Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh surged ahead in the Candidates Chess tournament, securing a very important victory in opposition to Firouzja Alireza of France in the 13th spherical at the Excellent Hall in Toronto, on Sunday.
Gukesh’s impressive performance set him on the verge of becoming the youngest contender at any time for the planet championship title. Seizing the guide with a complete of 8.5 points out of a possible 13, the 17-12 months-previous prodigy from Chennai now stands fifty percent a position in advance of his closest competitors, together with Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi and American Hikaru Nakamura.
If Gukesh maintains his momentum and emerges victorious in the event, he will experience off in opposition to China’s Ding Liren for the coveted environment champion’s crown.
Gukesh’s route to victory in the 13th round was paved with precision and resolve. Participating in the white aspect of a Berlin defence, he navigated as a result of the game’s complexities, in the end capitalizing on a late blunder by Alireza to safe a decisive earn in a hard endgame.
Meanwhile, in the women’s party, Vaishali Rameshbabu continued her outstanding streak with a fourth consecutive victory, whilst Humpy Koneru held her ground with a draw against Anna Muzychuk. Zhongyi Tan preserved her direct in the women’s part, even further solidifying her placement as a formidable contender for the title.
As the match heads into its ultimate round, Gukesh stays a robust favorite to clinch the major location, with pundits speculating that even a draw in his impending activity could solidify his position as the youngest-ever contender for the planet championship match.
In the women’s part, the competitors remains intense, with players vying for essential points in the final round to secure their positions on the leaderboard.