GM Mateusz Bartel beat IM Shreyas Royal in round five of the 2023 London Chess Classic to move into a four-way tie for second place. The sole leader, half a point clear, remains GM Michael Adams, but the England star seemed to miss a huge chance to stamp his authority on the event when he took a draw rather than playing on two pawns up against tournament favorite GM Gukesh Dommaraju. 

The London Chess Classic continues after the rest day with round six on Thursday, December 7, at 9:15 a.m. ET/15:15 CET/7:45 p.m. IST.

London Chess Classic Round 5 Results

For once draws dominated the London Chess Classic on the last round before the rest day—some more puzzling than others—with GMs Amin Tabatabaei and Hans Niemann setting the tone. 

Tabatabaei ½ – ½ Niemann

This was a blink-and-you-missed-it game, summed up by a promising newcomer to online punditry, GM Wesley So.

Nothing exciting yet. Hans draw in 30 seconds. I’ll keep you updated. @anishgiri

— Wesley So (@GMWesleySo123) December 5, 2023

On the surface it was a thriller, with wild and almost unfathomable complications…

But this had all been seen before, and Niemann actually gained seven minutes on his clock before the game had fizzled out into a draw. Tabatabaei was almost as fast, and one likely explanation for the non-game is that the players are good friends who have seconded each other at top tournaments. GM Magnus Carlsen had been unable to resist a subtle dig after beating Tabatabaei in the Julius Baer Generation Cup earlier this year:

I do hope for my opponent today… that even though the last two games weren’t so good, perhaps with some changes, you know, some new people to work with, better influences, maybe he can play even better!

By far the most anticipated game of the day, however, was the clash between the leader, Adams, and the player for whom nothing other than sole first place finish will do, Gukesh.

Adams ½ – ½ Gukesh

Gukesh showed his Candidates ambitions by playing energetically in the opening with the black pieces, but it felt that perhaps he was going too far when, in a position where castling was perfectly healthy, he instead went for a king wander with 17…Kd7!?. Don’t try this at home!

We learned a new maneuver today.

— Wesley So (@GMWesleySo123) December 5, 2023

The king was by no means safe in its new dwelling, and Adams did Adams thing as he gradually turned the screw. Gukesh wasn’t going to go down without a fight, however, and he even briefly gained an edge, according to the all-seeing computer. Giri, who will be knocked off his FIDE Circuit perch if Gukesh wins in London, was suddenly on the lookout for more points.

-0.04, packing my bags to Samarkand

— Anish Giri (@anishgiri) December 5, 2023

He pondered if there was an easier solution than travelling to Uzbekistan for the World Rapid and Blitz Championships i.e. playing Titled Tuesday from the comfort of his home. The Champions Chess Tour Finals, meanwhile, should count towards the FIDE Circuit.

cough all you want, it’s not gonna be enough, according to my mathematician friends https://t.co/tN48fkMwiB

— Anish Giri (@anishgiri) December 5, 2023

Giri-drama aside, however, the game was a thriller, and 45…b4?!, instead of first giving a rook check on e1, looked to be a fatal mistake by Gukesh.

He found himself a full two pawns down for no obvious compensation, since the white e-pawn was at least as threatening as the black c-pawn. Gukesh seemed to have a grim battle to save half a point ahead, but then suddenly Adams declared an amnesty and the game had ended in a draw.

No one knew what to make of it all. 

Solid?*

— Anish Giri (@anishgiri) December 5, 2023

?????

— GothamChess (@GothamChess) December 5, 2023

too busy covering Hans, bro

— GothamChess (@GothamChess) December 5, 2023

Gukesh had dodged a bullet.

Relative to the 20% chance of winning outright that Gukesh had yesterday, today’s draw hurt him in my model. He’s down to 16%. But compared to a loss that looked likely, getting half a point in that game was huge to keep his chances alive. A loss would have dropped him under 3%.

— Chess by the Numbers (@ChessNumbers) December 5, 2023

Adams wasn’t the only Englishman to make a draw in a promising position, however.

McShane ½ – ½ Vitiugov

A draw was perhaps the logicial outcome in this match-up between the only two players yet to score a win, but it was a topsy-turvy game, with GM Nikita Vitiugov at first on top with the black pieces, before by the end GM Luke McShane seemed to have taken control. Then… a draw!

The remaining draw, however, couldn’t be held against anyone.

Moussard ½ – ½ Volokitin

GM Jules Moussard went into this game looking for a third win in a row, while GM Andrei Volokitin was trying to avoid a third loss in a row. In the end both streaks were ended with a sharp draw, with Volokitin demonstrating great fighting spirit to keep hunting for his last chances when he could simply have made an instant draw.

We were saved from a day of all draws by Bartel, who has yet to make a draw in the 2023 London Chess Classic.

Royal 0 – 1 Bartel

Bartel not only won, but ensured the day’s quota of g4 moves was also met, when he went for the move after first sacrificing a knight on f2.

 It turns out that 14-year-old Royal would have been doing more than fine after the response 27.Rc6!, but after 27.Rxc8?! the four-time Polish Champion was ruthless. The win is our Game of the Day, analyzed by GM Rafael Leitao below.

That win took Bartel up to the tie for second place, just half a point behind Adams going into the rest day.

Standings After Round 5

How to watch the 2023 London Chess Classic