[Event "FIDE Candidates 2026"]
[Site "Pegeia CYP"]
[Date "2026.04.11"]
[Round "11.1"]
[White "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Black "Sindarov, Javokhir"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Crowther, Mark"]
[ECO "A14"]
[EventDate "2026.03.29"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. d4 dxc4 7. Ne5 Nc6 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. Nxc6 Qe8 10. Nxe7+ Qxe7 11. Be3 Nd5 12. Qc1 Rb8 13. Nc3 Nxe3 14. Qxe3 Rxb2 {[#]} 15. Rab1 $146 (15. Rfb1 Rb6 16. Nd5 Rxb1+ 17. Rxb1 Qd6 18. Nc3 h6 19. Rb5 Rd8 20. Rc5 Bb7 21. f3 Bd5 22. Qe5 Rd7 23. Qxd6 cxd6 24. Rc8+ Kh7 25. Kf2 g5 26. e4 Bb7 27. Rxc4 d5 28. Ra4 Rc7 29. Ra3 Rc4 30. Ke3 a5 31. exd5 exd5 32. Kd3 Ba6 33. Ke3 Bb7 34. Nb5 Ba6 35. Nd6 Rc6 36. Nxf7 Rc2 37. Nxg5+ hxg5 38. f4 Bc4 39. Rxa5 Rc3+ 40. Kd2 Rd3+ 41. Kc2 gxf4 42. Rxd5 f3 43. Rf5 Kg6 44. Rf4 Ra3 {0-1 Theodorou,N (2646)-Eljanov,P (2682) Bundesliga 2526 Germany 2025 (6.1)}) 15... Rxb1 16. Rxb1 a6 17. f3 {This was the first move that was new. Caruana made it up over the board.} Bd7 18. Kf2 Bc6 {Sindarov knew the basic setup he wanted.} 19. d5 $1 Bd7 20. Rb7 Qd6 21. Ne4 Qxd5 22. Rxc7 e5 (22... h6 {was the main alternative Sindarov considered but he spotted a serious problem with it.} 23. Rc5 Qa8 24. Nf6+) (22... Rc8 {was Nepomniachtchi's first reaction in commentary and he's just correct.}) 23. Qc5 Be6 (23... Qxc5+ 24. Nxc5 Bc8 (24... Bh3 {this isn't a move a human would think of.})) 24. Qxd5 Bxd5 25. Nc3 {This isn't a very pleasant position now.} Be6 26. Rc5 f6 27. Rc6 {Sindarov confessed to having missed this idea.} Kf7 $6 (27... Bc8) 28. Rxa6 Rb8 {Going for counterplay but Sindarov was very worried he was lost here.} 29. Ra7+ Kg6 (29... Kf8) 30. Re7 Rb6 {Sindarov was extremely relieved to see this. He felt he should get enough counterplay now.} 31. g4 $6 (31. h4 $5 {The engine suggestion.}) (31. Ke1 {was Svidler's post-game suggestion helping to control the Rook counterplay.}) 31... h5 32. gxh5+ Kh6 33. Ke1 Bf5 34. Rc7 Be6 35. Kd2 Rd6+ 36. Kc2 Rd7 {Sinadov realised he could take rooks off safely.} 37. Rc6 Bf7 38. a4 Ra7 39. Kb2 Kxh5 40. Ka3 Rb7 $1 $11 {Precise and equal.} 41. Nb5 Kg5 42. Rc5 Kf4 43. a5 Ke3 $1 44. a6 Rb6 45. a7 Ra6+ 46. Kb4 Be8 $1 {The only move.} 47. Rc7 Kxe2 48. Nc3+ Kxf3 49. Rxg7 e4 50. Re7 f5 51. Rxe8 Rxa7 52. Rf8 Rh7 53. Rxf5+ Kg2 54. Nxe4 Kxh2 55. Nf6 Rc7 56. Rc5 Rxc5 57. Kxc5 c3 58. Ng4+ $1 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2026"]
[Site "Pegeia CYP"]
[Date "2026.04.11"]
[Round "11.2"]
[White "Giri, Anish"]
