Small edge for Nepo
Nepo has played the opening calmly, not trying to gain any clear advantage out of the opening but going for a relatively risk-free position.
It seems his play has payed off, as the resulting position has given Nepo a comfortable edge due to superior activity.
Nepo's knight in the center creates difficulties for Artemiev to generate counterplay. While Artemiev still has long-term plans, Nepo has managed to maintain his initiative and is slowly improving his position.
Artemiev allows the win of a pawn! Does Nepo see it?
Nepo fails to find the tactical continuation that nets him material. While his position is still comfortable, he had the opportunity to gain a serious advantage!
Despite not taking advantage of Artemiev's mistake, Nepo continues making progress. Nepo now has tactical threats in the position that will net him material with correct play.
This is now looking very promising for Nepo!
Nepo finds the move to give him an advantage! The rook cannot be captured due to the pin against Artemiev's rook.
After the trades, Nepo has managed to win a pawn. While Artemiev isn't down and out due to the amount of pieces still on the board, Nepo will get his winning chances!
The trade of rooks has heavily favored Nepo, who not only has attacking chances but remains a healthy pawn up. This will be very difficult to hold for Artemiev, who has very little time left!
Nepo wins in very convincing fashion after completely outplaying Artemiev in an even position. Nepo put Artemiev under constant pressure, forcing Artemiev into a passive position. With little time and no counterplay in sight, Artemiev made a key error that turned Nepo's initiative into a clear advantage. Feeling the pressure, Artemiev was ultimately unable to handle Nepo's threats, and the game reaches its natural conclusion after Nepo managed to create unstoppable threats against Artemiev's king.
The main event of the EWC continues with a high-stakes clash in Group A, as Ian Nepomniachtchi faces Vladislav Artemiev in a critical elimination match. With only a 10-minute time control and limited chances to advance, every move in this encounter will matter.
All eyes are now on Nepo, a form-driven player known for dramatic swings between brilliance and inconsistency. After a surprising loss to Andrey Esipenko in the first round, we're still unsure about which version of Nepo will show up today. When he is at his best, few can match his speed and intuition, and he should be heavily favored. When he is off, however, even the underdogs can capitalize.
Artemiev, who put up a strong fight against Levon Aronian, has already shown he is here to compete. While he may not be the favorite on paper, his steady play makes him a serious threat. The spotlight is on Nepo as he looks to rise to the moment and keep his tournament hopes alive.