The latest clash between American chess titans Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana ended with another impressive win for Nakamura, solidifying his position to secure an invitation to the Candidates Tournament. The battle took place in the penultimate round of the 2023 FIDE Grand Swiss, with Caruana playing with the Black pieces and having already secured his spot at the Candidates. Despite expectations of a tame draw, the players delivered an intense and exciting game.
This is not the first time Nakamura has emerged victorious against Caruana in high-stakes classical games this year. He previously defeated Caruana at the Norway Chess event, showcasing his exceptional opening preparation and making a remarkable comeback. History repeated itself as Nakamura caught Caruana off guard once again, this time in the Scotch Variation of the Four Knights Game.
Although the position remained even for the first 18 moves, the difference in clock times revealed a different story. Nakamura, still fully prepared, gained a significant time advantage of 6.5 minutes, while Caruana was already trailing by half an hour, making his first mistake of the game. The critical error occurred just two moves later when Caruana played 20. – Rc8?, allowing Nakamura to unleash the powerful Be5 move and subsequently sacrifice a piece.
The position remained highly complex throughout the game, and Caruana had a narrow opportunity to escape. However, as time ticked away, Nakamura’s relentless pressure became irresistible. With this result, Caruana is now out of contention for a top finish in the tournament, unable to improve on his previous runner-up placements in past Grand Swiss events. Nevertheless, Caruana can still reflect on this period as successful since he has already secured his spot at the 2024 Candidates Tournament and defended his US championship title.
On the other hand, Nakamura is still in the running for one of the top two finishes that would guarantee a direct invitation to the Candidates Tournament. Additionally, he has the highest rating among non-qualified players, ensuring another qualification avenue. With Magnus Carlsen declining the invitation and Caruana already qualified, Nakamura can rely on this rating spot as well.
The 2023 FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament concludes tomorrow, and the tenth round was filled with decisive results on all the top boards. Six players, including Esipenko, Nakamura, and Vidit with 7.5 points, followed by Predke, Erigaisi, and Keymer with seven points, are still in contention for a top-two finish. The conclusion of this significant chess event promises an exciting finale.
Source: DOTESPORTS
