Remaining spots in playoffs to be determined in Thursday’s decrease bracket matchups
The group stage of the Esports World Cup started on Wednesday in Paris, with 16 gamers competing for 8 locations within the playoffs. Chess is making its second look on the occasion, which runs from 11 to fifteen August at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles and presents a complete prize fund of $1.5 million. Magnus Carlsen is the defending champion, having received the inaugural chess competitors final 12 months.
The gamers are divided into two teams of 8, with 4 opponents from every group advancing. Every group follows a double-elimination bracket, with matches consisting of two video games at a ten+0 time management. If the rating is tied, an Armageddon sport decides the match. Each gamers bid for Black’s time; the decrease bidder receives the black items and draw odds, whereas White begins with 10 minutes and should win.
Group A: Firouzja and Abdusattorov qualify
Alireza Firouzja and Nodirbek Abdusattorov turned the primary two gamers from Group A to safe locations within the playoffs. Each received their opening two matches on Wednesday, though they reached that end in markedly alternative ways.
Firouzja wanted Armageddon in every of his matches. He first confronted Wei Yi after which Arjun Erigaisi, with each two-game encounters ending degree. On every event, Firouzja submitted the decrease bid for the deciding sport, took Black with draw odds and succeeded in qualifying by way of the higher bracket.
Abdusattorov had a extra easy route. The Uzbek grandmaster scored two 2–0 victories, first in opposition to Pranesh Munirethinam after which in opposition to Jan-Krzysztof Duda. 4 wins from 4 video games secured his place in Friday’s playoffs with out requiring a tiebreak.
The opposite six gamers in Group A stay concerned within the double-elimination bracket. Wei, Arjun, Pranesh and Duda all suffered defeats in opposition to one of many two qualifiers, whereas Benjamin Bok and Nihal Sarin are additionally nonetheless in rivalry. Thursday’s lower-bracket matches will decide which two of them be a part of Firouzja and Abdusattorov within the subsequent stage.
Group B: Carlsen and Nakamura advance
In Group B, chess superstars Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura received each of their matches. Carlsen defeated Andrey Esipenko and Hans Niemann by equivalent 1½–½ scores, successful the primary sport with white in every match after which drawing the second to safe development.
Nakamura adopted the identical scoring sample, although his victories got here with the alternative color. He beat Alexey Sarana and Denis Lazavik 1½–½, scoring his decisive wins with black. The outcomes ensured that each Carlsen and Nakamura may bypass Thursday’s lower-bracket play and transfer instantly into the playoffs.
One of many extra notable incidents of the day got here within the match between Niemann and Ian Nepomniachtchi. Their upper-bracket quarterfinal went to Armageddon, with Nepomniachtchi taking part in black and subsequently needing solely a draw. He got here near attaining that end result, however a blunder on transfer 48 allowed Niemann to seek out an instantaneous tactical win.
It looks as if Black is totally misplaced, however 48…Kg8 right here results in a drawn place. After 49.Nxg5 Rb1+ 50.Kf2 Rb2+ 51.Qxb2 Black grabs the queen with 51…Nd3+ (diagram), resulting in an equal knight endgame.
Within the first diagrammed place, Nepomniachtchi performed 48…Kg7??, although, when the essential line proven above now not helps Black, because the queen captures the rook on b2 with test!
Dealing with the Sicilian doesn’t need to be difficult. The Alapin Variation (1.e4 c5 2.c3) presents a easy but extremely efficient resolution to all main Sicilian traces, by sidestepping them with 2.c3. Whether or not your opponent performs the Najdorf, Taimanov, or Dragon, the Alapin helps you to take management of the sport as early as transfer two.
Free video pattern: Introduction
Free video pattern: 2…g6
Nepomniachtchi reacted by placing the desk in frustration, with the decisive mistake apparently brought on by a mouse slip.
Niemann nonetheless went on to lose his subsequent match to Carlsen, leaving him among the many gamers who should proceed by way of the decrease bracket. Esipenko, Sarana and Lazavik are additionally nonetheless alive, alongside Nepomniachtchi and Sina Movahed. Two of these six gamers will ultimately accompany Carlsen and Nakamura into the playoffs.
The 8-player playoff stage begins on Friday and continues on Saturday, once more utilizing a double-elimination knockout format however with longer matches.
