After a quick draw between Nepomniachtchi and Hikaru Nakamura, the Russian has 8.5 points out of a possible 12 with 2 rounds to go.
To win and participate again in the battle for the chess crown against Magnus Karlsson, Nepomniachtchi only needs a draw. Two draws or a win will allow the Russian to break the Candidates Tournament record in terms of points scored.
Position after the 12th lap:
1. Jan Nepomniashchi – 8.5; 2-3. Hikaru Nakamura, Ding Liren – 6.5 each; 4-5. Teimour Radjabov, Fabiano Caruana – 6 each; 6-7. Richard Rapport, Jan-Krzysztof Duda – 5 each; 8. Alireza Firouzja – 4.5.
July 2 is a day off at the tournament.
Round 13 pairs: Nepomniachtchi – Report, Nakamura – Duda, Firuja – Dean, Radjabov – Caruana.
In the 14th, last round, Nepomniachtchi will face the blacks against the Polish Jan-Krzysztof Duda. If Nepomniachtchi loses both games, only one chess player can catch him if he wins both games – Nakamura and Ding Liren, who will face each other in the last round. If the points are equal, there will be a tie-break.
Source: Sport
I am William Jackson and I have a passion for sports journalism. With over 3 years of experience in the industry, I have worked in a variety of roles to improve the quality and accuracy of sports news coverage. As an author at Athletistic, I specialize in covering football news and providing comprehensive analysis for fans around the world.
