Both matches had winners on Day 1 semi-finals

Both matches had winners on Day 1 of the Goldmoney Asian Rapid semi-finals. Magnus Carlsen began his second decade of being top on every published rating list with a loss to Levon Aronian, but he hit back immediately to grind out an endgame win in the next game. He took the lead in their semi-final by winning the last game of the day, though not without a scare at the end. In the other semi-final Ding Liren credited playing basketball with an improvement in form that saw him power to victory with a game to spare. Vladislav Artemiev, like Levon Aronian, will have to win on demand on Saturday to force a playoff.

See also:

• Champions Chess Tour website
• All the Goldmoney Asian Rapid games with computer analysis: Prelims, Knockout
• Hou Yifan joins Magnus Carlsen for Goldmoney Asian Rapid
• Carlsen starts Goldmoney Asian Rapid against Firouzja, Hou Yifan & So
• Goldmoney Asian Rapid Day 1: Carlsen hits back after Firouzja stumble
• Goldmoney Asian Rapid Day 2: Aronian and Ding lead
• Goldmoney Asian Rapid Day 3: Aronian triumphs, faces 17-year-old Erigaisi
• Goldmoney Asian Rapid Day 4: Carlsen & Artemiev lead
• Goldmoney Asian Rapid Day 5: Carlsen & Aronian scrape into semis after playoffs