The recently turned 19-year-old Danish GM Jonas Buhl Bjerre was the hero of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League 2023 Finals. After three draws in the sudden-death matches, he checkmated Javokhir Sindarov (uMM) to etch Triveni Continental Kings as the winners of the inaugural edition. Before this game, Jonas had lost four times against Sindarov. It was not that he was playing bad. Even in the qualifier stage, he had many great positions, but he simply could not convert them. What's important is that the teenager won when it mattered the most. IM Sara Khadem (TCK) was applauded as well. She defended an inferior position against GM Harika Dronavalli (uMM) in the first sudden-death encounter. Triveni Continental Kings made a fantastic comeback from the bottom of the table to win the title. Did you enjoy the tournament and want a second edition? | Photo: Maria Emelianova
Ding Liren boldly tried to create winning chances with white in game 14 of the World Championship match, the last classical encounter of the confrontation. The strategy backfired, as the Chinese GM misplayed the position and needed accurate defence to hold a draw in a game that ended up lasting over six and a half hours. Rapid playoffs on Sunday will decide the winner. | Photo: FIDE / David Llada
Ian Nepomniachtchi won the Candidates Tournament for a second time in a row on Sunday. The 31-year-old, much like in 2021, secured first place with a round to spare, and thus gained the right to challenge Magnus Carlsen in the next match for the World Championship title. Round 13 of the tournament saw Hikaru Nakamura beating Jan-Krzysztof Duda to grab clear second place. Nakamura is set to face Ding Liren, currently in third place, in a decisive final-round encounter on Monday. | Photo: FIDE / Stev Bonhage
The Norway Chess and London Chess Classic tournaments as well as the Grand Chess Tour have decided not to invite GM Sergey Karjakin to their tournaments anymore as the Russian GM continues to support Russia's warfare in Ukraine. Also this week, the Russian and Belarusian federations were suspended by.
It has been a tough day for everyone. Vladimir Putin’s appalling decision to invade Ukraine has shocked the world, and his actions have been condemned by most world leaders. At the Airthings Masters, three out of four semifinalists hail from Russia, with Ian Nepomniachtchi confessing after beating Andrey Esipenko, “I can’t think”. Nepo will face Magnus Carlsen in the finals of the online tournament, in a rematch of the recent contest for the World Championship title. | Photo: Niki Riga