Elite chess explained, move by move
Dates
03 May — 10 May 2026
Location
Warsaw, PL
Field
10 players
Format
Round-robin
Time control
Rapid and blitz
Rounds
27 · 27 played
Decisive
66%
Avg. rating
2732

Round 18 · 9 May 2026

Gukesh D — Duda

The Matchup

White
Gukesh DCredit
🇮🇳IND
6th · 7.5

Gukesh D

2714 Performance · 2.5 behind leader

Last 5 gamesWL½WL
World#10FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2682Age19

India's reigning world champion, combining lightning calculation with resolute classical play in the sport's highest-pressure moments.

Games in this event →
1–0White wins
Black
Jan-Krzysztof DudaCredit
🇵🇱POL
5th · 8.0

Jan-Krzysztof Duda

2722 Performance · 2 behind leader

Last 5 gamesLLL½W
World#14FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2743Age28

Poland's elite super-grandmaster and World Cup finalist, valued for deep preparation, resilient defense, and classical stamina in the sport's longest events.

Games in this event →

Head to head

Previous games in this event

Round 3: 0-1 · Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Classical Defense Deferred. Read the annotated game →

Classical over-the-board (indexed)

Lifetime FIDE classical score unavailable (missing FIDE ID or cache not warmed).

Scroll to see the game

Key Moments

Zukertort Opening: Polish Defense
BlackDudaPOL2725
WhiteDIND2732
+2
B
+12.6W

Classical factors on this position

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Checks, captures, and threats for the side to move

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The Moves

Other lines considered

From the crossroads before this move — engine and player perspectives.

Engine & players agree

Playable moves worth considering here.

hxg6h7g6
+8.2463%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD63% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

What changed

Attacking
Defending
Threatening
Board structure

Immediate impact

Rook on f7 uses the open f-file

Critical reply

hxg6!Critical

Critical line

After critical line

Allows concrete threats

Black gets the main benefit, but white's king faces more checks and king-zone pressure.

Qxh5e2h5
+8.5221%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD21% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

What changed

Attacking
Skewers the knight on f5 with the pawn behind on d5

Immediate impact

Nf5 is active (king-zone pressure)

Critical reply

gxf7!Critical

Critical line

After critical line

Loses material

Black gets the main benefit, but white's king faces more checks and king-zone pressure.