CHESS BY MARK RUBERY

The 2024 Fide Candidates Tournament which concluded last week in Toronto Canada was one of the most exciting events ever held to determine who will challenge for the world championship and was won by the youngest competitor, India’s 17 year old Gukesh Dommaraju.

1st Gukesh 9/14 2nd-4th Nakamura, Nepomniachtchi and Caruana 8,5 5th Praggnanandhaa 7 6th Vidit 6 7th Firouzja 5 8th Abasov 3,5

In the final round the pairings were perfectly timed with the top four facing each other-three of the most experienced elite players just half a point behind the young Indian GM. Needing to win, the world’s favourite chess streamer, Hikaru Nakamura, could not dent Gukesh’s solid Queen’s Gambit Accepted and when only the kings remained was the draw agreed. That left Caruana needing to push home his significant advantage against the thus far undefeated Nepomniachtchi to force a play-off, but he lost his way against the Russian’s tenacious defence and had to settle for the half point on move 109. Therefore later this year Gukesh will face the Chinese World Champion, Liren Ding, in what will be the first world championship match not to include a European player.

Whilst the event was all about taking first place the players were not ungenerously rewarded for their efforts with Gukesh receiving R2,250,000 and the 2nd-4th places each earning R1,600,000 …

In the second round Vidit ended Nakamura’s 47-game unbeaten streak with some potent opening preparation …

Nakamura,Hi (2789) – Vidit,S (2727) [C65] FIDE Candidates 2024 Toronto CAN (2.2) 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 0–0 6.0–0 d6 7.h3 Ne7 8.d4 c6 9.Bd3 Bb6 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.Nxe5 (11 Re1 is plausible but capturing the pawn looks innocent enough …) … Bxh3!

12.Nc4 (12.gxh3 Qb8! a strong if unlikely continuation 13.Bf4 (13.Nf3? Qg3+ 14.Kh1 Qxh3+ 15.Nh2 Rad8 16.Qf3 Rxd3 with an extra pawn and a better position.) 13 ... Bc7 regaining the piece with at least equality)

… Bg4 13.Qc2 Bc7 14.e5 Nd7 15.Bxh7+ Kh8 16.Bd3 b5 17.Ne3 Nxe5 18.Be2 f5 19.f4 Bb6! 20.Kf2 (20 fxe5 Nd5) … Nd5! 21.Rh1+ Kg8 22.fxe5 Qg5 23.Ke1 Bxe3 24.Bxg4 Qxg4 25.Bxe3 Nxe3 26.Qe2 Qg3+ 27.Kd2 Rad8+ 28.Kc1 Qg5 29.b3 Nf1+ 0–1 as the fork on g3 decides matters

The Women’s Candidates played at the same venue in Toronto was won convincingly by Tan Zhongyi of China with 9/14. She will challenge her compatriot, Ju Wenjun, for the world title, in 2025.

Chess is a fairy tale of 1001 blunders-Saveilly Tartakower