India’s D Gukesh remains in contention for the World Championship challenger spot after Round 12 of the Candidates tournament, sharing the lead with Ian Nepomniachtchi and Hikaru Nakamura. With just two rounds remaining, the race for the coveted title is heating up.
Gukesh, known for his aggressive style, employed a rare opening idea in the Nimzo-Indian against Nijat Abasov. The Azerbaijani was caught off guard and struggled to find logical moves. Gukesh’s plan to unsettle his opponent and play for a win proved successful, as Abasov missed drawing chances in the endgame.
Fabiano Caruana, who had a slow start to the tournament, has surged back into contention with a win over India’s Vidit Gujrathi. Caruana’s victory keeps him half a point behind the leaders.
Nakamura, the American grandmaster, has also joined the leading trio after defeating Alireza Firouzja. Nakamura has won three consecutive games, putting him in a strong position to challenge for the World Championship.
The only draw in the Open section came between Praggnanandhaa and Nepomniachtchi.
In the Women’s section, Kateryna Lagno and Lei Tingjie drew their match, while Vaishali Rameshbabu defeated Anna Muzychuk. Aleksandra Goryachkina and Koneru Humpy also played out a draw, while Nurgyul Salimova and Tan Zhongyi shared the point.
With two rounds remaining, the tension is palpable as the players vie for the chance to challenge the reigning World Champion, Magnus Carlsen. Gukesh, Nepomniachtchi, and Nakamura are the frontrunners, but Caruana and Praggnanandhaa are still in the hunt.
