<Firouzja-Radjabov, 1/2-1/2 in 93 moves.>

Exact, 10 points: []
Under, 7 points: [['Golden Executive', '1/2-1/2', '42']]

2nd Under, 6 points: [['Penguincw', '1/2-1/2', '40'], ['Firouzjias', '1/2-1/2', '40']]

3rd Under, 5 points: [['alfamikewhiskey', '1/2-1/2', '38']]

Over, 3 points: []
2nd Over, 2 points: []
3rd Over, 1 point1: []

===

<Nakamura-Caruana, 1-0 in 74 moves.>--No one got it!

==

<Nepo-Ding, 1/2-1/2 in 37 moves.>

Exact, 10 points: [['Messiah', '1/2-1/2', '37']] Under, 7 points: []
2nd Under, 6 points: []
3rd Under, 5 points: []
Over, 3 points: []
2nd Over, 2 points: [['alfamikewhiskey', '1/2-1/2', '38']]

3rd Over, 1 point1: [['Penguincw', '1/2-1/2', '40']]

===

<Rapport-Duda, 1-0 in 29 moves.>

Exact, 10 points: []
Under, 7 points: []
2nd Under, 6 points: []
3rd Under, 5 points: []
Over, 3 points: [['Golden Executive', '1-0', '35']]

Perfect # moves predictions for this round goes to

<Messiah>

Highest scores in the Bonus Ranker: 7 points: <alfamikewhiskey> and <Penguincw>

Results:

Moves Ranker - Through <Round 8>

Score, UserID, Over, Under, Exact

52, Golden Executive, 1, 7, 0
49, Firouzjias, 0, 7, 0
38, Penguincw, 1, 5, 0
37, chessmoron, 3, 4, 0
24, juan31, 0, 2, 1
20, Messiah, 1, 1, 1
17, alfamikewhiskey, 1, 2, 0

===

Bonus Ranker - Through <Round 8>

Score, UserID, 3-Over, 2-Over, 3-Under, 2-Under

55, juan31, 1, 3, 6, 3
42, Golden Executive, 1, 3, 1, 5
40, Penguincw, 2, 5, 2, 3
35, chessmoron, 2, 0, 3, 3
24, Messiah, 0, 3, 0, 3
13, alfamikewhiskey, 0, 1, 1, 1
13, Firouzjias, 3, 2, 0, 1

===

Moves+Bonus Ranker - Through <Round 8>

Score, UserID

94, Golden Executive
79, juan31
78, Penguincw
72, chessmoron
62, Firouzjias
44, Messiah
30, alfamikewhiskey

===

Moves Ranker (# of 1st place UNDER/OVER) - Through <Round 8>

Score,UserID

I'll respond here.

And a great move spotted by the kid. The queen sacrifice reminds me of the game Carlsen vs Topalov, 2010.

Also in this game, Topalov resigned at that point, but in this game, white also ignored the Nxd3 threat, and instead played dxe6, intending to follow up with exf7+ and then taking on e8.

I think 1.dxe6 is best.

After something like: 1.dxe6 Nxd3 2.exf7+ Kh7 3.fxe8Q Rxe8 4.cxd3 a6

click for larger view

White has a rook and 2 knights for the queen.

If white had a c2 pawn, it would really be game over. Black will get some play against white's weak pawns, but it doesn't compensate the lost material.

I also don't like the way black looks on the f-file, the g6 and f5 squares.

White had a fine position, and would be slightly better after the normal: 1.Qe2 cxd5 2.exd5 Bd7 3.b4 Na6 4.b5 Nc5

click for larger view

<Caruana-Nepo, 1/2-1/2 in 40 moves.>

Exact, 10 points: [['Penguincw', '1/2-1/2', '40']]

Under, 7 points: []
2nd Under, 6 points: []
3rd Under, 5 points: []
Over, 3 points: []
2nd Over, 2 points: [['juan31', '1/2-1/2', '41'], ['Golden Executive', '1/2-1/2', '41']]

