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
+1
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.

Tempting traps

Kc3d2c3
-1.1170%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD70% would play this move

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

What changed

Attacking
Defending

Immediate impact

Ng3 is active (king-zone pressure)

Critical reply

Rd3+!Critical

Critical line

After critical line

Allows concrete threats

White comes out up materialOpen files near the Black king: d, f
Ke3d2e3
-0.9014%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD14% would play this move

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

What changed

Attacking
Defending
Needs defense on Pe4

Immediate impact

Ng3 is active (king-zone pressure)

Critical reply

Rd3+!Critical

Critical line

After critical line

Allows concrete threats

White controls d4, e4, d5

Hard to spot

Ke2d2e2
+1.785%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD5% would play this move

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

What changed

Defending
Threatening

Immediate impact

Ng3 is active (king-zone pressure)

Critical reply

Kf4Critical

Critical line

After critical line

Wins the r on d6

White gets the main benefit, but white leaves more threats behind.