Elite chess explained, move by move
Dates
17 Jan — 28 Jan 2026
Location
Wijk aan Zee, NL
Field
14 players
Format
Round-robin
Time control
Classical
Rounds
13 · 13 played
Decisive
45%
Avg. rating
2725

Round 2 · 19 Jan 2026

Gukesh D — Van Foreest

The Matchup

White
Gukesh DCredit
🇮🇳IND
2nd · 0.5

Gukesh D

2726 Performance · 0.5 behind leader

Last 5 games½
World#10FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2754Age19

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

Games in this event →
½–½Draw
Black
Jorden Van ForeestCredit
🇳🇱NED
2nd · 0.5

Jorden Van Foreest

2656 Performance · 0.5 behind leader

Last 5 games½
World#19FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2705Age26

A Dutch champion with bold opening ideas and the competitive streak that thrives in the sharp atmosphere of Wijk aan Zee and Bucharest.

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

Indian Defense: Anti-Grünfeld, Basman-Williams Attack
BlackForeestNED2705
WhiteDIND2732
+1
B
+0.0W

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

Rb8b7b8
-2.6534%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD34% 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

Rook on b8 uses the open b-file

Critical reply

Rxb8!Critical

Critical line

After critical line

Complex tradeoff

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

Bxd4e3d4
-5.0527%

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

Attacking
Defending
Threatening

Immediate impact

Bd4 is active (king-zone pressure)

Critical reply

Rc1+!Critical

Critical line

After critical line

Loses material

1 checking resourceBd4 is active (king-zone pressure)

Engine & players agree

Playable moves worth considering here.

Bd1f3d1
-0.2711%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD11% would play this move

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

What changed

Defending
Threatening

Hard to spot

e5e4e5
-0.142%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD2% would play this move

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

What changed

Attacking
Threatening

Immediate impact

Rook on b7 uses the open b-file