Caruana wins Superbet Chess Classic Romania

courtesy Lennart Ootes/GCT

When we last checked in on the Superbet Chess Classic Romania after five rounds, GM Fabiano Caruana was holding on to a half-point lead over GMs Wesley So, Alireza Firouzja, and Richard Rapport.

After the rest day, the players were slow to get back into the event, with all games being drawn. But round seven saw a shake-up at the hands of both participants of the 2023 FIDE World Chess Championship.

Both Nepomniachtchi and Ding were fighting off fatigue in this tournament (courtesy Lennart Ootes/GCT)

Dutch GM Anish Giri became the first player this year to boast wins over both then-world champion GM Magnus Carlsen and now-champion GM Ding Liren.

With this win, Giri joined the pack one game behind Caruana.

Then, Firouzja took down Nepo to both cement his status as world number two and join Caruana atop the standings.

All smiles after toppling Nepomniachtchi (courtesy Lennart Ootes/GCT)

Headed into the final two games, Caruana would face Giri and Rapport, likely needing a win to separate himself from Firouzja. Until...

Polish GM Jan-Krzystof Duda upset Firouzja in the eighth round (courtesy Lennart Ootes/GCT)

From the corner, it's the Polish Warrior with a folding chair!

After playing a neat draw against Giri, the last obstacle would be holding on with the black pieces against Rapport.

After his stint as a commentator for the World Chess Championship, Caruana likely had some thoughts about Rapport's preparation for Ding (courtesy Lennart Ootes/GCT)

Despite drawing his final five games, then, Caruana was guaranteed at least a share of the top prize. The only question was whether GM Wesley So, playing against Duda, or Giri, playing against Nepomniachtchi, could "win on demand" to catch up.

So drew relatively peacefully against Duda.

Giri put up more of a fight, although to be fair to So, it takes two to tango, and Nepomniachtchi played the Sveshnikov against Giri while Duda played the Petrov. But, when all was said and done, neither Giri nor So could catch Fabi.

Congratulations to Caruana on winning the first leg of the Grand Chess Tour! In addition to the $100,000 first prize, Caruana earns the most points towards bonuses awarded at the end of the circuit.

The next GCT event will be the Superbet Rapid and Blitz Poland beginning later this week on May 19 in Warsaw, Poland. This will be Magnus Carlsen's first event in this year's tour.