Poker, not chess: ‘sudden death’ tiebreaks

In an earlier column, I lamented the looming death of classical chess. Tournament chess, as we know it,  is under continuous threat from a deadly trio of Armageddon finishes (in which White has a time advantage but a draw with Black counts as a win), blitz (10 seconds a move), super-fast bullet games (one second a move), and that ultimate heresy, shuffle chess.

The last of these is now masquerading under the euphemism of freestyle chess, where the pieces are randomly distributed in the initial array. Magnus Carlsen, former classical world champion and heresiarch-in-chief, is an active proponent of “freestyle” chess declaring its own world championship. Such a title could even gain the blessing of FIDÉ itself, the international governing body of classical chess. That would indeed be treason.

A secure bastion against deviation has, until now, been the annual tournament at Wijk aan Zee, Holland. It was graced, in the past, by such illustrious winners as Dr Max Euwe, Jan Hein Donner, Mikhail Botvinnik, Victor Korchnoi, Nigel Short, John Nunn, Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen, amongst many other titans of the game.

This year’s event resulted in an honourable tie between the new world champion, Dommaraju Gukesh and his fellow Indian Grandmaster, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa. Below is the tournament cross-table prior to the three game tie-break.

In my opinion that result — a tie for first place between Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa — should have been sufficient. But bowing the knee to a thirst for undivided outcomes (which we must remind ourselves, had been sufficient for Magnus Carlsen and his challenger Jan Nepomniachtchi as they shared their World Blitz final and crown), the two joint laureates were then obliged to enter a sequence of blitz and sudden death games to determine a sole trophy holder.

At that stage the contest degenerated into a farce, resembling poker rather than chess. The play-off was decided when a palpably drawn position was miraculously transmuted into a win for Pragg (as the 19 year old Indian grandmaster is known). As the aleatory triomphator quit the podium, the new 18 year old world champion Gukesh remained slumped on stage, his head in his hands, a portrait of utter despair. The fruits of two weeks’ intense mental concentration had been jettisoned in a matter of seconds. You can watch the sudden death third game (2 minutes 30 seconds for White, 3 minutes for Black, plus 2 second increments per move— but no draw odds), feasting your sense of melodrama and farce, here:

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa vs Alexey Sarana

Tata Steel Masters, Wijk aan Zee, 2025, rd. 12

1.d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 c6 6. Qc2 Be6 7. e3 Nbd7 8. Be2 Bd6 9. Bd3 h6 10. Bh4 g5 11. Bg3 Bxg3 12. hxg3 Qe7 13. Nf3 g4 14. Nh4 Nb6 15. O-O O-O-O 16. a4 Kb8 17. a5 Nc4 18. Na4?!

Our silicon friend opines that the following variation represents a slight improvement: 18. a6 b5 19. Rfe1 Qd7 20. e4 dxe4 21. Nxe4 Nxe4 22. Rxe4 Rhg8 23. Rf4 Nb6 24. Be4 Nd5 25. Bxd5 cxd5.

18… Nd6 19. Nc5 a6 20. Rfc1 Bc8 21. Qb3 Nb5??

One can almost hear the a6- and c6-pawns creaking. However, the correct defence was by, 21… Ka8 22. Qb4 (22. Qb6 Rhe8 23. Rc2 Nd7 24. Qc7 Nf6 is also good) 22… Nfe4 23. Na4 Nxf2 24. Bxa6 Qxe3 25. Kh2 Nfe4 26. Rc3 Nxc3 27. bxc3 bxa6 28. Nb6+ Ka7 29. Nxc8+ Rxc8.

22.Nxa6+ bxa6 23. Rxc6 Rd7?

Black is lost, but prosaically,  better options were available in either:-

23.a) 23… Ka8 24. Nf5 Qb7 25. Rb6 Qa7 26. Rxf6 Be6 27. Bxb5 axb5 28. Qxb5 Rb8 29. Qc6+ Qb7 30. Qb6 Qd7 31. Qa6+ Qa7; or,

24.b) 23… Ne8 24. Bxb5 axb5 25. Qxb5+ Ka8 26. Rac1 Bb7 27. Rb6 Nd6 28. Qb4 Rd7 29. a6 Nc4 30. axb7+ Kb8 31. Nf5 Qxb4 32. Rxb4 Rxb7 33. Rxb7+ Kxb7.

