2018 World Candidates Tournament (Berlin, Germany)
Today the World Chess Candidates will start the process of determining the challenger for the World Championship match later on in the year against World Champion Magnus Carlsen. The tournament will take place in the German capital of Berlin, the city’s first time hosting the event. The field will feature seven of the qualifiers and one wild-card selection. Half of the 2016 field will return with in Levon Aronian (ARM), Wesley So (USA), Fabiano Caruana (USA) and Sergey Karjakin (RUS). Karjakin won the event scoring a key win over Caruana in the final round.
The Russian went on to play Carlsen, but lost the championship match in tiebreaks. He returns along with Vladimir Kramnik and Alexander Grischuk forming a Russian trio and comprising 38% of the field. One intriguing player is the top seed Shahkriyar Mamedyarov, arguably the hottest player of 2017. Ding Liren is the first Chinese to qualify and of course the second Asian behind Viswanathan Anand to vie for the qualifying spot.
Carlsen will be watching intently although a spat has surfaced between he and Anish Giri who implied that the World Champion was nervous at the prospects for facing the winner. What is clear is that the championship will prove to be exciting. Any of the eight competitors will be viable opponents. Who will break through?
It is ironic that Giri once wrote a book titled, After Magnus: Who Can Dethrone the World Chess Champion? Four of those he featured in the book are in the tournament, Caruana, So, Ding and Grischuk. Surprisingly, Giri’s other inclusions Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Hikaru Nakamura and Wei Yi will not be in Berlin, but are three players who could threaten Carlsen in the future.
Main Site: https://worldchess.com/berlin/
Games (TWIC): https://theweekinchess.com/assets/files/pgn/wchcand18.pgn
Regulations: https://www.fide.com/FIDE/handbook/regscandidates2018.pdf
Pairings: https://fide.com/images/stories/NEWS_2018/FIDE_NEWS/Candidates_Tournament_2018_Pairings.pdf
Schedule: https://worldchess.com/berlin/
March 10th-March 28th, 2018 (Berlin, Germany) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
#
|
Name
|
Title
|
Federation
|
Flag
|
Rating
|
| 1 | Mamedyarov, Shahkriyar | GM | Azerbaijan |
 |
2809 |
| 2 | Kramnik, Vladimir | GM | Russia |
 |
2800 |
| 3 | So, Wesley | GM | USA |
 |
2799 |
| 4 | Aronian, Levon | GM | Armenia |
 |
2794 |
| 5 | Caruana, Fabiano | GM | USA |
|
2784 |
| 6 | Ding Liren | GM | China |
 |
2769 |
| 7 | Grischuk, Alexander | GM | Russia |
|
2767 |
| 8 | Karjakin, Sergey | GM | Russia |
|
2763 |
Videos by GM Daniel King
Three decisive games… Caruana KOs compatriot
Vladimir Kramnik 1-0 Alexander Grischuk
Sergey Karjakin 0-1 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Levon Aronian ½-½ Ding Liren
Fabiano Caruana 1-0 Wesley So
Wesley So’s debut was not an auspicious one.
Photo by Frederic Friedel
Video by chess24.com
Video by GM Daniel King
Alexander Grischuk (0) 2767 1-0 Wesley So (0) 2799
Ding Liren (½) 2769 ½ -½ Fabiano Caruana (1) 2784
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (1) 2809 ½ -½ Levon Aronian (½) 2794
Vladimir Kramnik (1) 2800 ½ -½ Sergey Karjakin (0) 2763
Video by chess24.com
Video by GM Daniel King
Sergey Karjakin (½) 2763 ½-½ Alexander Grischuk(1) 2767
Levon Aronian (1) 2794 0-1 Vladimir Kramnik (1½) 2800
Fabiano Caruana (1½) 2784 ½-½ Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (1½) 2809
Wesley So (0) 2799 ½-½ Ding Liren (1) 2769
Video by chess24.com
Video by GM Daniel King
Alexander Grischuk(1½) 2767 ½-½ Ding Liren (1½) 2769
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2) 2809 ½-½ Wesley So (½) 2799
Vladimir Kramnik (2½) 2800 0-1 Fabiano Caruana (2) 2784
Sergey Karjakin (1) 2763 0-1 Levon Aronian (1) 2794
Video by chess24.com
Video by GM Daniel King
Levon Aronian (2) 2794 ½-½ Alexander Grischuk(2) 2767
Fabiano Caruana (3) 2784 ½-½ Sergey Karjakin (1) 2763
Wesley So (1) 2799 ½-½ Vladimir Kramnik (2½) 2800
Ding Liren (2) 2769 ½-½ Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2½) 2809
Video by chess24.com
Video by GM Daniel King
Fabiano Caruana (3½) 2784 ½-½ Alexander Grischuk (2½) 2767
Wesley So (1½) 2799 1-0 Levon Aronian (2½) 2794
Ding Liren (2½) 2769 ½-½ Sergey Karjakin (1½) 2763
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (3) 2809 1-0 Vladimir Kramnik (3) 2800
Video by chess24.com
Video by GM Daniel King
Sergey Karjakin (2) 2763 1-0 Wesley So (2½) 2799
Alexander Grischuk (3) 2767 ½-½ Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (4) 2809
Vladimir Kramnik (3) 2800 ½-½ Ding Liren (3) 2769
Levon Aronian (2½) 2794 0-1 Fabiano Caruana (4) 2784
Now the controversial video where Kramnik claimed he was winning in every variation. he certainly didn’t win many fans here.
