World Championship Candidates 2016: Chess Tactics

World Championship Candidates 2016: Chess Tactics is now over and we have a new challenger for Magnus Carlsen: Sergey Karjakin!

As we look forward to a World Championship match between the 2 former prodigies later this year, let’s have a look at some of the tactics launched on the board in Moscow during the World Championship Candidates of 2016.

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White to play

A critical moment in the tournament was this position. Caruana (White) has a winning position against Topalov, but couldn’t find the right move and ended up conceding 1/2 a point.

White is a piece up but has both Knight and b1 Rook en prise.

What should Caruana have played?

2Nq1rk1/6p1/1R3rbp/p1pPp3/P1P5/7Q/5PP1/1R3BK1 w – – 0 41

White to play

Hikaru Nakamura overcame a disappointing start to the tournament to finish on 50%. Here he impressively beat Vishy Anand.

How did Nakamura (White) finish off the former World Champion here?

r1b3k1/ppp2p2/1b5r/6qp/1P6/PQ2P1P1/1B3PB1/3R1RK1 w – – 0 22

White to play

The tense final between Sergey Karjakin and Fabiano Caruana. Other results meant Caruana needed to win and played 36…Re4, trying to hold on to his extra pawn.

Can you find Karjakin’s win?

5r2/4k3/1q2pp2/3p3p/1p1Rr3/1B4P1/P1PQ2bP/1K1R4 w – – 0 37