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FIDE Candidates 2026: Pragg v. Sindarov & Anish v. Hikaru With Tournament Win On The Line!! Rd 10
04-09-2026 · 5h 30m
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I
dynasty ends, then a new one begins.
Every chess player has one goal in mind when it comes to classical chess, the Fidei World
Championship.
But before you can take a shot at the king, worthiness must be proven.
Eight for the open section, and eight for the women, are in Cyprus to do just that.
First chances for some.
What a moment!
Last chances for others.
Whether or not he gets another shot at the world title, his career will be defined by resilience.
But all with just one goal in mind.
Give you the youngest world champion.
World champions, Bukesh and Xuen Jun await their challenges, and we wait with them.
It's time to let the games begin.
Roud 9 didn't change the leader, but he did show us he's human.
Sinderov had Bluebaum in serious trouble, let the win slip, and still begins today a
point and a half clear.
So the gap remains very real, but so does the chase.
Geary kept charging with a second straight win, this time over Karana, to move into Sol
second. For the first time in days, the tournament feels just a little bit less settled.
In the women's candidates, the picture is tight as still. Du and Vaishali now share
the lead after both won again in Round 9, while Muziecuk missed the chance to stay in
front and now sits half a point back. One section still has a frontrunner, the other
has now become a sprint.
to round 10 of the FIDE Candidates.
I'm Jon Sargent and joining me today are two amazing voices of our game.
First of all, if there's a mate on the board, however obscure,
the supergms can't see it, the computer can't see it, even chat can't see it,
she'll find it.
It's Judith Polgar. Welcome back, Judith. How are you?
I'm doing very well. Great. Thanks.
And joining myself in Judith,
if there's an extra 0.2 to be had on the EVL bar,
80 moves time the super GM's can't see it the computer can't see it even chat can't see it
He'll grind it. It's David Howell. Welcome back David
Thank you, John. I'm very excited about today. I have a feeling it's gonna be a really really exciting round
So before we get stuck into the chest don't worry you guys have us on your screens for the next goodness knows how many hours
Let's go ahead and see what the situation is like on the ground and what the players have been doing last night
And this morning as we head over to Mike Klein for his morning stand-up
Mizumigos, we are outside the Cap St. George Hotel. There's not a cloud in the sky and we're getting ready for round 10.
As these sunbathers enjoy life in the sun, what are we going to see inside?
Well, Javakir Sundarov still has that one-and-a-half point lead and the rich only get richer.
He's got three white games out of his final five, but all eyes are going to be on Anish Geary as he continues his chase trying to track down Sundarov.
Anish gets white against Nakamura and if he can just pull to within one point
He's still got that head-to-head game in around 13 that he's gonna look forward to he'd be able to control his own destiny
If he can get within a point now over in the ladies section the two leaders Jyushinir and Vaishali
They both have black today the critical game is going to be Anna Musichuk versus Vaishali Anna's been scuffling a little bit
She had a loss two days ago and she failed to win a better position yesterday
Whereas Vaishali's got three and a half out of four now in their lifetime meetings
They've played almost all draws with the lone victory coming to Vaishali.
Ana is going to need to reverse that trend to get back in this thing.
That's the news from here.
I've got my Fredo Espresso.
Let's get back inside.
I'm beginning to suspect that every day Mike just gets further and further away
while he does his morning stand-ups.
And I'm beginning to think that in two days' time,
he'll just be on the 18th hole and he'll be talking to us while teeing up a pub
or something like that. I don't know. But he looks like he's enjoying himself. The players
certainly are and today is going to be a lot of fun. Judith, not only is the women's candidates
really tightly bunched, but we have several of the, for lack of a better phrase, closest
competitors playing against each other today as well.
Well, absolutely. Yesterday was quite an incredible game, by Shali, one against her countrywoman.
Divya, that was such an important game to take B in the leaders and stay with the leaders
from Vashali and she's going to have a very tough game against Anna Mosecciuk because
she's half a point behind now but of course we know in one game anything can happen and
Anna is playing incredibly well.
She went off the great road against Divya with huge blunders but today she's playing
with the white pieces.
yesterday she was almost winning so it was something that she has to get back
on track and if she wins again and then she can take the lead herself and of
course the second match also with the Junaer against Bibisora is a very tough
match I mean Bibisora of course she's not performing too well in this tournament
but she's a very tough opponent so she can ruin some good moments to her
opponent. Speaking of ruining good moments, David, if we take a look at the
standings in the open, look, we know that Cinderoff is in the lead. We know that
Geary is in pure second place. I'm actually going to say let's skip over
the screen and look at the pairings because today is one of those days where
I don't think Cinderoff's board is going to be the most interesting matchup. We
have Anish Geary taking on Hikaru Nakamura there on board too and for both
of these players and their story in the candidate so far. I don't know if it's fair or not, but I
feel like the story there almost overshadows the rest of the pairings. Exactly. This is going to
be a fascinating clash for chess reasons and non-chess reasons. Of course, Anishin Hikaru,
some social media sparring in the months building up to the tournament. And I think
just specifically this rivalry, Hikaru has the upper hand head to head historically.
Hikaru, it feels to me like he plays better, he feels more confident, more inspired when
he's playing players he has faced before of a similar generation or at least players
he has more experience against, he knows their style, fewer variables. So I could see Hikaru
playing spoiler to Enish, just like he did against Fabiano. That being said, Enish is
on a hot streak, has white today, we'll see this as an opportunity, definitely this one
that I could see it being decisive.
talk about Hikaru playing spoiler for a moment, Judith. After his initial losses, the first
half of the tournament, you could forgive a player for being downhearted, for being negative,
for screaming. Hikaru, okay, maybe he did some of that, but when he was doing his interviews
with Mike and when we saw him on the rest day, he was upbeat, it felt like the pressure was off,
he was a lot more chilled out, and then he played some absolutely brilliant chess. It is a genuinely
scary proposition that he could play spoiler to Anish as well today?
Well, I think if we talk about Hikaru, I mean he's maybe the most interesting, controversial
chess player in the world out there because he's on, as a YouTuber, content creator.
He is making his summary after every single game, no matter how painful it was during
the candidates.
So he has his priorities somehow on a different scale, I must say.
His fans are the most important for him.
At the same time, he can be so sharp at the board.
In the first half of the tournament, I feel that he didn't make the right decisions, opening
decisions.
While yesterday, the day before yesterday when he won that was an incredible game.
Yesterday, he was grinding until the very end, that's the Panko.
He has the strength, he has the patience for it, and I'm pretty sure that he has the motivation to win today, so he wants to be a spoiler for sure.
The tactical cutaway to the other board as the handshakes happened. We might never know. No guys, they did shake hands, there's no drama here. All good.
The first moves are on the board, and we might as well talk about the opening of Anish Hikaru
before moving elsewhere.
David, Judith, over to you guys.
Today's going to be a great day, Chas.
Bring it on.
Round ten has begun.
We see an English opening to start this one, but it looks, Judith, like we might see a
transposition to the Queen's Gambit decline.
Just for a change.
Yeah, for a change.
He's one. He does.
Never seen this before, have we?
Well, yeah, sometimes we happen to see this position.
Something is happening in the playing call, it seems, no?
The card was looking. Wow, look at that.
English into Queensgama decline, transposition incoming, as our future chat says, not just that,
but due to the first small surprise I'll say H6 has become a bit trendy but it is provocative
H6 in all positions nowadays. I remember Goukesh playing H6, a very early H6 in the
last candidates against Abbasov and that was a surprise. This time it has provoked Anish into
trading on d5 and at least the pawn structure is going to be fixed so that's black's
rationale right, burning a tempo but now Nf6 will not be met by Bg5 in the near future.
Yeah, I wonder sometimes that how different are the, first of all the mindset of the players,
but the mindset regarding the opening preparation.
Like how early they have to make a surprise to their opponent, because the game you were
referring to by Gokash h6, it was clear that it was a computer suggestion, it was clear
that they made a very serious preparation. And it was also clear that probably the H6
move is not the best move of the possession. But he definitely wanted to give it a chance,
little provocation and little chance to win that specific game, right? In this game, again,
it's a lot of psychology as we started to discuss what is going to be, how they are
relating to each other, the players of the board and now of course on the board. But
H3, H6 is of course a psychological, well I don't know if I can say advantage for black
that okay I decide what I'm going to be playing okay. I decide and already move 3. I'm going
to be playing a move which can disturb you. Maybe it's not the best. Maybe whatever. Okay
I'm directing the game that which direction we are moving. Of course it was probably not
such a big surprise for Geary. I mean, if it's fashionable new trends as engines direct the
new trends, right? But you know much more about this, how much the engines transform the preparation
and the opening novelties. What can you share on that?
Yeah, I mean, engines have transformed everything that you say, Judith. Partly because they've shown
everything is playable. There's always an idea behind everything, even the most silly looking move.
Often there's an idea or reason it might be useful. And nowadays, if the engine says, oh,
everything 0.2 or 0.1, then often it's no difference. And it's like a guessing game. It's a game of
bluff. It's like you want to find the lowest possible move, according to what the engine suggests,
that's still playable, meaning that your opponent hasn't looked at it. So Goukesh would always
against Ding, for example, played like the fifth most popular move in the position or the fifth
top engine line, still 0.0. But like you say, it's the psychological issue. And I mean, to my eyes,
this looks quite healthy for black. I remember when I was first listening to audio tapes back
in the day, like these things you put into the CD player and people talk about openings,
In this position, a6 was very trendy back in the kind of 19th century and early 20th century.
And the whole idea was after taking on d5 still to play c6 and then bishop d6 and a6 sometimes useful, but sometimes not.
And black has a huge advantage. Sorry.
I think this is this is the percentage pass it's actually scored 33% in this
Sorry, that's another one. Yeah with 30% draws. We see the gray in the middle and then the white
But yeah, if we go back to the game the reason he might be happy
Is that okay if we catch up?
Night a6 was played so he's left that square vacancy and
Judith, everything's probably just equal, everything's fine, but firstly, Anish didn't
react that much to the surprise. He played his moves within a few seconds, so he was
trying to surprise the surprise and he was trying to get his own back on the car, but
it looks like now he is finally out of book, as we see in his body language.
Yeah, it's a question of course, how fast is he going to be playing, how much self-confidence
he has. His body language says that, okay, I'm out of book, right? Now it's time for me to think,
maybe soon the jacket is gonna be off. Also to lean into the game. And 9-8-6. Well, of course,
this is possible because 9-8-2 was played in the previous move, so the bishop cannot capture that.
Otherwise, the structure would be awful for black. It's a logical move. Black wants to keep the
attention, doesn't want to exchange, of course, the bishop, because night at four would be developing
move. This is this keeps me busy these days when I look chess, because of course, when I was in
competition, I was not analyzing the different patterns, how interesting chess is from, from
patterns perspective, let's say, now that I teach, I give talks, and I want to see different things.
I look at it and it's one of the key things, especially on higher level, but I think in
all level, when you have a tension between pawns, who takes, who captures, who, or with
bishops or pieces, I mean here also, of course, you see the tension, but if black takes on
f4, it's a huge advantage for white, right?
With a tempi, I just come neither f4, but white also doesn't want to take on d6 because
than Queen develops to d6. And you keep the tension and who will be first? Or White is
going to be playing Bg3 just to say that I'm keeping the tension, I'm not going to give
up because it's not so easy for White to, I mean I don't think he wants to go g3, Bg2,
can he? That would be kind of risky, maybe the Bishop would just move away from d6 and
then G5, my bishop is entrapped.
G5, whoops, that would be awkward.
I agree with you, it's like,
I think of it like a salary negotiation or something.
It's like, you don't wanna be the first one to say,
okay, fine, but you don't wanna agree to your opponents terms
and say, yeah, just, you take, you lose a bit here,
you're like, okay, fine, just let's get it done,
let's get it over with.
You don't wanna blink first,
you want the other person to say,
Yeah, I agree to your question.
Yeah, but it's interesting because there are so many situations in a chess game
that it does matter, like you have the rooks on the C-fi, right?
You don't want to capture and give up the files, so
somehow you have to develop your game that you're ready to keep the tension.
And I'm going to say it's not...
I'm not so impressed by Anisha's opening, like he blitzed
against h6. He blitzed the next few moves and here we are, but the pawn structure is really fixed.
The center is closed, therefore, like tempi is not so important.
Like maybe he will take and remove his knight, I don't know, g3, f4, maybe he'll play,
I don't know what else is useful, rook c1 or h3 or Qc2, maybe not Qc2 here, but he'll do something,
but is white really ever going to get a big advantage? Black's just going to play Nf6 castle
and it's just a standard middle game. It feels like Hikaru should be the happier of the two.
Definitely survived the opening. I completely understand your point and I'm wondering that
the knight on e2, isn't it just completely misplaced? Maybe white has to take on d6 and play knight f4.
I mean maybe there is nothing better. I mean I have to move on with my plan and my
development right? I mean now Bishop a6 I would be happy if I could do you go
knight c7 and it's there you see he also didn't find better than that I guess
the argument for white is that like maybe later the knight on d3 is actually
quite a good square for that piece but you know maybe he'll be the first to
occupy a nice diagonal so the black bishop can't really get out anywhere but
But I'm sorry, what's the point of having the knight on d3 if you could have your knight
on f3 because e5 square is something that you want to occupy, right?
True.
So he could play, if you go back a few moves, instead of knight e2, he could take bishop
takes d6, Qd6, knight f3, straight forward and go for knight e5.
Probably he didn't like that knight goes to d7 or he just thought knight e2 is an interesting
continuation. Yeah it's probably prep but he's put his mind on g3 jude it so
we've actually seen something a little bit different so he's not caring about
going to any dark squares. Let's see the idea here I guess he wants to...
Some of you cares about the f5 square more. I don't think he'll jump while black can just
take it black would love to trade off this bishop for him. No, but just because
black has played h6 black is not going to play g6 which could be
sometimes maybe not bad to control that, but not after H6, right? Yeah, H4, H5!
I saw someone was already trolling me earlier on, there was a featured chat
saying, oh, not H5 for David. Like, it's good people have been watching the show on previous days,
but yeah, H4, H5, maybe it's just a matter of time. Maybe, but...
Do you think the fight is going to be castling long?
Yeah, otherwise I don't really see why he's been doing this weird stuff like e2,
knight e3. I could see black, like if white castles king side though, I could see black maybe playing h5.
No, but I'm going to go queen c2, I'm going to long castles and then I have two ideas. Either to play
f3 and e4 or I move away with my knight to f5 and go g4. You have your h-pawn patterns,
I have my g4 patterns. Which one's better? But by the way, maybe bishop f5 can be interesting.
So here, for example. Because really, I mean, when we have the pawn on h6,
Then the knight on f5 is much more powerful, right?
No g6, no kicking me out.
That's true.
Just to show that idea, like, okay, let's say I just do it on your terms, except that I'm losing a tempo as black,
just on the theme of what we were talking about earlier, like maybe even g4 immediately.
Yeah, g4, of course, immediately.
You can stop me.
And I just wanted to show that g6 is always impossible now, as you were saying, that's
the h1 hangs.
Yeah, looks good for White.
And okay, basically Geary should be playing for a win clearly, right?
Even if it's going to be a draw, he should be taking some risk today because he wants
to chase in Dorov, right?
And still they are going to have in rounds 13 an alternate round where they play against
each other.
can catch up only to have one point less than if he wins that game he's it's open yeah that
would be race on and they will meet Anish will have white against Indorov so anything could
still happen but first yes to get past the wall of Hikaru Nakamura I don't think it's
gonna be easy Hikaru quite likes his kind of locked structures where you can just manoeuvre
and no immediate tactics nowadays. I've noticed the big strength of his, he just wants to
wait and wait and maneuver around and make chances a bit later.
So okay, we might see what happens. I'm betting that he's going to be playing long castle.
Are you think it's going to be short or long castle by Giri?
Because it's Anish Giri, I'll say short castle, but I want to see long castle. I'm
on your side, I want him to castle on. I just don't know if it's his style and
if he's been surprised. We'll wait, we'll see but let Geary think about it. Maybe he's going to
take his time and what do you think about going to the other game, to Sintarov's game?
Because it's getting sharp. Let's do it. We'll jump over straight there and Sintarov against Prague.
Of course it's a Queen's Gambit. Let's figure out what else it's the tournament of the or it's the
opening of the tournament I should say and d4, knight f6 okay by transposition Queen's Gambit now
with d5, knight c3 and yeah we've seen loads of different branches due to we've seen Bishop
before we've seen like d6 c4 this tournament. Pragg I noticed likes to jump around quite a lot
like he was doing the same in the last candidates he would play like Queen's Gambit would it be his
main thing or e5 would be his main thing but within e5 he's doing lots of different lines.
Bishop f4 and bishop b4, cd5, ed5 and this is how we got here. Knight e4 defended
and this is always always fiery stuff Judith right? Like anytime a knight lands on e4 and the
pawn starts pushing it becomes very very concrete and double edged. Very concrete and for Prague it
It must be not easy to digest what he did not win yesterday against Wei, because he played
fantastic game, he made some incredible moves, and when he was having his completely winning
position, he was misplaying while we have to say that Wei made an incredible defensive
strategy and the moves he made, I mean it was quite impressive for both sides, but I'm
I'm sure Prague had to come over on that game because it was not easy to handle it.
He must have been winning yesterday, but of course he's very young and he knows that he
can be a spoiler against Sindaro.
He does not really have a chance to qualify too much, but he can be a spoiler.
And okay, Sintaro actually in the last three games in his opening preparation, if he could
see some holes, because he was playing, well, against Geary he was winning, that was a big
miss for him, or at least he was very close.
And then against Recipenko with black he played, and yesterday he played with black, and he
He had some difficult moments in the after the opening, later on he fixed it and even
yesterday he would have a great opportunity practically to win the game if he's instead
of exchanging queens.
But he's a little bit shaken up in the last few rounds, making mistakes, of course he's
making fantastic moves after that and before that, but he can make mistakes, he is a human
And they are both very young, they are the same generation.
Yeah, everyone feels young these days, Hikaru watching on one of the other generations.
But Judah, it does seem like maybe only the second time that I remember, or maybe the
third time that Sinderov is actually lower on time after Maangu and his opponents.
He's been surprised, okay, he's spent four and a half minutes, that's not a lot, but
But if he doesn't know what he's doing here for white, this is very hot stuff, fiery stuff.
If he isn't aware, if pride is really well prepared, then I could see this going wrong
for white.
This is not a position you want to just freestyle, right?
Not exactly the position which you want to freestyle.
Exactly.
It doesn't seem like, okay, I will be making a move, whatever, right?
Now h4 is a threat.
So what is actually by doing here?
I mean, I guess this is an immediate threat to win a piece, so something has to be done.
The opening database due to it says there's three moves that have been played before.
Pushing the H4 and H3 or H4 are both moves that have been played by strong grandmasters,
very strong grandmasters, Fashi Lagraf, Prankar, Posni, Donchenko. Bishop d3 is the only other
alternative really and it looks like he was reaching for something. That's the kind of
move. I would think that Sindaro is doing that and somehow he's going to be sacrificing
his bishop for several bones. We're finding out. Good call, Julie. He's reaching for that
bishop. Yeah, no surprise. Bishop d3. And I think you're right, if that's played, we'll
talk about it in a second once he makes the move. But it is a piece sacrifice. Well, that's
in the arrow, of course. It's still brave to do it though, if he isn't fully prepped,
unless he's bluffing and he actually knows all the details and he's saying to Preg like,
Oh, I can't remember, I can't remember, but if Prague plays into it, then suddenly bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, all the moves will come out.
Tables will turn.
Do you think the youngsters, they have a very different direction, how their brain works regarding preparation?
I mean, of course, Prague is also very good in his preparation, opening preparation, but he has a very different approach than Hikaru, let's say.
say yeah that's true all I know is that these youngsters they're very good at
like they their memories way better than it was when I was when I was their age
when I was their age I was still like on move four I was like wait what was the
move order again now it's like move 20 you were playing English you don't have
to memorize that much anyway true Bishop D3 on the board let's see which piece
will be gone the G3 Bishop yeah after H4 H4 I mean it's got to be the
first move pregs looked at Bishop d3. I think like you say Hikaru wouldn't go
into this nowadays especially if he doesn't trust his seconds but these
youngsters they trust themselves they trust the seconds and even if they
called out and a move is played that they can't remember then they just trust
their calculation and Judith this is about calculation right Bishop takes e4
I guess is going to happen.
Capture check.
Black has to...
Oh, bishop e7 also is there, but...
Yeah, black can't block with a queen because after a queen exchange, e7 will hang.
Oh yeah.
King of fate, I'm guessing.
Bishop e7 looks odd.
Bishop e7 maybe just doesn't work actually.
Bishop e5, f6.
No.
And...
Oh, what?
E5.
Knight E5 is still there.
This looks to my eyes like it was totally winning, but actually Black's got Queenie 8.
But maybe instead of Knight G5, maybe Knight E4 is better or Knight something.
Because if you take on E5, then Knight G5.
Yeah.
Wow.
How is this surviving for Black?
Maybe...
Thanks Queenie 7.
A6, sorry.
I have to be F6.
give the king a square and this is crazy. Yeah but even 96 and c7 is hanging or
knight h7 the other. What do you just want it to take and take on e5 but then
Ng4. Yeah okay there would be choices but black won't play bishop e7 I think
black will in this position h4, take e4, king f8. I have a crazy question I
I think it's it's it cannot work if I don't play bishop e4
Okay, it's in the live position. Oh well, I fh4
Probably it cannot work because you're not going to take my bishop
I was thinking can I have at some point to go King e2 with the idea of ht hg3 hg3 and I open up the h file
Wow
That's very good because I want everything I know actually after h takes g I go 9d5
Aha, yeah, yeah, maybe you safe. Let's take this one first. So maybe you have to take yeah
Because somehow what I wanted to get like h takes g3
We should be four takes queen takes e4 and if let's say king f8, which probably you don't play because you go queen is 7
Then hg3
So somehow to to open up
still scary like computers will refute it but still scary for a human this type
of thing I could see this idea later maybe yeah but I'm not sure luck is going
to be taking it's okay let's go h4 and of course what you said bishop e4 is the
most natural way of continuing okay Queen e4 let's say King f8 and I can't see
that there have been games in this position let's let's go here long castle
ah nice better version jude a version take the bishop and you don't like it
yeah I want the H fine I mean this is terrifying still
Richie, 8.
The White has 2 points for the East.
I'm glad I'm not playing you in this position, Judith.
I would need an hour and 45 minutes on the clock just to survive the next few moves.
It's not fair that the bar says that I'm just really bad here, probably it's Rg8.
What else?
Yeah, what else?
Yeah, maybe Black's just quick enough with Nf6 and...
Yeah, Nf6 is attacking, defending, opening up the c8 bishops.
Rh4.
H4 is on the board, dramatic stuff and bishop takes e4 shown by the blue arrow.
game is going to get very, very spicy. We thought that this might be a calmer one with
Cinder off. Happy to play it safe with white, but no, this is going to be a tactical battle
tactical slug fest and we'll be back after the break to bring you all of the updates
in this game. Of course, we'll also be going into the other games will be breaking down
the opening everywhere as we enter the key stages of round 10. See you soon in a few
minutes.
