So on the verge of winning the Chessable Masters

by Shahid Ahmed - 08/08/2021

Liem Quang Le seemed to have lost all his momentum on the first day of the Finals at Meltwater Champions Chess Tour Chessable Masters. He was unable to move the scorecard beyond a draw, which has not happened throughout the event. Maybe he was tired after beating Aronian in a grueling match on the previous day. Liem lost the first set 2.5-0.5 which means he has to win the second set to force tie-breaks. Meanwhile, the first set for the 3rd-4th place match between Aronian and Artemiev ended in a 2-2 draw. The second set of the Finals will start today at 8:30 p.m. IST. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Liem makes a forgettable start in the Finals

It almost seemed like a different Liem in the Finals than the ones we have witnessed throughout the tournament. The pressure of Finals can get on anyone's nerves and it seems like to have gotten the best of the Vietnam no.1 but if anyone can comeback after a tough day, it has to be Liem because we must not forget that he is also a former world blitz champion which means he is well-versed with pressure, and we are well-familiar with his comebacks.

So would definitely like to win his third Meltwater Champions Chess Tour event since Opera Euro Rapid | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

So - Liem: 2.5-0.5

So scored the first win after Liem misjudged the intensity of his opponent's attack.

So - Liem, Game 1

Position after 33...c5

33...c5 enables White to execute his plan. Find out what it is.

Liem repeated moves in a position where he could have pushed for a win.

Liem - So, Game 2

Position after 35...Qf4

White's only chance to push for a win was 36.e6. So maintained his lead 1.5-0.5

Liem once again misjudged So's attack and lost similarly, just like the first game.

So - Liem, Game 3

Position after 27...c3

Find out the finish for White after 27...c3 and what Black could have done instead to prevent it.

Wesley So: "I hope he plays like today!" | Video: chess24

Liem Quang Le: "Today was a big disappointment!" | Video: chess24

Aronian - Artemiev: 2-2

Artemiev went wrong in the double rook endgame against Aronian in the first game.

Aronian - Artemiev, Game 1

Position after 35...b5

35...b5 idea is correct, however the execution is wrong. Black first needed to play 35...h5 before playing b5. Find out the difference.

Position after 38...Rb7

39.bxc4 instead of 39.Rxc4 would have probably given White a quicker win.

Artemiev got a huge advantage in the endgame, but he could not maintain it, allowing Aronian to escape with a draw in the second game.

The third game ended in a draw. Aronian made an incorrect sacrifice in the fourth game which cost him an exchange and eventually the game.

Artemiev - Aronian, Game 4

Position after 26...Nxg3

27.hxg3 Nxe5 28.Ba5 and Black loses an exchange and there is zero counterplay for it. With this win, Artemiev managed to tie the set 2-2.

Replay Final Day 1 games

Replay the live stream

Chessable Masters Day 8 live stream - Live commentary by GM Daniel King and IM Tania Sachdev | Video: chess24

Final Day 1 results

So beat Liem in the first set | Photo: Champions Chess Tour

Knockout stage brackets

Liem must win the second set | Photo: Champions Chess Tour

Schedule

All games will start from 8:30 p.m. IST between 31st July and 8th August 2021.

Links

Champions Chess Tour official site

Tournament regulations

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