The Tata Steel Chess Tournament is called the ‘Wimbledon of Chess’, and is currently happening in Wijk aan Zee in Holland. The Tata Steel event attracts some of the finest chess players in the world. This year’s line-up consist of world numbers one, three, five, ten, eleven, twelve and thirteen. Magnus Carlsen, the defending champ, is aiming for his fifth title, equalling Vishy Anand’s record of five victories. Twelve of the 14 participants are FIDE rated at 2700 and over, and Carlsen, the world champion, has reached the magical 2800 figure.
After four rounds, the American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana is leading the field. The fifth round is in progress and is playing live now on the internet. Carlsen is playing the black pieces and has three pawns for a minor piece against the Netherlands Loek Van Wely, rated at 2640. Carlsen has claimed the win, giving him his first victory of the event. Caruana has the white pieces against Hou Yifan, the Chinese female grandmaster. A rook and a bishop each, plus four pawns are on the chess board. Yifan has a dangerous passed f pawn. The f pawn has reached the fifth rank and is ably supported by the black king. Ding Liren has an extra pawn against the Russian grandmaster Sergey Karjakin who is playing black. Black’s queen pawn, however, is passed, and the king is not far away. Karjakin has resigned. In the game with Mamedyarov of Armenia against the English grandmaster Michael Adams, the Armenian grandmaster is a pawn up. The position looks equal as the game progresses.
The top standings in the Tata Steel Tournament after round four are as follows: American grandmasters Caruana and So, China’s Yifan, Russia’s Karjakin, and China’s Liren. Carlsen is placed at number seven but based on his fifth round win his chances for an overall victory will improve. The tournament ends on January 31.