And of course your countryman, Gukesh, won the last candidates, went on to win the world
championship.
So you've seen him go through this process.
What do you think a win at the candidates would mean to you?
How would it change your life?
I mean, it will change my schedule, but I think as a person, it won't change too much.
Be preparing for that as a professional.
But I think as a person, you know, you know, just be the same.
I'll be working towards a goal, but I think for chess, it'll be interesting.
I'm saying that I think for now I'm just focused on this tournament and not really thinking too much ahead.
Taking one game at a time is what I can do at this moment, so I'll just do that.
Well, I know that if we have an all-Indian World Championship, that would be the biggest thing in chess history in India,
but I won't make you speculate on that since you're just doing one game at a time.
Let me go to the next question.
Which world champion style has influenced you the most?
I really am not really sure because when I was young I was shown a lot of Casper's games.
And I was playing a lot of...
I mean, I was winning a lot of games because of my tactical skills and attacking skills.
But as I have worked more on chairs, I started growing.
I feel like my other aspects of the game have evolved and it's now showing up.
In general, I try to be a universal player, I try to, I mean, I try to play whatever
the position demands. Like, I can say one style or one player, in general, try to be
universal, like I say Magnus or someone who can play all the positions.
It certainly has worked for Magnus, okay? Next question, this one's kind of fun. If you
could guarantee yourself one thing for the candidates, perfect preparation, perfect
nerves, or perfect sleep, which one would you fit?
I think it's between perfect, yeah I think I'll say perfect nerves.
I don't think opening makes too much of a difference at this point, like being 100%
perfect and 99 or 90 to some extent I don't think makes a huge difference.
Perfect sleep, again like I don't think under the 99 makes a huge difference so I'll take
perfect nerves.
It's much more important to have a business at critical moments.
Your brother told us a funny story that sometimes when you're at home, if one of you is studying,
you might have to ask the other one not to steal your idea.
Can you verify this is a true story?
Yeah, sometimes when we are discussing something like some things you don't want to, I mean
you want to play yourself when you're finding something.
So it happens, yeah, so we just make sure, okay, this is my idea, you're not going to
play this, yeah, like this, so it happens.
Do you also motivate each other, like for example, if you're at home and you're studying
but Prague is on YouTube, do you ever like tell them, hey, you need to get the chess
out and work on your chess?
It doesn't usually happens like this.
It's more like, okay, I've been working a long time.
Now just take a break.
This is how it is sometimes,
because we both have the tendency to work a lot
and the forgetting to take a rest or take a break.
So it's actually the other way around.
Wow, so you're not telling each other,
you're not motivating each other more.
You're actually trying to have the other person
not focus so much on Chaffin, like, you know, do other things.
I mean, motivation, of course,
He helps me a lot, especially with whenever things don't go my way, he's someone who always
pushes me.
I mean, he motivates me a lot and he supports me a lot.
But also, it's also the other way.
We sometimes have the tendency to prepare a lot, so we have to keep an eye on each other
to ensure that each of us have the same enough.
What about your relationship with him at the tournament, like in Toronto, were you having
dinner with him every night and discussing your game?
or were you kind of doing your own thing?
Of course, we were preparing separately.
We would discuss a lot about the game.
Like, lunch, it's different sometimes,
because both of us are in a hurry,
and our schedule can be a bit different.
Dinner, we made sure we had together
to discuss about the games, whatever has happened,
and to discuss what the other games,
some interesting moments or interesting ideas.
So, yeah, this is how it has been always.
And of course, the other star of your family is your mother, Nagalakshmi, and she's made
the trip here in Cyprus.
Is she kind of like your secret weapon?
Yeah, for sure.
She has been traveling with us for more than 15 years now, and she ensures like all the
other things are taken care so that we would only need to focus on the game.
So yeah, it's nice to have her once again for the candidates, and it's also very nice
we get to travel together for tournaments, all three of us.
So yeah.
I'm going to show you how to do it.
Hello everyone and welcome back from that break.
We jumped straight back to what is looking like a really fiery clash between Cyndorov and
Prague.
High-stake stuff.
Cyndorov has his bishop trapped in the center of the board.
we were joking about h5 in other boards but h5 h4 that was a sign of Prague's
aggression here and the bishop is trapped it's pure calculation but the key is
that Sindorov he's thinking and we're not used to that in this tournament.
We are not used to that at all the question is what is he thinking about
is he he got surprised by Prague and he was not expecting this line or is he
recalling the lines what should I be doing because I was analyzing Lancaster
or I can choose of 9g5 and I can maybe do something else so the question is
what is he thinking about right and I can't imagine that he was not analyzing
this at some point and in such a sharp positions I can easily see a
a perpetual check or some droish line because it happens so often if the players are playing
the best move. I would vote for long castle and in our break we didn't really have a break
because we were discussing what is actually really this position is. So that is something
very tempting for me but of course when you make a lot of analysis that's another story
because you have to get an evaluation. And this is also so interesting that it is so different
when you make your home analysis, you're flashing out the moves. Now this is not the case with
Sindoro because he spent 23 minutes, which is unexpected from different reasons, because first
of all, he's not the guy who is spending too much time. Secondly, this is a sharp opening position,
right? So this is you cannot just play and we'll see what happens, especially not against
Brandon and who is very well prepared, right? So this is the big question. What is he thinking about?
What he wants to choose? It can also happen because you're not happy with either of the choices
and you make to yourself, you say to yourself before then preparation, okay, if this happens,
I will decide at the board right? I will recall which are my options and I choose from those.
Yeah, I think you're 100% right Judith. You mentioned earlier the generational thing,
like the younger players, the older players. I think the older players, even if they know what's
happening, they might take a few minutes, they just get their bearings. The young players,
if they've looked at it before, it's like bang, it's on the board. Like Arjun, it's like he'll
he would just play every move instantly just to show he knows.
Prague same, I think, Goukesh same,
Sinderov same, so the fact that he is slowed down
means that he might have just forgotten or he's not aware.
I have a question.
Go on, Jada.
Breaking news.
What about d5?
Wow.
Didn't even see that.
Nice question.
So hitting the bishop.
He just came to my mind that I don't understand,
and he did.
Look at the evil bar.
This destroys my excitement.
3d7 probably.
Oh, queen 7 because yeah, the idea just for everyone at home is that now the bishop is hit and white's bishop also has an escape square.
Queen 7, wow, that's actually a pin.
It's like an optical illusion. It looks like the white queen is defended like d6.
And the problem is the d6, bishop c3.
And the pin is the problem and takes and then he takes d6 that is the most lost
Bishop I've ever seen ganged up on so many times a piece it's a little pinned
only three pieces are attacking it two bones of Queen and a Knight for poor
piece. Okay two questions. Yeah and okay you mentioned the move that we were
discussing in the break like when in doubt castle the king normally you want to
do that earlier in the game maybe before the tactic start but okay let's say
white castles long just to get the rook on the D file and wow the buck does
crash I was thinking we were discussing this line right Bishop takes
knight BC3 Bishop disappears probably the E5 and then just Queenie 7 and yeah
okay we see the bar but it does look like the white king is a bit open maybe
white just doesn't have enough here we were discussing this Quinn f5 check e6
since 9 to 5 knight e5 covers everything black suddenly totally winning so e6
queen to f6 and here you mentioned the cool move e4 and it's just complicated
I have no idea why blacks better it is humanly cool you know engine wise it's
not cool. I probably bail out here and pretend it was all prep control.
You know what maybe black is just simply going knight f8 capturing the
on e6. Like bent last and said knight on f8, there is no mate. That's true. That's very
just calm. But you know that's kind of worrying what Sindaro is doing with his time. I mean
he's probably calculating Nxg5. I do see on the database too that the only other move
that's been played in this position other than knight takes g5 which is maybe the main line and
it's been played a few times as quinter g6 but yeah our producer alerted me to a game that
evan sokolov once won with the black pieces and i did see in that one quingy six already
just like after castles the evaluation totally drops and goes in black's favor so it does look
look like maybe Nxg5 is the only way to hold the balance, at least from what I've
heard. So let's say a bit about Ng5, what it's really about.
White has strong attack potential, I agree, with our feature chat there but it needs to be
accurate, Nxg5 threatens this one. It's okay, Nxg5. Nxg5, yes, I see some, yeah,
see some captures at 6g5 at the end
wow there's still three games in this position
white has castled and white has played f4 yeah f4 was the first move came to my
mind
king is a bit scarily placed
King g7, f5 now.
I guess f5.
Or maybe White just castles and keeps f5 up the sleeve, but let's say f5.
Okay, he's going to take on g5, breaking news, plays the best move syndrome, of course
he does, but it costs him a bit more time.
see how well Prague is prepared now after this move. Everything looks forced.
Yeah. What is the bar says that it's roughly equal, right? I think they're the
same. Taking the bishop for taking the knight on c3 first. Yeah, for everyone at
home we can't take on c5 because the rook makes 8 pulls. Okay, I think we're
to get that position due to like pretty much force now. Yeah, that's a question, takes.
But by the way, yes.
Rook e1 probably just helps black.
Maybe. But isn't d-take, is there d-takes e5 you think you must?
Okay, so I don't have anything else after...
Ah, so yeah, because before, yeah, the question is Bc3 first or Ne5 first?
So you're thinking like Nh7 or something though?
I was thinking about Nh7 also.
F4?
F4, I was also thinking, but the problem is after F4 I think that black simply goes Nc4
I'm going to have real weaknesses there on a3. Yeah, knight c4, knight c4 or someone.
Yeah, the attack is drawing up. So we have knight c3 on the board,
easy move for cndorov at least. He takes back. Yeah, knight e5 on the board. Only move but
obviously the most logical, black's going to be a piece up.
And I think that position after dx e5, fxg5, that is the key, like if Cinderov tanks there
and spends more than 10 minutes then I'm a bit worried for him, if not then maybe he
didn't know all along and was just trying to remember the move order.
It's interesting because actually Vaid has only two pawns for the piece.
After dx e5, fg5.
The black ink is vulnerable.
So this is, you're having it on the board.
G65 has played.
Okay, we have this.
Crazy.
Judah, I don't know if it's just me,
but I would never, like if I were leading a tournament
by one and a half points,
biggest tournament of my life,
like, especially if I was surprised in the opening,
I would never go into anything like this just in case.
just feels way too risky. There's other ways to play for a draw with White. Maybe he thinks
he's testing Prague, but I don't really see the outside.
But you know it's very interesting that how much you control yourself because of the tournament
situation. This is a big question, especially with young players, I think, when they don't
know exactly necessarily how to control themselves. I mean, this is Sindarov, I think, in the
in style. He goes for it, he's sacrificing, I have some pawns, my opponent makes mistake,
I make a mistake and somehow I outsmart him somehow with the time element of the game.
He goes wrong and then I win. I mean this is what we've seen in the World Cup which
he won I think. That he didn't play perfect. It was far from perfect but he's just such
a practical player. Well this is what you say that this is not practical to choose this
opening, right? In this tournament situation. But I had this, you know, myself, that I remember
in 2005, maybe I told you this story against Opalov. And it was a Berlin. And I played
at some point G4. And I didn't play my G4 because I wanted to win, I wanted to crush
I wanted to be aggressive. I just thought that that's the best move in that position, which wasn't.
At the same time, I lost again. And after the game, people came to me and said,
Why did you do that? Why were you so aggressive?
And I just said, that was not my intention to be aggressive.
That's not the reason I played g4.
I just simply felt that that's the best move in the position I wanted to be playing the
best move because I was not sure that I have any advantage anymore or even if I have the
upper hand.
And actually later I could still play better but it was not the best move.
But it's just me and I played it.
So I'm not sure how much Sindarov can also say to himself that, okay, now I calm down
In every situation I want to be under control. I will always choose the more solid one because
If he's he's going to be playing for draws, you know how difficult it is to play for a draw
It's like how to play
That I'm not playing for a draw at the same time
I'm choosing always a solid direction instead of the one which I would like to choose, right?
It's very impressive if it works like that, it turns out he is actually prepared and then
it would just look like a masterpiece, like he didn't risk much, he was all forced, like
black cut to find some accurate moves, straw is fine, but it's like if it backfires and
he gets out of book and he's just a piece down, then it looks really terrible, so it's
like he's taking that risk of looking really clever or looking terrible, but not much in
between. Yeah, but it's in the other hand, it's also tricky that if it's equalish, and
he looked at it, then why is it so risky? If this is his type of game? Because if he goes
very solid, and then he feels and he gets worse, it's also not a very good scenario.
But of course, I fully understand what you're saying that, yeah, we could imagine, at one
and a half point, he leads something more solid, right?
Maybe.
But I think, if he still had this position, but with one hour 55 on his clock, then I
wouldn't even dream of questioning him.
It's just because of what we've seen over the last 10 days, the last two weeks, and
what we're seeing now, where Syndrome is actually investing some time, like, makes me wonder,
Is he in prep? Is he not? It's unclear. Maybe Prague as well is a bit confused. He's like,
I kind of know what I'm doing here, but is he in prep? Is he not? It's a bit of an old scenario.
Yeah, I guess we'll find out Judith, but what moves come to mind in this position if you're Prague?
Well, hopefully he prepared it. So he's just double checking what he wants to do,
because there were games as you pointed out until this point right so it's like a typical position
that if you're playing it with either color you should be aware of the games or the position that
it can arise from that because it was pretty forced not with not very many deviations in this line
after playing bishop d3 it's kind of forced right yeah and I mean the most natural moves to my eyes
And it's also the move that's the only move that's been played is king to g7 and there have been some grandmas is playing this position
To understand I don't understand King g7 after King g7. Why can't I just go?
E6 I cannot go because you take gf and bishop e6 right? I'm not castle yet. No, what do you do on e6?
Maybe queen f6.
I wanted to go f5.
I want to block your bishop on c8.
But probably you're going to break out.
Just want to give me c3 and just move.
Wow.
But okay, it's much more logical what you say.
I start with f5.
Not with e6.
I think the king is pretty safe on each six so how can black start tripping away at the pawns?
But to be honest, instead of f5, short castle seems to be extremely powerful as well
because who is going to stop me playing f5 in the next move?
I'm not stopping you Judith. But Throgman and David will not stop either.
Okay let's say I just need to develop somehow. Queen e7. Bishop e6?
I wanted to play bishop e6 or bishop e7, I'm not sure which one.
Bishop e7 maybe just take and be sent.
Okay I'll play bishop e7, just trying to distract you.
Let's say f5. Why is it so dead equal? I got f6.
of 6 the king will hide.
Queen g4, queen d5 or what?
Yeah, queen d2 maybe?
Yeah, maybe.
Yeah, of course every move we make it's like the eval bars undecided.
Which means that probably we're going to see some lot of inaccuracies.
Yeah, it's possible. Very possible. King G7, okay, castles.
There has been a game in this position after King G7, castles between Seaman Aggestine,
many-time Norwegian champion, and Ariantari, former world junior champion.
and after castles black just played h3 and after f5 resigned? Not yet but it was
actually a draw but rook h4 and it got really weird. Qf3 Qd2. Ah g4 here that
would be cool just look out the rook. How is everything 0.0 it's just crazy.
Of course, it's 0.0. Don't tell me you're surprised, David.
Yeah, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was going to be some force perpetual,
but we haven't even come close to seeing anything forcing.
But my question is, let's say, if you have not analysed it, nor seen the arrow,
which side would you be taking?
Black. Still.
I mean, I just need something to hold on to, Judah, but it's a style thing.
Like, if I thought it was equal, if I thought I was worse or losing, then I wouldn't touch it, but if I...
No, let's say you know that the position is equal. You know that it's 0-0-0, okay?
Yeah.
No preparation from either side, and you would take black against Sindarov.
Oh, again, he didn't say against Sindarov.
No, it's against Sindarov, sorry. No, no, no.
I think I'd still take black just because the way my brain works. I've come to terms with the fact that I need something to hold on to and protect and I think it's like in life as well. I like to kind of take something and then protect it and survive and I'm not.
So you'd rather be from the defensive side.
Yeah, I think I inherently believe in defense and resources.
Interesting.
I would feel too much pressure here with white. I would be like, I've sacked a piece. Now I have to be really accurate. If not, then I'm just lost. I'm just a piece down.
And you're not afraid that with black you have to be accurate, not to lose.
Yeah, but I think I'm just materialistic. Life, Francesca.
And you have bigger trust in your defensive skills.
Yes. I think if you asked me this question 15 years ago, I would have taken white every time, but age has caught up.
the attacking instinct isn't the attacking trust in myself the fearlessness isn't there but
Judah I I get the impression you might take the white side oh why do you get this impression David
just a hunch just a guess I don't know why why how is it possible that you're
you're thinking that that would take white but how okay like we mentioned the 0.0 assuming you
you knew it was 0.0, you're pieced down, there's no immediate knockout. How would you approach
it? Are you just purely calculating? Is the risk at all in the back of your mind that you're
a bishop down or are you just looking for ways to set threats to improve? How does your mind
work in these positions? Well, obviously, I would go to this direction at the same time,
I'm, because I wouldn't like to be with the other side.
And I would think that it's more dangerous for black.
Yeah, I mean, it does look dangerous visually, very dangerous.
It looks very dangerous.
I think it's much more dangerous for black, much more way of going wrong.
Because I have very simple plans. I have my plan to go F5, E6, block the bishop, or castle.
Exactly. I don't have any other. What am I going to move my queen? Where the hell should I be moving away?
Judith is the one who knocks. No idea what that means, but it sounds impressive.
Maybe we should get a poll up in chat, like it's 0.0, who would take white in chat, who
would take black?
Without preparation, important part.
Without preparation, if you were going blind into this game, you'd have black against syndrome
or you'd have white against Prague.
Let's get a poll going.
Chat, are you materialistic like me?
Do you just, can you count to three and think, oh, I'm a Bishop up?
Do you see the potential, see a Naked King and think this is it?
That's too good to turn down.
It's going to be interesting, Judah, actually, to see whether there's more attacking-minded players out there
or more who believe in the defense.
Yes, but it's very interesting that we are strictly saying that without preparation.
Because with home preparation everything is a different story, right?
but it seems like which is still not really understandable for me. I mean if they go for this
they should be analyzing further, right?
And I still have the feeling that Rugg also might be out of the book, but I can't believe that.
It's weird, right? It's something strange is going on. It's like they're both kind of
bluffed each other into this variation without fully knowing the details or at least not having looked at it
Today or in the last few days, maybe they looked at it like a few weeks ago and then they're like, oh god
Like is it king g7? Is it queen e7 the bishop e7? Like those moves are good, but I can't remember which order
Like it's as if they're both like, okay
I dare you to go into this and the other one's like, oh, i'm not sure but they continue and they keep daring each other and they keep
They keep saying yes, and here we are
But also maybe the key
Word is that both have great self-confidence and one says okay. It's equal. So I'm going to manage it the other one says
Okay, it's equal. I'm going to manage it. I'm gonna attack. I have some
Ideas something will happen
It can't go wrong
Yeah, very possible
Very philosophical
I've played Prague a few times, and the last time I played him was a few years ago now,
but we went into a line, he was like, oh, I didn't know much, but I just know it was
0.4.
And I was like, oh, I would never think of a position like that.
I would never stop and be like, oh, I'm fine, I'm 0.4.
I would always need to know the plans or need to know the setup or if I'm preparing a position.
And I've played several people like that from a younger generation who are like, yeah, yeah,
I just knew this was 0.0 or knew this was plus one.
They trust themselves, let you say, the confidence
to figure it out and just deal with it.
But you know, I remember playing with Kasparov
and seeing those guys back 20 years ago, 25 years ago,
30 years ago, by now.
And I knew players who learned the main lines,
like that's what Gary was doing, I think,
going really on the main lines, and some of the side lines,
it was not important because he knew that, OK,
it should be good because you don't have time for everything.
So you have to rely on your instinct and evaluation,
and you have to have your self-confidence
that you understand chess as much, that I will manage.
And maybe the youngsters do the same thing,
that some things they go and they dig down very deep. At the same time, some positions
they say, okay, something will happen. I trust myself on this. This is not the position
I would go. I wouldn't trust myself. I would rather analyze. But when you have so many
things to prepare, especially for the candidates, I mean, I wonder how their coaches are handling
get this moment.
I have no doubt that there's a lot of seconds who are really
stressed right now. They're worried they're gonna get called
out live on stream. F4 was not in my notes or this H4 stuff was
not in my notes or they're really sweating. It's gonna be fun
Judith. And I actually have to apologize for chat. I've never
seen Breaking Bad. So I'm the one who knocks is a reference
that's like way over my head.
I'll have to sort that out in the near future, Judith.
Let's maybe have, let's take this opportunity
to go to the bird's eye view
because there's so much action on this board,
but I guess we should also try to update ourselves elsewhere.
And okay, summarize what you see in front of you.
Maybe if we focus on the open boards first,
what catches your eye?
Well, Karuana's game is becoming kind of concrete.
I don't know, what was it?
Was it French?
That's how it seems, right?
Yeah, also a line.
This is actually one I've seen before.
I can't remember all the details.
I don't think these players can either, but it's a very quick action replay.
We're at move nine.
doesn't good call Judith spotting that this is a French because it doesn't look
like a normal French but after e4 e6 e4 d5 we should be forward this move night
e2 oh my god night e2 I was playing night e2 when I was a kid nobody said
that this is anything good I should be hunting those people to tell them look
at this they is playing on the candidates night e2 you're ahead of your
time Judith, you were a pioneer.
Only four decades.
Three and a half.
Time flies like I'm sure the theory is still the same. Like, it's
interesting because I thought I knew this stuff, but DTXC4, I
just realized there's a difference after DTXC4.
A3.
Yeah, A3. Bishop C3, Knight C3, Knight F6 is one of the main moves.
Oh, sorry, Knight C6 is the main move these days. My bad. And
then bishop f4 and I remember looking at the position of knight f6 and here
white has many moves. Bishop d5 I think is the main line but Qd2 is also
possible but in the game okay I got confused here maybe that's confused the
players as well. Fabi started with knight e7. Really? White to advance very
interesting a3 gave up the bishop here now knight c6 and it's like a game of
chicken again like e5 here I guess is knight f5 and d4 isn't so easy to defend
in a nice way so Bishop f4 now d takes e4 so I know this position just with the
knight f6 but the knight in e7 is a bit bit more flexible maybe Queen d2 and e5
from Fabi giving back the pawn to get the Queen so what do you think of this
as a knight e2 player yourself Judith is this the type of position you were aiming
I didn't have this kind of position because I was putting my bishop on e3 and
when I played I was not playing against these kind of guys this line like
and my opponents were doing they were very greedy and protected their e4
pawn playing f5 so in a position like this one instead of f5 yeah f5 and
And then I was going bishop e3 and then f3 breaking up and I have a nice game in my book.
Ah, nice.
I guess my old trainer.
Then probably cluster this way and attack.
Yeah, then I had one game he played c6 and knight d5 and then I exchanged on d5, e takes
d and all the black squares I was just cooking him.
Yeah.
It was boiling, grilling. And I played h4 at some point.
I'm proud of you. No, he took ethxd5 and then I had this bishop f4, bishop e5,
rook d3, rook g3. So it was just completely hopeless at some point.
Let's say, okay, knight e7 is better. Yeah, he was not able to develop with his pieces.
