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 3 · 20 Jan 2026

Erigaisi ArjunGukesh D

The Matchup

White
🇮🇳IND
1st · 1.5

Erigaisi Arjun

2807 Performance

Last 5 gamesW½
World#11FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2775Age22

One of India's fastest-rising super-GMs, known for razor-sharp opening play and the initiative to keep even the world's best defending.

Games in this event →
½–½Draw
Black
🇮🇳IND
2nd · 1.0

Gukesh D

2716 Performance · 0.5 behind leader

Last 5 games½½
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 →

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


Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, McDonnell Defense
BlackDIND2732
WhiteArjunIND2775
B
-0.4W

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

Rd1f1d1
-0.2941%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD41% would play this move

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

Threatening

Engine & players agree

Playable moves worth considering here.

Qe3c1e3
-0.2612%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD12% would play this move

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

Threatening
Be3f4e3
+0.098%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD8% would play this move

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

Threatening
Bb4 is active

Hard to spot

Bd1e2d1
+0.311%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD1% would play this move

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

Threatening
Bg5f4g5
+0.235%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD5% would play this move

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

Defending
Threatening