Caruana adopts the Queen’s Gambit Declined, sticking to one of the most solid and time-tested defenses.
Sevian develops his knight toward the center.
Caruana develops his knight, reinforcing his central structure and keeping things solid.
Sevian steers the game into the Exchange Variation, opting for a solid yet subtly unbalanced pawn structure.
Caruana chooses to recapture with his pawn, the main line. Recapturing with the knight was possible, but less common.
Sevian develops his bishop, creating a pin on Caruana’s knight
Caruana answers with a counter-pin, showcasing an active and dynamic approach to the position!
Caruana develops his light-squared bishop, activating another piece and joining the fight in the center.
Sevian brings out his queen with check, creating a temporary fork.
Caruana blocks the check with his knight, while simultaneously defending his bishop.
Sevian pushes his pawn forward, clearing the way for his light-squared bishop to join the action.
Caruana pushes his pawn forward, expanding on the kingside while chasing Sevian’s bishop away.
Sevian safely retreats his bishop. With Caruana yet to castle kingside, a piece sacrifice here would be premature and unfavorable for Sevian.
Caruana castles on the kingside, trusting this to be the safest haven for his king!
Sevian shifts his rook over, reinforcing the defense of his pinned knight.
Caruana brings his knight to the center, piling on the pressure against Sevian’s pinned knight.
Sevian takes back with his king, but in doing so, gives up the right to castle for the rest of the game.
Caruana readies his pawns for a push on the queenside.
Sevian pushes forward, aiming to pry open lines against Caruana’s king.
In response, Caruana launches his own advance on the queenside, creating counterplay.
Sevian moves his queen out of harm’s way, keeping it safe and ready for future action.
Caruana pushes his pawn forward, temporarily locking up the kingside and restricting enemy activity.
Sevian’s queen move isn’t optimal, costing him valuable time in king safety and granting Caruana a slight advantage!
Caruana moves his queen to defend his knight, simultaneously connecting his rooks and improving coordination!
Sevian pushes his pawn forward, challenging Caruana’s kingside and testing his defenses.
Caruana places his rook on the half-open e-file, increasing pressure.
Sevian shifts his bishop, defending his central pawn and putting pressure on Caruana’s h-pawn.
Caruana advances his pawn, moving it out of danger.
Sevian brings out his bishop, improving piece activity and connecting his rooks.
Caruana defends his c-pawn, simultaneously freeing his knight to become more active!
Sevian gives up a pawn to shut down the e-file, aiming to limit Caruana’s central activity.
Caruana captures the pawn, gaining an extra pawn.
Sevian plays precisely, keeping the e-file closed and restricting Caruana’s rook activity.
Just when it seemed Caruana had everything under control with a slight advantage, he blunders, handing the initiative over to Sevian!
Sevian suddenly brings his queen to the kingside, delivering a check and turning up the heat on Caruana’s king!
Caruana carefully moves his king out of check, ensuring his safety.
Sevian has just repeated moves. With an advantage on the board, is he content with a draw, or is he playing for extra time on the clock?
Round 7 featured a sharp all-American clash between Samuel Sevian and Fabiano Caruana, ending in a 27-move draw.
The game opened with the Queen’s Gambit Declined, and from the very start, the question on everyone’s mind was: whose king is safer? The middlegame quickly turned tense. Sevian made a small inaccuracy, giving Caruana a window to press and secure a slight advantage. Caruana handled it well, finding precise moves to maintain control.
But the tide turned when Caruana himself erred in a critical moment, allowing Sevian to seize the initiative. Just as it seemed the young American might press for a win, he made the surprising decision to go for perpetual checks, content to share the point.
A short but fascinating battle, full of tension and sharp decision-making. Both players remain unbeaten in their own ways, Caruana still leading the field, Sevian proving once again his incredible resilience.
🎙️ Welcome back, everyone! After a well-deserved rest day, we’re back with live commentary from the 2025 Sinquefield Cup and what a Round 6 we have ahead.
Today’s spotlight falls on the all-American clash: Samuel Sevian vs Fabiano Caruana.
Caruana, the top seed and current leader, has been in excellent form - solid, unbeaten, and sitting half a point ahead of the field. His mix of deep preparation and steady nerves has kept him firmly in control of the standings, and every round from here matters in his push toward the title.
Across the board, Samuel Sevian, the wildcard of this year’s event, has proven himself incredibly tough to beat. With five draws in five rounds, Sevian has shown resilience and stability, though he’ll be eager to turn that solidity into a full point.
So the big question today: will Caruana extend his lead with another victory, or can Sevian halt his momentum and notch his first win of the tournament?