It is difficult to know which chess player will lead the next era, when the next era has not yet ended. Magnus Carlsen, although it is his reign. It seems clear that Ding Liren be a brief monarch and that there is a generation of thirty-somethings, led by Fabiano Caruana, who try to take advantage of the power vacuum. The only obstacle to him is the later generation, the children of the Internet, willing to jump the ladder and completely frustrate their careers. Only in India there are a good handful of contenders for glory, but in Toronto the performance of the youngest of the three participating in the Candidates tournament draws attention, Gukesh Dommaraju17 years old, who this Sunday once again showed that he is made of the stuff of champions.
Shining one day is not that difficult in chess. Linking a winning streak is within the reach of very few. Resurfacing after a defeat as dramatic as the one suffered by Gukesh in the seventh round of the Candidates, when he was vying for first place alone, is reserved for the chosen ones. Maybe tonight (Spanish time) he loses again in Toronto, but what this boy has already shown has little precedent. Not even to Bobby Fischer He did well in his first two Candidates tournaments, aged 16 and 19.
The American genius blamed the Russians and stated that they were playing as a team, something that no country is doing in Canada. This Sunday, in fact, of the five games between compatriots, only one ended in a draw, none of them in the absolute Candidates. Gukesh opened fire, which broke He saw in two. His king suffered a cruel exile and went to die far from home, harassed by the black knights in enemy territory.
In another momentous duel, Hikaru Nakamura caught Fabiano Caruana off guard. His bad departure is something exceptional, which occurs a few times per five-year period and which distances the main favorite from the title. Fabi is not managing to impose his quality in Canada and needs a winning streak that he is still capable of to get into the fight again. Naka, for his part, maintains impressive progress since his defeat against Vidit and is already ahead of Fabiano. He can already tell that he is really having fun.
Caruana falls from the top positions
Right now the leaders are Nepo and Gukesh, with 5 points, followed by Nakamura y Pragg, true entertainers of the tournament, with 4.5. Caruana is alone in the group of 4 and below him it is difficult to believe in anyone.
This Sunday, Ian Nepomniachtchi He missed a good opportunity to remain the solo leader and even extend his lead. The disappointment could be read on her face, always so expressive, after signing the draw against the weakest player in theory. He found a Nijar Abasov much more stable. Until now, the azer seemed like a flan when he played with black. Against Nepo, he was a much better chess player, with nothing to lose, except the 3,500 euros that players receive for every half point earned.
The other tables of the day were signed by Pragg and Firouzja, which do not alter the options of both too much. The Indian is still well positioned to deliver one of his blows again and the Frenchman has lost his victim face.
Jam in the Female Candidates
In the Female Candidates there was also a turnaround in the classification, after three fights between representatives of the same country. Lei Tingjiecurrent world runner-up, defeated Tan Zhongyi, leader until that moment, and now the two Chinese women occupy first place, tied on points with the Russian Aleksandra Goryackina. Half a point away, completely salvageable, is the other Russian, Kateryna Lagno.
The Russians were the only ones who engaged with each other, because Humpy Koneru also beat Vaishali Rameshbabu, which leaves the sister in the last position, to the sadness of her adorable mother. One victory and three defeats are difficult to overcome against the three chess players who have a balance of plus two. But in Canada only the leading van matters and there equality is maximum. There will be shots in the six remaining games.