The Week in Chess

Nodirbek Abdusattorov took the sole lead of the Tata Steel Masters with two rounds to go. Abdusattorov beat Ju Wenjun in a Two Knights with 4.d3. Ju was fine out of the opening maybe 9...Nb4 (9...f5 or 9...Bf6) was the start of problems, it got pretty difficult for black quite quickly. After 20.Bb3 white was definitely pushing for a win, and after 23...Nxf7 black was clearly under pressure, 24.Qa2 (the computer prefers 24.dxe4) was a mistake according to the engine, although I think 24...Rd8! that's supposed to be better for black isn't easy to find or understand. 24...Qc6? (24...Kg8 is not quite as bad) loses and Abdusattorov mopped up to win in 34 moves. Parham Maghsoodloo lost to Santosh Vidit after the dangerous looking sacrifice 20.Bxh6 turned out not to work. Vidit now plays Abdusattorov with white in Round 12 and can catch him with a win.

Gukesh was winning according to the engine against Alireza Firouzja but time and complexity eventually led to a draw. 25...Nf4? is a mistake with 26.Rxd7 being preferred by the engine but Gukesh's 26.Qxd7 was also enough for a big advantage. Gukesh seemed to have found his way to the win but 31.Bh2? was a mistake that let Firouzja off with a draw, the reasonably obvious 31.Bxf4 Qxf4 32.Rd1 was winning.

Anish Giri had the better of a draw against Ian Nepomniachtchi. 22...Nxd4 seems like the start of problems for black but Giri tried to cash in too early and after 26.Rxd5? (26.Rce1 the obvious alternative is much better) the game was equal and drawn on move 31.

Wei Yi played very directly and aggressively against Max Warmerdam in a Bishops Opening. Warmerdam was doing fine for a while but he had to find the rather unobvious 16...a5, instead he played 16...Bxf3? which was losing without any real chance of resisting.

Ding Liren played 6.bxc3 instead of the usual 6.Qxc3 in the English Four Knights with 1...e5 against Jorden Van Foreest. Ding didn't get any advantage and the game was drawn in 25 moves.

Round 11 Standings: 1st Abdusattorov 7.5pts 2nd Gukesh 7pts 3rd= Giri, Vidit, Praggnanandhaa, Wei Yi 6.5pts 7th= Nepomniachtchi, Firouzja 6pts 9th Ding, Liren 4.5pts 10th= Donchenko, Ju Wenjun, Van Foreest, Maghsoodloo, Warmerdam 4pts

Round 12 Pairings Saturday 27th January 1pm: Firouzja-Nepomniachtchi, Van Foreest-Giri, Warmerdam-Ding Liren, Ju Wenjun-Wei Yi, Vidit-Abdusattorov, Donchenko-Maghsoodloo, Gukesh-Praggnanandhaa.