Let's say something like this and the rook comes. It's funny, we have these patterns.
you go with the h-bone, I go g4, I bring my rook on horizontally.
I haven't rook lifted since 1999. This is very interesting stuff and okay back to the position,
probably no rook lifts or attacks here but no. Okay dilemma for Wei Yi because if he takes with
the king he keeps a bit more tension but he might be vulnerable to some checks. He takes with the
the bishop and e5 is hanging more quickly. I don't think bishop d2 actually
because king d2 black goes bishop f5 I think and then long castle and 9d4 will be.
Yeah, so if I also 9g6, of course, but yeah, same thing, 9g6, maybe?
5.
Okay.
Yeah.
Feels like it's going to be equal at the end of the day.
Yeah.
White's just too slow to make use of the bishop power probably.
Yeah.
And Bishop takes d2. I just noticed there were some games here. Both moves have been played.
But Bishop takes d2. Bishop f5. What do we think is the difference? King's a bit safer,
but e5 is also...
Yeah, I can go long castle, but also long castle I guess. And then e5 is in trouble.
Yes, somehow the bishop on g5 was standing badly.
Yeah, agree.
And on f4 it was always getting hit, so...
Yes, yes, with 9g6 and probably 9g6 will be coming anyway.
Yeah, but at least here like I could see white being better like with the bishop, oh sorry,
the bishop on ck.
Here he is.
Yeah, so much better placed, you're right.
a small detail it's actually the exact same position like here just with the
bishop on f4 instead of d2 and there it was like knight g6, bishop g5 for a p8.
Yeah. Nice though. How about take on e5, take on e4. I mean this is beautiful for
white if one or two more moves f3, bishop c3. I said beautiful but just because
you can grind it forever no risk. Well it's beautiful I mean this is the maximum
you can get out of this. I mean you have your bishop there, you can grind it for a long
time. This is something that black wants to avoid for sure. So maybe Ng6, now maybe...
Maybe before. Here, if knight takes e5 immediately.
Yeah, I'm slightly worried about some knight e5 stuff but maybe not.
Then I go castle. Yeah, I guess castles. Okay, what if I just but maybe you go to keep one anyway
Nightsheep four is that different?
Bit risky for black. Well, it's three
Okay
Yeah, it's after eight after F3. Maybe E3 is possible
aha
Even here maybe I can you just take it
Yeah, just because black's slightly behind in development.
If I didn't see the buy, I would think that maybe black can equalize here like c6 and...
I just thought that I can go bishop e6.
Yeah, bishop e6, maybe there's not d5 or...
A knight d4.
Yeah, knight d5, knight d5.
After knight d5?
Well, maybe rook e5.
So after a6, you take rook d5.
Aha, nice, nice, nice.
Tactics. Apparently there's something even better here. C4 maybe. But yeah, I'm going to take C5.
No, but what you said, C4 maybe it is better.
Yeah. Crazy tactics in a symmetrical QNUS position.
Judah, I might have to take up 92. I know you were playing it to try and attack and play give checkmate, but I would play it for this two bishops.
Well, if I would still compete, I would still also play by now for the two bishops if I would get this.
I should take D2. I think if we talk about general tournament, this isn't great news for Fabiano, who's just playing to equalize here with Black.
I mean, probably he doesn't think he has realistic chances after losing the last two games, but
if he doesn't win today, then yeah, it's a bit of a problem.
But hold on, he did play 3b4, French, there it could be sharp after the close position
of the e5, but 92 is a move where I'm sure it was a surprise for him, I mean, you're
not prepared against 92. Maybe sometime you analyze it just because to know
something about it, but I would be very surprised. Because this kind of move 92,
I think they would not play if he has a real chance to play. I mean, this happens
when you think that if somebody going to be playing French who wants to surprise
me, then this is going to be a good way out. Yeah, it's a good way to... This is the last thing
Fabi wanted to have, I think. I think. Yeah, knight e2 and knight e7. He actually blitzed out knight e7,
but it was a few moves down the line. It was here after bishop f4 that Fabi started thinking a lot
and went into this line. So we see bishop takes d2 on the board. We've catch up to the live position
Bishop f5 and most likely we'll see all of that unfold.
There is one idea I'm thinking that maybe after a long castle, Nd4 is possible.
No, because Bishop e3, sorry. I wanted some knight c2 traps, but Bb3.
Oh yeah, so for example Rd1, now you boom, Nd2.
Brilliant.
brilliant.
No, but it should be three and the right is just doing fantastic.
Yeah.
So yeah, yeah.
Okay.
So yeah, not great news for Fabiano way, at least neutralizing him, maybe even more for
white right now.
He castles long, lots of castling on the Queen side the last few rounds.
Okay.
Maybe we zoom out of this board and let's round up some of the others.
Okay, we do have action between Gyri and Nakamura. Finally, the center has exploded a bit.
Yesapinco against Bluebaum is almost symmetrical, almost totally symmetrical with the pawn structure.
Which one do you want to go to, Judo?
Well, I'm more interested about Gyri and also just for ourselves to notice H3 was played after F4.
Ragnaranda played H3.
And he was thinking quite a lot, I think like 15 or 20 minutes on that move.
Okay, we'll hop back to that one in a bit. Maybe we'll give Cinder off sometimes to think in that crazy position.
But first, Anish against Hikaru. Big, big game. Anish wants to keep up his streak, of course.
But Hikaru has quite a good lifetime score against Anish, I believe.
I believe. Okay, I'll just do a very quick action replay, because the last two moves are the moves,
but we are curious how we got here. We left it in this position after knight to f6. We were
wondering left or right is Geary going king side, queen side. He is Anish Geary after all,
so he didn't go long after queen b3, b6. Maybe it's just too scary to castle queen side.
You said it.
Yeah, maybe the position as well.
I was just thinking the person, but the position as well, I think maybe castling is slightly too risky.
Okay, castle king side, castle king side.
Maybe long castle would go with the cindaros mindset.
Yes, even if he's happy with the draw, castle queen side, just a sack of peace.
Why not?
Okay, so everyone just centralizing, maneuvering, knight e6, it looks a bit odd allowing knight
f5 but I guess it's not doing much there the knight, black knight comes to g5.
And also after knight f5, queen f8 could be possible and after that g6 is possible because
the h6 is defended, or knight g5 as you said, and knight e6.
Yeah, that's a good detail actually, very nice.
It feels like Hikari has just put his pieces in very logical squares, not done anything
too special, but he's provoked Giri into e4 and after the e4, Nxx, I don't know where
the queen goes, like Bc7, F4 maybe?
I was looking for Qf4, to provoke a bit white.
How's white ever going to be better?
white's playing for d5 but that's only going to maximum equalize right?
Well I think next move has to be Qc2 or yeah on the long diagonal and having some ideas
on the b1, h7 diagonal and the question is whether the black knight on e6 what is it
doing is it going back to defense knight f8 and possibly bringing out the bishop to f5
or what does he do? Because I think it's a good defender, yeah?
Yeah, no mate now. And he goes the other way, Hikaru, is the b8, which looks a bit odd,
but probably nothing wrong with it. Super safe square.
Well, and the reason is because he wants to go with the knight to f4.
with Qf2, Nf4 is impossible, so is it still Nf8? Just for everyone at home, Nf4 is Nf6, check.
Okay, I'll never turn down a chance to show a mate.
But this time it's on the back rank.
Yeah, it's a back rank, but not a real back rank, typically.
Okay, so Qc2 is Nf8. It's definitely the safest.
But what else can you do? F5 or what?
F5 is 2.
It looks very shaky.
Okay, Nf8.
You scared me enough.
I wasn't sure if it was actually threatening anything, but let's go anyway. Just in case.
He can't rule play Nf8 in a heartbeat.
Yeah.
It's okay.
After Nf8, what happens if I go rook e3?
But it can be dangerous also for White with this isolated pawn on d4.
If Geary is not actually attacking anything or if he's not going to generate any tactics,
then he's got to be careful.
At some point he might have to play d5 before it's too late, like you say.
I don't really like B8.
Well, it went all the way to B8 and not to c7, that after Nf8, White cannot go d5, right?
that would be strong. Qc2 and d5. Yeah. Yeah. And the Pimp. And maybe black's okay, but
yeah, scary. No reason to allow. I don't know why the evo bar is so optimistic. I mean,
white should have a beautiful position there. Yeah. I'll just quickly check. Knight f8.
Oh, sorry. Qc7 here. Knight f8. d5. Wow. Okay. Apparently black can hold it with Bf5,
I would never think of allowing night f6 and yeah this would not be the first
move to think of and allow night f6 because of concrete story that takes
root d5 or something takes on e1 and takes on d5 but you have to go have two
good nerves and the very strange taste I agree with you here Gideon earlier we
were having the poll like which position would you take it 0.0 you know
No, it's point over. I would always take white here.
Here, we don't have a discussion and we don't have a poll because it's so obvious.
I mean, this is the thing. Like, the computer says it's dead equal.
I mean, would you have any person taking black against anyone?
Like, it's different here. Like, black's only playing for a draw.
White can play for some attack against the black king.
white can play for some favorable end game with rook on the seventh bishop on long diagonal maybe
yeah it's bizarre that this is zero I just don't even understand this this is what when it kills me
the engines that this is what we learn over our life that we have principles of chess right we have
the rook on the open file we have the bishop on the diagonal we are ruin the king's structure
bone structure for black, and then the engine comes and tells us that it's equal, and I'm
pretty sure if let's say Nakamura plays this game against, or Giri plays against Nakamura,
doesn't matter, but Nakamura plays it with white, he would be frustrated that he didn't
win this game, even though he understands that he's not winning, but come on, I mean,
look at the exposition, right?
I mean, this is a joke.
Yeah, we'd see a press conference where, like, whoever has white would be like,
I must have been winning, I must have been winning, and yeah, it's just unfortunately,
unfortunately that blacks just too centralized, I guess, too active.
Maybe it's just the fact that the Queen's all rooks might come off.
But it's a queen of three.
Yeah. Okay, this is, yeah, mysterious to say the least. This didn't happen in the game though.
I'm still, no idea why White isn't at least a little better, but Qb8. Okay, if we're in
gear issues now, we didn't come to a complete solution of the Nf8 rook to e3, but...
But you know, I have a feeling that you remember yesterday's game, where Sindaro was playing G4, G5 and pushing Sindaro's knight to e8 and d6 were actually was standing much better.
And now I have a feeling that by playing Qc2, we are forcing black's knight to a better place.
So I'm not sure Qc2 is such a good move. Maybe we can play Rx3 instead of Qc2, what do you think?
Yeah, I mainly like Qc2 just because if the black bishop ever wanted to move,
then c6 would always be hanging. But okay, let's say...
I thought you wanted because of Nf6 kind of tricks.
That as well. I assumed that any opponent would see.
I'm not sure it's a thread by the way after Qc2.
Yeah, exactly, exactly.
Okay, so maybe f8 is a good move anyway, as you say,
and then white's flexible with Qc2 or not.
Well, okay, Black wants to improve his position,
Bishop e6 and d5.
Wow. Ah, okay. Check and rook g3 and f7 is hanging.
Oops. Okay. Knight f8.
Yeah, maybe Qc2 isn't a good move then. This is terminal.
Okay, I quite like Rook e3. How about if Bc8?
He does play Qc2.
But Qc2, it's such an obvious move that...
Okay, Qc2 played.
I'm curious, after rookie 3, maybe knight f4, and it's different now, there's no sacrifice
on f6 because of king f8, and any check can be blocked.
I'm not sure c5 or rook e7, probably both fine.
Knight e2 coming.
So knight f4 maybe is what he was scared of if he hadn't played queen c2, and then knight
or bishop e6. Yeah the knight d5 because after knight d5 there is no way knight f6 will work.
Yeah like this. Solid for black. Okay so Qc2 knight f8 will be played by Hikaru. I think
he might be away from the board and he is definitely away from the board as we see.
And maybe that means we should also move away from this board. Hikaru is thinking
but knight f8 and solid but looking close to equality at least and maybe frustrating for
Anish Gehry. Judith, we have seen a couple moves on our leaderboard, Sinderov against Prague,
Yesapenko against Blueban. We haven't looked at at all yet but it doesn't look too thrilling right
now. Where do you want to go next? We haven't checked the ladies either. Is this a good time?
Is there anything special going on there, you think?
Good question.
Mozzi Truk by Charlie looks roughly balanced.
Not too dramatic. Maybe white with a full-fledged package.
Okay, let's see.
I see Panko's game for short.
Interesting, symmetrical on structure.
Okay and guess the opening Judith. Oh I haven't seen the opening I don't know Petrov.
Oh sorry. Good guess. Nice. Yeah. You need the other one. Yep, correct. You need the other one
with French even though it's like the most unfrench porn structure and you need a sort of Petrov.
The only reason I asked like is because Black Castle coincided and it's quite rare in a Petrov.
Maybe in a couple of lines. No in some lines they do. Yeah. Knight takes Knight C3 Knight
three lines yes yes yeah here okay just a very quick action replay it was Petroff
19c5 d6 and 19c4 has been very trendy this tournament I think it was yeah it
was Fabiano defeating Bluebound Blue Bounds only defeat of the tournament
also came off the messy four. Bb4, b5, and Yesapenko has also been playing the Petrov
lately so this is very interesting. He loves playing Qe2, it went wrong for Yesapenko against
Wei Yi in the Petrov when he had White and played Qe2 lines but here it just looks like
everything started coming off the board and okay that means we just need to wrap up the
final position. How would you evaluate this? Because to my eyes, who's white? Just because
the black knight, not on a great circuit. Are you going to be planning to go b4 and stuff?
Maybe. If the opponent provokes me to the max. I don't see why it should be so good for white,
to be honest. Rf8 or something, Bf5.
Yeah, I was going to ask if all the rooks start coming off, like is this a serious, I
think, QG3?
I mean, yeah, Rf1 and Rf8, right?
I'm doing what we said earlier, like doing it on the opponent's terms, but just for
argument's sake.
Yeah.
Probably White should keep a power on just in case.
I don't see anything special story here.
You should have fun.
Yes, I think his body language doesn't really
show like he sees anything special either.
We have this on the board.
It's hard to feel any more reclined in his chair.
But this position looks close to equality.
It's going to be difficult for either of these players
to win the candidates this year, so we might just
leave it there for now.
But in the meantime, John, what do you
make of the first hour and a half of play so far.
I am loving the position in Sindarov Prague.
I'm following that game very closely.
I feel like, oh yeah, the position is clearly
quite close to equal, is a tremendous thing
to say about that position.
I have also been exploring a line where it's pretty much
still equal, but White gets to sack both rooks,
which is quite fun.
I don't think it will necessarily happen.
I'll give you the line during the break, you can let me know how ridiculous it is, but
folks we're going to go to a quick break, and when we come back hopefully we see some
more spicy moods, that game is certainly heating up.
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We moved to the Netherlands in 2008. I was still 14 at the time. So we came here and I was already pretty good just there, like a master, an international master, maybe a fitness master.
I was a Russian champion under 12 in fact. I was one of many Russian talents one of the many other little prodigies
You know and nobody really noticed that I changed federation or that I nobody really noticed my existence very much
I was just doing my little thing playing my little game and I got great coaching here and
It happened a lot. It's something you really need as a kid who is developing
So niche. Yeah, congratulations amazing
three norms in less than a year right? Yeah. And what's your ambition? What do you want
to be? What do you want to get? No of course I want to become one of the strongest players.
And is there also a certain player maybe from nowadays or maybe from the past which you
have been studying a lot and some kind of favorite player perhaps? Yes okay I'd like
I like the games of Kasparov and now from players who are playing, I think Anand is the strongest and best player.
In 2010 I got an opportunity to work with Vishy Anand. He was preparing for one of his matches. He was a world champion in that period.
It was definitely much more useful for me than for Vishy Anand, I guess. And when I saw their prep, I thought I had good prep and some variations.
So, I was showing my lines and then he was refuting them with such ease and he refuted
all my ideas in like the very first evening and in hindsight I think he must have been
very disappointed.
Like he thought like, what am I saying?
What is that?
Like what kind of trash is that?
Because I thought like these are great ideas and yeah and then I realized like I'm levels
behind and I think it's very important to see like you know the very top and then you
you know, like what level you have to work towards.
Yeah, that's really amazing, but only for sure.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is a great pleasure for me
to ask the winner of the Grand Barça Group B
an issue to come forward and receive the first prize.
APPLAUSE
What is your first impression, your first reaction?
Of course, I'm very happy that I won the tournament
and I'm happy that I can take next year in any group.
It's, of course, a great challenge for me.
It's maybe the first top tournament of course for me.
And now how are you going to celebrate?
I don't know, tomorrow I got to school.
I don't have enough time to celebrate, I think.
Welcome back to the FIDE Candidate 2026.
The openings are pretty much complete in round 10.
we see what's going to happen now as our players negotiate the middle games.
I'm about to do something extremely brave.
You probably don't want to be suggesting moves when you're on a broadcast with David
Howell and Judith Polgar.
But I've been looking at the Sindarov Prague game and I feel like there's a line here that's
not completely out of question that could get played that I want to show you guys and
ask what you think.
So the live board at the moment has a position after rook d1 on move 18.
I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest that queen e7 is the most natural move for
black here.
And as scary as it looks, I think white now short castles getting everything in order
and not necessarily having to take the pawn on g2 straight away, of course.
So black captures on g2 and white plays rook f2 instead, which all makes complete sense.
the fun bit. If black plays queen h7 here to go for an attack down the h-file, Levy
will be very pleased here. White starts his own attack with f takes g5, check of course,
so the king naturally moves across to e8 and here's where it gets fun. Rook d8, check.
King takes rook. Rook f8 check. Rook takes rook. Queen takes queen. Discuss.
Wow. I have to go back, Jon, and thank you for alerting us to this variation. As you say,
it's very natural moves to get here. Rook d8 is the first difficult one, but Rook d8,
I'm gonna adorn it with a double exclamation mark.
Just for you, John, first one.
And after king takes the eight,
rook f8, double exclam on this too.
That is incredible deflection sacrifice.
It's rare to see like two deflections in a row.
Normally the first one's enough in chess and tactics.
And here I guess another point would be that
if king e7 getting out of this,
very importantly, white has queen b4 check
and probably black can't dodge all of the checks.
I was initially wondering whether the king could run away
like d7 or e6, but probably it doesn't run much further.
And yeah, I mean, this is just going to end
in a repetition and a draw.
So, syndrome would be allowing Pryg to draw here
if Pryg didn't want to play on,
but due to it's a pull-out in the world.
Sorry, after king e6, rook f6 is not possible
or is not enough?
And then now black sneaks back, e8 safe again.
or so that's a draw. Yeah it's lucky that black's threatening mate otherwise I think white would
still have a big attack but yeah it looks like a draw and okay if if preg were to play on and say
this is my chance to do everyone a favor and take down cinder off that takes quintets h7 the final
position that john mentioned would you make a best duet to my eyes like oh sorry um this one after
I have to quintess age seven.
To my eyes, it's just total coin toss even.
Total coin toss.
Totally random.
I will leave you with this thought
before I pass it over to Judith and that's this.
If someone turned to us and said,
by the way, this is a prepped line
and it exists and Sinderoff is aware of it
and it is somewhere in his preparation,
would any of us truly be surprised?
Over to you Judith.
Well, again, I can connect it to the time management, what Sindarova does.
It wouldn't be so believable at first, not because he cannot do it, because he was spending
so much time.
He wouldn't have the patience to wait how much time, like 42 minutes he's spending,
if he has this in his pocket, in his home preparation, no way.
What do you think, David?
Yeah, I think if you just showed me this one-off game
without having seen the last 10 days,
I would say, oh, there's a chance he was just maybe
double-checking his lines, trying to remember,
or trying to figure out what's the most testing.
Maybe there were options on the way.
But just the fact that we've seen him
for the first nine rounds just go bang, bang, bang,
scare his opponents with the clock,
use the clock as a weapon, just the confidence.
I think also he's been showing that he doesn't really
like the tension, he doesn't wanna sit there
if he knows what he's going to do.
I think based on this week, last week,
yeah, there's close to zero chances prep.
Probably he's looked at the line up to like F4
at some point, or at least it was in his mind somewhere,
but the details fuzzy and Rook D8, Rook F8,
like we've seen here, that would be,
I think, yeah, that would be almost superhuman
to have this in the notes, Judith.
And yeah, it's possible it might happen, as Jon says.
That's the coolest part about this piece, sacrifice that what's gone for David.
What do you think about the tension part?
Like how much time someone is using?
Because I know that there were some players when I was competing that some players were
making fast moves because in the opening phase of the game, because they wanted to give the
impression that they have good well prepared, even though not necessarily they did exactly in
that position. But there were also people who were playing fast, not because, not only
in the opening, even in the middle game, because they had so much tension that they just wanted
to get off from these pressure moments, and they were making fast moves, and then walking
up and down, let's say, and calculating, more or less getting the position, what they are
planning to be playing and then when the opponent made the move then they fleshed out. So their nerves
were not necessarily so good. So do you think Sindarovi is playing fast or he was playing fast
in the previous rounds because he just knows what he's doing and he has a very healthy self-confidence
or was it the mix of also the tension and he wanted to be playing as fast as possible. Just
Okay, I'm interested about the game, but because of the huge tension.
Yeah, that's a great question, Judith. I think it is a mix of both. Like, for sure, he wouldn't be
playing that quickly, as he has done in the last few days, like against Bluebarm yesterday and
against Anish just before the rest day. He wouldn't have been doing that if he hadn't already won a
lot of games and wasn't feeling super confident, he would have double-checked things. I think naturally
you slow down a bit and a bit more cautious. But at the same time, I think it's him. I think he
He has specific ways of dealing with the tension syndrome like the body language his leg is always shaking or he's always kind of
Fidgeting like looking around the tournament hall like he's I think in general quite restless. So I think it's just his style
Just to play it quickly if he can and
Maybe he's trying to control himself a bit more here because he knows he's missed some opportunities for the last few days
But sometimes it's just it's part of who a person is right like I remember growing up with yann the pom-nishy and like
like, we met when we were like eight years old the first time and he was always a super
quick player. But in the early 2010s, when he was like around 2700, he was stuck there
for a few years. Like he was often doing what you said, like, just after the opening, he
would keep blitzing, even if he was out of book and he was often making mistakes just
when the opening finished. And it was like a pattern that kept going on with, with his
play. And I think, firstly, his preparation got better. So that happened less. But I think
He started stopping figuring out the critical moments a bit better.
That's when he made that big, big leap and became the candidate.
Went on to win it a few times.
So I think it's just natural.
It's part of a player.
Is that something you found in your career that you found yourself doing, rushing,
or did you never have that as an issue?
Oh, when I was a kid, I was rushing, of course.
I was playing very fast.
No question about it.
But I think that was also the reason
because I was playing incredible number
of Blitz games at home with my sisters
and also with some other youth players on the weekends.
They were coming to our home and they were playing Blitz.
So for until age 12 or 13, I practically played.
I mean, from the moment I was able to play a full game
in five minutes, it was five zero in those times,
no digital clocks, manual, classic, guarded clock, or some other type of clock, but it
was like five, five minutes. I was playing so many games of those that it was so natural
that when I was eight years old or nine years old, going to tournaments, I was still playing
pretty fast. So my trainer's always complained when it didn't work out well or I made a mistake.
