What a pair of tournaments. My favorite in the Women’s field, Anna Muzychuk, just can’t finish a win, while Lei Tingjie and Tan Zhongyi are crushing the field. Meanwhile, Naka is staging a wild “comeback,” Nepo is playing defense like Petrosian, and we have the prospect of the youngest challenger ever emerging when the smoke clears. Good stuff!

Anyway, my predictions:

Open:

  • Naka-Alireza: 1-0
  • Abasov-Gukesh: 1/2-1/2
  • Fabi-Vidit: 1/2-1/2
  • Nepo-Pragg: 1/2-1/2

Women’s

  • Lagno-Lei: 1/2-1/2
  • Muzychuk-Vaishali: 1-0
  • Goryachkina-Humpy: 1-0
  • Salimova-Tan: 0-1