FIDE Candidates Chess tournament: Gukesh shoots into sole lead with just one more round to go

17-year-old Dommaraju Gukesh shot into sole lead after a scintillating victory over higher rated Alireza Firouzja in the penultimate 13th round of the FIDE Candidates Chess tournament being played at Toronto, Canada. Gukesh once again impressed with his skills and his cool and calm temperament in a pressurising situation where a loss would have eliminated his title chances.

Gukesh will take on Hikaru Nakamura, currently the third highest rated player in the World with the Black pieces in the last round tomorrow. The winner of the Candidates earns the right to Challenge World Champion Ding Liren of China for the World title.

The other intense battle amongst overnight joint leaders with Gukesh, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Hikaru Nakamura ended in a draw while Caruana played determinedly to score a much needed victory over R Praggnanandhaa to stay in contention for the top place.

Gukesh has tallied 8.5 points and trailing half a point behind him are Caruana, Nakamura and Nepomniachtchi, all having scored 8 points each in this elite eight player Double Round Robin event. All these four players are in contention for the top spot but a victory by Gukesh ensures that he would script his place in the record books as the youngest ever to win the Candidates.

A draw by Gukesh and a victories by either Nepomniachtchi, Nakamura or Fabiano would force tie-break to be played the next day.

In the Women’s section Tan Zhongyi drew her game against Aleksandra Goryachkina to eke a one-point lead over compatriot Lei Tingjie and a draw in the last round tomorrow should suffice for her to win the event.

Vaishali R after a disastrous first half has been on a roll and notched her fourth consecutive victory against Tingjie today. Koneru Humpy also drew her encounter against Anna Muzychuk.

Alireza opting for the Berlin Defence with Black pieces against Gukesh, emerged better in the Opening stages but the Indian played enterprisingly, thwarting all Alireza’s attempts to press for a win.

There were moments nearing the first time control where most thought that Gukesh would opt for a draw by repetition of moves but he showed more ambition and technical skills.

A dubious king move on the 43rd turn by Aliereza and later initiating the exchange of queens worked in Gukesh’s favour as he wrapped up the game in 63 moves.

“Alireza had many chances to equalise but after his 45th queen move mistake, I knew it was a winning position for me. He did try some tricks in the end but the endgame was winning for me”. When quizzed on what would be his strategy for the last game tomorrow, he simply summed “My strategy would be the same, play a good game. This has worked for me”.

The battle between bigwigs Nepomniachtchi and Nakamura in a Ruy-Lopez game had both players playing solidly but refraining from exploring further in a position which had not lost its fizz. The players displayed a cautious approach and settle for a draw after just 27 moves by repeating their moves with queens, rooks and two minor pieces each still gracing the board.

Fabiano Caruana once again displayed his class to defeat Pragg in a Sicilian Rossolimo game with the Black pieces after a marathon 89 moves.

Nakamura promised an entertaining and engrossing final round saying “Lot of fireworks tomorrow and it is going to be an exciting day”. Nepomniachtchi, Caruana and Nakamura had been the rating favourites and Gukesh with the best chances for the title tomorrow is not the scenario predicted by experts but icing on the cake for India.

Interestingly a large Indian crowd had gathered outside the playing venue and chanted ‘Gukesh, Gukesh’ after the Indian left the tournament hall with a magnificent victory.

Round 13 Results;

R Praggnanandhaa (6) lost to Fabiano Caruana (8); Vidit Santosh Gujrathi (5.5) drew Nijat Abasov (3.5); D Gukesh (8.5) bt Alireza Firouzja (4.5); Ian Nepomniachtchi (8) drew Hikaru Nakamura (8).

Women’s section

R Vaishali (6.5) bt Lei Tingjie (7.5); Koneru Humpy (6.5 ) drew Anna Muzychuk (5); Nurgyul Salimova (5) drew Kateryna Lagno (6.5); Tan Zhongyi (8.5) drew Alexandra Goryachkina (6.5).