Match Info
The FIDE World Cup is among the most prestigious occasions of the chess calendar yr. It’s the largest knockout match and awards three Candidates spots to the primary three finishers. 206 gamers are enjoying the match, with every spherical solely rising in depth. The time management is 90+30 for the primary 40 strikes, with an additional half-hour after transfer 40. Matches are performed in units of two: first, a classical portion of two video games. If the consequence stays tied, the gamers play 15+10 video games, then, if nonetheless tied, 10+10 video games, then 5+3, then 3+2, and eventually, if nonetheless tied, a deciding Armageddon recreation.
Pairings for Spherical 2
The pairings for spherical 2 can be found right here.
Overview
The highest 50 seeds acquired byes and immediately certified for the 2nd spherical, the place they’ll face, by and huge, the score favorites of the first spherical, who barely skilled any upsets. The primary score upset occurred all the best way on board 28, the place 2402-rated IM Wang Shixu B bested 2620-rated GM Leon Luke Mendonca. When it comes to tiebreak upsets, IM Faustino Oro‘s defeated GM Ante Brkic, and GM Cristobal Henriquez Villagra was capable of proper the ship towards IM Uurtsaikh Agibileg, who had made issues troublesome for Henriquez Villagra as he gained the primary classical recreation of their encounter.
Interviews
GM Andy Woodward with our director of operations, Theo Wait!
GM Andy Woodward: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eT6ynX5YV8
GM Michael Adams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWE_n1k5Mbk
GM Salem A. R. Saleh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUx2RLWvjlU
Classical Upsets
GM Leon Luke Mendonca‘s first spherical recreation was actually no uninteresting draw. In truth, the Catalan Opening chosen by Mendonca rapidly turned thrilling as, first, Mendonca gained a sizeable positional benefit, then supplied his queen on transfer 21 with 21. Ne5!!. IM Wang Shixu B didn’t settle for Mendonca’s sacrifice, although, and as an alternative stored defending. Regardless of Mendonca’s finest efforts, he quickly noticed his benefit slip away and needed to acquiesce to a draw.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/t8DzIZPc/U832Yvnj#0
Wang too had a bonus in his White recreation towards Mendonca, however, opposite to the spherical 1 recreation, Wang was capable of nurture his edge and see it develop. The sport was not with out its dips, although. After the exhausting work of dismantling Mendonca’s Queen’s Indian Protection appeared to be coming to fruition, Wang blundered on transfer 42 with 42. Rc1??, permitting 42…Rxf4!. Mendonca, nevertheless, selected 42…Qe2?? as an alternative, blundering the sport away as Wang’s items, which had been combating off Mendonca’s queen, proved to be too highly effective.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/NUcmLDqC/0d4GW6BD#0
IM Wang Shixu B
Picture: Michal Walusza / FIDE
To indicate simply how predictable the outcomes had been from the gamers’ scores, the one different* classical score upset, and a really slight one at that, occurred on board 62 when 2510-rated GM Felix Blohberger, who runs his personal YouTube channel and usually commentates for Lichess, defeated 2592-rated GM Constantin Lupulescu.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/NUcmLDqC/bm3uo2Jz#0
*The third score upset, 2540-rated GM Martin Petrov‘s win towards 2545-rated GM Krikor Sevag Mekhitarian, could be handled as a technicality.
GM Felix Blohberger
Picture: Eteri Kublashvili / FIDE
GM Felix Blohberger interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5xLGGfczWc
Tiebreak Upsets
IM Faustino Oro‘s match towards GM Ante Brkic began off slowly within the classical portion however picked up the tempo within the tiebreaks as every participant traded blows within the 15+10 part.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/Avwj3cFi/ZhM7VtwU#0
https://lichess.org/research/embed/RrQOdGhz/z40At3bB#0
The video games within the 10+10 part had been drawn, and it was within the 5+3 part the place Oro prevailed, first exhibiting spectacular information within the Symmetrical English.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/NCe1LkEk/o7lANc1d#0
IM Faustino Oro vs. GM Ante Brkic
Picture: Michal Walusza / FIDE
Then, in a recreation the place Brkic’s assault nearly labored, in time bother and because the recreation was dynamically equal, Brkic blundered a chunk and handed Oro the match victory.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/NWRoIgut/BILR5RRm#0
IM Faustino Oro interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Og6uFP8Bcb0
Lichess common IM Aronyak Ghosh performed an thrilling match towards skilled GM Mateusz Bartel, coming again on demand within the second classical recreation after shedding a tricky opposite-colored bishop endgame that arose from a protracted Petrov’s Protection wrestle.
