Gukesh takes sole lead in the Candidates with one round to go!

It's 23.15 at night here in Canada and I am sitting alone in the press room. I am overwhelmed with emotions. Overwhelmed with what life is bringing my way. As my video of Gukesh's vlog renders, as Amruta struggles to go back to sleep at 8.45 a.m. in the morning in India, as my team members try to edit game videos at rapid pace, I cannot keep my emotions to myself. And so I begin scribbling here! Be with me my friends and feel what I felt today!

I felt tremendous love and care from the 100+ people who turned up at the first ever meetup of ChessBase India at a park here in Toronto. I felt goosebumps as half of these individuals actually walked with me to the tournament hall and then chanted the names of players as they entered. I saw a 17-year-old boy deliver under pressure. When I see Gukesh play chess, I see someone completely focused on the task at hand. Away from the world of noise, the world of expectation and the world of achievements. He plays chess, because chess is what he knows. It's the best way he can express himself.

As Alireza resigns the game and Gukesh takes sole lead in the tournament, the image of the first time I interviewed Gukesh runs through my mind. 30th of November 2017. 11-year-old Gukesh beats his opponent and becomes the under-11 national champion of India. In my interview with him he tells me "I want to become the youngest World Champion ever in the history of chess!" Almost every little talent I interview, tells me something like this. But Gukesh was and is special.

I bring back my attention to Gukesh. 8.5/13 at the FIDE Candidates 2024. Half a point ahead of some legends like Nakamura, Nepo and Caruana! Didn't Magnus Carlsen also have the same score in 2013? Wasn't it the start of a new era when he won the London Candidates? Wow, are we on the cusp of another era beginning in chess?

I try to control my emotions. Tomorrow is a big day. Hikaru will come with all the ammunition he has got in the house to unload it on Gukesh. The American GM will also have the white pieces. Caruana will also try and squeeze the life out of Nepo. Technically 4 people have chances to win the title. If Gukesh wins, there are no questions. He is the champion. But if Gukesh draws, and Fabi or Nepo win, then we have tiebreaks on the 22nd of April 2024. The funny thing is that because Gukesh won, now there cannot be more than 2 people in the tiebreaks, no matter what the scenario.

Will Guki really become the Challenger to the World Title? If that happens wouldn't he have an upper hand over Ding Liren in the match? If the match does happen in November 2024 and Gukesh wins it, wouldn't he become a World Champion at 18.5 years? Will the match happen in Chennai? Will we get to witness the magic unfold in front of our eyes.

Stop dreaming Sagar! As I end this write up and zip up my jacket to walk down to my apartment in 5 degree celsius cold, I have a smile on my face! The dream could become real. I cannot contain my excitement! How will I sleep tonight? Maybe I need to learn a thing or two about discipline. Sure! Gukesh is my inspiration here as well! :) - Sagar Shah

Gukesh scorches Firouzja, emerges sole leader, moves closer to winning Candidates 2024

FIDE Candidates 2024 is poised for an exciting finish. D Gukesh scored a fantastic win to emerge sole leader 8.5/13 heading into the final round. Alireza Firouzja (FRA) is the sole player to beat Gukesh at this event. The teenager is obviously not going to let it slide easily. His defiance in accepting a subtle draw offer via repetition was a firm show of his determination. Firouja floundered in a difficult endgame. Gukesh had no trouble seizing his opportunity. He will face Hikaru Nakamura (USA) in the final round. Gukesh is just a win away from securing a match for the World Championship. However, a draw could also be enough provided Fabiano Caruana (USA) and Ian Nepomniachtchi draw their final round battle. Round 14 starts today at 2:30 p.m. local time, 12 a.m. IST. Photos: FIDE/Michal Walusza

ATTACK LIKE A SUPER GM WITH GUKESH!

