World Fischer Random 2022 R3-4: Abdusattorov storms into Semifinals

The Castling Conundrum

The conventional castling condition for the king is - It should not be, go through or land on a check. If one remembers this, one half of the castling condition is met. The other one is king and rook should be unmoved. Sometimes in Fischer Random chess, when you just have to move one piece, either king or rook to do the castling, all you need to remember is the above. For e.g. if the king is already on the castling square - c1/g1/c8/g8, then you just need to move the rook irrespective of whether the d1/f1/d8/f8 squares are controlled by opponent's pieces. 

Group B Round 3: Bluebaum - Carlsen: 0-2

Magnus Carlsen did a nice queen trap against Matthias Bluebaum in their second game of the third round.

Carlsen - Blueabum, Game 2

After 20.0-0 (king and rook went from c1, d1 to g1, f1) Qxa2 21.b3 a3 22.Rfe1 Nd5 23.Re2 and we reach the above position. The queen got trapped. Sure Black tried to fight back with 23...Qxe2 24.Qxe2 Rxe4 25.Bxe4 Nxc3 26.Qd3 Nxb1 27.Qxb1. Black did not have much to go on and resigned in the next four moves.

Group A Round 4: Abdusattorov - Gretarsson: 2-0

Nodirbek Abdusattorov made a big save against Iceland no.1 Hjorvar Steinn Gretarsson

Abdusattorov - Gretarsson, Game 1

22...fxg4 and Gretarsson would have been that much closer to scoring his first win of the event. Alas, it was not meant to be. He played 22...Rd8 and Abdusattorov found the winning continuation 23.Nxf5! exf5 24.Qb3+ Bd5 25.Nxd5 Qa6+ 26.Ke1 Qa5+ 27.Nc3+. Black's incessant checks did not turn to be as menacing as he would have liked. Abdusattorov handled the sharp position quite well and registered his third consecutive victory of the day against the same opponent.

Nepomniachtchi - So: 2-0

At all points of time when a question about castling arises, one must remember the rules and conditions of castling in conventional chess. However, in the heat of the moment, things do remain as easy as we think. Wesley So misunderstood his castling possibilities against Nepomniachthi

Nepomniachtchi - So, Game 1

So thought that moving the rook to f8 would be a 0-0 (short castle) and he would be able to get out of the check. However, as per the conventional rule of chess, one cannot castle their way out of a check. Thus, So resigned immediately as he was forced to lose a material to defend the check.

Group B Round 4: Fedoseev - Nakamura: 1-1

Hikaru Nakamura (USA) drew all four of his games in both rounds 3 and 4 against Vladimir Fedoseev.

Nakamura played 37.Rg5 and a draw was agreed. Can you find out the winning continuation for White in the above position?

Standings after Round 4

Replay Round 3-4 games

Pairings

The semifinals and finals will be elimination matches, and the final day will also see duels involving all the players to determine each of the prize spots, depending on where they placed earlier. Besides the FIDE world title at stake, the players will be competing for a purse of USD 400,000 and a hefty first prize of $150,000.

Links

Official site

Tournament Regulations

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