FIDE Candidates 2024

[sameerph]

Thanks, so looks like we will have 2 from either side at the candidates which is still quite good.

[Sin Hombre]

Gukesh won the last minute organized Chennai super GM tournament. So he is now in the lead for the FIDE Circuit spot and we might have 3 in the Candidates.

[Sin Hombre]

Fide candidates has started. All 3 in the open section and the 2 in the women's drew their first round.

[Sin Hombre]

Vidit beat Nakamura with black and Gukesh beat Pragg with black and are at 1.5/2. Vaishali lost and Humpy drew in the women's section.

Long way to go.

[sameerph]

Pragg beats Vidit in third round which was the only result of the this round, others ended in draws. Three players are now sharing the lead with 2 points each: Fabiano Caruana, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Gukesh D. Pragg and Vidit stand a half point behind.

In women, Pragg's sister Vaishali got a win, others ended with draws. Chinese Tan in lead with 2.5 points, Russian Goryachkina in second place with 2, Humpy and Vaishali third with 1.5

[prasen9]

Ranking wise, (live) Carauna and Nakamura are the favorites. But, in a tournament, anything can happen. Let us see. So, good upset by Vidit. If anything, that leeches points off Nakamura, which is a good thing.

[sameerph]

Today not a good day for us. Vidit and Humpy lost. Others ended in losses. In open section, Nepo at top with 3 out of 4 points, Gukesh joint second with Caruna at 2.5 , Prag with 2 points and Vidit at 1.5.

In women, Vaishali 2 out 4 points tied 3rd, Humpy at 1.5.

[Sin Hombre]

Today was a day of missed opportunities.

All 3 of Gukesh, Pragg and Vidit had winning chances and only Gukesh converted. With this, Gukesh joins Nepo in the lead at +2, Pragg is 0 and Vidit is -1.

[Sin Hombre]

Better day as Vidit and Pragg both converted their advantages and solid draw against Naka for Gukesh. All 3 had white for a second round running.

Gukesh is still in the lead with Nepo at +2, Pragg at +1 with Fabi and Vidit at 0 with Naka. The other 2 Alireza and Abasov are -3 and out of contention already. Tomorrow Vidit play Abasov with black, Gukesh plays Alireza with black and Pragg plays Fabi with black.

[Sin Hombre]

Terrible day for Indian sports. Gukesh had a slight positional and decent time advantage but somehow didn't pay attention to his own time and managed to blunder his way to a defeat. Vidit again had an advantage which he didn't convert. Pragg with a very steady draw with black against Fabi.

[sameerph]

Gukesh beats Vidit and with Nepo drawing his match, Gukesh is back in joint lead with Nepo at 5 points with Pragg and Nakamura at 4.5 points. I guess anyone can win among these 4.

In women, Humpy at 6th spot and Vaishali at 8th.

[sameerph]

Vidit had a good win over Nakamura in round 9, Prag and Gukesh drew with each other.

In round 10, Prag and Vidit drew with each other and Gukesh drew with Nepo.

So, after round 10, Gukesh and Nepo still in joint lead with 6 points, Prag with Nakamura and Caruna at 5.5 points, Vidit at 5 points clear 6th above the bottom 2 who are at 3.5 and 3 respectively.

With only 4 rounds to go it looks all open still between top 5.

[arjun2761]

Even #6 Vidit has an outside chance if he can win 3 of the 4 remaining games. Good luck to all 3 Indians in the Open section.

I think our 2 women are unlikely to win with one of the two Chinese players in the lead likely to win.

[prasen9]

What is the tie-breaker? Strength of opponents?

[Sin Hombre]

All the weaker players have completely collapsed in the last 2 rounds.

Vidit had a winning position against Nepo and then gave up his advantage in time pressure before the added time on move 40 and then blundered again to lose. Today, he was drawing against Fabi and then again blundered on move 40 in time pressure to lose.

Alireza lost to Nakamura today.

Abasov lost to Alireza yesterday and to Gukesh today.

Naka also won a tough endgame against Pragg yesterday.

All this means going into the final rest day after round 12/14, we have a 3-way tie at the top.

+3 - Nepo, Gukesh, Hikaru
+2 - Fabi
0 - Pragg
-2 Vidit
-3 Alireza
-6 Abasov

The 3 favourites are now in the race with Gukesh, Pragg in the middle zone, and the bottom 3 really starting to struggle now.

Gukesh has Alireza with white and Naka with black to finish. Naka has Nepo with black and then Gukesh. Nepo has Naka and then Fabi with Black in the final game. Fabi has Pragg with black and then Nepo.

Gukesh is the weakest player in rapid which is the tiebreak so will need a win against Alireza.