TWIC is 31. First issue 17th September 1994.12th Sinquefield Cup 2025 (4)
Caruana takes a clear lead in the Sinquefield Cup after beating Abdusattorov in Round 4
Mark Crowther - Friday 22nd August 2025
Caruana beat Abdusattorov in Round 4. Photo © | https://saintlouischessclub.org
Fabiano Caruana survived a scary opening to beat the out of form Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Caruana now leads alone on 3/4, half a point clear of Aronian and Praggnanandhaa. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave outplayed Gukesh for a few moves in the middlegame but missed the final killer blow and the game finished in a draw. Wesley So was better almost throughout against Alireza Firouzja, 30...f5?! was definitely an inaccuracy and rather than agree to a repetition So should have played on with 32.Kd2 (or subsequently this deviation when they repeated). The games Levon Aronian against Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Praggnanandhaa against Sam Sevian were quiet draws.
Round 5 pairings: Duda-Gukesh, Caruana-So, Sevian-Abdusattorov, Firouzja-Aronian, MVL-Praggnanandhaa
Round 3 highlights
Fabiano Caruana played a slightly rare variation of the Queen's Gambit and walked into a huge attack from Nodirbek Abdusattorov. After 17...hxg5? (17...b5 is about equal) white was clearly better and had a long term attack. Abdusattorov played the tempting 19.Bxg6? and whilst maybe even better for him it made his life very complicated, he had the simple 19.Kb1 just neutralising black's only counterplay and a straightforward attacking scheme. As it was the position was double edged but about equal. The key moment came with 25.Bf5? which loses almost immediately, 25.Nh4! was the only move and equality. After that Caruana played 25...Rh8! (25...cxb2 also wins) and Abdusattorov had no attack whatsoever and resigned 10 moves later.
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Gukesh played a very complicated Queen's pawn opening. 27.fxe4 was the start of difficulties for Gukesh and 29...Nf5! was very tricky and can only be met by 30.e5+ which closes the g-file. As it was MVL winning but 31.cxb3 missed the chance, 31...Rg8+ was winning, the key moment coming a few moves later 31... Rg8+ 32. Kh2 Rf2 33. Bf3 c3! 34. Rac1 c2 and white can't play 35. Kg1 because of 35..Rxf3. The game was drawn on move 56.
| 12th Sinquefield Cup Saint Louis (USA), 16-29 viii 2025 | cat. XX (2750) | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 1. | Caruana, Fabiano | g | USA | 2784 | * | ½ | . | . | . | . | 1 | . | ½ | 1 | 3 | 2953 | |||
| 2. | Praggnanandhaa, R | g | IND | 2779 | ½ | * | . | ½ | . | . | . | 1 | . | ½ | 2½ | 2848 | |||
| 3. | Aronian, Levon | g | USA | 2737 | . | . | * | ½ | ½ | . | . | . | ½ | 1 | 2½ | 2823 | |||
| 4. | Sevian, Samuel | g | USA | 2683 | . | ½ | ½ | * | . | ½ | . | ½ | . | . | 2 | 2759 | |||
| 5. | Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime | g | FRA | 2736 | . | . | ½ | . | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | . | . | 2 | 2756 | |||
| 6. | So, Wesley | g | USA | 2745 | . | . | . | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | . | ½ | . | 2 | 2727 | |||
| 7. | Firouzja, Alireza | g | FRA | 2766 | 0 | . | . | . | ½ | ½ | * | . | 1 | . | 2 | 2747 | |||
| 8. | Gukesh, D | g | IND | 2776 | . | 0 | . | ½ | ½ | . | . | * | . | 1 | 2 | 2742 | |||
| 9. | Duda, Jan-Krzysztof | g | POL | 2725 | ½ | . | ½ | . | . | ½ | 0 | . | * | . | 1½ | 2671 | |||
| 10. | Abdusattorov, Nodirbek | g | UZB | 2771 | 0 | ½ | 0 | . | . | . | . | 0 | . | * | ½ | 2447 | |||
| Round 4 (August 21, 2025) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Praggnanandhaa, R | - Sevian, Samuel | ½-½ | 29 | D32 | Tarrasch Defence | |
| Aronian, Levon | - Duda, Jan-Krzysztof | ½-½ | 39 | D32 | Tarrasch Defence | |
| So, Wesley | - Firouzja, Alireza | ½-½ | 35 | B12 | Caro Kann Advanced | |
| Gukesh, D | - Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime | ½-½ | 56 | D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | |
| Abdusattorov, Nodirbek | - Caruana, Fabiano | 0-1 | 30 | D35 | QGD Exchange | |
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