Maybe you should be sitting on your hand and think it over again and not to make a mistake.
saying that I was playing already classical game then write your move first and play only after that.
I think it's not legal anymore, to write the moves, no?
I think they changed it, what was it, maybe just before the pandemic, they changed it a few years ago
and there have been some players getting into trouble for it like Wesley So writing moves down first.
But actually what's the reason that you cannot write the move?
Oh, that's a good question. I'm not sure, I guess it's an advantage like taking notes
yourself or maybe you can distract the opponent, you can write down the wrong move, but then
I like they start thinking about that and then he actually wants to play a different
one and you can trick them.
But maybe we have an arbiter here and we should ask John about this. Does he know the reason
why it's not legal to write the move before I'm making it? John?
Oh, I know it's a question. Yeah. I never speak on speechless. Literally never. Yeah. Why? Why is more interesting? I've discussed it. I've discussed it with other players and offices before and generally speaking, it seemed to be if you write down a move before you play it, you can sort of gauge by your opponent's reaction, whether or not you want to play it or not. And it's used as a way of like farming information out of your opponent.
So it's very much frowned upon. I've never actually given a player an infraction for doing this
But if you were being really devious
You'd write down a move that you're not sure if you're going to play take a look at what your opponent
Does on their face and then maybe move something else
In theory, that's what could happen. I will admit I've never seen that in practice though
Well, I was, I don't think I was ever doing for the reason to confuse my opponent. It
was, it was the reason that my coach is said that value right down, you double triple check
it again. And then when you check that you make your move.
Absolutely. And anyway, we're here actually, Judith, before, before we keep going just
because we have a lovely bird's-eye view where there's no eval bar massively
swinging one way or the other yet. I forgot to ask both of you how many
games are gonna end decisively today so I feel like now would be as good an
opportunity as any and I believe yesterday we asked Judith first so
today I'm gonna ask David first what we think. Wow, okay. Thank you John.
I know that there are more options going first, but that just feels overwhelming.
I like to be on the reactionary side and just say, okay, there's only a couple of numbers
left that make sense.
I will go three.
It worked for me yesterday.
There were three decisive results.
Three's the lucky number.
Two days in a row.
Let's go.
Okay.
And like a game show where we open one door and there's a goat behind it, Judith, I'm going
to give you as the goat the option to stick or twist. Do you want to go second or are
you going to force me to go first?
No, no, I go because because now David took my guess. I also thought, so I don't know
now should I go up or down? But I mean, everybody would be disappointed if I say two, so I
prefer to go four.
That is strong.
I did say towards the start of the broadcast before we were on air that it's almost, if
someone wants a late run at the candidates now, desperation time is required.
We need a lot of grinding.
There are must win scenarios, a lot's on the line here.
But I can't bring myself to go five because I genuinely think the women's candidates are
very cagey today, so I'm gonna be boring and go two, but I want you to know that my heart
said five.
Oh my god, I was hoping for your six.
Not today, not today, I don't think so.
I want it to be, but I feel like we're gonna get more fireworks in the open and in the
women's today just because the game seemed a little bit more, I don't know, just reading
the body language, it just feels like it's a bit more cagey than I would like. I'm expecting
that to explode, but there's still a chance that's tomorrow. So I'll go to for today and
stay conservative. Back to you.
Okay.
I think a good call there from John. It does look like one of those days where at least
not yet the kind of the chaos hasn't happened. Nobody's been going all out. Maybe this is
the con before the storm due to it. Maybe this is the lull before the last four rounds
where they really start sprinting.
The women's, I can understand why nobody's going all out yet
because there's still so much in the balance and loss
at this point of the tournament with a gift arrival,
a very important point.
And it does look like we're having some long,
long things in the open.
We see where you with a small advantage maybe,
but yes, a pink or blue balm looks destined for equality.
Maybe a draw, Geary, Nakamura, night effect played
and Pry get still thinking.
So maybe this is the opportunity to check out those women's games.
Yeah, I think actually for John, it was the perfect moment.
It's the best moment when when
it's tricky, what you say and what will happen.
But let's see what will be the case.
So maybe we take a look between Lucknow and Todd,
because that's kind of interesting whether White has a own up.
Well, we know that White has a phone up, but whether White can have an advantage or not,
because finally we are back to the backrank mate problem.
Oh, Judith, you read my mind.
I've really drank you down, I'm sorry.
For example, Rxf5, Bishop takes knight, White should not recapture due to backrank mate.
No, but White can go Bishop e3.
Yeah, we should be three here. Yeah. And then you go to d7 and you have the back
rank mate again. That's yeah very important. And yeah it looks like black
then is just gonna make a draw by taking b2 and I don't think there's any
issues. So the dilemma facing like no right now is that she wants to win she
needs to win after losing yesterday. Taking the night backrank issues, but going back.
Sorry, I don't want to go back. I want to go to D5.
Ah, Rook D5. I thought you were about to say Bishop G5 or something as well.
Yeah, I have my image, but maybe it's a good move, Bishop G5.
5. Rxd5, okay. Protecting the image, that's good. Never go back. Never retreat. Does black
double up? Hmm.
You want to go Rxd7 to d7?
Maybe. Looks like the most natural move. I want to, yeah, it's like earlier we said,
I want you to take on my terms, not to take on White's terms and then allow the knight into d5.
Okay, I have no choice. I take on d7 and let's say finally we develop with the bishop to f4.
Yeah. So the question is how much of an advantage this might be? Maybe rook to b7.
You will not want to go g5, do you?
Yeah, at first I just thought knight e4, but actually knight e4 bishop takes b2.
Yeah, maybe this is a good moment for g5.
Asking the bishop where it wants to hide.
If I go g4 you go knight h6 and I lose my pawn.
Probably.
At this point maybe even taking is gonna lead to a draw. Okay. Yeah, that's a draw kind.
But I have 94.
94.
It should be 2.
It should be 2.
Rook b1.
Oh, everything's hanging.
Complicated.
Probably just taking on f4 is fine now, right?
But it's equal-ish.
Yeah, it's equal.
Take.
Yeah, if you want, we'll save the rook from any forks.
looks like a draw incoming. Maybe there's just nothing here. Maybe Lug knows
gonna be disappointed. How about... okay one last thing. Rook takes f5, bishop takes c3.
How about if I just give the king some lift? Some breathing space. Rook d1. Rook d1. I have a
cunning way to try and get out of the pin. Bishop f6. Bishop e3, sorry, sorry, sorry.
Yeah, oh wow, not bishop e3 apparently. Something else?
Yeah, I just saw the eval bar drop but bishop e3 was the point that I wanted to make. Rxa1
here, but now Rxa2 is important, not bishop xb2 because White will play Rk5 and win a
And Tanjong Yi actually had a very similar end game, being a pawn up with Rook's bishops and pawns in the a-file.
It's Vy's Charlie. But Rook takes a 2, we'll draw this.
Maybe here White has to be clever somehow, Rook a5 first, then Black Rook moves and can't get the bishop out.
Well, these are great compensations.
Maybe Rx5. Yeah, it should be a draw right. Black is so active.
Well, and it shouldn't be too difficult.
Well, we can show that g6 would lose to Bx6, yeah?
Yeah, yeah, I'm not sure which one is best.
Or check.
Yeah, maybe check as well, but Bx6 is a cool one.
And not RxR, do this.
If that plays h6 herself, then I guess what can try and get out somehow like a4
and try to sneak the rook out. The game continues, but should be a draw.
would be seven. Yeah. Okay. I don't think we're either of us are too optimistic. Can
I do that? But no. Yeah, but it's not in danger because he's protecting the Siva
bishop so it cannot really go wrong but most probably if you're going to have a rook and
game maximum what white can get is to take the pawn on a 6 and to simplify the position
3 pawns again 3 pawns on one side and have the rook from the back side defending right
like we'll put a rook behind the pawn yeah theoretically it's a draw but it's
But white is still thinking and hesitating what to do.
Well, black has full compensation, I think we can say that.
Or we are not so brave saying that.
I think it, yeah, we don't need to be brave here, but it would be difficult to get on both sides.
I interrupted you when you wanted to go rook e1. Maybe we should take a look at that because after all maybe that's the best move.
I think it's good you interrupted me today. Not the most fun move I've ever played.
Yeah, but after all, white has a pawn up, right? So if you can make development, then it's great.
The question is whether knight d4, is that something white should be worried about or just rook b1 and even bishop e3.
Oh, this was my idea initially. Okay, so knight d4 is not possible.
Now I was wondering whether like, hmm,
actually if black piles up on the knight, knight e4 is coming next.
I go to b7, prophylactic.
Ah, what a move.
Propylactic because now knight e4...
But maybe not enough, yeah? I cannot take.
Yeah, pin. Because it will be at knight c5. Yeah, backrank. Yeah. Yeah, there's gonna be some rookie eight at the end.
At first I thought bishop c3 or something but actually just knight takes c3, defends the b1. No, bishop b2 I cannot take it seems.
Yeah. Okay, then maybe black plays d4 or something, but perhaps this is a good practical try.
Like keep a bit more pieces on the board, keep a bit more tension.
So why don't we move back and zoom out until Lucknow is thinking whether to play Rd5 or Rook e1?
because I saw another one we did not look at the game, a critical game for the final outcome of the tournament between Muzichuken and Vaishali.
At the same time, before we go there, I want to point out that white, Sindarov, played g3, did not go castle and was not ready to have this sacrificing move.
So, okay, let's go to Vaishali's game.
Yeah, the evaluation probably doesn't change in the Cinder of Pride game too much, but
we could have seen some flashy tactics. We could have seen a quick draw.
It looks like we're going to continue in that game, which is good news for the fans.
And Judith, while we're here, Anna Muzichuk has sped up. She's been in a bit of time
trouble the last few days. Results going against her. She's up now, 25 plus minutes on the clock.
Looks quite pleasant for White, but do you think this can amount to any real advantage?
I wouldn't think that there is much of advantage for White to be honest. Of course, the d5 knight is very impressive.
Not only because it stands very well in the center, but also because it kind of ties down the c6 knight, because the c7 pawn is hanging, as the white queen on c4 is also there.
So probably that's why Black is thinking, though f4 was the last move, very interesting reaction.
So, 95 is not possible anymore for the future, so probably Black is hesitating and thinking
what to do.
Should she be giving up the tension in the center?
As in the very beginning, we were discussing the tension question in the game between
Geri and Nakamura and move 4 on the d6 bishop.
But now the question is for Black, should she be taking on e4, rook e4, take stakes,
going rook e8 let's say and pushing back the queen, black is controlling the e-line
file, white goes maybe queen d3 let's say, controlling the e2 square, that's important.
But still the d5 knight is controlling, tying down the queen on d7, right?
Yeah, knight e7.
It seems like black is doing pretty fine, don't you think so?
Yeah, without knight e7 maybe some issues like the black king a little bit weaker, but
Yeah, I think knight e7 might just solve all of the issues here
Can white try and stop this Queen?
Queen c4 maybe still knight e7
Maybe Queen c4 would be a slightly more testing way. What about going Queen f7?
Okay, and now I wanted to pretend I've been really clever by playing Queen d3 Wow
Whatever way of handling it.
At the same time I have a question.
What happens if black goes 9d8 with an idea to go c6 and d5 and 9d6?
Makes sense, but maybe white can start building an attack.
And f5, yeah?
I'm inspired by a prayer yesterday that f5 move was very cool.
Yeah, that was cool.
Yeah, it seems like black is behind a tampi, because I cannot go Qf5, still c7 pawn is hanging.
Yeah, this one...
Yeah, even I wouldn't consider QxA2 for too long.
Well, I was not even realizing that's a pawn.
No, F5, that's where the action is.
Yeah, it's not the d6 which bothered and she took fx e4. Maybe after fx e4, rook e4, maybe
not rook takes e4.
You want knight? Wait, knight e4.
But I'm sorry, b5 is possible. Is it the weakening move or it's a good move?
That's clever. It stops my Qc4 plan next.
Exactly, Qd3 takes, takes and Rook e8.
Rook e8, Qd3. Now you, yeah, I don't have Qc4 there, so you guarantee you get 97 and
you defend everything.
Yeah.
Judah, that is very clever. Actually in an endgame as well, b5 is nice to have, it just
clamps down a bit, especially if the Q and Rooks come off.
Yeah, because it seems like, yeah, at first it was not clear to me whether, of course,
makes sense to take away the C4 square, but it might be a weakness sometimes, right?
But without wide square bishop, maybe White is going over.
Okay, I'm going to predict draw in this game, which I think is a very good result for White
Scharlie, especially given that she's a bit down on time, she's half a point ahead of
Muzzi Trick now.
So now if we go back and take a look at the other leader to Gennar, then we see that her
position, I'm not sure she has too many chances to win either.
Yeah, b5, just to mention it was on the board, so great call.
Okay.
You know her style by Charlie, and it looks like she'll be fine.
But let's jump over to the other game you mentioned.
Not serious winning chances you think for black.
Who would you pick here? 0.0 eval bar, but whose position is easier to play?
Yeah, but I mean the eval bar is tricking us. I mean it says in this quiet position,
in the Vaisalai position, and it's in Darov's position, where it's fireworks. It seems like
it just stuck there, the eval bar, whatever position there is. It's tricky because Black's
bishop is fantastic, putting pressure on d4, black just played rook d5, protecting the a5
pawn just in case. There can easily be some simplification that the c6 pawn will fall off
in exchange the black is taking on d4, but in that case actually black can get easily a better
position if that exchange would happen. So I think, I don't think I would be worried at all with
with black. I mean having the battery on the B file, having specially their clean behind
the rook, which side would you take David?
Yeah, I mean I've played this type of pawn structure with both sides, it comes quite
often from Karakans, even some lines in the English, but yeah normally black gets a much
worse version, as you said it's like the dark squared bishop is fantastic. Often in other
openings you get this pawn structure with black having the isolated c and a and black has a light
squared bishop then the light squared bishop is really bad yeah white then gets full access to
outposts no pressure on the iqp so i think this is a dream version for black i think i would take
black here as well for sure i think she can simplify anytime she wants whereas white is the one who's
like oh do i actually take c6 do i wait do i do nothing probably it's it is just totally equal but
I don't think black is risking anything. White, yeah, maybe a little bit.
Okay, I have a question. If I go rook c6. Yes, I'll take that rook. Takes, takes.
And at first I thought you'd go bishop d4, but now I think you will take with the rook, right?
Yeah, my instinct was to take with the rook somehow, just because the b-pawn is vulnerable.
here I was worried there might be some later sacrifices or blacks a bit
tied up on the D-file but okay let's see what it takes as you mentioned you did.
Yeah. And does black win a pawn after Rook D4? Yeah Rook takes, Bishop takes and the
thing is that yeah I was thinking a knight D6 as an option but I think black
just takes bishop b2 and queen d7, queen f8.
Yeah, pawn up, probably still a draw, even if knight and bishop come off.
Yeah, because the black is very tight, having the queen and the knight very active.
Not queen takes b2 because of queen e8 check.
So, okay, maybe she can kind of force it then with the Rook Kc6 if she's really desperate,
but it is kind of giving up a pawn just to go active.
So what about playing b4?
B4, trading off one of black's isolated pawns.
Yeah, thanks.
A takes b4.
Okay, but if I want to make a draw, I mean, it's an isolated pawn, but I don't like your
Rook going to b3 and push me back to be honest. Yeah, in this position. Yeah. Yeah, makes sense.
I mean, okay, the c6 pawn is under attack, but I can get in trouble. Okay, how about if he
P5 gang up. And then I go to B2 if I'm very chicken.
Or you can do E5. Oh wow, E5. That's very opportunistic. E5 takes C6 maybe.
Oh here we have to start calculating.
Maybe 4. Yeah but here white can just take maybe. Oh no I can't take dc3.
No but maybe we could go Rc8. Yeah and king d7 and just queen c4 also.
Mm-hmm. Yeah, game continues. Okay, we predicted the other one would be a draw. What do you
think here? It looks like a draw probably by far the most likely result you'd. The most
likely is a draw through. I think b5 was by the way in the other game came as a surprise
for Muzichuk.
Yeah, and then Muzichuk, that one's still balanced.
Let's zoom out of this one for now.
We think it's still level.
The only game we haven't mentioned is Divya Goyekhkina,
that's a very tense rollo-pez,
very typical pawn structure there,
but not too much action yet.
Judith, there have been some moves
on the cinder of preg board,
so I would like to take us back there if that's okay.
I would love to go back there.
Yeah, we have developments.
We also should mention there was a poll earlier
and it did seem like most of our featured chat,
56% preferred taking the white side,
being a piece down, but attacking.
Only 44% wanted to defend this position with black.
And I've been outvoted, I've been outnumbered,
did it, they're all on your side.
But only with this very small percentage, it's almost nothing.
I thought it would be higher difference.
As I learned from Brexit, even a small percentage changes a lot.
Okay, so what do you make of the last few moves?
Just quick action replay, H3, Rd1 was played, 27,
and unfortunately not John's castles, which was a very cool line.
but g3 gf4 that's brave wow okay allowing white to castle keeping the
rook on the f-file very instructive actually that it's more about open
files here than the pawns for now at least rook h6 and okay what you make of
this it looks like some odd moves from black but still equal objectively well
now it's it can get very tricky I think the first question is this is a big
moment I think because it's a big question how to capture the pawn. At first I want to go ef4
and have all these connected pass pawn and of course if white would make another move f5 I think
huge advantage for white. At the same time it's black to move and maybe bishop g4 is the move.
You want to go d7 and then c6, yeah? Yeah, just looks like a nice diagonal.
Apparently there's something wrong with this. Can I go simply ef5?
5.
Queen e3. Oh yeah, that's actually a very good square. I really don't like this rook on h6.
This is not a very funny thing.
because rook h6 is obviously preparing against rook takes f4 and the f6 square is very important.
So that's the other thing what I'm thinking to go rook f4 and rook f1 from d1 to f1 and
then you go bishop e6, rook f6 and then let's say you go rook h8, right?
Right, a8 to g8, but maybe queen f4 and then...
Super scary.
Rg6 maybe?
I mean also after rook a8 actually queen b7 was something to consider.
Yeah.
Just by the way.
What?
Yeah.
I mean why not take the third one?
What is this nasty?
You should see for maybe.
I don't trust myself. I don't trust stock fish.
Wait, why could fish in today's world?
You have to be critical.
You never know what is real and what is not.
That's true.
Qe4 is a draw, no?
But there should be a draw.
No, no, no, it's not a draw.
Qe4, bishop f1, Qg4, king, no.
This looks like a draw, right?
No, actually after bishop c4, I think rook f4 simply.
Rook f5 is the problem.
Yeah, probably Rf5 because otherwise, wow, up and down, at least, at least we'll learn
something along the way.
Yeah, I was going to say Rf5 is maybe the most natural and E5, and check.
So what's Interim is doing, Rf4 or Ef4?
He's dynamic.
Rf4.
I think Ef4 is more likely to be longer.
is better. If I can push f5 I take ef4. Okay. Why not? Bishop g4. You mentioned this move earlier.
Yeah, Rd4.
Provoking me with c5 just to take Qc5 off the table?
Yeah, I'm a nasty provocator.
Rookie8 maybe?
I want to meet f5 with Qxc5 and maybe make a draw somehow.
Okay, if you want it so much, let it be f5.
Backrank, Tudor. I see some tactics.
I understand that it's a backrank, but I'm not going to fall for that.
Qg4? Check.
I know what you want.
Qf2.
Yeah, I wanted Qf2.
And I have to go Rg1. I don't like that.
Why does this not work?
I should go... No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Queen H3.
Yeah, whoa.
Just everyone at home.
This was the idea with a back-correct name.
But Judith has realized she can remove the H1.
Wow.
But by now you can't hide your intentions.
You always want to give back-correct name.
That one I was actually quite confident about,
like Queen F2, I was pretty sure.
I was pretty sure that was fine,
but Queen H3, that is devilish.
And yeah, Rook takes, Rook takes, white's two pawns up.
Oh, it'd be easy to miss Queen takes H3 there.
But okay, so how does Black,
if it's not Queen F2, how does Black keep the balance?
Maybe just Queen E2.
Okay, we're gonna find out.
So what's the bet?
EF or Rook F4?
I go EF.
You can put a zero, Queen zero.
I'll say Rook F4.
Of course, that's clear that it's a bad equal position.
anyone can see that total draw. I think Rxf4 is what Zindorov would play, but I think I
would play Exf4 just because it's more like the foundations are strong then after Exf4.
Rxf4, if you don't force a draw or give mate, then just lost in every end game.
Exactly. And Rukas4, you're right.
One of our viewers, shout out to Fiona there for watching some of my streams, especially
when it comes to freestyle chess. I'm normally very biased due to it, as you know, to connect
for very obsessed. In freestyle it's like guaranteed win. In classical it's normally
good as well. That's why I would have played it, but I was reading the man, I was reading
the player and he's more dynamic than me. He doesn't care about pawn structure, he wants
checkmate. But will he be able to checkmate his opponent? Actually king e8 is also possible.
Yeah, but then we're heading towards that piece in balance that John mentioned after
rook f1. Yeah and after bishop b6. B6, now b7 is hanging at least. Ah that's hanging, yeah yeah.
No that would be not so good. True. Now there's going to be bc6. Yeah scary. It's more than that.
Not only scary, it's lost.
Or this way, yes.
Gg.
Okay, so king g8, how many that loses on the spot becomes the bar?
King g8?
Don't really see the difference.
I don't know.
King g8.
I think it's also tricky.
Any way, Rf1 and Rf6, I believe.
Rf6. The difference here is that we don't have this Rh8 to defend, which is maybe disappointing.
Maybe we need that rook.
And Sintarov is ahead in time again, and quite significantly if you see it. 25 minutes.
I was actually going to say like they they spent a bit of time up to f4 for white but that was moved 17 already and they were both at like the one and a half hour mark I was like oh at least they played loads of moves so they'll probably get to move 40 with some time to spare but four moves later and yeah
Yeah, Pragg, the clock is an issue for him, he's spent more than half his time and he's only halfway to move 40, not easy.
Yeah.
So King g7, I would think Rf1, I think black has to play Bb6, then we said Rf6.
So that variation we didn't quite complete it like rook h8 makes a lot of sense just to cover everything
So Qxb7 was bad for some reason, but not bxc4
Well, maybe Qc5, Qb7
Then Qe4 again?
Or Qf3?
Ah Qf3, because here there's maybe Qd5.
Qf3.
Maybe after Qf3 also Qd5?
Qe5 requires 7.
And it's a draw, it seems.
Oh, not King g8.
Oh, I'm blundering mate now.
In a 8-jump, it's unpleasant.
I thought it was the same, but King g6 then, and draw.
White has to repeat.
Wow, so crazy.
And I think it's a draw if King h7 also rook f7.
Oh, that's nice, yeah.
Wow.
Yeah.
I can't escape.
Oh, wait, not this one.
In H3.
Yeah, yeah.
There is check everywhere.
Yeah.
There's check here, here, here.
All the checks.
Wow.
Wow. Okay, so we're funny. This game can be decisive.
Yeah. Easy to blunder, as I've been doing a couple of times.
Easy to blunder here, especially for Prague.
