Tata Steel 12 - 28 Jan 2024

[Mick Norris]

Masters pairings

1:15 pm start today

Chess Mind

Van Foreest - Firouzja

Warmerdam - Nepomniachtchi

Ju Wenjun - Giri

Vidit - Ding Liren

Donchenko - Wei Yi

Gukesh - Abdusattorov

Praggnanandhaa - Maghsoodloo

[Mick Norris]

Chess Mind reports Round 1 and Round 2

Chess.com round 1 and round 2

[Mick Norris]

Round 1 - 4 black wins

Round 2 - 2 black wins and 1 white

Round 3 - black wins for Van Foreest, Ding, Abdusattorov and Giri

[MartinCarpenter]

They really are playing some very amusingly random chess

I'm not sure when I last saw a top player with the white pieces get mated almost mid board as per Gukesh in this round.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Only one White win from 21 games. That is extraordinary.

Interesting that Ding beat Gukesh (as Martin said, go look at the position).

Donchenko, Ju Wenjun and Maghsoodloo look like they may struggle.

Top five have yet to play each other.

[Mick Norris]

Giri and Firouzja lead on 2.5, but both have white tomorrow

Ding, Abdusattorov and Nepo have 2

[Mick Norris]

Round 3 reports chess.com and Chess Mind

Wei Yi (1.5) - Maghsoodloo (.5)

Ding Liren (2) - Praggnanandhaa (1.5)

Nepomniachtchi (2) - Donchenko (.5)

Firouzja (2.5) - Abdusattorov (2)

Giri (2.5) - Gukesh (1.5)

Van Foreest (1) - Vidit (1.5)

Warmerdam (1.5) - Ju Wenjun (.5)

[Mick Norris]

2 wins with white and only 1 with black; Giri leads on 3.5 going into the first rest day

[Matt Mackenzie]

Though the player who lost with White was the world champion, a major scalp for Pragg.

[Paul Cooksey]

I'm not sure if we can call it a scalp the second time! But Pragg passing Anand's Elo might be significant.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Its still the first time since Ding got the title. That's three classical losses for him as WC now.

[Mick Norris]

Today we have:

• Ju Wenjun (1) - Firouzja (3)
• Vidit (2) - Warmerdam (2)
• Donchenko (1) - Van Foreest (1.5)
• Gukesh (1.5) - Nepomniachtchi (2.5)
• Praggnanandhaa (2.5) - Giri (3.5)
• Maghsoodloo (.5) - Ding Liren (2)
• Abdusattorov (2.5) - Wei Yi (2.5)

[Matt Mackenzie]

Major shock in the Challengers as Roebers - who had hitherto not troubled the scorers - beats the previous leader Niemann.

Should have seem something similar in the top section with Ju crushing Firouzja - she is making hard work of it though.

[LawrenceCooper]

Major shock in the Challengers as Roebers - who had hitherto not troubled the scorers - beats the previous leader Niemann.

Should have seem something similar in the top section with Ju crushing Firouzja - she is making hard work of it though.

Interesting comment, Robert Hess & Jovanka Houska have been in awe about how well she has played the ending.

[LawrenceCooper]

Major shock in the Challengers as Roebers - who had hitherto not troubled the scorers - beats the previous leader Niemann.

Should have seem something similar in the top section with Ju crushing Firouzja - she is making hard work of it though.

Interesting comment, Robert Hess & Jovanka Houska have been in awe about how well she has played the ending.

1-0 confirmed.