Exciting Results from Round Five of 2024 FIDE Candidates Tournament and Women’s Candidates

In a thrilling round of the 2024 FIDE Candidates Tournament, GM Gukesh Dommaraju emerged victorious after close to six hours of play, defeating GM Nijat Abasov and catching up with GM Ian Nepomniachtchi in the lead. Nepomniachtchi, on the other hand, survived a lost position against GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu by a stroke of luck.

GM Hikaru Nakamura also secured a win against GM Alireza Firouzja, putting him just a point behind the leaders. Meanwhile, GM Vidit Gujrathi missed a golden opportunity to defeat GM Fabiano Caruana and had to settle for a draw.

In the Women’s Candidates Tournament, there were no decisive results, with GM Tan Zhongyi maintaining her lead by half a point.

The rest day between rounds four and five coincided with the 2024 solar eclipse, with some players and officials taking a chartered boat into Lake Ontario to view it. The Candidates Blitz tournament also took place on the rest day, with GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and GM Ivan Cheparinov emerging as the winners.

With Nepomniachtchi’s lead almost slipping away and Gukesh’s impressive victory, the upcoming matchups in round six promise to be intense. In the Women’s Candidates, missed opportunities continued to be a theme, with players like Kateryna Lagno and Anna Muzychuk failing to convert winning positions.

The tournament continues to be a battleground of skill and strategy, with players vying for the chance to compete in the FIDE World Championship match. Fans can catch all the action on Chess24’s YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as Chess.com’s platforms.