The Week in Chess

Magnus Carlsen won his eighth Tata Steel Masters title (2008 shared - 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 and now 2022) by winning his fifth game of the event. Carlsen said he was very motivated today in his game against Fabiano Caruana who likewise was looking for a fight. This was Carlsen's final game of the tournament as he was due to play Daniil Dubov in the final round but who has tested positive for Covid-19. It not surprisingly seemed important to Carlsen that this tournament victory wasn't due to this default.

Caruana played a Rossolimo Sicilian with white but didn't get much and the game was equal after 19.Qa3 (19.c4!?) then after 26.f3 Caruana allowed the strong exchange sacrifice 26...Rxd4 which left black better, he compounded these problems by trading queens on move 30 after which he was pretty much busted. Carlsen brought the full point home in 49 moves.

After the game Carlsen said he was pleased with his play this year compared to the last two. He believed he'd generated winning positions in 9 games and converted 5 - he thought he should have at least converted a couple more of these chances but in general he was very happy - although he felt the standard of play this year was perhaps a bit lower than normal - something to be expected with over the board chess being so disrupted.

Sam Shankland crushed Sergey Karjakin in 26 moves. He said he got some "nice preparation in" although it was Karjakin who played the novelty and the whole line is - according to Ian Nepomniachtchi who tweeted as much during the game - drawish - but only with best play. Karjakin's 17...Qb7 was the start of a losing plan as 18...Qxb2 followed by 19...Bxf2+ looks suicidal, it might win a piece but black's exposed king proved fatal. After the game Karjakin said he missed the strength of 21.Qc7!

Vidit Gujrathi's poor second half of the event continued with a blunder of a piece costing him the game against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Mamedyarov played extremely provocatively and Vidit surely had chances to be better in a messy position, then he played 26.Qg4? threatening mate - this was met by 26...f5 not only stopping mate but also just winning a piece. There was no way back for Vidit although he struggled on for a bit.

Jan-Krzysztof Duda drew with Jorden van Foreest in an Anti-Meran in 44 moves. Van Foreest was close to winning after 32.Qc7? (32.Rd2=) 37.g4 (37.Bf7!) led quickly to a draw. Andrey Esipenko drew with Richard Rapport in a Berlin in 36 moves although it looked like Esipenko had good chances at one stage. Anish Giri drew with Nils Grandelius in 25 moves - Giri looked to have something until the poor 24.Qc6, he offered a draw a move later which was accepted. Praggnanandhaa got a win by default against Daniil Dubov.

Arjun Erigaisi today sealed victory in the Challengers section with a quick draw with Thai Dai Van Nguyen. Erigaisi started with 8/9 but after that made super sure there were no mistakes in winning the event and qualifying for the Masters next year. No doubt too his result and play will have been noticed and other invitations will follow, especially following the ringing endorsement of his play by Carlsen the other day.

Round 12 Standings Masters: 1 Carlsen 8½pts; 2 Mamedyarov, Rapport 7½pts; 4 Giri 7pts; 5 Esipenko 6½pts; 6 Karjakin, Vidit, Van Foreest, Caruana 6pts; 10 Duda, Shankland 5½pts; 12 Praggnanandhaa 4½pts; 13 Grandelius 4pts; 14 Dubov 3½pts;

Final Round 13 Two hours early at 11am GMT: Van Foreest-Shankland, Grandelius-Duda, Rapport-Giri, Praggnanandhaa-Esipenko, Mamedyarov-Caruana, Karjakin-Vidit.

Carlsen 1d-0 Dubov

Round 12 Standings Challengers: 1 Erigaisi 9½pts; 2 Nguyen, Bjerre 8pts; 4 Jumabayev 7½pts; 5 Van Foreest, Warmerdam, L'Ami 6½pts; 8 Murzin 6pts; 9 Ganguly 5½pts; 10 Maurizzi, Dardha 4½pts; 12 Shuvalova 4pts; 13 Vogel, Zhu Jiner 3½pts;