3rd Over, 1 point1: [['alfamikewhiskey', '1/2-1/2', '44'], ['Firouzjias', '1/2-1/2', '44']]

===

<Ding-Duda, 1-0 in 61 moves.>

Exact, 10 points: []
Under, 7 points: [['Golden Executive', '1-0', '30']]

2nd Under, 6 points: []
3rd Under, 5 points: []
Over, 3 points: []
2nd Over, 2 points: []
3rd Over, 1 point1: []

===

<Firouzja-Rapport, 1-0 in 41 moves.>

Exact, 10 points: []
Under, 7 points: [['chessmoron', '1-0', '40']]
2nd Under, 6 points: []
3rd Under, 5 points: []
Over, 3 points: []
2nd Over, 2 points: []
3rd Over, 1 point1: []

===

<GE> decided enough was enough, and surged back into the lead in 3 Rankers. <juan> holds the lead in the 4th. It's rumored they had another "innocent", cough, cough, phone call to discuss their domination of this contest after <OCF> called them out for possible collusion. They apparently thought one round was enough to dispel all suspicions.

In other news, apparently <juan> was hoping for early 4th of July fireworks, as he has been appealing to the organizers to bring some pyrotechnics to the tournament. <amw> apparently sobered up this round, but his picks were so bad he might as well have overslept again. <Pengo> has apparently appointed himself some kind of Chief Analyst, as he answered <OCF's> call to look at a game by an under 1000, but then he started demanding time on Naka's livestream and was tossed out on his ear.

User: Messiah

Perfect # moves predictions for this round goes to

<Penguincw>

Highest scores in the Bonus Ranker: 2 points: <Golden Executive> and <juan31>

Results:

Moves Ranker - Through <Round 9>

Score, UserID, Over, Under, Exact

59, Golden Executive, 1, 8, 0
49, Firouzjias, 0, 7, 0
48, Penguincw, 1, 5, 1
44, chessmoron, 3, 5, 0
24, juan31, 0, 2, 1
20, Messiah, 1, 1, 1
17, alfamikewhiskey, 1, 2, 0
===

Bonus Ranker - Through <Round 9>

Score, UserID, 3-Over, 2-Over, 3-Under, 2-Under

57, juan31, 1, 4, 6, 3
44, Golden Executive, 1, 4, 1, 5
40, Penguincw, 2, 5, 2, 3
35, chessmoron, 2, 0, 3, 3
24, Messiah, 0, 3, 0, 3
14, alfamikewhiskey, 1, 1, 1, 1
14, Firouzjias, 4, 2, 0, 1

===

Moves+Bonus Ranker - Through <Round 9>

Score, UserID

103, Golden Executive
88, Penguincw
81, juan31
79, chessmoron
63, Firouzjias
44, Messiah
31, alfamikewhiskey

===

Moves Ranker (# of 1st place UNDER/OVER) - Through <Round 9>

Score,UserID

<Duda-Caruana, 1-0 in 57 moves.
Exact, 10 points: []
Under, 7 points: [['alfamikewhiskey', '1-0', '28']] 2nd Under, 6 points: []
3rd Under, 5 points: []
Over, 3 points: []
2nd Over, 2 points: []
3rd Over, 1 point1: []

===

<Nakamura-Firouzja, 1-0 in 32 moves.
Exact, 10 points: []
Under, 7 points: []
2nd Under, 6 points: []
3rd Under, 5 points: []
Over, 3 points: [['Messiah', '1-0', '63']]
2nd Over, 2 points: []
3rd Over, 1 point1: []

===

<Nepo-Radjabov, 1/2-1/2 in 37 moves.
Exact, 10 points: []
Under, 7 points: []
2nd Under, 6 points: []
3rd Under, 5 points: []
Over, 3 points: [['Golden Executive', '1/2-1/2', '39']] 2nd Over, 2 points: [['Penguincw', '1/2-1/2', '40'], ['alfamikewhiskey', '1/2-1/2', '40']] 3rd Over, 1 point1: [['chessmoron', '1/2-1/2', '43']]

===