SOCP: FIDE GRAND SWISS Nakamura Va banque GM Caruana Round 10!

“There can only be one” is a line from the original HIGHLANDER FILM. Hikaru Nakamura lived that exhilaration during and after his round 10 mind war. Only tactics drawn from variations or the game will be showcased in today’s post. We will cover the full game in the future.

In a tight field of leading runners Hikaru Nakamura makes his move in the dash for the finish line - by finishing off co-leader and fellow American Fabiano Caruana in a knock down drag out affair in a Four Knights Scotch opening. In the end there could only be one victor! With a round to go Nakamura has 7.5 points while Caruana falls back from the pack stuck on 6.5 points. Conservative “safe” playing has it’s benefits and it’s drawbacks. GM Caruana found this out after the dust of round 10 settled that near the end of an event you may not have enough time remaining to play for a win… and too many easy draws early on can cost you dearly. Top level chess is a lot of stress… and every single one of the participants at the FIDE Grand Swiss is a fighter who came to play for the right to face currently missing in action World Champion Ding Liren in 2024. At the end of this event there can only be two qualifiers out of over 150 participants. Meritocracies can be cruel but fair.

GAME:

GM Hikaru Nakamura vs GM Fabiano Caruana
FIDE Grand Swiss, Round 10 of 11, 11/04/2023

1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. exd5 O-O 9. O-O cxd5 10. h3 Be6 11. Qf3 c5 12. Rd1 Bxc3 13. bxc3 Qa5 14. Bg5 Ne4 15. Bxe4 dxe4 16. Qg3 Kh8 17. a4 Rfe8 18. Rd6 h6 19. Bf4 Re7 20. Qe3 Rc8 21. Bxh6 f6 22. Qxe4 Qxc3 23. Rad1 Rce8 24. Rd8 Bg8 25. Qh4 Qxc2 26. R1d3 Bh7 27. R3d7 g5 28. Qg3 Qb1+ 29. Kh2 Qf5 30. Rxe7 Rxd8 31. Qc7 Qf4+ 32. Qxf4 gxf4 33. Bg7+ Kg8 34. Bxf6 Bb1 35. Rg7+ Kf8 36. Bxd8 Kxg7 37. Bg5 f3 38. g4 c4 39. Kg3 Be4 40. Bd2 1-0

WEBSITES with COVERAGE of the FIDE GRAND SWISS:

Official Website:
https://grandswiss.fide.com

Chessbase - a must visit website.
https://en.chessbase.com

Mark Crowther’s TWIC (The Week In Chess)
https://theweekinchess.com

Live long and prosper - but remain free! ~ S.