CHESS#1296

Fabiano Caruana is brave, well-prepared and dangerous opponent for Magnus Carlsen

Fabiano Caruana is the Challenger. The final placings in the Brelin candidates were Caruana (9/14), Sergey Karjakin and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (both 8), Ding Liren (7.5, and the only unbeaten player), Alexander Grischuk (6.5), Vladimir Kramnik (6.5), Wesley So (6) and Levon Aronian (4.5). 

The 25-year-old Italian American GM displayed strong character to log successive wins, after a crippling loss to Karjakin in Round 12. Caruana was unbeaten going into #12, with 7 points. He had a minimal half-point lead. The nearest contender was Mamedyarov (6.5), also unbeaten.  Karjakin suffered early losses against Mamedyarov and Aronian before he clawed his way back with wins against Aronian, Kramnik and So. 

In Round 12, Karjakin played brilliantly to beat Caruana. That tied Karjakin and Caruana at the top. To cap it, Mamedyarov lost to Ding Liren. That left the Chinese GM tied with Mamedyarov and Grischuk in third-fifth.  

Karjakin held an edge over Caruana on two tiebreak criteria — head-to-head results and more decisive games. In #13, Caruana won a wild tactical battle against Aronian to pull ahead again. Mamedyarov also won versus Grischuk. Karjakin drew So.  

Any of four players had a chance of becoming Challenger entering the last round. Playoffs were ruled out — in all scenarios, somebody would score on tiebreaks. The favourite was obviously Caruana. He would take it outright if he won against Grischuk. He could also take it if he drew, and Karjakin did not win against Ding. Karjakin, Mamedyarov and Ding also had chances in various scenarios. 

“Don Fabiano” held his nerve to beat Grischuk in a controlled masterpiece. Long before Grischuk resigned, Caruana knew he would be the Challenger since Ding drew with Karjakin after missing a win and Shakh escaped a possible loss to hold Kramnik. 

Caruana is brave, well-prepared and fond of wild positions. He will be a dangerous opponent for Magnus Carlsen because he can win multiple high-voltage games. If he’s not in form, he may also get steam-rollered. But he’s unlikely to allow Carlsen to impose the trademark positional grinds that are the world champion’s forte. 

At The Diagram, White to Play, (White: Caruana Vs Black:  Aronian, Candidates 2018, Rd 13), Caruana played the provocative 25.g4 Bxg4 26.hxg4 Nxg4 27.Nf5 Nxf2 28.Bc2 g6. [Now 29. N5e3 Nh3 30. Nd5 is good for white]

Play continued 29.N1e3 ?! gxf5 30.exf5 Qf6 31.Qxf2 [Now Black has the stunning 31.— Nxb4!! 32. cxb4 Rd4 with a huge attack and threats like Rg8, Rf4, etc]. But he played 31.— e4 ? 32.Rh1 Rd6 33.Bxe4 Rg8+ 34.Kf1 Ne5 35.Qf4 c6 36.axb5 [36. Rxh6+ Qxh6 37. f6+ wins immediately] 36.— Rg5 37.bxa6 Qd8 38.f6+ Ng6 39.Rxh6+ (1–0)  If 39.—Kxh6 40. Nf5+ Kh7 41. Qxg5 Rd1+ 42. Ke2 wins easily. 

Devangshu Datta is an internationally rated chess and correspondence chess player