Now, I'm a bit surprised he's been thinking so much.
I didn't like the fact that after Rook to D1 earlier,
he spent 31 minutes on Queen E7 when it was literally Queen E8 or Queen E7.
I don't think there was a huge difference, Queenie 7 was way more natural just to get
it off the back rank so the RIP can activate.
He spent 31 minutes on Queenie 7, now he's in the tank again, maybe overcalculating.
Yeah, he's spending quite a lot of time.
In the meantime, can we go to Geary's game?
Yes.
because there were some interesting move played by Hikaru but it seems like
he's acting I have time for everything. All the preparation on move because at
King h8 somehow made me surprised. If we go back to moves after knight f8 first
of all I was very surprised the knight f8 was made after a long think. It seems
like the only move to me. Because I'm like a broken record, I just want to point out
another back rank mate. F5 might have been what he was thinking about. He spent 25 minutes
on this move and I didn't realize while he was thinking F5 if white just retreats the
knight somewhere. Nf6 we said, no? Yeah, just to show this, this is another game ender.
So Nf6 here. Oh wow. Not sure we looked at it exactly here, but we saw it's similar
place. Yeah, something. Maybe he was weighing up a position like this, Nf6. Wow, this is
bit like the cinder of game where white sacks a piece and maybe simply look
like c1 and rook e8. Yeah, yeah. I was gonna say with the pawn on a3 and white being able to
publish b2 check, maybe this is just winning, but probably not in time now.
So why not f5? Maybe that was... 9g3? 9g3. Ah, covering this, so there's no...
Question mark? Maybe?
Still, Rook takes bishop takes this time.
I need check, black's going to block it.
Wait, this is confusing.
Confusing sin not f5.
Yeah, for sure. This was the move he was thinking, right?
Okay, just to check.
Judith, if f5, apparently d5 first,
since the white d-point that he lost anyway, I don't need...
Yes, d5 and lg3, right?
Yeah.
Now it's a bit loose for black.
So this is what he must have been considering,
hesitating about hikaru.
okay he played knight f8 25 minutes cost him rookie three we talked about this earlier knight
okay now king h8 so he's basically saying he wants to play rookie seven just without allowing any checks
exactly but it's like you said it's so weird like f7 looks so tender now
after a3 okay interesting he wants to go bishop a2 at some point maybe maybe maybe in all of those
Knight sac lines it's nice to have for bishop check at the end but a3 rookie
seven also maybe rookie six was always a defensive idea but she way twos
strong against that but rookie seven first move that comes to mind you it was
knight g5 but I guess black defends the rook
Well, my question is, yeah, the rook e8 is possible.
Yeah.
Because the knight g5, if rook takes e3, knight f7, I thought maybe white can take the e8.
And even the c6 is hanging afterwards.
That's how white is escaping.
But the knight g5, rook e8 is the idea.
Okay, the path does show a bit of an advantage for Gehry, the king is not comfortable on
h8.
Yeah, maybe, maybe just take and put the knight back around on e5.
Really?
Well, I don't know what else here.
Okay, maybe not.
make a move. Okay, what do you would you make of this position? Gary's got a big
time advantage bar slightly in his favor, he car has been making some odd
decisions. Is this enough? It's going to go three out three when third game on
bounce. He has a chance he can go knight c5 or knight f6 takes and knight d7.
I was going to say that's more the Gehry going this way.
Positional.
More the Gehry approach, which takes the 7th threaten so rookie 3, 97, rookie takes, FB3.
This doesn't look like much there.
The question is how black is reacting. C5 or Qd6?
Well, C5 might be an immediate solution.
Yeah, well, I mean, Queen and Knight work quite well,
and if there's no immediate mate, I think Hikari is quite good in these positions as well.
Judah, I did just see the computer, oh sorry, in this position the computer suggested something
crazy, knight g5, rook e8, and I thought we had to trade rooks, but knight f3, just back.
That e5 square, yeah?
Yeah, just going for the e5 square because here, the rook is actually trapped.
You can even go Kf2 and pick it up.
I have sevens hanging and this would have been horrible for a car to defend.
There is a breaking, breaking, breaking, Pragnananda made a horrible mistake it seems.
Okay we have to jump over, this game looks like it's in the balance but Pragnananda,
wow.
Double question mark move, this is a golden opportunity for Cinderov, it's actually the
piece in balance that John mentioned earlier, Rook, two Rooks for the Queen, so
Black would have a Bishop at the end as well.
Shoot it, this is a weird move, Bishop d7, he wants to put it on c6, he must have
miscalculated something here. But we have to figure out why is this a double
question mark, when it looks like one of the most natural looking move finally to
come out with the bishop right? Rf7 takes, takes, takes. Oh, Qf4, Qf4, Qg5, Qe7 taking
the bishop. Oh wow, Qg7 impossible due to a check and just check here next. Oh my gosh,
So maybe you have to go King g6 here, but then just check and take the bishop.
Engage 5, Akvinev 7, this is a terrible blunder, this is really shocking, well it's easy for
us to say when we have a breaking. Did I come up with my own brain that it's it's a double
question mark? No.
But he spends too much time and Rf7 is like the main candidate move, no?
Yeah, okay.
Otherwise, black plays Bxc6, puts the king on h8 and black is better, maybe.
So after Rf7...
If queen e6, queen f4. Or rook f6.
Rook f6. Wow, not rook f6 apparently.
What do you mean queen h7?
What do you mean not rook f6?
Because I see the bar. Why not?
What is this message, congrats in the room winning the candidates, uh-uh.
These are dangerous comments.
That one not yet.
Is it, does White have a threat?
Bishop c6, bishop c6.
Ah.
Bishop c6.
QnA2.
Yeah, bishop c6 feels wrong somehow, maybe just QnA4.
but Qa2 because there's counter play. Oh, not Qa2. This is not as easy as we thought.
It looks like white though. How's that surviving? I mean g4?
No, but why Qa2 is losing, tell me. Probably just Rd7, you know?
57 yeah, no checks
Okay, so it's nice to understand some things
Okay
Okay, so we still don't know work have seven Queenie six why is it bad because you kept six was not a good move
Yeah, we should clarify the blue arrow does for everyone at home
the blue arrow does show it's the only winning move everything else and it's
back to level back to equal so rook f7 we have to figure out why pregg has
allowed this it's one of the most natural moves everything with that
quintet f7 everything comes with check black bishop will fall at the end of
the line so queen e6 he's miscaptured to something here I'm impressed cinder up
is thinking like unlike his blue balm example when he rushed a bit he's
paused. I think Rf7 f6 is the winning move. Because I think if Rf1 to f6,
Qg4 is a possibility for black.
Yeah, I got it.
Good work, Judah. And yeah, it's important that the Rf7 is hanging.
So black's a piece up. But the other way round, Rf7 here.
This one, now there's no Qg4. And Rxx, again, no Qg4.
It's Rx6.
This would be over. Wow. And otherwise it's just checkmate, right? After rook f6, rook f6.
Yeah, because queen a2, queen g6, queen h5, queen g5, rook h6 mate.
Yeah. And yeah, where the black king goes is, there's mates. Oh yeah, this one actually, as you say, Tudor.
even quicker.
Oh my gosh.
I think what Craig must have missed then is just Queen f4.
Probably he was looking at Rf7, take f7 and maybe he was just looking at Qxb7 here and
he was like, okay I got it covered.
I'm sure it crossed his mind Qf4 but it looked like okay, King g7, Qg5 and Qe7 is what?
That's what I would blunder I think. I mean, Pne4 it's kind of like it crosses your mind.
But you don't go, you don't look further.
And how over is this? I mean, to my eyes it looks just immediately gone, but like, Rx6,
black loses the bishop.
And the pawn on h3.
Ah, that as well. The rook's unccoordinated, right? Like if you could put this black rook
when e6 suddenly it's like game on but no chance. Exactly exactly it's it does
matter how big coordination black has between the two rooks. Wow big moment
he's about to play Rf7 he's holding himself back is he teasing us he was
going for the rook Rf6 here is another candidate move but Rf7 so much more
and look at the death stature that I just wanted to tell you. Did you see that?
He was like, how could you miss this? It's difficult but findable.
His heart beats faster. I can't tell you that.
He just cannot believe it.
Yeah, probably play some great defensive moves, but then just this last one.
One move has given him a huge chance.
I think he's realizing now, Prag, he's trying to keep a poker face.
He's calculating, look at Prag's eyes, they're down on the f7 square.
They're in that part of the board.
It's a second time. He was over.
He keeps looking at Prag.
Notting his head now.
And the shaking?
Like, come on, I'm going to play that.
I look at the score sheet.
Yes, and it's about time.
And...
Third time he hesitates, pulls back.
Rook f7 is the winning move.
He'll move to plus six.
He knows he's so close.
There we go, Rookf7 on the board.
Craig has blundered, Sindorov has taken advantage.
Judith, this is huge.
This is massive for the candidate.
Left.
Like when you make your winning move
and then you go for a walk
because you just can't stand sitting.
You want to look the other boards.
He doesn't need to stand the tension anymore.
That was the key move.
still got 52 minutes on his clock.
Crag with the long think ended up with the wrong move.
Wow. And that can even put up any resistance.
Is there any way for Crag to fight on?
Doesn't really look like it.
Yeah, but you know, it is possible to blunder this.
I mean, the position is just crazy dangerous.
Yeah.
I mean, we understood that it's crazy dangerous position, right?
And this is why, you see, I would rather play it with white.
You were right.
54% of chat was right.
56%.
Everyone who voted for white, pat yourself on the back.
Okay, this is, yeah, crazy stuff.
I think you're right, he missed Qg5 in that position, Qg5, Qe7, a few moves down the line.
But even Qe6, you know, it's not so easy.
Like we also said, Rf1, f6, right?
That's the inviting move first.
And after Qe6, Rf7, f6.
just want to say that it's not easy it's it's not so simple as it seems having the bar and the
question marks on the on the screen for us. I think preg must have just maybe he was being ambitious
maybe he thought he could try to be better with bishop d7 put the bishop on c6 because felt more
natural to blockade like B1 e6 is so strong takes the f7 square the other rook slides over to h8
it felt like that's the way to coordinate pieces and we didn't see any immediate knockout for white
maybe it was still super scary but we don't forget don't forget David that after bishop e6 we were
we're looking for f6. No actually we were thinking king was on g7 right so here
black wanted to go bishop e8 I think actually not only on to bishop c6 but
maybe he wanted to protect the f7 and g6 by playing bishop e8. Maybe something
was miscalculated by Prague. Not too late. I can't see any other way other than just
taking this rook. Yeah, how to play on and fight on, right? That's the big question right
now. The computer gives a plus two and a half advantage for whites. That means the black
has some ways to play on, even if it's grim. It's not over immediately, so he just needs
to find it now. So what about playing Qe8? Qe8. And on Qf4 I would go to g6. One question
is Rf6 again but okay Qf4, Rx6. You see, Qf4 and I gave everything away, unversed.
Yeah, better. Incredible. But Rf6, now we've seen this idea of Qe6, maybe it's the same.
Yeah. Though after queen e8 maybe the other rook also works.
Yeah. And now black's best might be to play queen xf7 and go back into the other line.
Yes. Yes. But it seems, yeah, it seems the other rook is better.
And if King g7, Qf4 or Qh4? Sorry, David, I have to laugh.
I think Qh4 might be.
Yeah, otherwise Qh5 would defend for black.
Craig has made a decision.
This way he would have been mated.
If we go back to the game, he has taken the rook.
Not in his head, but it will be a lot of suffering ahead
after rook takes and a full check.
He's so impressive.
And that's what we said earlier.
He's playing a very high risk strategy.
It goes against everything.
The old masters would have said, one and a half points
in the lead, play it safe.
But no, he doesn't want to.
He wants even more he wants to win and we're gonna for only when he move finds it
He's himself and winning by the sword
Yeah, it's hard to imagine that this one he's going to be ruining
All the double attacks now crazy
This is scary stuff, okay
Can black keep the h pawn? King g7, queen g5, h7, check. I don't know g8 or h8, but okay h8, set a trap, set a trap maybe.
Yes, I'm not going to play e6.
Yeah, he's still winning.
Though maybe Qd4 and I can.
Then you can come and get this pawn later.
Okay, even if the traps have walked into, still winning for white.
Yeah.
Okay.
Okay, now it's what can he do after king? Yeah, he goes in G7.
Only when he moved Qg5, blue arrow shows it, but that's the consistent follow-up.
Bibisara checking out Sinderov's board.
Q5 track. It's so impressive. So impressive.
So after all, David, was it a good choice by Sinderov to be playing brave?
Opening choice not to be solid?
He played true to himself. I still think it's super high risk because what the curious thing for me,
Judah is that Prague also chose this whole line as black and he seems surprised. Like after f4 he
spent 30 notes before playing h3 and spent loads of time a few moves later. Like it feels like both
players were slightly lacking in prep. We were joking in the break about Fabiano's shirt all
prep no talent but this one is all talent even if the prep was slightly mysterious all talent from
both sides. But you know with having all these chatbots in the world and how AI is developing
and progressing, many times I think about it that there are so many similarities I experienced
having the chess engines already late 90s starting it from there. And what I experienced continuously
And it happens here also, I would think that both players knew exactly what is the evaluation
of this position, but if you don't have the great understanding, why is the position
000, then it doesn't help you, that's the only thing you know, that's the only information
you know that you have a statement but after that anything can happen because if you don't
know the reasoning and the understanding where you can go wrong, it's not helping you out
really. It's like, like my take now is that if you make work with your computer especially
in these kind of lines, like you work whatever amount of time, 70% you have to put, attach
your own work to understand the moves and the evaluation device to answer it for yourself
to be able to play it in a game.
What is your take on that?
You know, 100% agree and I mean that's why I try to avoid these types of lines because
I know how much hard work needs to go into it.
How much they need to study, understand,
where the pieces belong, where you're in danger,
where you're completely safe, all of these things.
He gives a check syndrome.
I agree, computers have made it harder.
Sometimes it's better to know less,
because if you know an evaluation, but at the board,
you're like, wait, why is this equal?
Why is this position actually quite good for me?
It can get frustrating and then you get in your own head
And I've noticed that there is a trend in the last year or two,
Judith, like the more that people are relying on computer prep,
the more we see these big, long 30 minute, 40 minute,
50 minute things just up to the opening.
I've been there myself.
I've been guilty of it because they're like, wait, the prep has dried up.
I knew everything, but wait, why didn't I just click a little bit further?
Why didn't I look further or wait, why is this equal?
And instead of just being in the position, being spontaneous,
it's such a kind of psychological metagame as well and
I know so many people with top GMs who blame themselves for not working harder
when actually they've worked extremely hard it's just
occasionally one move and they're caught off guard
but I think this is exactly what's happening using the chat box
like many people are using it to to write an email, to write an essay, to write a
proposal, whatever, right? But it can happen with you so easily, that if they are going
to be asking questions regarding to that material, what you made, you will not be able to answer
the questions. Because you don't have the understanding, the ins and outs and the weaknesses
and the possibilities of those. So it's very tricky. After Queen G4, by the way, King
h8. What is white doing? Because after e6 I see a rook e8 kind of move. Is it destroying
white's advantage? Qd4, King g8. Yeah, maybe e6 isn't the way to go. Maybe in this position...
Qg5? Qg5, I think might be his intention.
And after King h7?
Yeah.
Okay, I finally found one way to blunder for white.
That would be to give a check. Well, I found that too.
E6 and... 6!
Black gives makes.
Okay, shake of the head from Prague, but he plays King h8.
Yeah, I was wondering Judith like a few moves. Well, actually just one move ago. I was trying
to blunder for white so I was trying to find a way but Quintet sees seven. Would this have
been a mistake?
Rb6, Qc4, yeah. But this can be, maybe it's a draw.
Yeah. Maybe not.
Rf7.
Rf7, trying to come in. Just to show the draw for everyone at home, like Qg4 would be a draw
now because after Qx4 and the black rooks give check. White can't escape. So okay,
Pryk needs to get his rooks in. Syndra needs to stop. So Qg4, King h8. What else could he try?
Black doesn't have a threat yet.
Well, you're asking too much. But actually maybe black has a threat. Maybe rook f7.
Okay, I've seen scarier threats but you're underestimating my powerful idea of rook f7.
Okay, teach me, show me, do that. If I play like a4 or e4.
No, if you go a4, I'm going to go a5. Okay, just checking a5.
Probably doesn't change much. So if I say play e4, what's the idea behind
F7 the bars dropping already. No actually I would be thinking to play b5 and a4.
Okay now you're scaring me but that is clever. I don't know what I'm doing but
but I do it with confidence. Qd1, a3, Qc1. What do you understand?
Qc1 is very good.
Yeah, rook h7, Qa3, rook f7, Qc1 back.
White just has too many pawns now.
White can just stop pushing everything, probably.
But black is defending superly.
Can you break down rook f7? So if I...
I don't know, see for something.
Okay, let's see if rook f7 has any sense.
What is the idea? Just e7, no? Yeah. And then eventually to get the e5 pawn.
Makes sense. And after e6 I can go to k7, Qd4, Kh7 already, so there is no Qd7 check.
I don't know why is it still running, I just don't get it.
Maybe Black's just never able to move the rook off h6 because...
Well, maybe you want to go queen c5 and yeah, taking pawns here or there, or queen a7, yeah.
But yeah, I already feel a bit nervous about like now this h rook gets in.
Now, it's all about keeping the rook on the h-file, getting it tied down to h3.
Okay, so still somewhat to be done.
Oh yeah.
Yeah, it was an optical illusion I think like I kind of wrote it off because with the queen on d7 the pawn on
e5 it's just automatic you think okay I'm running forward but there is this counter play I think probably could very well to put his king on
h8 earlier and put the rook on f8. It's definitely the best defense I believe. Yeah.
Yeah, he'll keep fighting.
Okay, this is huge.
Actually, just before the blunder from Prague, I was looking at the Geary game, and before Geary played 95, I was thinking,
oh wait, if Syndrov draws and Geary wins, suddenly it's one point between them, and suddenly one move.
Geary lost the advantage objectively and Cinderov got a winning advantage all in
the same kind of two three minutes of this round. Yes.
So a4 played. Hey you just made a move that you wanted to check my Rookf7 and
then he goes a4. I've been watching him so much that we're in sync now but
I think a very strong waiting move,
more and closer to promotion.
And, Cinderov still with a winning advantage.
John, we had some huge breaking news
just in this last segment of the round.
What are your thoughts now?
Is Cinderov gonna keep running away with the candidates?
I think it's difficult to predict anything else
at this point.
He did let Bluebaum off the hook though, if you remember,
but I feel like there's been what?
two, maybe three times David, where we've thought we've got more or less a guaranteed result,
and then we've seen Fortune's turn at the eleventh hour. So some of the hardest games
of chess to win are the ones that are technically won on paper, so we need to see the conversion.
And this isn't the most straightforward, but I do think the advantage is strong. It's hard
to argue against you. Are we going to see similar action on the other boards, though?
The fight continues to be tensed across all of them, not just Cinder of Sport, and there
are plenty boards that can still go one of three different ways.
So folks, make sure to grab yourself a fresh tea or coffee as we head into our break, and
as we go into this break, don't forget, we've got the boards of course in the candidates.
We're also partnering with Chesa to bring you the world's best-selling smart board.
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See you folks in a couple of minutes.
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And of course this tournament has had some distractions,
including your countrywoman, Humbie Kaniru, not coming.
Has that impacted your preparation or your focus at all?
Not really.
I've been working at my training camps and everything, so I was just focused on the tournament, yeah.
What would a win at the candidates mean to you personally?
It means a lot. It's also like a dream for a family, like both of us being in the World Championship, you know,
and yeah, it's something we've been working for months also, you know, so it means a lot. It's hard to put it in words, but yeah.
And of course, last time we had a teenager, your countryman, Gukesh, won and you probably
have seen how his life has changed.
So are you looking forward to having some of those same experiences if you win the candidate?
I mean, not so much about outside the chess, but just as a chess, like, yeah, it's a dream
we have to become world champions.
So we are in that part.
So I'm not thinking how the life would change after becoming, winning the candidates or becoming
world champion.
more about the dream coming through, you know.
But he also got to do things like I think he did a humorous commercial with Vishy.
Would you do stuff like that?
Yeah, I'm not sure. Let's see.
During the tournament, will you be isolating yourself from social media?
Yeah, I prefer not to check anything. Yeah.
Okay, and final question. This is kind of a fun one.
If you could guarantee yourself one thing for the candidates,
perfect preparation, perfect nerves, or perfect sleep? Which one would you pick?
I mean, it's very hard. I mean, it's very hard really. You can never be sure with the
preparation, sleep also, with how the things go, it can affect your sleep and what does
the other one? Perfect nerves, perfect preparation.
No, again, it also depends on the situation, how things go and it's hard to guarantee anything.
Maybe preparation to some extent.
Nerves and sleep can get out of control.
And with your mom, you're going to get perfect food.
We already know that, right?
Yeah, food is not a concern for me right now.
Welcome back to the 2026 few day candidates, as you have just seen.
We have a draw on the bird's eye view between Moosey Chook and Vi Shali, so that is going
to be the game that finishes first.
Although, not too far away is this one here, smiles on the faces of both players here as
As Geary Nakamura appears to end in repetition, we're summoning the Arbiters from the Snack
Room as we speak to go ahead and declare this result a draw, and that will mean that two
out of our eight games have now concluded for the day.
Judith, David, back to you.
Well David, we have a special day and these guys agreed to a draw.
It seems like maybe none of them are happy.
Can we say that?
Yeah, I mean, Hikaru now I think well and truly out of the race.
Giri is still barely in the race, but he's the only one who can challenge
Cinderov, assuming that Cinderov wins. I think for Giri it's especially disappointing.
He had a small advantage, at least for a move or two, just before the end there,
but Hikaru defended extremely well. And I must say, before the Arbiter blocked our view there,
the most surprising thing is that they are quite friendly discussing the game. I thought there
might be a bit more animosity, people joking about handshakes, whether they would happen after
some social media posts, but all is fair in love and chess, and it looks like they
have more focus on the moves themselves here, Jude. In the end, it was quite a nice pattern
that hopefully we get we get to show that repetition at the end. Yeah, yeah I also see that it was a
an end game where it was a perpetual check and maybe maybe we can take a look at it.
The final moves. Let's do that and I'll just take us back a little bit to a key position
where Geary decided to start exchanging pieces. He got his knight out of the way tension between
the rooks. Just for everyone just joining us, Geary could have potentially kept more tension.
Maybe a small advantage if he'd found the move knight to g5. I think he'd seen this,
but after rook to e8 defending the rook, keeping f7 defended, computers are tricky creatures.
We know not to trust them most of the time, some of the time at least, but knight to f3 would have
been very clever going for the e5 square, and the black rook could not have got greedy here
since it would have found itself trapped on e3. But okay, this was difficult, very, very difficult,
So, Giri instead played a natural move to simplify knight to c5.
Tension between the rooks, pieces came off the board.
The bishop taken as well in the meantime and c5 from Hikaru with the start of the
drawing operation. Rooks also came off the board, capture on c5 and he didn't even try to defend his
f7 pawn. Maybe blocking would also have been fine but Qxb2 he calculated all of this Hikaru.
was willing to give up f7, willing to allow the white queen in, super scary now, impossible to defend the knight, check king moves, but
Judith, the final, final touch here, knight to d7, no checks for white, the knight was captured and checks forever, checks here or on e2 if g3 happens or e1, and nice aesthetic finish.
