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

Niemann — Maghsoodloo

The Matchup

White
Hans Moke NiemannCredit
🇺🇸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
Parham MaghsoodlooCredit
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).

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Key Moments

Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Botvinnik-Carls Defense
BlackMaghsoodloo2701
WhiteNiemannUSA2725
B
+2.5W

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.

Tempting traps

Nf7h6f7
+2.5627%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD27% would play this move

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

What changed

Threatening

Immediate impact

Critical reply

Rxa4!Critical

Critical line

After critical line

Loses material

Check in the air: Rxc2+Black controls d4, e4, e5
Bxb5e8b5
+1.1521%

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
Threatening
Board structure

Immediate impact

Critical reply

Nd4Critical

Critical line

After critical line

Black king gets exposed

Hard to spot

b6b7b6
+0.527%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD7% would play this move

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

What changed

Board structure

Immediate impact