Grand Swiss: Maghsoodloo remains sole leader, Erdogmus and Maurizzi grab stunning wins

Open: Thirteen players in the chasing pack

Parham Maghsoodloo retained the sole lead in the open section of the Grand Swiss after round four, even though he was unable to win his game against Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Playing on the top board, the Iranian grandmaster drew with white, which was sufficient to maintain his half-point lead. None of the six players who began the round just behind him in the standings managed to score a win and catch him at the top of the table.

The one player who came closest to joining Maghsoodloo was top seed Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu. Playing white against Abhimanyu Mishra, Pragg won a pawn and appeared to be pressing for victory. However, his opponent defended resourcefully, establishing a fortress with a knight planted firmly on d6.

White was unable to dislodge the piece without making major concessions, and in the final position (seen above) there was no realistic way to break through. The game was drawn.

Brother and sister – Vaishali and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu share a laugh before the start of the fourth round | Photo: Michal Walusza

On the second board, Gukesh Dommaraju and Arjun Erigaisi faced each other in a duel between the second and third seeds. Their encounter was closely fought but eventually ended in a 46-move draw. Meanwhile, on board three, Szymon Gumularz, the lowest-rated of the frontrunners, faced Alireza Firouzja with black. Gumularz obtained a slight advantage out of the opening, but chose to repeat moves and settle for a draw rather than taking risks against such a dangerous opponent.

The results on the top boards meant that seven players, all of whom won their games, joined the chasing pack, which now consists of thirteen players in total. Interestingly, six of the seven victories were achieved by the players with the black pieces. The only player to win with white was Vincent Keymer, who defeated fellow German grandmaster Frederik Svane in a tense and hard-fought struggle.

Vincent Keymer | Photo: Michal Walusza

The six players who won with black were Richard Rapport, Nodirbek Yakubboev, Matthias Bluebaum, Nikita Vitiugov, Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus and Marc’Andria Maurizzi. Particularly remarkable were the victories of the youngest and lowest-rated members of the group.

• Erdogmus, aged just 14, played with confidence and strong nerves against Aditya Mittal. Correctly judging that his kingside attack gave him sufficient chances, he committed to an all-out assault and was rewarded by delivering checkmate.
• Maurizzi, the recently crowned French champion, defeated his illustrious compatriot Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in a complicated battle arising from a Caro-Kann Defence. The double-edged nature of the position, combined with both players entering time pressure, created a thrilling contest that ultimately went in Maurizzi’s favour.

Two more results from round four were noteworthy, as the two female players participating in the open section grabbed upset wins. Aleksandra Goryachkina got the better of Dmitrij Kollars, while Divya Deshmukh defeated Bassem Amin. Divya’s victory featured a well-timed rook sacrifice, which opened lines against her opponent’s weakened monarch.

This video course includes GM Anish Giri’s deep insights and IM Sagar Shah’s pertinent questions to the super GM. In Vol.1 all the openings after 1.e4 are covered.

The fifth round will see Parham Maghsoodloo play with the black pieces against Richard Rapport. Another highlight will be the clash between Abdusattorov and 14-year-old Erdogmus, a pairing that promises to draw considerable attention given the youngster’s form so far.

Local hero Nodirbek Abdusattorov taking a photo with very young chess enthusiasts | Photo: Michal Walusza

Aditya 0-1 Erdogmus

There has been no lack of exciting chess in Samarkand so far | Photo: Michal Walusza

Vachier-Lagrave 0-1 Maurizzi

Marc’Andria Maurizzi | Photo: Michal Walusza

Amin 0-1 Divya

From Mating with a queen; a rook; two bishops; a knight and a bishop; to the basics of pawn endgames – here you will gain the necessary know-how to turn your endgame advantages into victories!

The final handshake – Divya Deshmukh, who recently won the Women’s World Cup – grabs her first win of the event | Photo: Michal Walusza

Standings after round 4

…116 players

All games

Women’s section: Lagno co-leader, scores third win in a row

The women’s event also lost its last perfect score on Sunday. Vaishali Rameshbabu, who had won her first three games, was held to a draw by Dinara Wagner. As a result, she no longer leads alone. Kateryna Lagno, who defeated 19-year-old Song Yuxin with white, has joined her at the top of the standings with 3½ points out of 4.

Lagno’s victory was built on a key moment in a Sicilian middlegame. In a tense position, Song had the chance to play the thematic exchange sacrifice …Rxc3, which would have given her strong counterplay. Instead, she missed the opportunity, and her position deteriorated quickly. White capitalised on the error and Black’s position collapsed in short order, allowing Lagno to score her third win in succession.

A group of five players now trail by half a point, all standing on 3/4: Wagner, Afruza Khamdamova, Irina Bulmaga, Antoaneta Stefanova and Ulviyya Fataliyeva.

Dinara Wagner | Photo: Michal Walusza

Another large pack follows on 2½/4, numbering 14 players in total. This group includes three of the pre-tournament favourites from the top ten of the rating list: Tan Zhongyi, Bibisara Assaubayeva and Alexandra Kosteniuk.

In this course, we will learn how to identify passively placed pieces in any given situation and how to improve their health by bringing them into active squares.

For Kosteniuk, the former women’s world champion, round four brought her first victory of the tournament after three consecutive draws. She defeated Vantika Agrawal in a dramatic finish. In severe time pressure, Vantika first missed a chance to get a favourable endgame and then grabbed a bishop that appeared to be free, but this mistake allowed Kosteniuk to weave a mating net with her queen and pawns, ending the game immediately.

The fifth round will feature a direct clash at the very top of the standings, with co-leaders Vaishali and Lagno facing each other. Vaishali will have the white pieces in what promises to be a crucial encounter in the race for the Candidates spots.

Co-leader and defending champion Vaishali Rameshbabu | Photo: Michal Walusza

Lagno 1-0 Song

Kateryna Lagno | Photo: Michal Walusza

Vantika 0-1 Kosteniuk

This DVD focuses on several types of material imbalances, such as Rook vs 2 Pieces, Queen vs 2 Rooks, and Queen vs Pieces.

The final moves of a highly dramatic encounter | Photo: Michal Walusza

Standings after round 4

…56 players

All games

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