Video by chess24.com
Video by GM Daniel King
Alexander Grischuk (3½) 2767 1-0 Vladimir Kramnik (3½) 2800
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (4½) 2809 ½-½ Sergey Karjakin (3) 2763
Ding Liren (3½) 2769 ½-½ Levon Aronian (2½) 2794
Wesley So (2½) 2799 ½-½ Fabiano Caruana (5) 2784
Video by chess24.com
Video by GM Daniel King
Wesley So (3) 2799 ½-½ Alexander Grischuk (4½) 2767
Fabiano Caruana (5½) 2784 ½-½ Ding Liren (4) 2769
Levon Aronian (3) 2794 ½-½ Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (5) 2809
Sergey Karjakin (3½) 2763 1-0 Vladimir Kramnik (3½) 2800
Video by World Chess
Video by GM Daniel King
Video by chess24.com
Video by chess.com
During this rest day, the 2018 World Candidates tournament is heading toward a very exciting ending. America’s Fabiano Caruana has held sole lead (6/9) for a couple of rounds breaking away from Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (5½/9), also undefeated. Caruana has had a very solid showing thus far and only obstinate defense by Ding Liren (and some misses by Fabiano) prevented a full-point lead over the field. Ding has drawn all nine of his games.
There has been a lot of attention on Caruana for the past few years since rejoining the U.S. National Team. Since then he has won a U.S. Championship and a gold medal with the U.S. Olympiad team. In recent days, excitement has heightened and the prospects of him earning the right to challenge Magnus Carlsen seem possible. Caruana missed an opportunity in 2016 when Sergey Karjakin defeated him to win the tournament. Karjakin lost the match against Carlsen that November.
There are many who feel that Caruana would represent a threat to Carlsen’s supremacy. He has a decent head-to-head score, has a style that is flexible and nerves that are steady enough to rankle the Norwegian. Hikaru Nakamura, who has been knowing Caruana since childhood, also talked about his strengths.
Video by World Chess.
This skill has been on fully display during the first half of the tournament. Although he snatched a win from Vladimir Kramnik, he missed one at a critical stage of the game with Ding Liren. After pressing Ding for three hours, Caruana seemed to be on the verge of collecting the full point with his deft rook maneuvers. In the maze of complications, he missed his chance. Here was the segment when the winning line was shown…
Video by World Chess
Nevertheless, Caruana has been well-prepared and showed his resilience in snatching a win from beleaguered Kramnik and scoring an important win over Levon Aronian. Kramnik has been in a tailspin since the loss and is virtually out of contention. GM Ian Rogers cautioned readers about Kramnik being the “drunkened gunslinger” with nothing to lose. Caruana faces him in round 11. Before that, Caruana will face Mamedyarov who is hot on his heels. The road is a tough one and Caruana will have to keep his nerve to become the first American to vie for the World Championship since Bobby Fischer.
Main Site: https://worldchess.com/berlin/
Games (TWIC): https://theweekinchess.com/assets/files/pgn/wchcand18.pgn
Regulations: https://www.fide.com/FIDE/handbook/regscandidates2018.pdf
Pairings: https://fide.com/
Schedule: https://worldchess.com/berlin/
Alexander Grischuk (5) 2767 ½ – ½ Sergey Karjakin (4½) 2763
Vladimir Kramnik (3½) 2800 1 – 0 Levon Aronian (3½) 2794
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (5½) 2809 ½ – ½ Fabiano Caruana (6) 2784
Ding Liren (4½) 2769 ½ – ½ Wesley So (3½) 2799
Video by GM Daniel King
Video by CCSCSL
Wesley So (4) 2799 ½-½ Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (6) 2809
Levon Aronian (3½) 2794 0-1 Sergey Karjakin (5) 2763
Fabiano Caruana (6½) 2784 ½-½ Vladimir Kramnik (4½) 2800
Ding Liren (5) 2769 ½-½ Alexander Grischuk (5½) 2767
Video by GM Daniel King
Video by CCSCSL
Alexander Grischuk (6) 2767 ½-½ Levon Aronian (3½) 2794
Sergey Karjakin (6) 2763 1-0 Fabiano Caruana (7) 2784
Vladimir Kramnik (5) 2800 ½-½ Wesley So (4½) 2799
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (6½) 2809 0-1 Ding Liren (5½) 2769
Video by World Chess
Video by GM Daniel King
Video by CCSCSL
Caruana bolts into the lead with one round remaining!
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (6½) 2809 1-0 Alexander Grischuk (6½) 2767
Ding Liren (6½) 2769 ½-½ Vladimir Kramnik (5½) 2800
Wesley So (5) 2799 ½-½ Sergey Karjakin (7) 2763
Fabiano Caruana (7) 2784 1-0 Levon Aronian (4) 2794
Video by World Chess
Video by GM Daniel King
Video by CCSCSL
Caruana wins Candidates… will face Carlsen for WCC!
Alexander Grischuk (6½) 2767 0-1 Fabiano Caruana (8) 2784
Levon Aronian (4) 2794 ½-½ Wesley So (5½) 2799
Sergey Karjakin (7½) 2763 ½-½ Ding Liren (7) 2769
Vladimir Kramnik (6) 2800 ½-½ Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (7½) 2809
Fabiano Caruana after winning 2018 Candidates Tournament
Video by World Chess
Video by GM Daniel King
Video by CCSCSL
Video by chess.com
Bobby Fischer. Here’s the path he took to get there
https://theconversation.com/fabiano-caruana-is-poised-to-do-what-no-american-has-done-since-bobby-fischer-heres-the-path-he-took-to-get-there-94149