World champion Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura wound up unbeaten to secure 1-2, while Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Wesley So geared up as they led the quarterfinals cast in the New In Chess Classic early Tuesday, April 27, Philippine time.
Regaining sharp form, So trounced Aryan Tari, drew with Levon Aronian, and subdued Johan Sebastian Christiansen before settling for draws with Carlsen and Nakamura to finish the elimination round with 9 points, good for fourth behind Mamedyarov.
Carlsen finished with 10.5 points out of a perfect 15 as he bolstered his bid to end a 4-leg title drought in the $1.5 million (P72 million) Champions Chess Tour being led by So, the winner of the inaugural Skilling Open and the third leg (Opera Euro Rapid).
Nakamura and Mamedyarov tallied 9.5 points each.
So, the reigning United States and world Fischer Random chess champion will tangle with fifth qualifier and new Team USA member Aronian in the first set of 4-game quarterfinal matches on Tuesday.
Though Aronian boasts a higher rating in both standard and rapid chess, the Bacoor, Cavite-born So is slightly favored to prevail and stay on course for the $30,000 (P1.44 milion) top purse.
Other matches pit Carlsen against No. 8 qualifier Teimour Radjabov, the Airthings Masters winner; Nakamura against No. 7 Le Quang Liem; and Mamedyarov against No. 6 Alireza Firouzja, the world’s top junior.
Aronian also scored 9 points like So, while the 17-year-old Firouzja, Le, and Radjabov tallied 8.5.
It was a brilliant recovery for So, who dropped 3 of his first 5 games but went 7 of 10 the rest of the way to enter the knockout phase for the fifth straight time like Carlsen.
Another US player, Leinier Dominguez, failed to advance despite a positive score of 8 points.
Teen sensation Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, fellow Indian Vidit Gujrathi, Tari, and Jan-Krzysztof Duda also bowed out with 7 each. – Rappler.com
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