Elite chess explained, move by move
Dates
24 Feb — 06 Mar 2026
Location
Prague, CZ
Field
10 players
Format
Round-robin
Time control
Classical
Rounds
9 · 9 played
Decisive
51%
Avg. rating
2710

Round 4 · 28 Feb 2026

NiemannMaghsoodloo

The Matchup

White
🇺🇸USA
3rd · 1.0

Hans Moke Niemann

2648 Performance · 1 behind leader

Last 5 games½L½
World#17FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2725Age22

A young American grandmaster with fearless initiative, sharp opening research, and the competitive nerve to punch above his rating in elite fields.

Games in this event →
½–½Draw
Black
3rd · 1.0

Parham Maghsoodloo

2626 Performance · 1 behind leader

Last 5 gamesL½½
World#29FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2708Age25

Grandmaster rated 2701 on the FIDE classical list — a regular in top round-robins and match events.

Games in this event →

Head to head

Classical over-the-board (indexed)

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

Scroll to see the game

Key Moments


Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Botvinnik-Carls Defense
BlackMaghsoodloo2701
WhiteNiemannUSA2725
B
-0.5W

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.

Qg3g4g3
+0.0918%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD18% would play this move

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

Attacking
Skewers the knight on g6 with the pawn behind on g7
Defending
1 checking resourceBc5 is active (king-zone pressure)
h4h2h4
-2.345%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD5% would play this move

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

Board structure

Hard to spot

Qh5g4h5
+0.301%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD1% would play this move

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

Attacking
Skewers the knight on g6 with the pawn behind on f7
Defending
1 checking resourceBc5 is active (king-zone pressure)
Bxg6d3g6
-0.202%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD2% would play this move

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

Attacking
Threatening
fxg6!Critical

Loses material on f3

White gets the main benefit, but white creates more concrete threats.