CHESS #1393

The Candidates, which was touch and go, started under strange circumstances with an odd clause. If any participant contracts Covid-19, the event will be “frozen” and finished six months later with the scores standing where they were at the time of the infection. 

The hall is empty though spectators can wander around other parts of the venue. There’s a 500,000 euros pot, which is generous, given that the winner gets a crack at the title (which itself is worth a reasonable amount). 

Anyhow, the event began with a bang. Ding Liren lost to his compatriot Wang Hao in round one, who lost