25.Nf5 Qd8 25. Bxb5 axb5 26. a6 Ra7 27. Qxb5+ Ka8 28. Nd6 Bd7?

This final error gives White mating options. 28… Rg8 29. e4 dxe4 30. Nxc8 (30. Rxc8+ Qxc8 31. Nxc8 Rxc8 transposes) 30… Qxc8 31. Rxc8+ Rxc8 32. Qf5 Nd7 33. Qxe4+ Kb8 34. Qd5, enables a longer survival.

29.Qb7+ Black resigns 1-0

In the light of, 29… Rxb7 30. axb7+ Kb8 31. Ra8 checkmate.

Dommaraju Gukesh vs Anish Giri

Tata Steel Masters, Wijk aan Zee, 2025, rd. 1

1.Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 c5 4. O-O Nc6 5. d4 e6 6. c4 dxc4 7. Qa4 Bd7 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. Qxc4 Be7 10. Nc3 O-O 11. e4 Rc8 12. Qe2 Bc5 TN

Theory records 12. Qa5 and …e5 at this juncture, both apparently stronger than the text.

13.Bg5 h6 14. Bh4?!

A misbegotten idea, which gives White some, but not sufficient compensation for the piece.

14.a) 14. Bxf6 Qxf6 15. e5 Qe7 16. Ne4 Rfd8 17. Rfc1 Bb6 18. Nd6 Rc7 19. Nb5 Rcc8; and,

14.b) 14. Bf4 Re8 15. Rad1 Qa5 16. Bd6 e5 17. Bxc5 Qxc5 18. Qb5 Qxb5 19. Nxb5 Re7 20. Nd6 Rc7 21. Nb5; the engine consider both the above variations as stronger continuations.

14… g5 15. Nxg5 hxg5 16. Bxg5 e5 17. Qd2 Be7 18. Bh6 Kh7 19. Bxf8 Bxf8

Slightly better is: 19… Qxf8 20. Kh1 Nd4 21. Qg5 Qh6 22. f4 Bd6 23. Rad1 Ng4 24. Qxh6+ Nxh6 25. fxe5 Bxe5.

20.f4 Be6 21. Nd5 Nb4 22. fxe5 Ng4 23. Rad1 Kh8 24. Kh1?

Black has a tangible advantage after this error, Best is, 24. Qf4 Bh6 25. Qf3 Nc6 26. h3 Ngxe5 27. Qh5 Qg5 28. Qxg5 Bxg5 29. b3, When Black enjoys a slight edge, but no more than that.

24… Rc2 25. Qf4 Nxd5 26. Qf3 Qb6?!

Black can enhance his position after, 26… Rxg2 27. Qxg2 Nge3 28. Qf3 Nxf1 29. exd5 Ne3 30. Qxe3 Bxd5+ 31. Kg1 Qa5 32. Rc1 Qxa2 33. Rc8 Qb1+ 34. Qc1 Qxc1 35. Rxc1 Bg7.

27exd5 Rf2! 28. Qc3 Bb4?

Disastrous, as it gifts White a vital tempo to relocate his queen. Correct was the immediate 28… Bf5, when for example, 29. e6+ can be met by the following fabulous fantasy variation: 29… Bg7 30. exf7 Kh7 31. d6 Rxg2 32. f8=N+ Bxf8 33. Kxg2 Be4+ 34. Kh3 Nf2+ 35. Rxf2 Qxf2 36. Re1 Qg2+ 37. Kh4 Bg7 38. d7 Qxh2+ 39. Kg4 Bxc3 40. d8=Q Bf5+ 41. Kxf5 Qh5+ 42. Ke4 Bxe1! After this text blunder, full equality is restored to both of our two protagonists.

29.Qc1 Bf5 30. Qg5 Bf8 31. Qh4+?

An egregious blunder which, by relaxing hold on the f5-bishop, returns significant advantage back to Black. Correct is, 31. Qh5+ Bh6 32. Rde1 Rxg2! 33. Kxg2 Qxb2+ 34. Kh1 Qd2 35. Rxf5 Qxe1 36. Kg2 Ne3+ 37. Kh3 Nxf5 38. Qxf5, ensuring that the level playing field remains.

31… Bh6?

