In Madrid, the 9th tournament of applicants for the chess crown began. Azerbaijani grandmaster Teimur Rajabov plays white figures with the representative of the United States Hikar Nakamura and will try to take revenge for defeat in the first round.
Tamur after 8 rounds 3 points, and he shares the last 6-8 positions with the Poles Yang Krzyshtof Duda and the Frenchman Alireza Firuja.
Rajabov, who since 2019 has not won a single party in classical chess, two defeats and six draws. In addition to Nakamura, he lost to another American – Fabiano Karuan. Taimur tied with Firuj twice, and also concluded peace with the Russian Yan Nepomnya, Duda, Chinese Dean Liezhen and Hungarian Richard Rapport.
The Central Party of the 9th round, undoubtedly, is a duel between Karuana and Nepomnia, occupying the 2nd and 1st place, respectively. There are also today: Firuja with Rapport and Dean with Duda.
Tournament position after the 8th round:
1. Nonal – 6 points; 2. Karuana – 5 points; 3. Nakamura – 4.5 points; 4. Rapport – 4 points; 5. Din – 3.5 points; 6-8. Duda, Rajabov, Firuja – 3 points.
The competition takes place in two circles. Time control – 2 hours for the first 40 moves, 1 hour for the next 20 moves, 15 minutes for the rest of the party with the addition of 30 seconds starting from the 61st move.
If the chess players fighting in the 1st place will gain the same number of points according to the results of 14 rounds, then they will find a tie-break-two batches in quick chess, and if necessary, then blitz until the strongest is determined.
The winner of the tournament will receive 48 thousand euros and the right to challenge the championship crown in a match with the current world champion Magnus Karlsen. True, the Norwegian himself has repeatedly stated that he was not very interested once again to play the championship match. If Carlsen refuses to protect the title, then chess players who took 1st and 2nd places in the applicants’ tournament will compete for the title of world champion.