Recreation 1:
https://lichess.org/research/embed/t8DzIZPc/eZXCBySC#0
Recreation 2:
https://lichess.org/research/embed/NUcmLDqC/voeRtvN9#0
After successful a recreation the place he was on the point of defeat (try 34. Ng8!!),
https://lichess.org/research/embed/IEDghbGU/AwFahHpV#0
Aronyak was capable of seal the cope with a sudden fork.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/ahnXg4pz/EhiW2sBv#0
GM Alisher Suleymenov prevailed towards GM Arturs Neiksans, after he walked his king to security following material-grabbing operations.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/RrQOdGhz/tmFHZU6u#0
GM Alisher Suleymenov interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XTtxAbuqYg
Close to-Upsets — The Tiebreaks
2605-rated GM Cristobal Henriquez Villagra was in a deadly scenario as he misplaced his first classical recreation towards 2448-rated IM Uurtsaikh Agibileg, however was capable of bounce again within the second classical recreation. Henriquez Villagra then completed the match off in type as he confirmed {that a} pair of knights can generally beat the bishop pair:
https://lichess.org/research/embed/RrQOdGhz/VVYgQmA7#0
GM Ahmed Adly performed an intense match towards GM Karen H. Grigoryan. Each gamers have had peaks north of 2600, so the match was clearly of an extremely top quality. Adly finally triumphed as White in a 5+3 recreation which was as topsy-turvy as could be.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/NWRoIgut/2RlHf5Ph#0
GM Ahmed Adly
Picture: Michal Walusza / FIDE
GM Karen H. Grigoryan
Picture: Eteri Kublashvili / FIDE
Honorable Mentions
2629-rated GM Robert Hovhannisyan confronted a really well-prepared and in-form opponent in 2346-rated FM Kavin Mohan, who performed exact opening concept and adopted up with extremely correct chess within the classical portion of his match towards Hovhannisyan. A staid opening within the 15+10 portion noticed Mohan comfortably maintain the draw with Black, however, within the following White recreation, Mohan was outplayed in an endgame as Hovhannisyan’s knight galloped to victory:
https://lichess.org/research/embed/RrQOdGhz/HmiJGzEu#0
GM Robert Hovhannisyan vs. FM Kavin Mohan
Picture: Eteri Kublashvili / FIDE
2399-rated IM Shiyam Thavandiran performed a grueling match towards 2618-rated GM Daniil Yuffa however was finally unable to clinch victory as Yuffa gained in back-to-back video games within the 5+3 portion of the teibreaks. Regardless of hazard lurking round each nook, Yuffa transformed nicely in an imbalanced place which featured a queen vs. rook + minor piece.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/NWRoIgut/MIiwUdsB#0
The Pragmatists
2649-rated GM Jeffery Xiong performed it secure towards 1994-rated CM Li Yiheng, who was in a position to attract with none situation towards his a lot greater rated opponent, however was eradicated from the World Cup consequently. GM Nils Grandelius‘ draw towards CM Mohammed Damaj was much less intentional as the previous missed the one successful transfer in an endgame, 46…h5!!, as an alternative enjoying 46…a2?? and drawing the sport in brief order.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/NUcmLDqC/FK6T1pDb#0
Simulated Predictions
We once more simulated the match consequence 1,000,000 occasions, together with the outcomes from the primary spherical.
There are no vital or significant adjustments in comparison with our simulations earlier than the beginning of the match in our preview article.
- Who’s almost certainly to win the match outright?
- Who’s almost certainly to get within the high 3 and safe a Candidates spot?
- Who’s almost certainly to get within the high 3 and qualify to the Candidates, with Gukesh (World Champion) and Giri (already certified) eliminated?
