Caruana, Chirila Take 1st Crown In 2024 Team Chess Battle

GMs Fabiano Caruana and Cristian Chirila (aka Team C-Squared) won the inaugural 2024 Team Chess Battle on Friday. In the Final, they defeated the commentary dream team of GMs Daniel Naroditsky and Robert Hess 1.5-0.5.

In game one, they properly dismantled the Alekhine's Defense with the white pieces. Needing just a draw, they found a powerful exchange sacrifice and ended the second game with a perpetual check.

They split $7,000 and, more importantly, bragging rights until the next one rolls around.

Pre-Match Banter: Chirila 'Goes There,' Reminds Hess Of Their Lifetime Score 

The match started with friendly banter, but it was Chirila who heightened the competitive atmosphere by several notches.

Hess first reminded us of an all-time classic, Caruana reading a bedtime story, and turned it into a half-joke, half-roast:

Robert: "You read me a bedtime story once, but we're gonna put you to sleep today, okay Fabi?!"#TeamChess pic.twitter.com/PDvRhSzvxu

— chess24 (@chess24com) March 8, 2024

"I was hoping we'd get this Final," said Caruana, while Chirila was significantly more combative. He recalled playing Hess twice in their careers. The first game was a draw in 2005, but 12 years later "I had a pretty decent result, not much resistance in that one! We'll see today if you can put more resistance."

I had a pretty decent result, not much resistance in that one!

—Cristian Chirila

In response, Hess recalled the 2021 U.S. Championship where Naroditsky overcame Caruana. Conveniently, no one brought up Hess' plus score against Chirila on Chess.com by a 10-point margin, +27 =3 -18.

The gloves were off, and the four players were less friendly at the board than they were away from it.

Caruana & Chirila 1.5-0.5 Naroditsky & Hess 

The match ultimately came down to the first game, which was the only decisive one of the day. 

The players agreed that the following position was a critical turning point, after Black just played the ambitious 26...Nd7. While objectively equal, Naroditsky later said that allowing White's next move was "impractical," and 26...Bf5 to simplify may have been safer.

How would you continue with White? (Think: what's the downside of 26...Nd7?) Watch out: I spoil the answer below the diagram.

If your move was 27.f5!, now that the black bishop doesn't control f5, you're thinking like the world number-two. After that, the position exploded, but White was on the better end of the complications.

GM Rafael Leitao goes over the full Game of the Day below, which ended with a mostly clean pawn-up conversion in the endgame. Black had one chance to hold on move 50.

 

Both Hess and Naroditsky concluded that, despite its dubious reputation, the Alekhine's Defense went well in the first game—it was later that they made mistakes.

Naroditsky was optimistic as ever: "We have the white pieces in the second game and we're not giving up!" His partner, on the other hand, asked commentator GM David Howell for a lifeline:

Robert: "Can you mute them and give us some opening advice [, David]? Because we don't know what to play!"#TeamChess pic.twitter.com/b9PjVs3ZOD

— chess24 (@chess24com) March 8, 2024

The commentator duo selected the Frankenstein-Dracula Variation of the Vienna Game, but Caruana chose the safer 5.Be7 adding: "They'll hate us for it." 5...Nc6, which would have been White's hope would have initiated mind-blowing complications.

Here's the main line, which didn't happen, for example:

Both sides thought that Black was in trouble in the middlegame, though the engine indicates that White never had more than a slight edge objectively. The final critical decision by Black was 24...Bxd5! followed by 25...Rxe5!, an exchange sacrifice that forced the perpetual check.

Despite the loss, Naroditsky was positive in the interview: "I'm extremely proud of the way we played. I think we played our hearts out and I'm taking second place any day of the week."

I think we played our hearts out and I'm taking second place any day of the week.

—Daniel Naroditsky

Hess, on the other hand, thought of a curious way his friend Caruana could make it up to him:

Robert: "Can your apology be some files on openings sent my way?"#TeamChess pic.twitter.com/jkZQcHC4R1

— chess24 (@chess24com) March 8, 2024

Naroditsky and Hess still divide $4,000 for reaching this stage of the tournament.

Caruana concluded: "We had a winning combination. We played well together, it was a lot of fun.... We're good friends and we've worked together for already years now, so of course I'd love to have another team battle with Cristian by my side." Chirila quipped: "We know who carried the team 90 percent of the time!"

We had a winning combination. We played well together, it was a lot of fun.

—Fabiano Caruana

Team Chess Battle is an event where two-player teams can freely communicate while facing other teams in a series of rapid chess games. Eight teams of two players each compete in a single-elimination bracket. Matches consist of two games (the Final is a four-game match) with a 10+10 time control. The event starts on February 21 and features a $25,000 prize fund.

Previous coverage:

• • Naroditsky, Hess Say No To Draw, Play For Win With Black
  • Team C-Squared Defends Impossible Endgame, Reaches Final
  • Nakamura, GothamChess Dream Team Wins In Armageddon
  • Never Meet Your Heroes: Naroditsky & Hess Beat Their Commentary Inspirations
  • Team Wesley So & Alice Lee Kill With Kindness In Quarterfinals
  • Team C-Squared Neutralizes Novelty From Bickering Giri & Rensch
  • Team Chess Battle: The Star-Studded New 2v2 Tournament With Nakamura, Giri, GothamChess, And… Jan Gustafsson