The Seventh spherical of the 2022 Candidates Match is over with Fabiano Caruana and Ian Nepomniatchi profitable to extend their lead on the remainder of the sector. Nepomniatchi is main the occasion with 5.5 / 8 with Caruana a half level behind. The #3 participant, Hikaru Nakamura, is 2 full factors behind the chief.
Every day, Lichess is offering a broadcast of the video games performed in real-time. We even have a collection of annotated video games by GM Nijat Abasov and video recaps by WGM-elect Jesse February.
Sport One: Rapport – Nepomniatchi 0 – 1
Nepomniatchi answered 1. e4 with the stable Petrov protection, one thing that appeared very out of character for him till he began doing it within the earlier candidates occasion. However, the sport erupted into what ought to have been temporary tactical fireworks that exhibit the saying “All sharp positions are drawn.” Surprisingly, Rapport performed the doubtful 19. f3 to keep away from a perpetual test and located himself in a worse place. Fabiano Caruana, who’s struggling to catch Nepomniatchi on the prime of the leaderboard, watched on in confused frustration. “It’s been identified for a decade …. If you happen to do go for it you’re taking a draw, as a result of after 19. f3 its worse for white” he later stated in an interview.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/450dtcgH/X7e1oAVw
Credit: FIDE/Stev Bonhage
Sport Two: Jan-Krzysztof Duda – Hikaru Nakamura ½ – ½
Duda guided a Nimzo-Indian protection to what seemed like a promising “good knight/unhealthy bishop” place, however Tremendous GMs don’t collapse so simply. Duda sacrificed a pawn briefly to attempt to push his benefit, however all he achieved for his bother was mass pawn exchanges and a draw rook endgame.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/OFBhwamI/9fJorPI4
Credit: FIDE/Stev Bonhage
Sport Three: Liren Ding – Alireza Firouzja ½ – ½
After discovering no pleasure with 1. d4, ding switched to 1. c4 and managed to discover a very good trying 2 rooks and knight ending for himself. If chess video games had been determined by judges, like boxing, he would have definitely taken the victory. Sadly, beneath present candidates guidelines checkmate is required. Ding was unable to make any significant progress on that entrance and the sport was given up for drawn on transfer 54.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/OFBhwamI/AiMPBfyy
Credit: FIDE/Stev Bonhage
Sport 4: Fabiano Caruana – Teimour Radjabov 1- 0
Maybe hoping to catch the famously properly ready Caruana on the fallacious foot, Radjabov performed the extraordinarily uncommon 2. a6 within the opening. I’m advised that is known as the “O’Kelly Sicilian,” though I don’t suppose it’s clever to present these kinds of openings a reputation. Much like cows on the slaughterhouse, assigning names solely makes it more durable to eliminate them later.
Presumably the trouble to get Caruana “out of e book” was profitable as he was 40 minutes down on the clock by transfer 11. Sadly for Radjabov, the scenario ON the chess board was not as rosy. Black’s growth lagged behind, and on transfer 14 Caruana received what seemed like a clear pawn.
The standard knowledge when up materials is to maintain issues so simple as potential, however 2800s generally have unusual concepts about what qualifies as difficult. The place transformed to an thrilling race to queen handed pawns after which an insane trying queen ending with each kings ominously unprotected. Fabi by no means appeared too fearful and the killjoy laptop evaluation confirms that there was by no means a lot occurring past white having a big benefit.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/450dtcgH/buIGuzqT
Credit: FIDE/Stev Bonhage
The Titled Enviornment.
Whereas not formally part of the world championship cycle, (anymore) The June Lichess Titled Enviornment deserves a point out and we attempt to use our weblog posts effectively. The occasion was received by GM Arjun Erigaisi who has been placing up some very spectacular outcomes just lately as he labored his method as much as the #3 rated Junior on the planet. The following Lichess Titled Enviornment will probably be on July 9.
