Candidates Tournament 2020

[Matt Mackenzie]

Have we ever seen e4 e5 transpose to the French before?

I think it is well known that some lines in the Petroff reach positions that can arise in the Exchange French.

Given the deep study the Chinese have made of the Petroff, I was quite surprised to see Nepo' play this defence, but I guess he is aiming to draw as effortlessly as possible.

Petroff positions can also arise from the 3 e3 e5 branch of the QGA.

[Nick Ivell]

Nothing that has happened in the Giri game has caused me to changed my mind about White's artificial opening.

[Paul Cooksey]

I agree with Nick. Still a long way to go, but Giri getting more than I expected at the start of the day.

I think in a lot of these important games, including Nepo-Fabi yesterday there is a decision whether to be the first person to try something creative; a complicated expected value of risk taking calculations. Perhaps having played responsibly with Black yesterday, Fabi felt a need to try to put pressure on Giri today.

[Nick Ivell]

Black got all you could ever want from a Schev.

Will my opening ever come back into fashion? Probably not. The problem is the Keres attack!

Other approaches have never worried me.

[Nick Ivell]

Mopping up operation for Giri now.

Poor performance by Caruana with the White pieces.

[JustinHorton]

MVL wins

[Nick Burrows]

Sensational play by Giri. Made a remarkable number of engine 1st choice moves in a complex position. If Nepo draws, then perhaps Anish is favourite? He's playing the best chess right now.

*Ha, classic move 40 syndrome!

[JustinHorton]

MVL wins

Although moves continue to appear

[Mick Norris]

MVL wins

Puts him on 6.5, and he's black v Nepo in the next round on Monday

[NigelDonovan]

Black got all you could ever want from a Schev.

Will my opening ever come back into fashion? Probably not. The problem is the Keres attack!

Other approaches have never worried me.

Carlsen played the Scheveningen move order a couple of times last year against Nakamura, so he wasn't afraid of the Keres Attack!

[JustinHorton]

Ha, classic move 40 syndrome!

His heart must be racing now

[Nick Ivell]

In that case, I could do with Magnus telling me what to do against the Keres...

[Nick Ivell]

Giri tried to be flashy. It failed. He then faced the most difficult decision in chess: to admit your mistake and retract.

[Nick Burrows]

What a moment to be flashy though!

Tough moment for Caruana. Busted.

[Mick Norris]

Giri has won to reach 7.5