Hikaru Nakamura, the USA’s world No 3 and popular streamer, has joined the leaders with a late surge of two successive wins as the Candidates in Toronto reaches its final three rounds (of 14) this weekend. Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi, winner of the last two Candidates, remains half a point ahead. The €500k tournament will decide which of its eight contestants challenges China’s Ding Liren for his world title later this year.
Leaders after 11 rounds (of 14): Nepomniachtchi (Russia) 7, Gukesh Dommaraju (India), and Nakamura (US) 6.5, Fabiano Caruana (US) 6.
Nakamura, 36, had lagged behind the front runners, Nepomniachtchi, 33, and Gukesh, 17, for most of the event, due to two costly defeats against India’s Vidit Gujrathi. Then the resilient American scored back to back victories in rounds 10 and 11 against the tail ender Nijat Abasov and the Indian 18-year-old Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu.
Nepomniachtchi, who won both the 2020-21 and 2022 Candidates, has the remarkable record of having led, alone or jointly, in all 39 rounds of the three events. This time his margin of superiority has been slimmer, but he remains the only unbeaten player. A 67-move marathon, during which Vidit missed wins at moves 34 and 37, kept him in front as the Candidates nears this weekend’s climax.
Gukesh has been the revelation of the Candidates, and is now in serious contention to become the youngest world champion in chess history, a record currently held by Garry Kasparov at age 22. He has excelled in complex positions at Toronto, and his best win featured his queen and rook infiltrating White’s queen’s side before his mating attack against the white king on the other flank.
The teenager had been considered an outsider due to his youth and his unstable performances in the months leading up to the event. At the London Classic in December, he finished third behind England’s Michael Adams. In Toronto his only loss has been an unlucky one against France’s Alireza Firouzja, where his subsequent despair was captured on video.
Caruana, 31, the world No2 and US champion, was the pre-tournament favourite, but has lacked sharpness at critical moments, and lost a key game to Nakamura in round eight . He is still not out of it, and has White in two of his last three games.
The race is close, and will very likely go to the 14th and final round on Sunday, or even to speed tie-breaks on Monday. Nepomniachtchi Is paired with Nakamura and Caruana in the final two rounds. Games start at 7.30pm BST on all days, and there is free and live coverage with grandmaster and computer commentaries on major chess websites as well as on the official channel.
The women’s world championship has been a Chinese monopoly since 2017, and is likely to remain so. With three rounds left in the women’s Candidates at Toronto, the Chinese pair have it between them in the race to find a challenger to the world title holder Ju Wenjun, Tan Zhongyi (China) leads with 7.5/11, ahead of Lei Tingjie (China) 7, Aleksandra Goryachkina and Kateryna Lagno (both Russia) and Koneru Humpy (India) 5.5. Three other women trail behind.
Tan scored the fastest win of the tournament in round nine when Vaishali Rameshbabu (India) blundered into defeat in just 21 moves. The opening is well worth a look as Tan secured easy equality with an unusual counter to the 2 c3 Sicilian, which is popular in English club chess and online games.
Puzzle 2568
Wesley So v Alireza Firouzja, Chessable Masters 2024. Black to move and win.
Click here for solution