[Black "Esipenko, Andrey"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Crowther, Mark"]
[ECO "D31"]
[EventDate "2026.03.29"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. e3 O-O 7. Nf3 c5 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. Be2 Nc6 10. O-O Be6 11. Qa4 h6 12. Rfd1 $146 (12. h3 Qe7 13. Rfd1 a6 14. Rac1 Rfc8 15. Qc2 Na5 16. Qb1 Nc4 17. Nd4 b5 18. Bf3) 12... Qb6 13. Qb5 a6 14. Qxb6 Bxb6 15. Na4 Ba7 16. Bd6 Rfc8 17. Bc5 Bxc5 18. Nxc5 Ne5 19. Rac1 Ned7 20. Nd3 Kf8 21. Nd4 Ke7 22. f3 Ne8 23. Kf2 Nd6 24. g4 g5 (24... Rxc1 25. Rxc1 Rc8 26. Rd1 Nb8) 25. h4 $1 Nc4 (25... a5 26. Ra1) 26. Rh1 Nce5 {White is pushing a little bit.} 27. Nxe5 Nxe5 28. Rcd1 Rh8 29. Kg3 Nc6 30. Nxe6 (30. f4 $1) 30... fxe6 31. f4 Rag8 32. fxg5 $6 {The game is dead equal.} (32. Bd3) 32... hxg5 33. hxg5 Ne5 34. Rxh8 Rxh8 $11 35. e4 dxe4 36. Rd4 Rg8 37. Rb4 b5 38. Rxe4 Rxg5 39. a4 Nf7 40. axb5 axb5 41. Rd4 Nd6 42. Kf2 Rc5 43. Ke3 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2026"]
[Site "Pegeia CYP"]
[Date "2026.04.11"]
[Round "11.3"]
[White "Nakamura, Hikaru"]
[Black "Wei Yi"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Crowther, Mark"]
[ECO "A14"]
[EventDate "2026.03.29"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. d4 dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. a4 Bd7 9. Qxc4 Bc6 10. Bg5 Bd5 11. Qc2 Be4 12. Qc1 Nc6 $1 13. e3 h6 14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. Nbd2 Bd3 16. Rd1 Nb4 17. Qc3 a5 18. Nb3 $146 (18. Nc4 Bxc4 19. Qxc4 c6 20. h4 Rc8 21. Rac1 Qe7 22. Nh2 h5 23. b3 b6 24. e4) 18... Be4 19. Rdc1 (19. Nxa5 Rxa5 20. Qxb4 Qa8 $1 {is Wei Yi's point.}) 19... Nd3 20. Rd1 Nb4 21. Rdc1 Nd3 22. Rd1 Nb4 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2026"]
[Site "Pegeia CYP"]
[Date "2026.04.11"]
[Round "11.4"]
[White "Praggnanandhaa, R.."]
[Black "Bluebaum, Matthias"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Crowther, Mark"]
[ECO "C42"]
[EventDate "2026.03.29"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nd3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Nf4 d5 7. d4 Be7 8. Qf3 $146 (8. Be3 c6 9. Bd3 Na6 10. a3 Nc7 11. f3 c5 12. b3 b6 13. O-O O-O 14. Qd2) 8... c6 9. Bd3 O-O 10. h3 Na6 11. Bxa6 bxa6 12. Nd3 a5 13. O-O Ba6 14. Re1 Re8 15. Bg5 Qb6 {[%eval 168,16] [%wdl 962,38,0]} (15... Bxd3 $14 {[%eval 47,19] [%wdl 74,925,1]} 16. Qxd3 Qc7) 16. Ne5 $1 $18 Rac8 17. Re3 Qxd4 18. Rae1 {[%eval 37,19] [%wdl 46,953,1]} (18. Qf5 $1 $18 {[%eval 181,20] [%wdl 980,20,0]} h6 19. Bf4) 18... h6 $14 19. Nd7 Nxd7 20. Rxe7 Rxe7 21. Rxe7 Ne5 22. Qe3 Qb4 23. Qxe5 hxg5 24. b3 (24. Qxg5 $6 