The Week in Chess

The 24th European Women's Championship takes place Thu 18th Apr to Tue 30th Apr 2024 in Rhodes, Greece. Top seeds: Yuliia Osmak, Marsel Efroimski, Bella Khotenashvili, Dinara Wagner, Antoaneta Stefanova, Lela Javakhishvili etc

The Dutch League took place 16th September 2023 to 20th April 2024. Kennemer Combinatie had already won the league before this weekend's final round.

The 14th Karen Asrian Memorial takes place in Yerevan Wed 24th Apr to Thu 2nd May 2024. The event returns after missing last year. Top seeds Manuel Petrosyan, Zaven Andriasian, M Pranesh etc.

Tan Zhongyi will challenge Ju Wenjun for the World Chess Championship in 2025. The 32 year old player was not the favourite for the event but her confident play dominated with only a round 8 loss to her closest challenger Lei Tingjie as a blemish in the event. In the final round Tan played a very sharp Sicilian against Anna Muzychuk. Tan secured a big advantage but steered the game to the draw she needed. Lei needed a win and played an amazing Queen sacrifice against Humpy Koneru. Eventually her... Читать дальше...

Dommaraju Gukesh won the FIDE Candidates at the age of 17 years old. He comfortably held a draw against Hikaru Nakamura in the final round of the event. Fabiano Caruana built up a winning position against double defending champion Ian Nepomaniachtchi but a blunder on the first move after first time control allowed a draw and Gukesh's victory. Gukesh should play Ding Liren later in the year for the World Title. Ding seems to have had some kind of personal crisis since taking the title and has hardly played... Читать дальше...

Tan Zhongyi could not ask for a better chance to win the Women's Candidates in Toronto going into the final round. Tan hardly played the most critical continuation against Aleksandra Goryachkina but a quiet game suited her and a draw by repetition was agreed on move 29. She now leads the Lei Tingjie by a point with no-one else able to catch her. Tan faces Anna Muzychuk with the black pieces in the final round, Muzychuk hasn't won a game yet, although she generated enough chances to have been in contention. Читать дальше...

Dommaraju Gukesh is on the verge of victory in the FIDE Candidates tournament in Toronto. A win in the final round with the black pieces against Hikaru Nakamura would guarantee first place. Half a point behind is his opponent Nakamura as well as Fabiano Caruana and Ian Nepomniachtchi who face each other. Gukesh could well win the event with a draw, the other players need a win. There could also be a two way tie, this will be resolved by rapid followed by blitz, if necessary.

Gukesh beat 20-year-old... Читать дальше...

Tan Zhongyi continues to lead Lei Tingjie by half a point going into the final rest day of the Women's Candidates tournament in Toronto. They are too far clear of the rest of the field, one of these two players will win the event.

Tan Zhongyi was losing against Nurgyul Salimova. By move 25 Tan was in a very uncomfortable position and tried to break out tactically with 25...b6? but this made things worse. Salimova's 43.f6?! (43.g6!) was a step in the wrong direction but she restored her winning position only to play 50.Bxf7? (50.Nxb4... Читать дальше...

The FIDE Candidates in Toronto, Canada has reached the final rest day. With two rounds to go three players, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Gukesh and Hikaru Nakamura lead with 7.5/12 half a point clear of Fabiano Caruana, one of these players will win the event. There will be day of tie-breaks on Monday if required, although I'd rather there be a clear winner. Intriguingly pairings include Nepomniachtchi-Nakamura in round 13 and Nakamura-Gukesh and Caruana-Nepomniachtchi in the final round.

Nepomniachtchi... Читать дальше...

Tan Zhongyi took sole lead of the FIDE Women's Candidates with 7.5/11 after beating Kateryna Lagno in a Reti. Lei Tingjie managed to draw against Anna Muzychuk and is half a point behind. With three rounds to go Kateryna Lagno, Humpy Koneru and Aleksandra Goryachkina are all on 5.5 points, realistically it's between Tan and Lei for the title.

Tan played a Reti System, 13...e5 from Lagno could have been met by 14.Nxe5 with advantage but instead a roughly balance position was arrived at. 27.Rc5? Читать дальше...