and the expressive Nepo seems surprised. At least that's our interpretation of his expressions.
What do you think Ian Nepomniachtchi is thinking?
Is the Candidates tournament more demanding than the World Championships?
In 2013, right after Magnus Carlsen won the Candidates tournament in London, a photograph by Norwegian photographer Morten Rakke went viral. In it, the grandmaster is captured behind a door, slumped on the handrail of a staircase, shirt untucked, his face buried into his arm.
Barely had the world championship challenger caught his breath after qualifying for the world championship, he was interviewed by International Master Lawrence Trent, who asked him how he planned to celebrate his victory. Carlsen’s answer was revealing. “My thoughts have not gone further than getting back to my hotel and lying down. That’s what’s next for me.”
Trent prodded him further, asking if he was more exhausted physically or emotionally. “It’s a lethal combination right now,” offered Carlsen.
That was probably the last time the world has seen Carlsen exhausted by the rigours of elite chess. In the decade that has followed, Carlsen scythed his way through the world of chess, racking up five crowns after battling through five World Championship jousts, before eventually abdicating his throne.
A case can be made that the World Championship battle is more forgiving than the Candidates. If you err, you come back with redrawn battle plans and take on the same opponent once more. At the Candidates, though, one loss can suddenly become a slippery slope to the bottom of the standings.
How Vidit Gujrathi turned tables on Hikaru Nakamura in Round 9
Vidit Gujrathi has spent most of his maiden Candidates 2024 appearance shadow-boxing with the little ticking clock next to the chess board. Almost like a habit he cannot seem to let go of, he has found himself under pressure from the timepiece in almost every game. “For every position (I’m thinking too much) and then I’m under time pressure,” Vidit had admitted after his victory over French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja. “I don’t know why I like to think so much.”
But in the game against Hikaru nakamura, he managed to stay on the American's heels, before defeating him.
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Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: Here's how the Tan Zhongyi vs Humpy game is shaping up
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: here's how the Humpy vs Tan Zhongyi game is shaping up
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: The Alireza Firouzja shoes controversy is still burning
A day after Alireza Firouzja accused the chief arbiter of the Candidates tournament of disturbing him and throwing him off his focus in the game against Nepo in round 9, the French GM's father Hamidreza Firouzja tells Chess24's Mike Klein, "Last night, Alireza told me, 'Dad I don't want to play chess.'"
Here's a background of the Alireza Firouzja shoes controversy:
Alireza Firouzja, claimed he was told by the arbiter to stop walking during games because “his shoes were making a lot of noise.”
The Iran-born, French grandmaster posted a series of tweets right after his game against the open category leader Ian Nepomniachtchi ended in a draw on Monday morning.
Firouzja also claimed the arbiter instructed him to wear a different pair of shoes in the next round. He claimed that the arbiter’s words made him lose focus during a crucial juncture of the match.
Nepo was in trouble during their game at the Candidates, but escaped to hold on to a draw. The result kept him in the joint lead along with Indian teenager Gukesh after nine rounds.
“Shameful action by the chief arbiter Marghetis towards me during the game. Middle of the game, in the most intense moment when I was walking during Ian’s move, the chief arbiter came to me and told me to not walk anymore because my shoe is making noise on the wooden floor. He told me to not walk and bring new shoes for tomorrow but I have the formal shoe that is approved and I have been wearing it for more than 1 year. This was a big distraction for me during the game and I completely lost my focus. I told one of the organisers that this arbiter needs to be punished,” Firouzja tweeted.
He went on to claim that he was being targeted.
“Honestly all these unprofessional things are happening to me in almost every tournament and it’s really taking me to the point of exhaustion,” he added.
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: Grandmaster Srinath Narayanan's predictions
Grandmaster Srinath Narayanan's has tweeted his Round 10 pre-round predictions:
"Hikaru and Fabi win. Other two draws," he tweets.
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: Nijat Abasov in trouble? GM Peter Leko thinks so!
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: Gukesh behind on the clock
The teenager from India is almost 20 minutes behind on the clock after 10 moves. Here's how the game has shaped up.
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: Pragg vs Vidit update
10 moves in the book in the Pragg vs Vidit game already. here's how hte game has shaped up so far:
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: Gukesh vs Nepo
Alireza opts for a Sicilian, which makes Vishy Anand smile. "One Sicilian of the day," he declares proudly. Teh French GM opts for a Najdorf variation.
Meanwhile, Gukesh has opted for the Spanish against Nepo. Anand says he's a bit surprised by the choice. "But now Ian has a choice ot make. This one, even I have faced it two or three times. The computer shows that this (sideline) allows black more resources."
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: And we're off
Such symmetry in the opening moves in the open section: All four boards see an e4 from the white,
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: The match-ups for today in women's section
Kateryna Lagno - Anna Muzychuk
Aleksandra Goryachkina - Lei Tingjie
Nurgyul Salimova - Vaishali Rameshbabu
Tan Zhongyi - Humpy Koneru
Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates: The match-ups for today in Open section
Hikaru Nakamura - Nijat Abasov
Fabiano Caruana - Alireza Firouzja
Ian Nepomniachtchi - Gukesh D
Praggnanandhaa R - Vidit Santosh Gujrathi
HOLA
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Candidates chess tournament.