Yeah, it was basically it was only two moves, one critical move which you just highlighted
that White could be playing the G5 Knight of 3 back there.
But all in all in the game basically it's how many moves were there, like 35 or something.
And there was one moment where White could have a little better position and it would
be inconvenient for black and this is what we felt that when black went knight to f8 and he went
king h8 it seemed to be kind of a slow play by Nakamura and I think we can say that he was playing
passive in those three four moves but Geary was not able to show that how to make his life difficult
but it would be still very far from winning the game.
Yeah, very, very far. And ultimately it was 98% accuracy for both players, so very high quality game, draw a fair result.
And Judith, that leaves us with three games remaining in each section. And where would you like to go next?
Well, I think we should talk about the Cinderella's game, because we were not talking about it for some time, just to see what has happened.
this a4, a5 was played, which we were discussing, and Qg5 was the move, the House in Darov decided
to, and I think the idea was which we were looking, that if King h7, that simply he wanted
to go Qe7 and start grabbing the pawns on the Queen side, taking after King g8 to take
Qc7, because the black rook is not able to double on the f-file, and until black is trying
to figure out what to do. White is ready to eat up black spawns just in case.
Yeah, earlier we saw this was a bit complicated because the black rook could go to b6 while
the black pawn was on a7 so I think a nice detail. He played a4, a5 and then now he can
go for this because rook b6 is not really an issue and I guess rook c6 would be one question
but okay maybe this was still playable. No, Qd7, you're correct I think.
Okay, 27 because after Queen g4 check drops with the check
Yeah
Drops for the check very beautiful
Thanks for highlighting this the reason why a4 a5 was important
Vc7 and would be six is not possible. Wow
Yeah, beautiful. So Prague didn't go for that went back with his roof stage seven that really passed it now. I
Think it's really up kind of annoying that the black Rook can't swing
So Pragg will fill the frustrated back.
And e6 on the board, Rf8.
Qf6.
Qf6 check.
Isn't it?
Yeah.
Or Qg6.
OK, one of these two.
Well, after Qf6, Black has to go Rg7.
Mm-hmm.
He's already fully protected.
Maybe after that.
It's in double attacks.
Just to show this would be awkward. Can't defend everything.
Qf6, Qg7, Judith.
Should White go Qe5?
Qe5, Qg8, I guess. Get out of the pin.
Oh, he's doing his usual thing of reaching out and then taking his hand back.
And now Qf5.
He was reaching for the a5 pawn, I think.
He's reaching out for the black pawn on a5.
Wow.
Full board awareness.
Is it a good move?
I think he just wants to give up his e6 pawn now and then he's just going to take on b7
and make a new queen with his a pawn.
I wouldn't give up my e6 pawn.
if I give up my e6 pawn I would give up my e6 for the h3.
So he's reaching for it, he took it, there we go.
Zyndrov calculated everything, I think it's concrete here, like he is giving up e6, but
if the rook captures the e6 pawn, he gives a check.
The black king has to step out and now he takes a b7 and c7 is hanging with tempo.
And I just think black's a bit too slow.
Look, Tixie 3 isn't possible.
King G6.
Sorry.
King G6 here.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Queen of three, yeah.
Probably queen of three.
Yeah, the A pawn is such a big weapon now.
Oh, he then B6.
Wow, Craig keeps the B pawn alive.
Okay, that makes sense.
at least now white won't get a pass to a pawn for the near future.
Let's try to build a fortress.
Not easy. Now queen e5 or f5 probably. Maybe e5 checked again sometime.
Queen e5, king g8.
And then queen f5.
Yeah, I'm going to have five.
Judith, if the e6 pawn disappears and the h3 pawn disappears,
he's totally winning for white still, do you think?
Like if the black rook gets to e6 now, but h3 disappears?
I think white is taking the h3 pawn, then it's going to be quite easy to win.
Just slowly advance the g and h pawns, the white king is still super safe.
Qg5. He's so accurate like he realizes that he's going to force the black rook off h7
and then he's probably going to pick up the h pawn in the near future. Qg7. Now Qf5
gain a tempo against the h pawn. Pry doesn't want to go pass. Well, Rh7 would have lost
to Qx6 again. He's so quick, he's so confident, he's calculated everything. Everything comes
with tempo due to that, he's just going to take it and yeah, it looks...
King f8, in h3, rook e6.
You mentioned it will be quite straightforward. The winning plan is to maybe just push the
h pawn up the board for white.
Yeah, but at the same time the question is whether can white hold to the e3 pawn. Is
going to play King F2 for example? Yep, to show. This would be game over, Qx3 next.
Yeah, Yb2 pawns up when you can be 3. Yes, and some connected pass pawn also, why not to have it?
You can have those too. Judith, when you were young, when you were first learning chess,
you thought that Queen was worth nine as well or because I heard that some kind of they keep a Queen
is worth 10 and that confused me because my whole life I thought a Queen was worth nine. I think
it was nine though in the beginning I remember when as a kid I did not understand so quickly the
difference that because of course in the beginning you're you're understanding that okay Queen equals
the rook, the two rook, but the rook is five and five. But still you have to understand,
I think it was nine when I was a kid. Yes, because generally speaking, two rooks is more
than a queen. But there are situations when it's not.
Yeah, there's so many situations, like in middle games, and like if the rooks aren't
activated yet for us to have stable yeah
like wins especially if the king is uh... is very exposed
and if the queen can coordinate with other pieces often as well
it's yet
something i still struggle with i think these imbalances
all i was struggling for a long time
for example it was very strange it took me quite some time to understand the
different color bishops
power
That of course when you have different color bishop without any other pieces left, no knights, no rooks, no queens,
of course there is a huge chance even if you have several pawns down to be making a draw, right?
Like we've seen Mosichuk against...
Yes, it was yesterday, right?
Yeah, so yesterday it was clear that against Tanya?
Yes.
And she could have squeezed very clearly in that game with the Rooks on,
but when it was bishop, different color bishop and game, then it was practically over and it was draw.
And for me it took quite some time to understand it, that how big difference and power it can be,
if you have the right color bishop, and how powerful an attack can be.
So that was and also the imbalance like sacrificing a queen for two pieces and two
poems let's say those also because it very much depends on the circumstances.
That is why to understand it. You cannot generate on that.
Yeah these are difficult concepts. It's rarely just about counting. Sometimes it is but
But here it is more about the fact that the queen is so agile, the black king is so open,
that usually helps.
And Sinderov, he keeps doing it, he keeps reaching out and it's like, oh wait, double
check, triple check, nope, maybe.
And it looks like he was reaching for his g-pawn.
Because h4, h4, h4 g4, sorry.
Yeah, it looks like the g-pawn he was reaching towards, but h4 looks maybe more natural just
to hide the king on the h file if needed. But maybe he wants to go g4 and if
rook f6 king e2 rook e6 queen h3 coming back to the third rank defending the e3
and then start pushing the pawns. Just to show that bring the queen back and
bring it round and then start pushing the pawns up the board. Makes sense he's
gone for the g pawn and the justification is that rook takes e3 he can
probably get the... I've acted Qh5. Yeah, diagonal checks and there's no way to avoid Qh6 or Qg5.
And eventually Qh6 will win the game, directly defending.
This is tough, tough for Prag. How long do you think he fights on? Because it's almost
hard to make a move. He looks like he doesn't even want to make any more moves, Prag.
He doesn't want to make a move, but he may still make some moves. But practically it's
It's a problem you know when you give up and you don't feel that you really have a chance.
Because you can make moves.
But just by making moves, it does not mean that you have a real chance.
But the problem is that here, especially when Bb is going to be defending the e3 pawn with
the queen, then you can just sit there and wait until your opponent starts pushing the
pawns.
So, at the same time, resign, it's too painful to resign yet.
I mean, he's going to be waiting a few more moves until the pawns reach the fifth rank.
When the pawns are on h5g5, then it might be time to roll over and accept defeat.
But we have reached move 40 here, so the players do have a bit more extra time now, and maybe
we can scan around just to see if anything might get exciting
towards the time control.
Still a lot of life left on the other board.
So maybe we can zoom out to the bird's eye view just for now
as Pry contemplates what to do next.
He was about to move his rook, it looks like.
Rookie five, rookie four.
There we go, just waiting.
Maybe hitting the A4 pawn,
but unlikely to be able to capture it.
And Judith, can you see any other decisive results?
It looks like Cinderov has the biggest advantage, but anywhere else?
Well, absolutely. Cinderov's game is the game of the day, we can say, without doubt, I think.
Still, I think it's interesting to see the Bibisara game with the two.
Because the pawn structure is interesting.
and it seems like it didn't work out for black because suddenly white has a very strong
pass spawn and the g7 bishop while it was extremely active, if we can go back a few moves more or less where we stopped
where it was very balanced still back, yeah in this position it was black had a very powerful bishop attacking pressing the d4
and something went very wrong for black. I think white made a great continuation by playing Nc5.
Cutting off the power of the d5 rook and a5 is hanging and also protecting the b3 weakness
but something went wrong for black after that. Yeah we've only had what is it seven eight moves
since we were last here so knight c5 okay h5 h4 often just thrown in why not I'm happy about that
always h5 always h4 now b5 maybe just a misjudgment from Zuzhanea maybe she didn't need to rush like
I don't know b5 or even if she really wanted to just defend the a5 on queen a8 like maybe she
thought this was a winning attempt. I'm not sure. I like would be five by the way. Yeah,
she didn't want to go passive but I would be even thinking you know you I'm not surprised
you're saying that to go G5. G5 yeah I say H. I mean it's black to move here I think maybe G5
takes and h4 even something to consider. And h4 and swinging the queen and yeah
also it takes g5 yeah and Qf4 the right due to of course it's 0.0
but it's probably here it's nicer to play with black. Yeah but after all we gave
up two pawns in the meantime and it's 0-0-0. Exactly which is a good thing for
the black side. Okay so maybe misjudgment from Zuzina, she played e5, gave up her a pawn
and b4 and okay now she played b5 but Judette just just to mention your instincts are spot on
because here the computer really says that g5 was necessary while the white queen is offside
while she's so far away g5 takes h4 so you're spot on by father best moves and
after this okay I don't understand the next move the computer wants rick b7
I guess it's saying that queen is worth two ricks and the idea is to come around to the e-file and
the white king is really open um maybe the queen coming as well well the queen on a5 is very tricky
But you have to take the momentum, I agree.
She needed a spot that this was the moment, trend sensitivity.
Of course, to find rook b7 is very difficult after sacrificing both of the pawns.
Yeah, maybe she could have started with rook b7, but the white queen either way got back into the game, rook b5,
she kind of helped it get back in the game.
And queen to e8, apparently a big mistake, she needed to, again, go g5.
g5 because like you said the pawn structure suddenly in white's favor and everything's covered now
but look at the queen from a5 to f3 beautiful piece defending attacking the c6 having the knight on
these three shortleaf white ones is just heaven for white yeah good knight versus bad bishop
And brought the past bone.
I think Vipassara wins this, I think she gets her tournament back on track due to hard to
see a turnaround.
Well, too has a very difficult moment now.
And unnecessarily in the last few moves, she may put herself in trouble.
Yeah, first I thought, okay, he can't play Rk1 and try to get Qe1, but White just shuts
the door with a Rk2, and then a5, put the knight back on d3, and positional play.
Oh, actually, there's also pawn, but there's a5.
No, we don't take pawns like that.
We don't allow d3.
The bar dropped.
Bar dropped.
Ah a5 is not a good move he thinks. Maybe Qd5. Now we want the pawn on c6 off the board.
Well, it's just concrete that the rook can't defend b4 anymore. But again,
point remains here. Maybe Qc6, maybe just... I don't know. It's concrete because d3 is not
possible to rook d2 I guess. Yeah, d3 rook d2. Okay, Black's queen still passive so big trouble for
Zuzionette. One of the leaders could be held back here. Suddenly, Bibbasaro would just be maybe
half a point or one point, one point of the leader after that Muzichirik against Vaisali Jor.
Okay, should we zoom out of this? We think that white has a big advantage. Still a few moves to
to make the time control decision and time trouble as well.
I have the feeling that Sindaro will resign.
Don't you think so?
Oh, that looks close.
Maybe when those pawns get further up,
like you said earlier, H4, H5.
Body language does look like resignation.
He's looking away when it's his move, Prague.
He's looking for the avatar.
Is he checking out his sister's game?
Not yet. Maybe we'll jump to it very shortly, Judith, but maybe a draw incoming between
Yusupenko and Bluebaum, although Black could get past HPawn. In that game, we haven't looked at it
too much. Way small advantage against Karawana, still with the Bishop. Looks like the other two
women's games are in the balance. Okay, this one, just to maybe get it out the way, Judah,
I'm assuming that this is going to be a draw. I don't think we're going to see some great action
and unexpected turnarounds in this game. Do incredible stable players.
Yeah, I mean, Blue Balmers have been very impressive this tournament, but yet to get
that elusive win, and yes, I think I think it's just been an event to forget tough start.
Round one could have been so different. He could have taken down Cinder off potentially
and we would have been singing such a different tune, but body language.
tells it all. We predicted this one for a while, the Petrov still stands strong.
Can I be a draw? We've seen this position before, this is the second time.
If the back bishop goes back, it would be a third time, there should be 7 vc7.
It's interesting how much transformation chess is going through. You remember the
times when it was allowed to offer a draw and you don't have to make three fold
repetition as it happened here. Yeah very different times you just make eye
contact, smile and draw but here you have to ask the arbiter or you have to
reach move 40 which is exactly what the players did. They didn't need to check
because move 40 was made when the third repetition was made. Judith, what was your
philosophy on draw offers? Was it something you tried to avoid in general to
fight or was it something you used as a bit of a tool sometimes in difficult positions?
It was sometimes that I was offering a draw because I wanted to, I wouldn't mind to make a draw,
but I knew that most likely my opponent would reject it and then it was the information because
psychologically then the opponent has a different situation because you offer a draw and if the
The opponent has, well, I'd like to play, I don't want the draw, but once you reject
the draw for, you have somehow different pressure.
Because suddenly you think, okay, if I rejected the draw, I should show something, right?
I should show that I have a better position, or I have some special idea.
And you shouldn't think that way.
You should just, if you refuse a draw, then you just say, okay, maybe it's a draw equal
position, I just want to play on. But it happened that my opponent got confused, or also it
happened that somebody offered me a draw and I rejected it and I played a bad move instantly,
because just the fact that I wanted to reject it and I reacted badly. So, but I remember that
when I played in Madrid, I don't know which year, 95 or 96, and the organizers told me that
I played some shorter draws and they told me that under 40 you should don't make a draw.
I was just furious and I said, come on, people want to tell me that I should control myself?
When I was such a big fighter and I took it personally to be honest.
And when it was Linaris back, I don't even remember which year and they came up with
the rule that you cannot offer a draw on their move 40 and they wanted to make people, everybody
sign it and I don't remember anymore but for sure I was resisting for some time and I'm
I'm not even sure I signed it. I said, no, this, this is, this is something I, I can't take it with my style that people forcing me like that.
That's good.
And now look at that. It's for everyone. No droffer. Fight.
Exactly. Sophia rules. But I like it, Judith, standing up to authority, resisting, going for what you believe in.
definitely a special skill, both fighting and when to knuckle down for a draw.
But in the meantime, John, what do you make of it so far? Three draws, but unlikely to stay that way for long.
I hope it doesn't stay that way for long. We've had some fighting chess, but if I'm honest, David,
overall, I did genuinely feel going into today that if someone's mounting a big challenge now,
really now is the time and the geary draw from a standing's point of view. I feel like that one
really hurt and he's not only going to be hoping that Cinderoff drops maximum points,
it's not just your face in your own hands now, you're almost reliant on mistakes from someone
else. So it's going to be a tricky situation, it's not one where the result is beyond doubt,
that is for sure, but it's one where we're going to have to rely on lady luck just a little bit.
Three draws so far, five games still ongoing folks and as we head into this break, I've got a little
a bit of mid break trivia for you. What you need to do is put your answers in chat using
hashtag candidates and you might win chess.com diamond memberships and chessable courses
as well. Here is the question I am asking. Which title to player holds the record for
the highest ever bullet raising on chess.com? Is it Nakamura, Ferozha, Woodward or Gural?
Answer revealed after the break. See you guys soon.
Oh
Welcome back everybody, so we asked you heading into the break which type of player holds the
record for the highest ever bullet racing on chess.com. We had all four answers in the chat and a lot of spam going on but we can reveal the correct answer. Very well done. If you got this straight away is Andy Woodward.
Congratulations. We have our winner from Twitch. Oh dear. I don't even know how I'm going to begin to pronounce that. So let's have some fun with this.
Pouêche-poucure? I really hope I'm pronouncing that vaguely correctly.
It's probably plain English and I'm just reading the letters in an unintended order.
I don't know. Either way, you're getting a DM shortly with your prize.
So congratulations, you have won and I've embarrassed myself while doing it,
but the most important thing is you get to walk away with some goodies.
It's either going to be chess.com diamond memberships or chessable courses.
Best wishes to you and thank you very much everyone for participating.
We've got five games left to go. How many of them will end decisively? David, Judith, back to you.
Thank you, John. And yeah, Andy Woodward, what a bullet player. And it is extremely high.
Astronomical, his rating on chess.com. In the meantime, the bar is astronomically high on
Cinderella's board. It looks like Prague is just coming to terms with things can barely move now
as the white pawns advance. Judith, Bibisara also looks like she might be winning, a big, big
advantage for her, but do you see anything exciting happening elsewhere for now?
Well, I see we have a rook-and-game between Tan and Lachno. Of course, rook-and-dings are always
fun, but it seems like it's going to be a draw without too much of effort with Black. I think
here she will not do too much if she just goes rook a4 and king will be going to g7
and stop the h1 so hard to imagine how it can go wrong for black then we have the other
Divya game against Goryačkina I mean clearly I would take black side having that bishop
It also seems like it's a pretty balanced game, but I think it's White who has to be
a bit more careful on that.
And indeed, on the Bibisara's game, it seems like it Black will try to save the game by
having this rook on c3, but I think the White rook will just move back to c4, for example,
c5.
Of course if white is capturing on c3 then dTxc3 would give some chances for black.
At the same time the double pass pawns on a and b file, it's extremely difficult to
save it for black and that will be a very painful loss for Suzy Nair if Bebisaro can
convert the game.
And then we have the very Karwana game which we haven't touched for a long time.
could go there just to see what is really happening in that game because it's
interesting that it was a French defense and we were covering the opening which
was an unusual early night e2 temporary pawn sacrifice by way and we've seen
sharper positions by Vahey in the previous rounds quite sharp yesterday's
against Pragamanda and also in previous rounds was very sharp. This is not about sharpness.
This is more about the position of play. White has a bishop pair and now the question is where
the black knight is he going to Fabiano wants to exchange the knights or is he going to be playing
Rookie. Eight maybe, but one thing is for sure, I can make a bet that David wants to be with the
White pieces here with the Bishop there. Is this correct? Judith, you just won a bunch of money.
You are correct. I mean, this is, yeah, it's probably nothing objectively, but it is my dream
Bishop pair, not much risk. And there's some questions for Black to answer. Like you said,
whether to trade Knights or not, maybe later White can play for G5 and White,
Dart squared Bishop is quite a nice piece on this diagonal.
It's definitely Wei Yi having all the fun and he can probably say, okay draw any time he wants.
So not much fun for Fabiano. Actually this is still only move 26, I have just noticed.
So Wei Yi is in a bit of time trouble. He's got six minutes to make 14 moves.
Maybe that's the most interesting thing about the position for most people, but for me
I very much like White and at least he's already survived longer than in the first
set of games where it was a 19 move defeat for Wei Yi against Fabiano last time, so
he wants to grind and get revenge. But now I have a question. First of all, of course, for Fabiano
it's a very difficult tournament situation because he has lost the last two games, quite painful as
you can say, right? Against Hikaru Nakamura and then yesterday against Geary with the white pieces.
and now he's playing with the black pieces. He cannot really dream of winning this game,
but looking at objectives, isn't bishop c4 can be a good move for black?
My worst fear is coming true, I just wanted one more move, only one more move to play like knight f4.
I can't help it David, sorry.
Let me breathe, give my bishop some life, I need the bishop pair.
Nothing is enough for you. You have the bishop pair and then you want an extra move also.
Bishop c4 is very clever. I think you're getting pieces off by force, right?
Knight takes e5. The only question is whether you take on e5 or if you take something on e2 instead.
instead. I think I would take on e2. On e2? Okay. What if I damage the structure? Okay.
Not too thrilled about my winning chances for Ruchi1. Still some ideas of g5 maybe. Maybe
you just sit there with a rook on d5 and say you shall not pass and this one
yeah because suddenly the c3 bishop is not so powerful yeah it's nice and stable but it doesn't
really do much if I can't play g5 yeah once once it's opposite color bishops I know you mentioned
earlier like opposite color bishops with rooks with queens it's still chances but yeah this feels
difficult. Okay, bishop c4 might be a key move for Fabiano Caruana to find if
he wants to alleviate the pressure here and now, but it's difficult times on
another board. Let's jump over to cindorob against pregnant Nanda where body
language tells half the story, but also the position tells the rest of the story
here. Judith Rucci 5 the last move, but we said resignation might come if the
white pawns reach the fifth. One of them has reached the sixth rank and I'm not
I'm not sure that's where it stops, could it go further?
Please move queen to d8, tying down the black king to its rook and h7 is unstoppable.
Brilliant move.
Probably rook g8 will be the only move and then queen d5 check and g5 and well I must
say that Zindarov made this technically perfect.
I mean, he was having a secure hand, making his moves,
being sharp, very impressive performance in this game.
And I don't think there will be much of moves
from Prokman on that.
He can't really say that Sindaram was not lucky.
He made fantastic moves and decisions.
And he was very brave.
Exactly. Fortune favouring the brave in this game. 90 over 98% accuracy despite the fact
it was a crazy position. He sacked a piece. He had to find some difficult, difficult moves
to endure off. I think the key move that Rook f7 jumping on an error from Prague, that was
the key. Once he found it, it always felt like he was going to win. That's the technique.
Wow, I'm being told by our producer shoutouts Ryan, seven exclamation mark moves, seven great
moves from him in this game and that is the whole picture, Judith, like how is anyone
going to stop him in this tournament if he keeps playing so perfectly, so powerfully and
quickly?
Well, I believe it's in Daros, his fate is his own hand.
It's only him himself who can ruin his way of qualification in this event.
If he's stably doing these kind of decisions and making, can play his own game, there is
no way anybody can catch him.
And today's victory is quite crucial, because in the last three games I felt that he was
little bit not himself in some decisions.
But today, I cannot say that.
I think he was straightforward, he showed very big security, braveness, calculation.
The only thing which was kind of strange, his time management compared to himself what
he was performing in previous rounds.
But maybe it was also because of yesterday what happened, that he was playing too fast
and he missed his opportunity.
And maybe that's why he was more careful today.
Yeah, learning from past errors and now we go, handshake, Sinderov moves to plus six.
