The starting position for today was quite something. According to both Caruana and commentator Peter Leko, it was one of the more interesting starting positions we’ve had so far, and it wasn’t clear at all what would be the best first move.

We saw a bigger variety than ever in the games, with 1.g4 (Keymer, Nakamura, seeing two different replies from Black), 1.f4 (Abdusattorov) and 1.f3 (Caruana) all played.

Keymer described it as “incredibly weird,” while Carlsen said, in the confession booth: “This starting position feels miles more dangerous for Black than any of those we’ve seen on the last couple of days.”

It probably came down to the fact that there is very little harmony at the start, with many pieces on pretty back squares, and it’s difficult to find good setups. The players struggled, but the fans enjoyed it once again.

Keymer-Carlsen 1-0

Perhaps Carlsen’s assessment of the starting position was influenced by the fact that he failed to choose the best opening moves, and White was clearly better when he castled queenside as early as move four.

“I really didn’t like my first move 1…Ng6,” the Norwegian GM said, adding that his second move 2…e5 “looks quite dicey.” “It feels like it’s a fight for survival from the very first moves. If I have a playable position in five moves I’ll be very happy.”

Just a few moves later though, after 8…a6, Carlsen was a bit more optimistic in the confession booth: “I feel like the worst is kind of over for me here.”

“I think out of the opening my position was really, really good,” Keymer said after the game. “Then I kind of messed that up by myself. I gave him way too much play again but I think the good thing is that his position was so bad to start with that even after my mistakes it was still unpleasant.”

Keymer managed to keep the initiative and with his great move 27.g5! he made clear that he was still playing for a win. Carlsen’s heart rate went from 80 to 106 and he initially reacted well, but when he got low on time, his position got harder and harder to handle and then he uncharacteristically blundered material. A fantastic start for Keymer!

Caruana-Sindarov ½-½

Caruana also visited the confession booth today, and commented about the opening. He had seen two other players go for 1.g4, but said he didn’t like it: “I don’t know, it really weakens this diagonal and you take out kingside castling entirely.”

He chose the modest 1.f3 instead, which opens up diagonals for the bishop and queen while covering the e4-square. Both players soon got a knight in the center and an active queen, and after both castled kingside, it started to look like quite a normal middlegame.

Things remained more or less equal until deep in the endgame, when Caruana made a big mistake. The possible mating net that was available to Sindarov went unnoticed, however, and instead, the game soon ended in a draw. A big chance!

For Levon Aronian and Vladimir Fedoseev the tournament might be over, but that’s not the case for the four players who lost their matches in the quarterfinals. They are continuing in matches of their own, to determine fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth places.

Abdusattorov-Firouzja ½-½

Also in the clash between Abdusattorov and Firouzja we saw Black struggling in the opening, and getting under pressure. The Uzbek GM’s first move 1.f4 made a lot of sense too, and he managed to develop active play right from the start. Move 19 was a key moment, when Firouzja found the solution to Black’s problems.

Nakamura-Gukesh ½-½

Nakamura’s shocking elimination the other day still echoes in the playing hall.  It is still hard to believe that the American grandmasters failed to convert three winning positions out of four games against Sindarov. Afterward, Nakamura sad he had no words for it. “Something’s wrong with my brain.”

In the morning before today’s game, Nakamura tweeted that “playing the World Champ Gukesh D. is always an honor though so I’m here for it.” Carlsen’s second Peter Heine Nielsen, who is also here in Weissenhaus, pointed out that it was Gukesh who was playing the reigning Chess960 FIDE World Champion!

Also here, it was White who had the best chances and especially on move 20, Nakamura missed a strong continuation, but otherwise it was a fairly balanced game–“a decent game,” as Gukesh called it.