Qxb2 25. Qd2 Ra8 $15) (24. Rxa7 $5 Bb7 25. Ne2 $11 (25. Qxg5 $2 Qb6 $19)) 24... Rf8 25. Rc7 Qb6 26. Na4 $40 Qb5 {[%eval 92,18] [%wdl 377,623,0]} (26... Qb4 $14 {[%eval 32,20] [%wdl 13,987,0]}) 27. Kh2 Qb4 28. c3 Qa3 29. Rxa7 Bb5 30. Nb6 Qxa2 {[%eval 106,18] [%wdl 594,406,0]} (30... Qc5 $1 $11 {[%eval 14,23] [%wdl 4,995,1]} 31. Qe3 Qxe3 32. fxe3 Rb8) 31. Qe3 $1 $16 Qxb3 {[%eval 203,16] [%wdl 999,1,0]} (31... d4 $16 {[%eval 107,20] [%wdl 606,394,0]} 32. cxd4 Qe2) 32. Nd7 $1 $18 Rc8 33. Ne5 $1 Re8 $2 {[%eval 459,16] [%wdl 1000,0,0]} (33... d4 $16 {[%eval 126,23] [%wdl 842,158,0]} 34. Qxg5 Bc4 (34... dxc3 $2 35. Nxf7 Qxf7 36. Rxf7 $18)) 34. Qf3 $2 {[%eval 0,47] [%wdl 1,997,2]} (34. Rxf7 {wins.}) 34... d4 $1 $11 35. Nxf7 Rf8 36. Nh6+ gxh6 37. Qe4 Bd3 $1 38. Qe5 Rf7 39. Ra8+ Rf8 40. Ra7 Rf7 41. Ra8+ Rf8 42. Ra7 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Women Candidates"]
[Site "Pegeia CYP"]
[Date "2026.04.11"]
[Round "11.1"]
[White "Goryachkina, Aleksandra"]
[Black "Vaishali, Rameshbabu"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Crowther, Mark"]
[ECO "D02"]
[EventDate "2026.03.29"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c3 e6 4. Bf4 c5 5. e3 Qb6 6. Qb3 Bd7 $1 {[%mdl 4] is more profitable than 6...c4 at the moment.} 7. Nbd2 Be7 (7... Bc6 8. Be2 Nbd7 9. h3 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. Rfc1 Rfc8 12. a4 a5 13. Qa2 Qd8 14. b3 b6 15. Rc2 Qf8 16. Rd1 Bd6 17. Ne5 Bb7 18. Bb5 Qe7 19. Ndf3 Nf8 20. Bg5 h6 21. Bh4 Ng6 22. Nxg6 fxg6 23. Bd3 g5 24. Bg3 Bxg3 25. fxg3 Nd7 26. Rf2 e5 27. Bf5 e4 28. Bxd7 Qxd7 29. Ne5 Qe6 30. Rf7 Ba6 31. Rd2 Rf8 32. Rdf2 Rxf7 33. Rxf7 Rf8 34. Rxf8+ Kxf8 35. Qd2 Ke8 36. b4 axb4 37. cxb4 {1-0 Erigaisi,A (2799)-Abdusattorov,N (2777) Tata Steel India Blitz Kolkata 2024 (2)}) 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O Rc8 10. Ne5 Be8 11. Bg5 {[#]} Nc6 $146 (11... h6 12. Bh4 Nc6 13. f4 cxd4 14. Qxb6 axb6 15. exd4 Ne4 16. Nxe4 Bxh4 17. Nd6 Rc7 18. Nxe8 Rxe8 19. Bb5 Ra8 20. a3 g6 21. g4 Nxe5 22. fxe5 Kg7 23. Rf3 Rf8 24. Kg2 f6 25. exf6+ Rxf6 26. Rxf6 Kxf6 27. Kh3 Kg5 28. Rf1 Re7 29. Bd3 e5 30. Bxg6 exd4 31. Rf5+ Kxg6 32. Kxh4 dxc3 33. bxc3 Re3 34. Rxd5 Rxc3 35. Rd6+ Kg7 36. Rxb6 Rxa3 37. Rxb7+ Kg6 38. Rb6+ Kg7 39. Rb1 Kg6 40. Rg1 Ra2 41. h3 {½-½ Aronian,L (2775)-Duda,J (2740) Miami FTX Crypto Cup rapid 2022 (2.4)}) 12. f4 Na5 13. Qxb6 axb6 14. f5 h6 15. Bh4 exf5 16. Rxf5 Nc6 17. a3 Bd8 18. Raf1 Nxe5 19. Rxe5 Bc6 20. Ref5 Rc7 21. h3 Rd7 22. Bg3 Bc7 23. Bxc7 Rxc7 24. Re5 Re8 25. Rff5 Rxe5 26. Rxe5 g6 27. dxc5 (27. c4) 27... bxc5 28. c4 $1 Kf8 29. cxd5 $1 Bxd5 30. Bc4 $2 {[%eval -348,16] [%wdl 0,0,1000] White's rook has lacked mobility for some time, now it gets trapped.} (30. a4 $15 {[%eval -44,20] [%wdl 0,975,25]}) 30... Bc6 $1 $19 31. Rxc5 b6 32. Rxc6 Rxc6 33. Bb5 Rc2 34. Nc4 Nd5 35. b3 Rc3 36. Ba4 Nxe3 37. Nxb6 Rc2 38. Bb5 Rxg2+ 39. Kh1 Rb2 40. Nd7+ Ke7 41. Nc5 Kd6 42. Nb7+ Kd5 43. b4 Ke4 44. Nc5+ Kf3 45. Bd3 f5 0-1

