The Free Press Journal

Gukesh to clash with Caruana

- PTI /

Indian Grandmaste­r D Gukesh will have his task cut out when he takes on top seed Fabiano Caruana in the 11th round, hoping to consolidat­e his position at the top as the Candidates chess tournament heads towards its final phase here.

The 17-year-old Gukesh is in joint lead with Russia's Ian Nepomniach­tchi.

Among other Indians, 18year-old R Praggnanan­dhaa will be up against resurgent American Hikaru Nakamura after a rest day.

With just four rounds remaining, it is a level-playing field for the two Indian teenagers while Vidit Gujrathi has kept himself in reckoning and only needs to finish well.

Nepomniach­tchi, the only unbeaten player so far, is playing under the FIDE flag and has a tough opposition to tackle in the next two rounds.

Gujrathi meets Nepomniach­tchi in the next round followed by Praggnanan­dhaa and these two matches will probably set the tone of the tournament and might just be pivotal to deciding the next world championsh­ip challenger. For Gukesh, the clash with Caruana is going to be crucial as the Indian has white pieces. If he is able to press for advantage, the onus will be on Caruana to prove his detractors wrong.

The Italian-turned-American is competing in his sixth Candidates tournament in a row but has only won it once.

Gukesh will probably train his eyes on beating the lowestplac­ed Abasov in the 12th round, provided he gets past Caruana unscathed.

Set to play against the Azerbaijan­i with black, Gukesh will surely go all-out for a victory even as Abasov has been super solid with his white pieces.

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