CHESS#1295

The Candidates remains a tight contest with three contenders. Fabiano Caruana holds the lead with 6.5 points from ten games. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov follows with 6 points. The third “plus-scorer” is Alexander Grischuk (5.5). Sergey Karjakin and Ding Liren (both 5) are on 50 per cent — Ding has 10 draws. Vladimir Kramnik (4.5), Wesley So (4) and Levon Aronian (3.5) trail. 

Mamedyarov is the top seed and world #2. He’s won only one game but he’s avoided trouble. He and Caruana are unbeaten. Caruana has won wild scraps versus Aronian and Kramnik though he missed a win versus Ding. Grischuk is