China, Uzbekistan at the Top, Heading into Knockout

China completed in first place in Pool A of the World Workforce Championship with an undefeated 9 factors. There was a three-way tie for second between France, Spain, and Ukraine, all of which qualify for the knockout stage. 

Uzbekistan topped pool B, outscoring Azerbaijan by tiebreaks. India and Poland completed in third and fourth to safe the ultimate qualification spots.

The quarterfinals start on Wednesday, November 23, beginning at 5 a.m. PT / 14:00 CET.

China’s board 5, GM Li Di, has proved to be their secret weapon, scoring 4.5 out of 5 rounds―the best particular person rating of any participant in both pool. He attained their solely victory of the spherical vs. GM Maxime Lagarde, gaining larger exercise in a double rook ending and organising a mating web. 

This win secured the crew draw, sustaining China’s undefeated rating. Their board 4, GM Bai Jinshi, has additionally achieved one of many occasion’s highest scores thus far with 4 factors―exhibiting how crew matches are sometimes gained as a consequence of dependable decrease boards.

On the opposite aspect of China vs. France, GM Jules Moussard defeated GM Xu Xiangyu with an impressed endgame play. Can you discover his successful concept?

GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov gained a captivating recreation vs. GM Maxim Rodshtein to assist Azerbaijan’s crew victory. This fashion, Israel did not make it on third tiebreak: Sonneborn-berger.

Though the Netherlands missed out on qualifying for the knockout, our Recreation of the Day is GM Jorden Van Foreest’s board one victory vs. GM Vasyl Ivanchuk. Notice that though he did not win the sport, Ivanchuk’s 26.Nd7!! was a robust candidate for Transfer of the 12 months, as was additionally famous by considered one of his crew mates.

Genius pic.twitter.com/8JSGU5ejg2

— Andriy Volokitin (@AndriyVolokitin) November 22, 2022

Van Foreest’s match ends on bittersweet notice, successful his particular person recreation as his crew is knocked out. Picture: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

Pool A Spherical 5 Standings

Pool B Spherical 5 Standings

The FIDE World Workforce Championship takes place November 19-26, 2022, in Jerusalem, Israel. The format is a round-robin for groups with 5 rounds, adopted by a knockout with the highest eight finishers. The time management is 45 minutes for the complete recreation plus a 10-second increment beginning on transfer one.

Earlier protection: