The Queen’s Gambit Declined is on the board! All eyes on Pragg, what variation will he pick to challenge Aronian’s setup?
Pragg opts for the Ragozin Defense in the Queen’s Gambit Declined. It’s a solid yet dynamic choice, aiming for a flexible middlegame.
Pragg advances his pawn, directly challenging Aronian’s central structure.
By castling kingside, Aronian not only safeguards his king but also brings his rook into play, laying the groundwork for coordinated piece activity in the middlegame.
Pragg develops his knight, directly challenging Aronian’s central knight and contesting key squares in the center.
Aronian activates his rook, placing it on the open c-file.
By attacking Aronian’s bishop with his pawn, Pragg forces a decision on its positioning.
Aronian retreats his bishop to a safe square, removing it from immediate attack while maintaining its potential influence on the board.
Praggnanandhaa moves his bishop, creating a discovered attack on Aronian’s queen and offering a queen trade.
Aronian surprises everyone by moving his bishop under attack, but in doing so, he unleashes a discovered attack of his own!
Pragg ignores the central tension and castles, prioritizing his king’s safety. A wise decision under pressure that stabilizes his position.
Pragg makes a mistake, and Aronian now has a clear chance to gain the advantage. Precision from here will be crucial.
Pragg has kept the material even, but his bishop is pinned. Escaping this pin looks extremely challenging, putting him under pressure.
Aronian finds the perfect solution: his pawn move not only defends his bishop but also gives his king some breathing room against potential back-rank threats.
By repositioning his queen, Aronian targets the pinned bishop and creates a potential capture threat.
Pragg is forced to give up material and is now in serious trouble.
Levon Aronian dominates the rapid section, winning both games against Pragg! In a sharp 25-move battle, the opening saw a Ragozin Defense in the Queen’s Gambit Declined, and Aronian played with incredible precision, finding the best moves and creating constant pressure.
Pragg made a crucial mistake, and Aronian immediately capitalized, gaining material and converting it smoothly into a full point. With this second rapid win, the score is now heavily in Aronian’s favor, putting enormous pressure on Pragg.
⚡ Up next: the blitz section (4 games, 5 min + 2 sec increment), where Pragg needs to win all four games just to even the match and force playoffs. The stage is set for high speed chess, stay tuned!
Aronian struck first, converting a brilliant attack in the Queen’s Indian Defense to win the first rapid game in just 25 moves. It was a devastating blow for Pragg, who now finds himself under pressure.
With the score now in favor of Aronian, Pragg must win this game to level the score before the blitz portion begins. He has the black pieces, can he fight back and turn the tables, or will Aronian continue his momentum?
The players are ready, the clocks are set, and the final rapid game begins soon!