[Event "FIDE Women Candidates"]
[Site "Pegeia CYP"]
[Date "2026.04.11"]
[Round "11.2"]
[White "Lagno, Kateryna"]
[Black "Muzychuk, Anna"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Crowther, Mark"]
[ECO "E15"]
[EventDate "2026.03.29"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Bxd2+ 6. Qxd2 Bb7 7. Bg2 O-O 8. Nc3 d5 9. Ne5 Nbd7 10. O-O Qe7 11. Qc2 Rfd8 12. Rad1 c5 $146 (12... c6 13. Nxd7 Rxd7 14. cxd5 cxd5 15. Rc1 Rc7 16. Qd2 Qd7 17. Rc2 Rac8 18. Rfc1 Ne8) 13. cxd5 exd5 14. Nxd7 Rxd7 15. Rfe1 Re8 16. e3 h6 17. b3 Red8 18. Bh3 Rc7 19. Nb5 Bc8 $1 20. Bg2 (20. Nxc7 Bxh3) 20... Rc6 $11 21. Qb2 Bg4 22. Rc1 a6 23. Nc3 cxd4 24. exd4 Qc7 25. Ne2 Bxe2 26. Rxc6 Qxc6 27. Qxe2 Re8 28. Qd2 Rxe1+ 29. Qxe1 $11 Qc2 30. h3 a5 31. Qe5 Qc1+ 32. Bf1 Qc6 33. Bd3 g6 34. Be2 Qe6 35. Bf3 Kg7 36. Kg2 Qxe5 37. dxe5 Nd7 38. Bxd5 Nxe5 39. f4 Nd3 40. a3 Ne1+ 41. Kf2 Nc2 42. a4 f5 43. Ke2 Nb4 44. Bc4 Kf6 45. Ke3 Ke7 46. Kd4 Nc6+ 47. Kd5 Nb4+ 48. Kd4 Nc6+ 49. Kd5 Nb4+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Women Candidates"]
[Site "Pegeia CYP"]
[Date "2026.04.11"]
[Round "11.3"]
[White "Zhu, Jiner"]
[Black "Divya, Deshmukh"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Crowther, Mark"]
[ECO "B30"]
[EventDate "2026.03.29"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. O-O Bd7 5. Re1 a6 6. Bxc6 Bxc6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Rc8 (8... e5 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. c4 Be7 11. Nc3 Nf6 12. Be3 O-O 13. h3 h6 14. Rb1 a5 15. b3 Qc8 16. Qf3 Qe6 17. Rbd1 Rfd8 18. Rd3 Rd7 19. Red1 Bf8 20. Qe2 Rb7 21. Bc1 a4 22. Nxa4 Rxa4 23. bxa4 Qxc4 24. Re1 Rb1 25. Rdd1 Qxa4 26. a3 Rb8 27. Qd3 Re8 28. Qf3 Re6 29. Bb2 Re8 30. Bc1 Re6 31. Bb2 Re8 32. Qd3 Rb8 33. Bc1 Re8 34. Qf3 {½-½ Pranav,V (2641)-Durarbayli,V (2612) Titled Tuesday intern op 17th Mar Chess.com INT blitz 2026 (4)}) 9. c4 g6 $1 {9...g6 is better than 9...Nf6.