Offering White respite through an exchange of errors. To exploit White’s last, Black should continue, 31… Kg8! 32. e6 Rxf1+ 33. Rxf1 Nf2+ 34. Rxf2 Qxf2 35. Qg5+ Bg6 36. h4 Kh7 37. exf7 Bc5 38. Kh2 Qxf7, with a very convincing advantage.

32.Rde1 Qxb2 33. h3??

A terminal mistake, as we shall see, allowing an attack on the besieged bishop with …Be4.  White could only hold the fort with, 33. Rxf2! Nxf2+ 34. Kg1 Ng4 35. Rf1 Kg1 36. Rxf5 Qb1+ 37. Rf1 Be3+ 38. Kh1 Nf2+ 39. Kg1 Nd1+ 40. Kh1 Nf2+, likely drawing.

33… Be4! 34. Rxf2

But certainly not:-

a) 34. Bxe4 Rxf1+ 35. Rxf1 Qh2 checkmate; or,

b) 34. Rxe4 Rxf1+ 35. Bxf1 Qh2 checkmate; or,

c) 34. hxg4 Rxf1+ 35. Rxf1 Qxg2 checkmate.

34… Nxf2+ 35. Kg1 Qb6??

Prior to this game-losing blunder, Black had been winning. If, instead of the text, Black had played 35… Ng4, with a double attack on g2 threatening mate, White must either capture on e4 or sacrifice his queen, neither of which do anything but defer capitulation. For example:

a) 36. Bxe4 Qf2+ 37. Kh1 Qh2 checkmate;

b) 36. Rxe4 Qb6+ 37. Rd4 Qxd4+ 38. Kh1 Qa1+ 39. Bf1 Qxf1 checkmate;

c) 36. Qxh6+ Nxh6 37. Rxe4 Nf5 38. e6 Qc1+ 39. Kh2 Qa3, winning;

d) 36. Qd8+ Kg7 37. Qf6+ Nxf6 38. exf6+ Kxf6 39. Rxe4 Bf8 40. Rf4+ Ke7; winning.

Qf6+ Qxf6 37. exf6 Bxg2 38. Kxg2 Nd3 39. Re8+ Kh7 40. d6 Nc5 41. Re5 Nd7 42. Re7 Black resigns 1-0

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa vs Dommaraju Gukesh

Tata Steel Masters blitz tiebreak, Wijk aan Zee, 2025, rd. 3

Wijk aan Zee Final: tie-break game 3

Position after 49… Nd3

Here the position is completely dead level. But there then follows…

50.Ne3 Nf4+ 51. Kd6 Nd3??

Black completely cedes control. Necessary was 51… h5! 52. Nd5+ Kg5 53. h4+ Kxh4 54. Nxf4 exf4 55. e5 Kg3 56. e6 Kxg2 57. e7 f3 58. e8=Q f2 59. Qc6+, when, according to higher silicon powers, the resultant position is a dead draw, as Black cannot escape perpetual checks.

52.Ng4+ Kg5 53. Nxe5 Kf4??

And in one unceremonious monster of a mistake, the game is done. Black can continue with, for example, 53… Nf2 or …Nb2, after both of which he will eventually perish. But after the text, checkmate is an inevitability.

54.Nxd3+

Also winning is 54. g3+ Kxe4 55. Nxd3 Kxd3 56. Ke6 Ke3 57. Kf6 Kf3 58. Kg7 Kg2, with a mate in 24.

54… Kxe4 55. Nf2+

Prosaically, after 55. Ne5 Kf5 56. g4+ Kf4 57. Ke6 h5 58. Nxg6+ Kxg4, the engine also declares a mate in 24 for White.

55… Ke3 56. Ng4+ Kf4 57. Nf6 h5 58. Ke6 h4 59. Kf7 Kf5 60. Kg7 g5 61. h3 Kf4 62. Kg6 places Black in zugzwang and finishes the contest.

Ray’s 206th book, “  Chess in the Year of the King  ”, written in collaboration with Adam Black, and his 207th, “  Napoleon and Goethe: The Touchstone of Genius  ” (which discusses their relationship with chess) can be ordered from both Amazon and Blackwells. His 208th, the world record for chess books, written jointly with chess playing artist Barry Martin,  Chess through the Looking Glass ,  is now available from Amazon. 

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