Congrats to Magnus Carlsen on yet another tournament victory! He beat MVL today to finish 1.5 points ahead of the runner-ups. #GrandChessTour

Congratulations again to Magnus Carlsen, who collects $90,000 and 20 GCT points for his efforts

That's Carlsen's 8th tournament win in a row:

🏆 Croatia GCT
🏆 Norway Chess
🏆 Lindores Abbey
🏆 Abidjan
🏆 Shamkir Chess
🏆 Grenke Chess
🏆 TATA Steel Chess
🏆 World Blitz Ch

and 79 games without a loss now. #GrandChessTour

Grand Chess Tour standings after Croatia and Côte d'Ivoire. Keep in mind that some of the players skipped the first leg!

Magnus Carlsen receiving his trophy #GrandChessTour

⚪️#254 (Strategy-White to Move)
🔸Barp,Alberto (2429)
🔸Brunello,S (2542)
🔸78th ch-ITA 2018

19.Kg1!? [19.f5! Driving away the enemy bishop from e6 and gaining more space. 19...Bd7 20.Bf4 gxf5 21.gxf5 d5 22.cxd5 cxd5 23.e5 Nh5 24.f6 Bxf6 25.Nxd5 Bg7 26.Nb6 Qd8 27.Qxc5 Nxf4 28.Nf3+–; 19.Nxe6 Nxe6 20.Rxd6 g5 21.Ne2 gxf4 22.Nxf4 Qc7 23.c5 Nd7 24.Nxe6 Rxe6 25.Bf4 Be5²]

19...Qc7? [¹19...Bxg4 20.hxg4 Nxg4 21.Bh3 Nxe3 22.Rxe3 Qd8 23.Qf2 Qe7 24.Bg2±]

20.Ndb5! cxb5 21.Nxb5 Qe7 22.Nxd6 Na6 23.e5 Nxg4 24.hxg4 Bxg4 25.Rd2+–

½–½

⚪️#254 (Endgame-White to Move)
🔸Santeramo,Alessia (2064)
🔸Gueci,Tea (2184)
🔸78th ch-ITA Women 2018

32.Qe5! [32.Qd5+ Kh7 33.Qe5 Qd8 34.Qf5+ Kg8 35.Qe6+ Kh7 36.g4 Qg5 37.Kg2 Qf4 38.Qf5+ Qxf5 39.gxf5 g5 40.fxg6+ Kxg6 41.Kg3²; 32.Qb6 Qc6 33.Qxc6 bxc6 34.Ng4 c5 35.Ne5 c4 36.a3 Kf8 37.f4 exf3 38.gxf3 Bf5 39.h4 Be6 40.Kf2 Ke7 41.Ke3 Kf6 42.Ke4„]

32...Qd7 33.Nf5 Kh7 34.Nd6 b5 35.Nxe4 Bxe4 36.Qxe4+ g6 37.Qe5±

1–0

🔸Pavlodar KAZ 2018
🔸Round 7
⚪️Malakhatko,V (2545)
⚫️Zubarev,Al1 (2484)
🔸0-1

33...Rf4?! [This move allows White to blockade the black d5–pawn and prevent Black from activating his light-squared bishop.]

[33...Rg4! d4 would be strong: 34.h3 (34.Qf3 Rf4 35.Qh3 h6 36.Bc3 d4! 37.Bb4 Qb8 38.Bxf8 Qxf8 39.Nf3 Bxf3 40.gxf3 Ne5 41.Qg3 g5 42.Kf1 Nxf3 43.Rd3 Nh4–+) 34...Rxg2+! 35.Kxg2 d4+ 36.Kg1 Qxf6–+]

34.Bd4! h6 35.Nf3! Re4 36.Nd2! [Nb3]

36...Re8 37.Nb3=/+ [37.Qf3?! Nxd2! Q×a3 38.Rxd2 Qxa3 39.Qd1 Qd6-/+]

⚪️#255 (Strategy-White to Move)
🔸Godena,M (2463)
🔸Barp,Alberto (2429)
🔸78th ch-ITA 2018

Unity Chess Strategy Multiple Choice 255
public poll

A) Be5 – 6
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 75%
Nikhil, Majid, @A_Somewhat_Cool_Guy, Michael, TheBestBoss@_Kasyap, Arianna

B) Nd2 – 1
👍 13%
@SophiaCat_does_Chess

C) Nc1 – 1
👍 13%
@mahyarebrahimi1983

👥 8 people voted so far.

⚪️#255 (Endgame-White to Move)
🔸Di Benedetto,Edoardo (2324)
🔸Seresin,Francesco (2258)
🔸78th ch-ITA U20 2018

Unity Chess Endgame Multiple Choice 255
public poll

A) Rf2 – 4
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 80%
Nikhil, @A_Somewhat_Cool_Guy, Michael, TheBestBoss@_Kasyap

B) f5 – 1
👍👍 20%
@SophiaCat_does_Chess

C) f×e5
▫️ 0%

👥 5 people voted so far.