Gukesh and Duda prevail in Day 1 of the Armageddon Grand Finale
Author: Maria Fragaki
The World Chess Armageddon Grand Finale kicked off tonight at the World Chess Club Studio in Berlin. In an evening filled with suspense and strategic brilliance, Gukesh D. and Jan-Krzysztof Duda emerged as victors, each securing a commanding 2-0 score, prevailing against their formidable opponents, Wesley So and Sam Shankland.
Welsey So vs Gukesh
In the opening match of the Grand Finale against Gukesh, Wesley So encountered an early stumbling block. As observed by GM Simon Williams, So “got tricked” in the opening to skyrocket the evaluation bar in favor of White. Before long, the American found himself in an almost untenable position, ultimately conceding the game.
Can you find the tactic here?
The second game saw an Italian opening, with Gukesh adopting an aggressive, audacious, albeit somewhat reckless approach. Remarkably, he needed just a draw to advance to the next round of the winners’ bracket. However, as IM Jovanka Houska aptly noted, chess is a game played by two individuals, and Wesley So missed a golden opportunity to seize an early advantage.
As the clock ticked down and both players grappled with extreme time pressure, the position spiraled into chaos. In a critical juncture, So blundered once more, this time relinquishing an entire piece and, with it, the second game and the match, which ended 2-0 in Gukesh’s favor. Reflecting on the intense battle, Wesley So shared his thoughts with Dina Belenkaya, saying: “Gukesh played like a machine today! [...] I was also a bit nervous because it’s the first day!”
The match undoubtedly brimmed with tension, as indicated by the heart rates of the players, which soared above 130 beats per minute, with Wesley So even peaking at 165!”
Jan-Krzysztof Duda vs Sam Shankland
Sam Shankland, ever eager to embrace challenges, found himself living up to that reputation during game 1 of the Duda-Shankland match. As GM Simon Williams had prophetically noted, the game quickly evolved into an exceptionally demanding contest for Sam. Despite holding a favorable position, Duda relentlessly pressed for an exchange advantage, ultimately executing a decisive tactical blow to secure victory in the opening game.
Sam initiated a positional opening, opting for the English, which seamlessly transitioned into the closed Catalan. Duda, conscious of his advantageous position in the match, adopted a cautious approach, aiming for a draw. In stark contrast, Sam adopted a ‘win or lose’ mentality from the outset.
As the middlegame unfolded, Sam recognized the superior nature of his position. However, despite this recognition, he struggled to harness the advantage and found himself grappling with mounting time pressure. Regrettably, the American Grandmaster blundered an exchange, leading to his resignation just a few moves later, ultimately conceding the second game and the match.
“If you say it’s bad luck, then you suck! I’ll just say it was a bad day at the office.” Sam Shankland told Dina Belenkaya after his loss, adding that he lost the first match in the qualifiers event, but managed to bounce back, so this is exactly what he’s going to do!
Day 2 pairings, 19:00 CEST
Nodirbek Abdusattorov — Richard Rapport
Humpy Koneru — Bibisara Assaubayeva
Information
Find all you need to know about the Armageddon Grand Finale, here.
Watch the games on a chessboard, here.