We think that this is a record.
Nobody since 2013 in the modern era, the new format has won six games in the candidates
tournament.
Sinderov's done it with still four rounds to spare.
day for Prague, it was only one move really, one error that cost him. But yeah, everybody's
going to be talking about the leader who extends his lead back to two points, only four rounds
remaining. He leads over Anish Giri, Judith, it's going to be tough for anyone to stop him now.
And actually, before we jump into that too much, we have breaking news. We've got to head to Cyprus
because Mike Klein has trapped, Javelki has caught him on his way out of the tournament hall.
Congratulations Jothic here. How does it feel to have the record for the most wins ever
at a candidate's? I mean, I was very happy because this is the day I didn't win a winning
game and today I performed a very good game and when I'm not worried about the result
and playing really, really good chess,
very band chess, folks.
That it does, congratulations.
Wow, our man on the spot, literally.
And very impressive there, Mike catching Cinderov.
Cinderov is a fast walker, that was quite a pace.
And on his way to the press conference,
that was very, very opportunistic, very perfect timing.
Trudette, he looked confident. He looks locked in still. He was determined, like you said,
to make amends for yesterday and he did so.
He was very frustrated yesterday. I mean, this is this is the impression he gave. He
also gave the press conference or after the game comments and and it was very clear that
he was he was nervous about it. How is that possible? He would win 10 out of 10 in such
a position. What has happened yesterday against Matheus is Queen B7 and that was not the only
idea which he had. I mean, it was just a complete miss sensing the opportunity. And I think
he was very angry to himself about that mistake, what he made yesterday. And he wanted to
catch up on that. He said, you know what, today I want to win. I mean, I don't care
about having one and a half point lead, I want to play a great game. And we could see
and his comment was that he was very happy about today's game, his performance, his play,
he did play a very good game, though I'm still very much interested to listen to him about
his preparation and what he's got to say on that, how far his preparation was and why
was he thinking so much and also I'm very curious about Pragananda's preparation,
like really in what mindset they went into this extremely sharp line, what we've seen
today. But it's it's incredibly amazing to follow and see this candidate's
tournament unfolding, Sindarov's from round to round and not only the games but also
his behaving, his attitude and and everything what is going on.
Yeah, I mean he's leveling up by the day. It's so impressive just watching it up close and
In the meantime, this game is fizzling out.
I think you called it there, Judith.
You mentioned the key move that was the bishop c4
and the opposite color bishop since you're in
all rooks off the board now.
I'd be shocked if this continues much further.
They haven't reached move 40.
So this is where your comment about the drawoffers kicks in.
It feels a bit odd to see them still playing,
but they'll find a way to repeat moves totally level.
The King B1 Bishop G2, King C1 Bishop H1.
Exactly. Why not? Fabi is now claiming the draw. He could have just played to move 40.
But yes, every round it feels like players are canceling each other out, neutralizing
each other, frustrated in their attempts to get on a winning streak. Nobody putting those
streaks together apart from the cinder off. He keeps going. And there we go. Handshake,
draw, agreed.
Well, this was not an easy game for Fabiano, but I think it's more unpleasant the fact
that it was not so interesting, basically.
For him it was, of course, very important not to lose today, because you have to stop
at some point, even though he does not have real chances to catch up, and he knows it.
But still, he's there, he has to play, he has to give a good fight, he has to play some
good games, but it must be very difficult. And also the players are there for nearly
two weeks already, or two weeks, because this was round ten. And energy has to be there.
And I always say that the energy what a player who wins, they somehow always have more energy.
If you lose, no matter if you spend the same amount of hour of preparation and at the playing
you have less energy. I mean, winning and victory gives real energy to yourself, no matter how tired you are.
And of course you could see on Sinderov's face that he's just full of energy in this moment.
Yeah, definitely the best nutrients are from winning games and talking of winning games,
Bibisara is close now. They have passed move 40, just. The other two look almost dead drawn,
although Goya Shikino maybe with some slight pressure against Divya. Maybe we jump into that
game because we see more body language, we see Zuzionette realizing that she's in fatal trouble
here. It's all about the white a pawn, two squares from touchdown, a7 maybe Rook gets behind but
I'm wondering, Judith, whether she can play rook a2 to propel that pawn forward?
Yeah, I'm just wondering myself whether after rook a2 how black can still play on and fight
on in this game.
Because I don't see any opportunity unless black is going to be pushing c2, but white
is just going to grab that pawn and then later on go back and play a7.
Yeah, maybe d2.
Is there anything I can see to keep playing?
Yeah, you're absolutely correct.
What about going rook a1?
Can I go a7 or that would be a mistake because of bishop a1, a8, a9?
or that would be a mistake because of bishop a1, a8, queen and c1, because black does not
have to take it. Wait, isn't white down a rook? How is this story? Yeah, but I think knight b3.
Ah, okay, nice. But okay, white is saving, but that's not the point, right? I just wanted to
point out that black doesn't have to take on a8, so he can queen. So after c2,
probably rook c1. I think that's that could be the move and after that the
rook d2, rook a1 and then rook c1 I would think. And then how can black stop a7?
If Queen goes to e7 or somewhere, I think maybe White can go on I b3.
white has to be accurate in this position. So this is why the Vissara is thinking because
and but actually look c2 happened, rook d1. And now what is rook a2? It seems like a7 is not
not enough. Though I would still check a7, rook a1, queen b7.
I just had a coughing fit due to it but I was actually going to make a joke with those
four queens on the board. I mean you're the queen of chess, you're the queen of chess
with one of the most documentary but four is too much. White does not want that drama
on the board. White wants a clean way to win this game.
Yeah, maybe this is actually the cleanest.
And, yeah.
I was wondering,
would the black could play king h7 to try and get Qd1 without allowing
a8 to be a check?
I don't know if white can go knight b3
or that would be a mistake because of Rook a7 Qd5.
Wow.
Engage 2, Qb3, Qa2.
Very important move at the end.
But you know, you have to calculate.
You have to calculate.
You shouldn't get nervous.
Even here, there's still like a little bit of work to be done, like Qd4 here.
Probably it's just totally winning, but I have to get the rook out and finish it off
Qe4.
And there is a weakness on Nx3s because of the pin.
That's an important point.
G6 is very weak.
Of course, if the rook comes to the seventh rank, then the pin is very unpleasant.
But yes, it's still work to be done.
Okay, so she's definitely calculating Rk2, D2, just working out the details a lot of
time. I also slightly wonder about whether to just push the b-pawn, but I don't know
where that's going yet.
After b5, Rd2 you just go a7. Rd2 is not possible.
Black goes behind anyway, Rk1 and it's still unclear how White advances.
What about Nd4?
So, Nd4.
Clinical, just want to pick off the pawn.
I don't know if I would play Nc3 or Rc3 at this point.
So if...
Though probably knight c3 is better, because rook c3 takes, queen takes, queen d1.
Still some chances for black.
So for example, something like this.
Take, take, queen d1.
That is checkmate.
Okay, it does look like she's winning Bibisara here with rook a2, maybe a7 first, various ways,
but still some finesses to be found.
And in the meantime, we've reached move 40 everywhere.
We're in the end game in the two other women's boards,
those look level for now.
John, we do have that game, that Cinder off game
to just get our heads around.
It was just incredible.
It seems to get better and better for him.
So far, the only decisive one, maybe action here as well.
But that means that we have a time,
a bit of time for a breather in the meantime.
Just a little bit.
And I think you put it really well.
cinder off game it was subtle for lack of a better phrase you needed to be able to put the queen
on precisely the right squares for the right reason and see that he could string those moves
together to continue to turn the vice against prague and he did that absolutely brilliantly
kudos to mike as well for being able to grab him so quickly after the game finished before he
even got to the press conference so thank you very much for that mike we're gonna go to a quick
break now we've seen some incredibly tense resolutions on the board so if your heart
now needs a reset take a look at this screen this is the new chess.com plush collection
look at the pawn on the dog's head that is the level of peace me and the players
are trying to achieve for the rest of today go to go.chess.com forward slash a plush toy or type
exclamation mark plush toy in the chat to choose your favorite piece and we'll see you in a couple
of minutes.
I believe that your last candidates, your second was Erwin Lamey.
Do you care to comment on any second or anybody you have helping you here in Cyprus?
Yeah, last candidates, Erwin was helping me, it was split into two parts.
Erwin was there and also Max Farmerdam was there too, the second leg.
The first one I came with Vladimir Tutmokov, he was there with me.
Erwin was also part of my team but he was not on site.
And this time I am with the Jansmates, I've been traveling with him for a lot of events last year, the grand suise that I won.
I also traveled with him at the World Cup as well and multiple other Grand Chess tournaments.
So he is here with me on the side, but I have also a very strong team remotely.
Are you annoyed that people bring up your all draws performance in 2016?
because the games were fighting games,
so do you think too much is made out of that tournament?
It's been a while though.
I think I've, you know, social media sort of has moved on.
I must say throughout my social media career,
I've experienced a lot of negative social media sentiment.
And looking back,
I should probably have stuck with the draw thing, because the things that are associated with me now are far worse than that.
I probably should bring the draw meme back, to be honest, because it's gotten a lot worse since then.
It was a remarkable event. I had good chances to win many games. I didn't convert many of them.
I was probably worse off in some of the games, but not that much, so mostly it was a conversion issue at the time.
It was a remarkable occurrence to have 14 rounds and for it all to finish in draws with draw percentage being around 50%.
I don't play, I mean, but it's more or less at the top level.
I think it's between 45 and 60% depending on the event, depending on the player.
To have 14 games all-end, well, the chance of that is pretty low and quite remarkable that it happened.
And I wish I could take the credit, but when you play a game of chess, you depend on your opponent too, right?
one and two, right?
So I guess it's also thanks to my fondness that I've
accomplished that.
I
I
Welcome back everyone, it's the final stretch of round 10 and there are only a couple of
games remaining in this round.
I have to say, Judith, overall a lot of the games resolved faster than they have in previous
rounds.
I thought we were going to be in for some long drawn out fights but we might only get
one or two of those.
Given your experience in long tournaments and when people go the distance versus when
they can serve their energy. Is there any explanation for this today or is it just one of those things?
I think it just happens to be that this is how they played out. I mean, of course, a lot depends on your opening
choices and how your opponent is reacting. But I don't think any of the players had the intention to have a shorter day
or longer day. They know exactly and everybody is prepared for a very tough tournament, 14 rounds, fighting until the very
And of course those players who are not fighting already for qualifying, it might be a little
bit different kind of mindset, but still they are all professionals and when they sit down
at the table, they know that, okay, even if I'm not the best for today, I'm going to
show that I'm not here by chance.
So everybody wants to prove and show the maximum they can.
As we've seen also with Hikaru, when he was playing against Fabiano, it was a prestige.
It was a match that he wanted to win.
As he said, it's a very rough quote by him, that I'm happy I won and I showed to the people
who didn't believe me, I can still play chess, right, in a little bit rougher way, he was
saying that.
So of course, you want to show it, that even if you don't have the tournament of your life,
you want to show.
It can be anywhere between shorter game and longer game, but everybody the main point
is they want to show their best and win their games.
Nice.
And speaking of trying to get the maximum, David earlier today, we ran a poll in chat
after making our predictions for the number of decisive games and there were 16,830 votes.
So this is a decent sample size here.
And I am proud or ashamed, depending on how you want to see it, to reveal that David,
you in fact won with 31% of the vote.
Judith got 24% of the vote.
I got 27% of the vote.
And other, for greater than or less than, only got 17% of the vote.
So the good news for all of us is that none of us lost to any other result.
David you seem to be top of the pile most people in chat think there will be three decisive games
I'm honored. What can I say? I love you all chat all 16,000 of you or at least 31% of that lot
But uh, unfortunately it does look like my prediction game it burned brightly just not for long enough yesterday
I was on uh, I was on point today
unless we see a last minute twist between uh, divya and uh, goyachkina
Unlikely John it looks like you're in the driver's seat. How do you keep doing this?
Where's your little your crystal ball? What can I say?
27% of chat you guys know where it's at and yeah, okay. I've been off one day
I think that puts me on something like six out of seven. Who knows?
We've got two games left to go David Jude it back over to you
Exactly two games to go. Thank you John and thank you chat for getting involved. That's incredible
16,800 people voting on that alone. And Judith, in order for me to be right and take it away from
John, this game needs to be decisive but looks unlikely. Well, Q5 was the last move by Davia
and now the question is for Black whether Gorjaczkina wants to exchange the queens.
At the same time, again, we have a situation where on what terms we are going to be exchanging the
the queens, right? This is the main question. Is black wants to exchange the queens? I don't know,
I'm not sure I would put my vote on that. Queen moving away to d3, it has a very sensible idea
or even moving the queen to c2, which makes a lot of sense, I think, because the a5 pawn
and bishop d5 was played. Interesting. You were saying the a5 pawn untouchable,
just to show that variation, Judith, for example, your Qc2, very nice move threatening the knight
if I perform copy captured. So I guess this solution would have been a2s hanging in some lines
as well, but maybe knight to h4. I wanted to go Qb4. Yeah, I say it through gritter teeth.
Now taking looks greedy somehow. It's going to be punished by Queen to f2, but maybe
Maybe White is going to try and, I don't know, Qd6 for example, and try to make a draw like
this, Qg6, Qe8 with perpetual check.
Maybe this is what she was afraid of if she's playing on.
Yes, but I would think that the queen exchange would benefit White, because after the queen
exchange it's only White who can play for a win.
So after Bd5, I would try to check Qe4 and if Be4, then I would want to see what happens
after a3.
Okay.
It's creating a passport and maybe the black king needs to run over now.
Okay, b4.
Mm-hmm, b6.
it's white who has the pass on don't you think so that white has the white is the only person who
might think of playing for a win 9d2 9d2 yeah I was gonna say even without the pass on even if
white loses the b-pawn eventually it's still a draw I just put the king on f2 should be fine
win e4 played so this is why I would think that I would go queen c2 because I don't want to be
playing for two results, simply. But here, Judith, I think f takes e4 would be a very
risky move. There we go. And I just wanted to say, like, if after f takes, the white
knight comes in, if white's king ever gets to e3 somehow, takes a bit of time, might
need to block, or even the knight on e3, this could be very unpleasant for black. Yes, but
even after bishop e4, if I don't play a3 immediately, but I go knight e5, that can
be very dangerous for black because the king cannot come to g6 if bishop b1 for example
then I would go knight c6, bishop a2 knight a5 and everything is prepared to push the
pawn b4 b5 b6 b7, right?
Okay, black has to go bishop b1 so after b4 black can stop with the bishop on the 3i
go knight c6, you cannot go to g6 with the king but it's black who has to be looking
for saving moves, like maybe f4 is the best, then I go Nd4 and then the black king comes
and most likely the saving idea will be, well maybe it's not even good anymore for, maybe
knight, actually maybe white is winning, because bishop e4, Nb3 and Nc5.
Yeah, just in time to promote the pawn.
So it's easy to lose it with Blacks. I would definitely feel that it's a huge inaccuracy
what Black was doing, because of course in many cases Black will give up the bishop and
the three pawns somehow it will exchange the pawns, but Black has to be very accurate
to say the least.
Yeah, I agree. This is a bit odd because Gwytj kind of had a lot of time when she went for
the Queen exchange and she could have pretty much made a draw. Queen C2, it looks like
Black is never ever losing. Maybe frustration because she hasn't won a single game this
tournament despite being one of the top seeds, despite having a track record of what championship
matches. I think after Nd5, Bd5 is the best move I do think. That's clever. Nc4 is not
possible because of a4. And yeah this at least helps Black get a little bit of pawns. So
knight e5, I agree it's the best test, bishop g5, yeah king g3, Black just has to play
g5. Well yeah, if Black goes g5 and f4 of course Black also has nothing to no risk.
But still I would go Qc2 instead.
I would love to play h5 here for White.
David, I respect all your moves with the h4, but two moves from h3?
That needs to be discussed.
Hypothetical.
I did want to play a classical game, my first ever British championship, I was 9 years old
and my opponent played King e3 to e5 and I was like, wait, what?
I didn't realize and I didn't claim it and then I ended up losing by one tempo.
So these things happen to you that even in classical chess,
even with an arbiter watching the arbiter was like, well, you didn't claim it.
I was like, what? Well, I had this story myself, you know,
I was not claiming and I lost the game.
Check it out. The documentary.
I was watching it actually with some friends that documentary and they they weren't aware of the story and they were they were just mind-blowing. It was
Yeah, yeah, because it was so long time ago. It's crazy. It's like three decades more
You have too much sportsmanship
No, but of course chess is also a lot different like in tennis when it's out
Of course, there was a different story also in tennis decades ago, right?
It was an argument, and people were discussing, was it out, was it not out, and then the
arbiter called it, and then that's how you were going with it, right?
And then since we have technology, everything became different regarding fair play and touch
move and all these things.
So in some ways it's much easier to figure out and find out during the game and after
a game what has really happened.
VAR, cameras everywhere, big brothers always watching, but yeah it's good and bad, it means
we can stick to the rules a bit more often but it also leads to more delays, maybe more,
well, taking some of the soul out of things in other sports. But okay, this looks like
a draw Judah, assuming that Black is slightly careful now.
Yes.
The other game, maybe slightly more dramatic, let's jump over.
Absolutely, let's go there.
Yeah, that's great.
To Bibisara, it looks like she's lost some control, but still winning.
KH2 apparently the only move though to keep the advantage.
And you asked me in a break, Judith, whether you thought Bibisara might not get the win,
whether she might get nervous, and what do you think now?
Do you think she's still got it enough under control?
Well, the fact that she's thinking while she has only 10 minutes left, it shows some insecurity
because there's no any other move, right?
You cannot go King G1 because Rd1 you get, you're losing.
F3, I mean really, are you really going to go F3?
I mean it means that she's insecure in some ways, you know?
Of course, after King e h2, you have to understand that rook d1 does not give checkmate because
of Queen c6 possibility.
It's the only move, but it's winning move, otherwise White would be losing if Queen c6
was not in the position.
It's very good for White that Queen e8 is not possible, Black cannot go to the e5 with
the Queen and threaten with Queen e1.
an important detail.
Yeah, QxQ is nothing to worry about either.
The point is too strong.
Black can go back, but how does white finish this now?
Well, the question is maybe Black will not play Rd1,
but play Qf3 instead, what do you think?
Oh, OK.
Qf3, now there's a threat.
there is yeah and okay you're scaring me to that so i want to get the queens off queen
yeah queeny too in the meantime we have a rook d1 played okay so rook d1 yeah that's
too tempting seeing the threat of checkmate so at the same time it does force ribosaur to make a
strong quick move. As usual, I might want to use a bit more of her time to try and
cause more problems here. She's still at 24 minutes on the clock, unless mentally she feels
that this is beyond salvation now. Now, because more difficult for Black, Gabbard just shot right up,
almost dead loss now without resistance. The pawns are just rolling. I'm really surprised she
played rook d1 there like just making it easy for the bizarre yes yes it was an
active move but Queen on c6 is just defending everything on the diagonal
towards back to h1 and supporting the pass pawn once the a7 is played the
next queen is coming yeah even if blacks Queen got to f1 or e1 why can
just ignore it, right? There's no checkmate threat, like just promotes.
And the b3 knight is exceptionally well placed in this situation because it covers the most
important defensive square for the rook on a1.
Very nice piece, stops any bishop d4 stuff, at least it did in the key variation earlier.
a7, just queen b7 traps the queen but is there something better for white there?
Let's say black tries to stop the white a pawn promoting immediately.
Is this enough? Although I don't really want to damage the white pawn structure,
I want them to be connected.
What about queen c5?
Is it the mistake? Take central d2?
Wow. I was going to say Qa8 for repetition anyway, but... True.
Maybe white just makes a queen. Although, complicated. No need to be...
Well, this is another story, this queen. The rook c2, a8, rook f2 and c2, right?
But it seems like it should be also white for white.
Maybe the white knight can hold the gate somehow.
Oh, yeah, maybe knight b3 is slightly more accurate.
Qd2, Qc6.
Looks fine.
Okay, so Qa7.
Does that beautiful knight finally move?
No, knight c5, black rook gets the d2.
You don't d2, yeah, that's a...
I mean she has to try Qa7, otherwise she just resigns, otherwise the pawns just promote.
I think Qa7 is a must, but maybe after Qa7 you know what I go.
I was thinking to go RxA2.
We wanted it earlier, that never looks good.
And if Qe7...
Qe7, just A7.
Just A7 and Qe7.
Yeah.
I mean, there was already great defense with the queen on c6, but now there's a double
defense with two of the queens.
That's your second documentary, the queens of chess.
Okay, this is good enough.
Has to be queen a7, but rook a2 looks efficient.
Yeah, there we go, 20-7 on the board, and there needs to be flashy here for Bidazara.
She'll try and find the cleanest way without any counterplay with her 10 minutes.
She doesn't want a nasty surprise, so Rukichi looks very sensible.
I could see anything against that, bishop d4, maybe bishop d4.
On rook a2.
B6 square, everything's lost so I'm just hunting some hopeful stuff.
If knight takes d4.
Yeah, I wanted to take with a queen and then after a knight.
a7 is a mistake to look d2? No. I was hoping, but apparently not. Probably a8 and Qf2, Qg2.
After all, Qf2 is good to have.
Even if it doesn't happen very often, we can do something with it.
helps having the extra damsel in the corner. Okay, so RK2 looks like it might be the cleanest way.
Game over. But BV Saray is very careful and of course it would be very unpleasant and annoying
not to win this game. Actually King g2 is also not bad. Just protect. Yeah, though after
that maybe rook b1 would be the defensive idea. But then maybe queen b7? I think queen
Qb7 and Qe4 takes, takes Bb5, c3.
Nice.
Bishop can't go away from b8.
I was wondering about Qb7 in the life position.
Maybe that will tempt her, but it's a little bit more calculation to be done.
But maybe actually it's not, wait, d8, Rk2.
I should play for Rk2.
Still winning this.
I was wondering about something like this, but Rb8 and it's not so easy to make progress.
Or knight a5, b8, and maybe here White can just do anything, take the slow away round.
Okay, she's played Rook a2, and I think she's...
Plan is b6.
She's got it.
Always helps having a nice easy plan when...
The black should be going f4, you know?
It's about time.
It was time to play that g5 h4 like 20 moves ago.
Yeah.
The g5 I wouldn't play because of queen f3 but f4 I take on g3 and let's go queen f7.
seven. Let's say I ignore everything. Watch it. P7 I take on B3. And then Rd2. Qd2.
Okay, I think I have this. It helps having two queens. But what do you mean? D1. Ah,
Checkmate, no, checkmate, Qg8, Qg5. We have to show that.
I win also the Queen, but it's checkmate also.
Yeah, I don't think I can take the Queen because of perpetual check, right?
So, like, if I take this Queen, it's a draw.
It's a draw by perpetual check, so it has to be this checkmate.
Four for the price of one this time.
Not bad finish, I must say.
Yeah, I don't think she should let it get this far like where it's kind of a narrow pass and has to be
triple checking all her calculations, but
Okay, that was if she allows everything
But what can you do to avoid it with white?
Yeah, good question. So f4
Okay, I want to play b6. I mean we can have five queens on the board this I understand
You know like takes a7, queen b3, a8, rook d2 takes takes, b7, d1, b8.