Dommaraju Gukesh is leading the Candidates Tournament 2024 before the final round - he's just 17 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. These test positions include Gukesh's wins over Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura. IM Sagar Shah sits together with Gukesh and asks him relevant questions that will help you gain a lot of critical insights.

Today, we have a huge 15% discount on Attack like a Super GM with D. Gukesh! Just use the coupon code "GUKESH15" to avail the discount. The offer expires on 28th April 2024 - make sure to get it now!

LATEST NEWS OF THE WEEK

Women's Candidates 2024 R13: Vaishali topples Tingjie, wins four in-a-row

GM Vaishali won her fourth consecutive game in Round 13 of FIDE Women's Candidates 2024. GM Tingjie Lei (CHN) made two blunders in a relatively balanced queen endgame. Vaishali had no trouble capitalizing on her opportunity. After losing four games in-a-row, winning the next four is definitely commendable when the field is so strong. Her win ensured GM Zhongyi Tan (CHN) gain a full point lead and the Women's World Championship crown remains in China for the foreseeable future. Zhongyi needs a draw in the final round against GM Anna Muzychuk (UKR) to become a clear champion. Round 14 starts today at 2:30 p.m. local time, 12 a.m. IST. Photos: FIDE/Michal Walusza

Leon Luke Mendonca wins Spring Chess Classic 2024

GM Leon Luke Mendonca defeated GM Christopher Woojin Yoo (USA) in the final round to win Spring Chess Classic 2024 A. GM Abhimanyu Mishra (USA), Leon and GM Mikhail Antipov were the three leaders 5/8. Leon was in a must-win situation and he needed the remaining two results to go in his favor. That is exactly what happened as both Abhimanyu and Antipov drew their respective final round games. GM Samvel Ter-Sahakyan (ARM) and Abhimanyu scored 5.5/9 each to finish second and third respectively. GM Aryan Chopra was the only other Indian in Group A. He scored 4.5/9 to finish fifth. GM Harshit Raja scored 5.5/9 to finish as the runner-up in Group B. This is Leon's second triumph in 2024 after he won Tata Steel Challengers 2024 early this year. Photos: Crystal Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club

Khelo Chess India Fundraiser: A Significant Step with Chess Enthusiasts

The ChessBase India initiative, "Khelo Chess India," launched in the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal, has successfully organized over 30 rapid and blitz tournaments during the past 16 months. Our aim is to continuously organize high-level chess events to boost the momentum of chess in Madhya Pradesh. However, organizing chess tournaments has become a greater challenge than before. In recent times, the number of classical tournaments has rapidly declined, prompting ChessBase India to plan for International FIDE-rated tournaments in Madhya Pradesh. The plan is to host these tournaments four times a year to fill this gap. In this endeavor, we aimed to make these tournaments accessible to a wider audience by minimizing entry fees. To achieve this, during the FIDE Candidates Tournament, Hindi Chessbase India Live Commentary, renowned comedian Samay Raina and ChessBase India Head Niklesh Jain, appealed to the audience, resulting in the collection of a total amount of ₹1,07,760. This marks the beginning of a new chapter. In line with this series, the first tournament will be held from June 4th to June 9th. Read this article for a detailed insight into this plan.

Aronyak Ghosh dominates 3rd Matrix Cup Rating Open 2024

The highest rated IM of India - Aronyak Ghosh scored an unbeaten 8.5/9 to win 3rd Matrix Cup Rating Open 2024. He finished a half point ahead of the field. IM Neelash Saha and Shreyash Singh scored 8/9 each. The defending champion, Neelash secured second place, Shreyash third according to tie-breaks. Aronyak defeated the eventual second runner-up Shreyash and drew with the runner-up Neelash. The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹851000. The top three prizes were ₹101000, ₹75000 and ₹50000 along with a trophy each respectively. This is Aronyak's second consecutive tournament triumph of the year. Less than a week before this event, he won 43rd National Team Open 2024 for RSPB A. Photos: FM FT FA Prasenjit Dutta/Matrix Chess Academy