} 10. b3 Nf6 11. Nxc6 Rxc6 12. Bb2 Bg7 13. Nc3 O-O 14. Nd5 e6 15. Nb4 Rc8 16. Qf3 {[#]} Qe7 $146 (16... Qa5 17. Nd3 Qh5 18. Qf4 Qg4 19. Qe3 b5 20. cxb5 axb5 21. h3 Qh4 22. Qf3 d5 23. exd5 Nxd5 24. Re4 Qg5 25. Bxg7 Kxg7 26. Nb4 Rc1+ {½-½ Cornette,M (2548)-Karason,A (2253) ISL-chT 1415 Reykjavik 2014 (6.3)}) 17. Rad1 Rfd8 18. h3 Ne8 19. Bxg7 Nxg7 20. Qc3 Qc7 21. a4 Qa5 22. Qd2 Ne8 23. Nc2 Qxd2 24. Rxd2 Kf8 25. Red1 Ke7 26. Ne3 h5 27. h4 Nf6 28. f3 Nd7 29. Kf2 Nc5 30. Rb1 Rc6 31. Ke2 Rcc8 32. a5 Nd7 33. Kd3 Ne5+ 34. Kc3 f5 35. exf5 gxf5 36. f4 Nc6 37. Re1 Kf7 38. Nc2 d5 39. cxd5 Rxd5 40. Rxd5 Ne7+ (40... exd5 41. Nd4 $17) 41. Kb2 $1 Nxd5 $15 42. g3 Rd8 $2 {[%eval -3,31] [%wdl 1,997,2]} (42... Rg8 $1 $17 {[%eval -80,20] [%wdl 0,787,213]} 43. Nd4 Rxg3 44. Nxe6 Kf6) 43. Ne3 $11 Nb4 44. Kc3 Na2+ 45. Kb2 Nb4 46. Kc3 Na2+ 47. Kb2 Nb4 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Women Candidates"]
[Site "Pegeia CYP"]
[Date "2026.04.11"]
[Round "11.4"]
[White "Tan, Zhongyi"]
[Black "Assaubayeva, Bibisara"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Crowther, Mark"]
[ECO "B30"]
[EventDate "2026.03.29"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Bb5 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. e5 dxe5 7. Bxc6+ bxc6 8. O-O c4 $1 9. Re1 Qc7 10. h3 (10. dxc4 f5 $15) 10... cxd3 11. cxd3 Nh6 12. Nxe5 $1 Nf5 13. Bf4 Qb7 $1 14. Qa4 $146 (14. Na4 f6 15. Nf3 O-O 16. d4 g5 17. Bh2 h5 18. Re4 Qd7 19. Qc2 Rf7 20. Rae1) 14... O-O 15. Qxc6 Rd8 (15... Nd4 16. Qxb7 Bxb7 17. Nd7 Rfe8) 16. Ne4 Nd4 17. Qc4 Ne6 {1.28/19} (17... Qd5 $11 {-0.05/21}) 18. Bg3 {0.09/20} (18. Nc6 $16 {1.28/19} Re8 19. Be5) 18... Rd4 19. Qc1 Rd5 20. Nc3 Rd8 21. Na4 Bd7 22. Nc5 Nxc5 23. Qxc5 Be8 24. b3 Rac8 25. Qe3 Qa6 26. Bh4 f6 27. Nc4 e5 (27... g5 $5 28. Bg3 $8 e5 $11) 28. f3 Rd4 29. Bf2 Rcd8 30. Red1 Bf7 31. Qe2 R4d7 32. Rac1 Bf8 33. Rc2 Qb5 34. Kh1 a5 35. Be1 Bb4 36. Bxb4 axb4 37. Nb2 Qa6 38. Rdc1 Qxa2 39. Na4 $1 Qa3 40. Nc5 Rd4 41. Ne4 Kg7 42. Rc6 Rxd3 43. Nxf6 Qa7 44. Qxe5 Rd1+ 45. Kh2 Qd4 46. Ng4+ Qxe5+ 47. Nxe5 Rxc1 48. Rxc1 Bxb3 $11 49. Rc7+ Kf6 50. Nc6 Rd2 51. Nxb4 h5 52. Na6 Ra2 53. Rc6+ Kf7 54. h4 Bd5 55. Rc7+ Ke6 56. Nb4 Ra4 57. Nxd5 Kxd5 58. Rg7 Rxh4+ $2 {4.61/15 Black is now lost.} (58... Ke5 $11 {0.00/37}) 59. Kg3 $18 Rh1 60. Kf4 $1 Ke6 61. Rxg6+ Kf7 62. Ra6 $2 {0.02/40 It's back level again.} (62. Rh6 $1 $18 {5.02/22} h4 63. g3) 62... Rg1 63. g3 Kg7 64. Ra5 Kh6 65. Rf5 Rg2 66. Rg5 Ra2 67. Re5 Rg2 68. Re1 Kg6 69. Re8 Kg7 70. Re5 Kh6 71. Rg5 Ra2 72. Rg8 Ra4+ 73. Ke3 Ra3+ 74. Kf2 Ra2+ 75. Kf1 Rb2 76. Re8 Kg5 77. Re5+ Kg6 78. Re2 Rb3 79. Kg2 Kf5 80. Ra2 Rc3 81. Ra6 Rb3 82. f4 h4 $1 83. Ra5+ Kf6 84. gxh4 Kg6 85. Rg5+ Kh6 86. Rg3 Rb4 87. Kf3 Kh5 88. Rg8 Rb3+ 89. Ke4 Rb4+ 90. Ke5 Rb5+ 91. Ke6 Rb6+ 92. Kd5 Rb5+ 93. Kc4 Rb1 94. Kd5 Rb5+ 95. Kc6 Rb1 96. Rg5+ Kxh4 97. Kd6 Rb4 98. Ke5 Rb5+ 99. Kf6 Rb6+ 100. Kf5 Rb5+ 101. Kg6 Rb6+ 102. Kg7 Rb4 1/2-1/2

