Caruana retains six-point lead
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Fabiano Caruana maintained his six-point benefit over Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu within the title match of the Grand Chess Tour Finals after surviving a protracted second classical recreation on Wednesday. Their 95-move draw left the defending champion forward 9-3 going into Thursday’s concluding fast and blitz part.
After dropping the opening classical encounter, Praggnanandhaa had a chance to chop the deficit considerably, with a classical victory value six factors. Enjoying White, he opted for the sharp 11.Bf1, an thought seen earlier than within the opening however one which delays kingside castling.
Pragg initially obtained promising probabilities earlier than permitting a lot of his benefit to vanish. The sport later developed into an opposite-coloured bishop ending with rooks nonetheless on the board, the place White as soon as once more had life like successful prospects.
The place demanded appreciable accuracy, nonetheless, and Pragg let a number of alternatives go. Caruana defended for 5 and a half hours and finally secured the draw.
The title shall be selected Thursday, when the gamers contest two fast video games adopted by 4 blitz video games. The ultimate session begins at 19.00 CEST. With 4 factors out there for every fast victory and a couple of for every blitz win, Pragg nonetheless has sufficient factors out there to overturn the deficit.
The Fritz Powerbook 2026 comprises 25 tens of millions opening positions, derived from 1.7 million excessive class event video games. Along with every place all related data is saved: all strikes that had been performed within the place, by gamers of what common score, with what success and efficiency outcomes.
Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu and Fabiano Caruana battled for greater than 5 hours | Photograph: Lennart Ootes
Discussing traces after a marathon battle | Photograph: Lennart Ootes
So falters in king and pawn endgame
The second classical recreation between Wesley So and Vincent Keymer was significantly shorter. So, taking part in white, simplified on the first alternative, exchanging queens early and persevering with to commerce items till the draw turned easy.
Keymer had ready for the potential for So testing his Berlin Defence, however the recreation as a substitute entered a Marshall variation of the Ruy Lopez. As soon as the queens got here off, the remaining play proceeded rapidly, and at one stage Keymer had gathered extra time on his clock than he had in the beginning of the sport.
With each classical encounters drawn, the event rules referred to as for a bonus blitz recreation at a 5+2 time management, with 2 extra factors at stake. The gamers once more entered a Ruy Lopez, although this time the queens remained on the board for longer and the competition was extra substantial.
Neither participant established a transparent benefit earlier than the sport simplified right into a king-and-pawn ending. Below time strain, nonetheless, So went incorrect with 41.h4??, permitting Keymer to grab the opposition and convert his ensuing benefit.
As an alternative of pushing his h-pawn to the fourth rank, So would have saved the stability with 41.h3, 41.Kf3 or 41.Ke3. After the textual content transfer, there adopted 41…Kf6 42.Kg4 Kg6 43.Kf4 Kf6 44.Kg4 Ke5, making use of the opposition.
If White goes for the h-pawn without delay with 45.Kh5, Black will win the pawn race. There adopted 45.Kf3 d5 46.exd5 Kxd5 47.Ke3 Ke5, as Keymer retains the opposition.
48.Kf3 h5 49.Ke3 Kf5 50.c4 (50.Kd3 fails to 50…c4+ 51.Kd4 Kg4) bxc4 51.Kd2 Kg4 52.Kc3, and Black is just too fast on the kingside.
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The bonus victory offers Keymer an 8-6 lead earlier than Thursday’s closing session. The third-place match stays necessary as a result of its winner will earn automated entry to the 2027 Grand Chess Tour. Just like the title match, it is going to conclude with two fast video games and 4 blitz video games.
Vincent Keymer | Photograph: Lennart Ootes
Wesley So | Photograph: Lennart Ootes
