Round Five of FIDE Candidates Played in Toronto

All the Russian players drew their games.

The FIDE Candidates resumed in Toronto after a rest day. 

In Round 5 of the open tournament, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa vs. Ian Nepomniachtchi opened the game with the Petrov Defence, in which White employed a sharp forced variation with a pawn sacrifice. In the complications that followed, the Russian made an inaccuracy after which the Indian chess player could have gained a substantial advantage. However, Praggnanandhaa missed the strongest continuation and Nepomniachtchi managed to exchange off the queens. In the endgame, White tried to make use of his tiny advantage, but it was clearly not enough to win. With careful play, Black neutralised his opponent's threats, and the grandmasters agreed to a draw in a rook ending.  

Santosh Vidit vs. Fabiano Caruana ended in a draw by repetition. The symbolic first move in this game was made by the world-famous singer and great chess fan Andrea Bocelli. Playing black, the American was aggressive in the Rossolimo Variation of the Sicilian Defence, and only his opponent's mistake came to his rescue. 

Playing black, Hikaru Nakamura defeated Alireza Firouzja in a long game after the latter made a fatal mistake on move 62.

In the longest and most nerve-wracking game of the round, Dommaraju Gukesh beat Nijat Abasov to catch up with Ian Nepomniachtchi.

Standings after Round 5:

1. Dommaraju Gukesh, Ian Nepomniachtchi – 3.5
3. Fabiano Caruana – 3
4-5. Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, Hikaru Nakamura – 2.5
6. Vidit Santosh Gujrathi – 2
7-8. Nijat Abasov, Alireza Firouzja – 1.5.

Round 6 pairings:

Gukesh – Nakamura
Vidit – Firouzja
Praggnanandhaa – Abasov
Nepomniachtchi – Caruana

In the Women's tournament, Humpy Koneru vs. Aleksandra Goryachkina was a solid game. The Russian got a full-fledged game and at some point it was already White who had to come up with precise moves.  However, the evaluation remained equal all the time, so a draw was the most logical result. 

Lei Tingjie vs Kateryna Lagno was a draw as well. In the Two Knights Defence, the Chinese sacrificed a pawn, but then lost the thread of the game and the initiative altogether. The Russian successfully regrouped her forces and, after an attack on the opponent's king, offered a piece sacrifice, which was not accepted. Unfortunately, Lagno missed her chances to score while her opponent started to find ways to stay in the game. Peace was signed in an equal ending.

The games Vaishali vs Muzychuk and Tan Zhongyi vs Salimova also ended in a draw.

Standings after Round 5:

1. Tan Zhongyi – 3.5
2. Aleksandra Goryachkina – 3
3-5. Nurgyul Salimova, Kateryna Lagno, Rameshbabu Vaishali – 2.5
6-8. Anna Muzychuk, Lei Tingjie, Humpy Koneru – 2. 

Round 6 pairings:

Vaishali – Lagno
Koneru – Lei Tingjie
Tan Zhongyi – Muzychuk
Salimova - Goryachkina

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