The Week in Chess

Nodirbek Abdusattorov and D Gukesh have a half point lead over Anish Giri and Praggnanandhaa going into the final rest day. There are three rounds left and it's still all to play for.

Nodirbek Abdusattorov had black against Max Warmerdam in a Queen's Gambit Accepted. Yesterday's shocking turn around may well have still been affecting Warmerdam. After 13 moves the game was equal, 23.Ne2 was a clear error in a slightly worse position (23.Nd2) beautifully exploited by Abdusattorov with 24...f4! but the position remained a mess and 31..Bf5? was an error allowing white back into the game with 32.Qe3 and even be better after 35.Bxe4! and then a further blunder 39...Rd6? (39...e4!) left Warmerdam winning at first time control. 42.Nxb4 was a safety first move 42.Nc7 was the winner, then 43.Qb1? (43.Qe5!) brought the game level. Many moves later with an exposed King Warmerdam blundered in a difficult position with 67.Bc4? and lost a second game in a row from a winning position.

Alexander Donchenko rather overdid the aggression against Gukesh's Nimzo-Indian. 15.d5?! was dubious (15.0-0-0) and 16.h5? bad and after 22.Ne4? black was winning. It wasn't the quickest conversion in the world but Gukesh won in 57 moves.

Ian Nepomniachtchi beat Ding Liren in 36 moves. One would normally call this the game of the day but Ding's form is now so clearly wretched that it was not at all a surprise. 31...Rb8? (31...Qd5 was necessary) was just losing.

Anish Giri successfully defended an unusual Queen's Gambit against Alireza Firouzja. Santosh Vidit didn't get much against Praggnanandhaa's Bogo Indian and the game was drawn in 37 moves. Ju Wenjun got some winning chances against Parham Maghsoodloo. This was a Vienna Variation of the Queen's Gambit and Ju was better after 29...e4 30.Ne7, 34.Qc7 was an improvement over taking Queen's off and the game was eventually drawn by repetition. Wei Yi had the better of a draw against Jorden van Foreest.

Round 10 Standings 1st= Abdusattorov, Gukesh 6.5pts, 3rd= Giri, Praggnanandhaa 6pts 5th= Vidit, Nepomniachtchi, Wei Yi, Firouzja, Wei Yi 5.5 pts 9th= Ding Liren, Ju Wenjun, Maghsoodloo, Warmerdam 4 pts, 13th Donchenko, Van Foreest 3.5pts

Rest Day 25th Jan

Round 11 26th Jan 1pm Gukesh-Firouzja, Praggnanandhaa-Donchenko, Maghsoodloo-Vidit, Abdusattorov-Ju Wenjun, Wei Yi-Warmerdam, Ding-Van Foreest, Giri-Nepomniachtchi.