Candidates 2024: Gukesh joins the lead!

I am currently in Toronto for the Candidates 2024. 7 days have passed, and 2 rounds have been completed. While Caruana and Nakamura were pre-tournament favourites, two rounds into the event, already one of them doesn't look in great shape. Hikaru Nakamura lost to Vidit Gujrathi in round 2 and while Nakamura is known for his comebacks, it already feels this might not be an easy event for him.

Predictions based on past performances is definitely one of the most common ways to go about for an event like Candidates. For eg. Fabi had a great 2023 and so he is one of the favourites. Yet, I feel one of the key elements is how one has prepared for an event of this magnitude. Were you able to stay physically fit? Were you able to build a good team? Is everything happening fine in your personal life front? There are so many moving parts here.

As of now I do feel that Vidit is looking in good shape. His team is bonding well and you can see Vedika, Daniele and Surya making regular visits to the venue before and after the game.

That being said Tan Zhongyi is on 2.0/2 and she is here with Jeffery Xiong as her second and we haven't seen Jeffery even once in and around the playing venue! So for sure different things work for different players, but I feel the ones who will win this are the ones who feel in top shape both on and off the board.

Pragg's journey to the World Championship received a major setback when he lost a game to Gukesh. And so Pragg and Nakamura have to fight back and while it is not easy, they are ones who have excellent abilities in doing that because of their psychological strength. Caruana and Nepo do look in good shape, while Abasov and Firouzja who are on 0.5/2 need to really get their act together.

As I move towards the great hall for round 3, I am really excited as a chess fan. I am unsure who will win this. And as my experience as a chess journalist grows, I am beginning to appreciate more and more how much psychology plays a role in events like these! - Sagar Shah

3rd Menorca Open R7-8: Arjun Erigaisi outplays Aryan Chopra, grabs sole lead, now World no.5

GM Aryan Chopra drew against his coleader, GM Daniel Dardha (BEL) in 20 moves to stay in the lead 6/7. The top seed of 3rd Menorca Open 2024, GM Arjun Erigaisi showcased his fantastic positional understanding beating GM Pranav Anand and joined the above at the top along with GM Max Warmerdam (NED). Arjun outplayed Aryan in the penultimate round to grab sole lead 7/8. He is also now World no.5 in the live ratings. Arjun will face GM Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO) in the final round to determine the winner. Arjun eliminated Fedoseev at FIDE World Cup 2023. Later they drew at Qatar Masters 2023. Can Arjun continue his fantastic run and win the tournament? Round 9 starts today at 10 a.m. local time, 1 p.m. IST. Photo: Shahid Ahmed

ATTACK LIKE A SUPER GM WITH D. GUKESH!

Dommaraju Gukesh is currently world no.19 with an Elo of 2730 (April 2023). But the most amazing thing is that he is just 16 years old! How did the youngster manage to achieve so much at such a tender age? While Gukesh is a universal player, there are three qualities of his play that stand out - Attack, Calculation, and Imagination. In this Fritztrainer: “Attack like a Super GM” with Gukesh we touch upon all these aspects of his play, with special emphasis on how you can become a better attacking player. Gukesh explains his games in great depth, and questions are asked at the appropriate moment to help you understand the intricacies of the position.

Complete games are chosen so that you not only learn how to attack, but also how to build an attack. Games include Gukesh's wins over world-class players like Rapport, Abdusattorov, Sargissian, Jones and more. At the end of the Fritztrainer, you will find test positions that help you to reinforce the knowledge that you have gained by watching the videos!

Today, we have a big 10% discount on Attack like a Super GM by D Gukesh. Just use the Coupon code "GUKESH10" to avail the discount. The offer is valid till 14th April 2024 - so hurry up and get it now!

LATEST NEWS OF THE WEEK

Candidates 2024 R3: Praggnanandhaa's refreshing f5 takes Vidit by surprise

R Praggnanandhaa bounced back well in the third round of FIDE Candidates 2024. Despite him suffering a loss in the previous round and his opponent Vidit Gujrathi crushing Hikaru Nakamura (USA), the recent history was in favor of Praggnanandhaa. That gave the teenager the courage to unleash his surprise 4...f5 in the Ruy Lopez. The element of surprise definitely helped him as White needs to be well-prepared to refute it. D Gukesh outplayed Ian Nepomniachtchi. He just needed to find the right break in the endgame to score full point. It would have given him good chances. The remaining two games ended in draws. Round 4 starts today at 2:30 p.m. local time, 12 a.m. IST. Photo: Maria Emelianova/chesscom

Women's Candidates 2024 R3: Vaishali bounces back against Nurgyul

GM R Vaishali made a strong comeback in the third round of FIDE Women's Candidates 2024. After losing her second round game against GM Zhongyi Tan (CHN), Vaishali made a nice knight sacrifice to expose her opponent, IM Nurgyul Salimova's (BUL) kingside. There was no immediate win. However, it was certainly not easy to defend in a practical game. The Bulgarian could not manage to find a precise defense and eventually she succumbed. GM Anna Muzychuk (UKR) also was on the verge of a bouncing back after a loss in the previous round. Unfortunately, she could not find the precise winning continuation and the game ended in a draw. GM Koneru Humpy drew against the sole leader, Zhongyi to move to 1.5/3. Round 4 starts today at 2:30 p.m. local time, 12 a.m. IST. Photos: FIDE/Michal Walusza

Grand Chess Tour 2024: Arjun Erigaisi and Vidit Gujrathi named among 13 Wildcards

Grand Chess Tour 2024 season full tour participants names were revealed in February. In a Press Release, GCT announced 13 wildcard participants. Arjun Erigaisi and Vidit Gujrathi will be two Indians among the 13. The first event of the season is Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz 2024 which will take place in Warsaw from 6th to 13th May. It will feature four full-tour players and six wildcards including - Magnus Carlsen (NOR), Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL), Wei Yi (CHN), Arjun Erigaisi, Vincent Keymer (GER) and Kirill Shevchenko (ROU). Vidit will be seen in action at SuperUnited Croatia Rapid and Blitz in Zagreb from 8th to 15th July. It will feature seven full-tour players and three wildcards including Magnus, Vidit and Ivan Saric (CRO). A total of four Indians have been announced for GCT 2024 season. Whom are you rooting for? Photos: Grand Chess Tour

Magnus Carlsen wins GRENKE Chess Classic for the third time

Magnus Carlsen (NOR) defeated Richard Rapport (ROU) 1.5-0.5 in the Playoffs win GRENKE Chess Classic 2024. This is the third time Magnus won this in his career. His previous wins were in 2015 and 2019. In the first Playoff game, Rapport made a tactical error. Magnus had no trouble seizing his opportunity. The finish might have taken slightly longer but then again the time control is only 10' + 2". So time played a role in a prolonged finish. In the second game, Rapport had quite a few chances to deliver the equalizer. He missed them all and it ended up in a draw. Thus, the Artist finished second. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) defeated Vincent Keymer (GER) 2.5-1.5 in the Playoffs to finish third. Hans Niemann (USA) scored sole 8/9 to win the Open A. Photos: Angelika Valkova/GRENKE Chess Classic