Whoa.
Okay, that's even, forget checkmate, who wants checkmate?
This is way cooler.
Oh, it's queens on the board, we managed, David.
I've seen four queens do that, like several times.
No, with me?
With me?
Me? You see five queens.
And I can't say it will be easy to get six
in the next four rounds.
Wow.
Didn't even know what emojis I can put on the board
for this, like crown.
There is no chest at where you can have really five queens.
That's true.
The GT always have one extra queen for both.
Beautiful. And white's still winning.
This is crazy.
It's just nice. It's just beautiful how one queen defends the other queen and the other
queen kind of saves herself.
Yeah.
It continues. I'm sad to get two queens off the board, but I'm assuming black, white just
dodges through.
King h2, Queen g2, saving!
Beautiful. Okay, I want this to happen, Judith. Like, no resignation, no messing around, just...
No, no, no, David, you get it with me to have five queens on the board.
I mean, I never had it in my games. Ah, look at that! f4!
f4!
I think, Judith, the only time I ever had five queens was when I was really, really,
really young and I didn't really know how to checkmate and then it's like you learn
how to promote.
Yes.
Yes.
And you start promoting every pawn, right?
Exactly.
And then still meeting your opponent.
Exactly.
That's like the under-eighths championship and, okay, I think we might get this, you know,
as you say like d6, okay taking g3 I didn't see any downside to it for black like might as well.
Queen f7 does white have anything else to avoid this? As you said earlier like
feels weird to try and avoid it now like a7 is the first thing we look at.
Yeah, it'll be funny for sure but anyway she's not going to make the five queens she will play queen
d5 what you showed which is class you have to go queen d5 and give checkmate
with the bishop down that style this one so four queens I think we'd still be
yeah we'll be accepting of four queens no that's a real stylish in d5 that's
the best. Yes there's a queen exchange defending d1 and if not okay. This is the cool ending.
Okay yeah I'm excited somehow now suddenly about this game it's looked over for so long but just
there's an artist in every chess player right Judith like winning is not enough we want to
We want to create something new every time we sit down at the board.
Well, I think Bibi Sara would be very happy if her opponent would just resign at this point.
I wouldn't. I would really much looking forward to have that ending.
What we've seen.
I agree. I would be very cool.
No stalemate ideas for luck.
No, but I have an idea. I take fsthg, fsthg and I go Qe7.
And e7 and if I push?
Bishop e5.
Oh, you're mating me. Mating me.
I have my own tricks.
I'll just show this.
Now three queens is too much for that.
You saw the bar?
In a fraction of a second it doesn't exist.
It's a race to the bottom, you have to show the checkmates, you have to show the checkmates,
but in that variation, we go back to Queenie, okay, so Queenie seven, let's say something
like this, Bishop g5, what's the easiest way for White to prevent this?
Is it just King to g2, Bishop g3?
I take Bishop g3, this is for sure.
I don't know if it's good or bad.
I'm taking on g3, this you can seal.
Probably white ignores that and makes a queen.
There's no squares you can check me on even apart from h2 with the black queen.
I'm going to get that, I guess.
But you know, even after queen h4 you could go wrong.
Probably if you would go give it a check with the queen on the a8 to the 7th, king h6.
For some reason it's also completely winning but why?
Maybe Qg6.
Oh wait, that's not clear.
No, you're right I think.
I think Qg6, no?
But Qg6.
Qg6.
And then the rook, Qg6.
Ah, oops.
I forgot, I thought you have to move your Q king to the fifth or seventh.
Yeah, okay, the game goes on check and
Maybe it's the petrol check the black King engage six. Yeah, okay, but that's not so how it's winning after King H6
Yeah, oh
No idea
Maybe black isn't giving mate. Maybe you like you can like
Quincy three, yeah
You must be joking
Just run. Run. Flourished run.
Rkf1, King e3.
Then Kf1, I take your queen.
That's true. Kf3.
For some reason I thought my queen was still an a8.
Okay, this won't happen, Judah.
I'm pretty sure this won't happen.
In that position now...
B6 and and so is thinking this would be the check to give
Something like this
And mate incoming
Okay
Eight minutes should be more than enough for the bizarre what about Queen f7 a7
One move is missing for black.
You know, if black could play f3 and queen f5.
Oh, that would be nice.
If I get b7, queen f5.
Maybe I should have rook a1.
True.
Yeah, just to show.
Against rook h1.
We'll keep showing it if white walks willingly.
Oops.
I like the resourcefulness, Judah.
But can we go to Divya's game? Because Divya is doing something very strange.
Whoa. Wait, what?
She's kind of maybe losing her phone.
And not just that, it's fine to lose that pawn as long as the A pawns are off the board, right?
Yes!
White can hold the king side but if you lose b6 and the black king is near the a3 pawn going hunting and
Oh dear
Okay, how does black pick it off not king c6 because of knight b4
Ship
Hmm, how does that get that pawn though
Well, let's say I go
Bishop e4, you go Knight b2, right?
And then Bishop c2, Knight c4, Knight c6.
What's black's next move?
Bishop b3?
Yeah, then I want to go like b7.
I'll take Knight d6.
Knight d6.
Maybe Black's the worst time for g5, but I'm sorry, I'm in this position.
Maybe she should go g5 in that job position.
G5, makes sense.
I don't like the fact, well firstly her time due to it, she's down at 1 minute for white, so this could easily spiral.
But I don't like the fact she's kind of holding things with tactics, like night forks are great and everything,
but it feels like she's trying to survive.
Should we backtrack and figure out where this went a bit wrong?
Maybe?
I think I should run badly.
Okay.
Yeah, because she could have made a draw.
Like knight d2 was played in the position we left it.
Very surprising to go knight d2 when he can go knight e5.
Same journey.
Just keeping the king on h7, knight d2.
Okay, I think you're right.
It's a3 b4 is the right idea but it looks like she after a4 didn't find a good plan here. She pushed
wow pushed b5. This really comes to mind. Yeah then bishop goes to b3 and king comes to e5.
Yeah maybe it's just too slow.
So this was the game or no?
It's similar.
She in this position before improving her knight she first won b5, b6, r4, knight c4,
king d7, this is how we got here, back to d3 and we have a move.
It's g5 like you said.
But actually I thought I thought I can go bishop e4 and after knight b2 go bishop c6.
Trying to come around but what's what's black's next move king b3 or h4?
King c5. King c5 I can take on a4.
Ah sorry no no no no no this is a misunderstanding.
I quite like g5. It asks the question at least. Maybe we can have a close-up. What do you think?
of the players, because we are going very close to the, Divya has no moves, yeah?
No time.
No time, but getting close to that draw, it's been a bit of a strange game.
Both players unclear whether they're playing for the win, unclear whether they're playing for the draw.
Turning, but always roughly in the balance.
Yeah.
Three.
This is where I can see John sweating, getting nervous, thinking this might suddenly be decisive.
That's not yet, even though it's one minute to 14.
Okay, Qe7 was played in the other game, so unlikely to be five queens, unfortunately.
Could still be four, but unlikely to be five.
But 3 most likely.
5.
5 would have been unique.
3 queens is like that.
3 queens is like that's every everyday thing.
Ok, King e3, what comes to mind for black here? Like f4 check.
King will go back to f2.
might be two. Okay, where would a black bishop go? We've discussed something here.
No, Bishop c2.
Bishop c2?
How does, how does Diffie draw here?
Is it just a case of waiting because Black might not be able to take the pawn without allowing some forks?
You mean you want to go knight c4 first and after that moving the king, right?
Yeah, all vice versa. Bishop b3 might be a threat.
Yeah, I was thinking about starting with the white king, but then bishop b3 cuts the knight out. So okay, Knight c4 check first.
Move from Divya, still at 1 minute plus.
Maybe we do allow this to continue. King c6 played.
Let's go to the other board because that variation you predicted has unfolded with the blackish
one e5 and apparently there's just one move to keep the advantage.
Blue arrow.
This arrow has time.
This is a verifiable blue arrow move, Judith.
But after King g2, what about playing Qf7?
Qf7.
And...
Rf2.
Yeah, Rf2 is the first instinct.
I was just wondering if you are meeting me, if I go a8.
So Rf2 would be the way to go.
And g2 is on the board.
Great move.
Great call from the Visara.
Now, Qf7, Qf2 is the solution. Let's just show this in g2.
What not to do would be to Q, because then it is checkmate.
Qh3.
Let's just zero counterplay, right? Qf7, Qf2.
came over she tries route D3 not a bad try I must say very good try I would I
would have a heart attack for a second if I wouldn't see this move coming now we
should have spotted that actually we were yeah Linus I was just so obsessed
with getting the Queen in that I forgot the rook can still move she's gonna make
Queen, that's three. Three queens on the board. Check. Okay, which squares are safe?
Judith? F1. Yeah, light squares. You know, Qf7, check. Rf2, I take on b3.
White called in the second.
Wyn B7, Bg7 back.
It's not funny.
I mean if I played with the white pieces I would just...
Okay, let's finish this.
I won already five times.
She has to win a sixth time or a seventh time.
f2 looks like the way block and Qxb3 now.
So what is the learning move?
What is the way forward?
Ah, you know what? Qb7, Bg7, Qg7.
Yeah, must be that, right?
But maybe that's the win.
Check. Yeah, let's show this.
I'm not sure it matters which...
Oh, wait.
Qc6 to d7.
Bg7, Qg7, and Qf8, Qf7.
Yeah, Qf8.
Yeah, better to go with this queen.
I was looking at the other queen as well.
I might have been winning too, but this is game over and there we go handshake
Givisare gets the win gets a tournament back on track moves to 50% taking down one of the joint leaders
and Zuzuna now will be behind by charlie heading into tomorrow
Great game jude that was very entertaining at the end there with all of the tactics
Very impressive stuff, but in the meantime drama on the other board because it's a mistake from divya
a small mistake apparently. Question mark given. G3 a very natural move though trying
to get more pawns off the board. Hard to fault that. Why is that not great? I think
her plan here is to just get rid of the whole king side then eventually give her a knight
up for the a pawn or yeah even just get the king over to the a1 square and give up her
knight for the king's eye point. But what happens on fxg3 king g3 bishop b3?
Let's put it on the board. Good question. Very good question.
Maybe h5 could be played before I play this. Okay, to try and stop white swapping. I think
that might be key because in the in the other line after bishop b3 here I'm sorry
knight e5, king g4 or h4 simply white starts swapping
black is maybe a bit slow the white knight should be able to give itself up
eventually for the a4 form okay big moment f6g3 the only way to play for
when I think that's also the most natural to start.
But it might be a win.
Yeah, the bars, the longer the computer thinks,
the more it thinks it's totally winning.
This could be a game ending Blunder from Divya.
That is harsh.
It feels like such a natural move.
Actually, it's just a race through that.
Like after fg3, king takes g3, h5,
like the only way white ever draws this now
is by racing over with the knight.
But in the meantime, Black's going to take on b6
just run with the king round and maybe it's just the case of being too slow.
Black will... Well let's see, 95, king b6, knight f3. Can you see 5? Not to play h4 first?
No, because white to push the king, yeah? Yeah, I kind of want to keep the pawn on a
square, I can protect it from the white king and then the a pawn will cost white
the knight and the h pawn is the one black wants to keep because it promotes on the
knight's square. They're just to protect.
H5 would be, well it's the only winning move to that, otherwise the draw is back in sight
for Divya, she can swap pawn.
At the same time, if she plays h5 there is a great chance that she's going to go all
the way and win the game. No, it's Bishop to B3, she misses the opportunity. Hard to blame
her but she had time, she had 10 minutes, Judith. You know how hard it is to feel the
crucial moment. Yeah, attention. Yeah, we can't blame her, like she didn't expect this
opportunity either but now Divya is closer. Still some work to be done for Divya.
Knight e5 and h4 to swap.
But why is that going to be a draw? Yeah I think it might be a case of the white
king running around when the black king does tonight. Yeah difficult decision.
Let's show a line here h4. Let's say black, does black take on h4? No, but here I think
you can take and in g4.
Yeah, the knight will go around. Oh, not that square. Never too late to blunder this.
Yeah, okay, it's just to be a bit careful. How does white go around?
I like that three check
They con G5 94
With the night. Yeah. Wow, we should be five mission D5. Look at that
dominate the night
And probably it's a case of like, yeah, yeah, yeah can black
Can Black take the point?
I think so, I'm thinking B2.
Yeah, Knights are terrible at the A and H pawns.
Okay, still flans, good fit for us.
What's your prediction Judith, who's going to win the game here?
Lekshia?
There's going to be two decisive results or three.
Divya does look nervous.
Well, you have good chances, I'm afraid.
I can see Jon Sveteh in the end.
Oh, knight to b2. That's such a passive square. Now h5. Surely she sees h5 now.
Stopping any exchanges on the king's side.
This one, it's like, unless she plays Kxb6 immediately,
if she stops and slows down and then she'll see h5. Yeah but there is also, yeah.
I think it's way more findable here than in the previous position. The previous position is so
natural to hit the knight and then take the pawn but now the knight's compassive.
But it's strange that she went this way. I mean the previous mistake g3, I think it is very
much possible but it happens but now after knight b2 h5 what do you do maybe
she wants to go no we see h5 is there
Divya will be falling to a defeat I think as well she needed to find h5
because if she'd taken on b6 white would have played h4 and it would have been
impossible for black to keep all the pawns on the board
draw. She's forced her opponent to find it but King f3. Okay. She thinks she can go King
b6, King e4 and go to f5. That's her plan. That's a good try. Okay, what else can Black
try other than King takes b6? The pawn's gone. If he was asking for a new pen, it looks like
Is it a new score sheet? It's a new score sheet. They're about to reach move 60.
So king e4.
Maybe just bishop c2 check. Oh, there we go. The blue arrow appears.
The white king can't approach the pawns. And the knight is actually trapped.
Wow.
Well, you should see too White has to go king d4, but maybe h4 then, h4, yeah, she comes
to f5.
Oh, she's, I think she feels that, I think she knows she's winning now.
Well, one minute on her clock, Divya is not having great chances.
But I believe Bc2 is the only move.
Yeah, otherwise, Kf5.
Yeah, the bishop c2, king e5, king b5, and the knight is completely trapped.
I guess she wants to put a knight in a passive square because she wants this knight takes
a 4 idea all the time.
The knight should be giving itself up for the other pawn, if anything, and the white
King needs to run over to the queen side. She'll find Bc2, nearly definitely but it's
just about what happens next. Can White fight any longer?
Then King d4 has to be the move in reaction to Bishop c2.
H4.
Let's show this. So Bishop c2 check. White king goes forward, it can never go around.
King b5, king c5. This is just a pass born that will run. So it has to be king to d4.
Now we're seeing h4.
Yeah, threatening this, but apparently that would blow the win.
So it's still not easy.
I guess the white knight is able to somehow go around and attack the pawns, maybe.
It can be five.
Maybe there's just no good squares.
But do you think that the Venn is bishop f5 instead?
Immediately capturing the pawn?
No, it cannot be.
No, the king's too near, surely.
Like, yeah, this comes with check and then white can play maybe h4 and then start running back. Maybe?
And with here he'll probably just knight c2.
What if black defends the pawn but then knight c4? Not so easy.
I don't really see what next now Bishop f5 isn't possible.
Well maybe g4.
Ah simply g4.
Takes and...
Ah but...
Oh yeah it's possible.
Knight e3 just g3.
Ah, but... okay, actually it's possible. 93 just G3.
Oh, wow. Maybe the white king just comes around and takes it.
Oh, this is nice. Wait. Oh, actually, I can't even win the knight.
I thought that maybe black could win the knight.
So how is it winning? That's the big question yeah. Bishop c2, king d4.
On king d4, h4, the knight c4 and knight d3?
Check, where's the king go?
King b5, knight d3 right?
Maybe or knight c6, knight f7. So how is it running after King d4?
What if Black just waits, like what's White's next move? Knight c4, right?
Bxc2, Kd4 on the board. Maybe Kc6. Yeah, I was going to say Kc6 is good. White will likely
play Nc4. And now Bf5. And now Bf5. Yeah, now that the knight no longer attacks a4
with a check. This is understandable. Can White do anything else? King c3.
But on King c3 I think, isn't it g4 and h4? No, because no, because the x and
knight d3. That's a bad against h1s we were saying, right? Just in time to stop.
But a few moves to go instead of g4 maybe just maybe just Bishop b3. Exactly and even the King will come.
or Kd4, yeah it doesn't seem like it's going to be Dundee, it's just Kd6 and as soon as
the white knight moves, it should be 6 for Wynne.
But Kc6 is not an easy move, but maybe not the only Kc6, maybe Kc7, basically just making
move it's important. Just go out from the check right? Yeah get out of this track
especially but also nice before track. So King moves. But it's not so easy. I'm
curious I'm gonna put this move on the board. King a7's winning as well. Any King move.
King a6?
King a6, winning.
She plays Kc7.
Wow.
King move.
Powerful move.
Great.
Great call.
I guess she didn't just didn't want to be checked, that's why not Kc6, but now I push
my fives.
Scary.
Smart decision.
And after King e5?
Maybe now she will make him see 6.
Why not?
Yeah.
White just doesn't have moves, right?
Knight see 4 then just...
Be5.
Knight e3 won't be a fortress forever.
In game 6?
Yeah.
In game 4.
dominated the night right. Well it's a very painful situation for Divya because
it was not necessary at all. Tough start to this second half losing yesterday as
as well. Yeah, she's playing very insecurely. Yeah, this game, she could have just wrapped
it up with a draw, like it could have been over probably in multiple ways, but. Oh, look
how many seconds she has, 15 seconds. We see the graph of the game as well, it's all gone
wrong just in the last few moves, but it's too late. Or is it, she needs to move, she
needs to move King, while she changed her mind she couldn't decide King e5 King d5
instinct taking over King to d5 and now the question is whether black can
stop pushing pawns
can black just play g4 h4 that's what I'm checking also g4 takes h4 and
And knight c4, bishop b3.
This is winning. The king's outside the square.
Can't get back in.
She's excited now, Goyeshkina. She's going to get her first win of the tournament.
She'll be leapfrogging Divya. She'll be up on 50% at this point.
I mean, she might fancy a chance this four rounds to go if she can pick up some...
Get on a streak, pick up some wins.
G4, h4. It's over.
She's so emotive at the board, expressive.
She kind of gave it away there.
The poker face disappeared just for a second.
Probably start with h4 as well.
Yeah.
H4.
That's probably an even simpler way.
Gorya Chikunatou won.
Can V5 made it a bit simpler for Gorya Chikunatou to win?
Yes, this is what I just wanted to say also, she watched the clock but she's just double
triple checking but she feels it that, okay, I got that.
She has two minutes, she can easily invest 1 minute 50 here, get the increments and as
long as she finds the key move that's it. G4 on the board. Divya knows. Nothing to be done, oh!
And the resignation from Divya Deshmukh, who actually kind of gets her first win of the tournament
moves up to 50% and that was the last game of round 10 here at the candidates. Judith that was
a bit of a rollercoaster towards the end but very instructive, the dominance of a bishop overnight
with pawns on both sides of the board. Absolutely, it was, well, it was a shocking ending, this game, I must say.
John?
You guys have done so, so well to not mention that David is feeling awfully smug right about now.
I'm still about 10 minutes ago. I thought, okay, two decisive results looking good, but
well played. David, you and the majority of chat got things right with three decisive
results today. The way we got that last one though, wow, it took several times of asking,
but we do get the full conversion there. Judith, talk us through this screen because
it really has been a bit of a roller coaster.
Well, absolutely. Bibi Sara won a very crucial game, not from her end, but to ruin to Ginez Torment a bit.
Of course, for the moment she can come back and there's going to be still a big fight, but Anna Mozicciuk could not win against Waishali, so that was an important draw.
draw and well the tournament is still going to be very exciting because Vaishali has only
half a point ahead even though it's a very very big treasure for her because she played
well in the last several rounds she won some very important games but she still has four
rounds to go the question is is she able to keep that lead and win the tournament and
And she was very close in Toronto, so she can win many games in a row, right?
This experience, we've seen her doing that.
Yeah, she definitely can.
And now having a sole leader of the tournament as well, suddenly there's a little bit more
shape, a little bit more pressure on the scoreboard as well.
We're looking forward to seeing how that changes things up in the open as well.
David, just the one decisive result today, although plenty of fighting throughout, I'm
I'm thinking Anishikaru in particular,
even though that's all square at halves on the board,
was actually quite fun to follow.
You know, fun games to follow, lots of fighting spirit,
but ultimately a great day for Cinderov.
He's the one who's emerging with a smile.
He's the one who's getting closer
to the finishing line now, one round closer,
but also a win is gonna feel like gold dust at this point.
And two points, it feels like an almost insurmountable lead.
tomorrow is going to be a huge date for him. If you can hold on now, just draw a couple
of games, he's almost there.
So getting to a point now where we are running out of time to catch and realistically anyone
trying to catch Cinder off at this point also has to hope that he gets bad results too.
Now there are some levers we can pull, Judith, I want to mention all hope is not lost. Cinder
off has to play Fappy again, for example, Cinder off has to, you know, there are these
big swings that mean this is not completely over, and Ishgiri still needs to play Sinder
off again. And if Sinder off loses both of those, suddenly it's all wide open. It just
doesn't look very likely because of how amazingly he's been playing.
Well, of course, I mean, it's a tournament, it's a competition. We still hope there is
going to be some excitement because there's huge drama has to happen, especially from
and at the same time, we can also hope that if there is no drama, maybe we can see some excellent chess by
Sindarov and maybe he can even get more pluses in the tournament. He's young, he's talented, he has his energy
and he wants to show it that he is not by chance qualifying to this tournament. He showed incredible performance
and today's victory, that was, I think, something very special, which he's very proud of and he has all the reasons to do so.
And David, before we close out, is it really just all over?
What are you looking forward to in the last couple of days of the candidates after the last rest day?
Ooh, I'm looking forward to seeing whether Cinderhoth can keep it up simply.
I'm looking forward to whether anyone can play the role of spoiler,
whether they can suddenly unleash something magical that,
well, it looks like something magical is needed to stop him at this point.
I think tomorrow is huge if Cinderhoth emerges unscathed,
if he doesn't fall to defeat, sorry, after the rest day,
then, yeah, he's...
Yeah, so tomorrow it's paddle.
So tomorrow he, yeah, he might not be,
he might not fall tomorrow, or he might,
but that'll be paddle rather than over the chessboard.
I need to correct myself as well.
There are two more rest days coming up actually.
So tomorrow is a rest day,
we're then playing chess on Saturday and Sunday,
and Monday is also a rest day.
So if you're planning potential long weekend around chess
and the candidates in particular,
Make sure to mark those down in your calendars.
But it's been a great day of games here
from the FIDE Candidates 2026, folks.
Thank you so much for joining us.
We hope you've enjoyed watching the games just as much
as we have enjoyed bringing them to you
from this side of the camera.
We look forward to welcoming you back to the broadcast
same time, same place, not tomorrow,
but the day after because it is a rest day tomorrow.
But on the weekend, we've got plenty more exciting action
from both the open and women's candidates.
Take care, everyone.
Stay safe wherever you are.
we look forward to seeing you on Saturday. Good night.
you