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 9 · 26 Jan 2026

GiriFedoseev

The Matchup

White
🇳🇱NED
4th · 4.0

Anish Giri

2738 Performance · 1.5 behind leader

Last 5 games½½½WW
World#8FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2760Age31

Dutch chess's perennial contender, valued for creative opening ideas, rapid adaptation, and razor-sharp theoretical preparation.

Games in this event →
½–½Draw
Black
SVN
4th · 4.0

Vladimir Fedoseev

2734 Performance · 1.5 behind leader

Last 5 games½W½½L
World#28FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2705Age30

A battle-hardened grandmaster with direct attacking instincts and years of experience at the world's sharpest team and individual 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


Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack
BlackFedoseevSVN2704
WhiteGiriNED2760
+1
B
-0.2W

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

Bb5d3b5
-0.0728%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD28% 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.

b5b4b5
+0.6617%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD17% would play this move

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

Attacking
Defending
Threatening
Na5Critical

Black king under attack

Hard to spot

Bb1d3b1
+0.7210%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD10% would play this move

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

Threatening