Candidates Tournament 2020

[Thomas Rendle]

Very much didn't surprise Alekseenko though, looks like an interesting opening idea from him.

[JustinHorton]

Grischuk v Nepo drawn. Possible that the leader missed a little practical chance on move 26.

Giri absolutely wasted Wang in a classic Catalan performance.

[Mick Norris]

Giri has won

Nepo 5.5
Giri 5

[JustinHorton]

Move forty report: Ding had an absolutely massive position against MVL but thought he was finishing it off and he turned out to have missed something and instead having liquidated the best part of his advantage. Caruana turned down a promosing pawn grab earlier and is trying to win a rook ending that is likely to be drawn. Big moments.

[JustinHorton]

Caruana and Alekseenko draw

[Mick Norris]

Nepo 5.5
Caruana, Giri 5 with MVL looking like joining them

[JustinHorton]

Nepo of course has a win against Giri which will loom large if tie-breaks seem likely

[Mick Norris]

Nepo of course has a win against Giri which will loom large if tie-breaks seem likely

Yes, though he's lost to MVL, who in turn has lost to Caruana

Long way to go yet

[JustinHorton]

For sure, I was just thinking that from Giri's point of view that half-point gap may look a little bigger than that

[JustinHorton]

And MVL saves his bacon. "The kind of position you shouldn't come back from" (Carlsen). "He's really showcased all of his strengths and all of his weaknesses" (also Carlsen).

There were some fabulously difficult pawn endings available (but not played) at the end of that game and when I say fabulously complicated, I mean that Carlsen had to resort to the computer to find out what he was missing. OK this was after several hours in the studio but still.

[Nick Burrows]

For sure, I was just thinking that from Giri's point of view that half-point gap may look a little bigger than that

He also has black against MVL & Caruana. So he's gonna have to be rock solid and make the White pieces count. Possible, but difficult.

As it gets close to the wire, we don't know who's gonna do a Jan Van Der Velde.

[Paul Cooksey]

Being a pendant, I'd say Giri is most likely to produce artwork showing Dutch towns. (Nick means Jean not Jan )

[Mick Norris]

Being a pendant, I'd say Giri is most likely to produce artwork showing Dutch towns. (Nick means Jean not Jan )

[Mick Norris]

TWIC

Round 9 standings: 1 Nepomniachtchi 5.5pts 2 Caruana 5pts 3 MVL 5pts 4 Giri 5pts 5 Alekseenko 4pts 6 Wang Hao 4pts 7 Grischuk 4pts 8 Ding Liren 3.5pts

Round 10 pairings Wednesday 21st April 12pm BST: Caruana-Ding, MVL-Giri, Wang Hao-Grischuk Nepomniachtchi-Alekseenko.

[Matt Mackenzie]

MVL still seems to be in a bit of a slump.