Sigeman 2026 Round 4: Erdogmus Takes Sole Lead as Carlsen Falls to Van Foreest
The five-way tie that defined the first half of TePe Sigeman Chess 2026 is gone. Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus broke away from the pack with a clinical win over Grandelius, taking sole first place at 3/4. The bigger shock came on the top board: Carlsen lost to Jorden van Foreest in an 88-move Najdorf that turned into a grueling endgame.
Round 4 Results
| White | Result | Black | Opening | Moves | |-------|--------|-------|---------|-------| | Erdogmus | 1-0 | Grandelius | Ruy Lopez Classical (C64) | 33 | | van Foreest | 1-0 | Carlsen | Sicilian Najdorf, 6.f4 (B93) | 88 | | Abdusattorov | ½-½ | Erigaisi | Semi-Slav Defense (D31) | 62 | | Zhu Jiner | 1-0 | Woodward | Sicilian Najdorf (B90) | 37 |
Erdogmus Keeps Rolling Against Grandelius
Erdogmus made it two wins in a row with a clinical victory over the struggling Grandelius. In a Ruy Lopez Classical, the youngest player to ever cross 2700 built a steady advantage and punished a late error. Grandelius cracked under pressure with 31...Rd1??, walking into a forced mate that ended the game on move 33.
At 14 years old, Erdogmus is leading a tournament featuring the world No. 1. His 3/4 score puts him a full half-point clear of the chasing pack, and he has shown no signs of slowing down after a dominant second half. Grandelius, meanwhile, remains on zero points after four rounds in his home city of Malmö.
Van Foreest Outgrinds Carlsen in Najdorf Marathon
The day's biggest result saw Jorden van Foreest beat Magnus Carlsen in an 88-move battle. Carlsen chose the Sicilian Najdorf with the black pieces and van Foreest responded with 6.f4, steering the game into a sharp middlegame.
What followed was one of the wildest games of the tournament. As both players entered time trouble, the evaluation swung dramatically - the position was winning, then drawn, then winning again at least four times. There were over seven mutual blunders in the time scramble, with neither player able to navigate the complications cleanly. Carlsen's 86...Na3?? proved the final error, allowing van Foreest to seal the win two moves later.
It's a significant scalp for the Dutch GM, who climbs to 2.5/4 and joins the pack chasing Erdogmus.
For Carlsen, it's his first loss since returning to classical chess at Sigeman. After scoring 2/3 in the first half without appearing to push particularly hard, this defeat drops him to 2/4 and a share of fifth place. With three rounds remaining, Carlsen will need to find wins if he wants to catch the 14-year-old Turkish sensation leading the event.
Abdusattorov-Erigaisi: Clash of Co-Leaders Ends in Draw
The only direct encounter between co-leaders produced a draw. Abdusattorov had the white pieces in a Semi-Slav and the game developed into a complex middlegame that lasted 62 moves. Both players showed strong preparation and neither managed to find a way through.
The result leaves both players at 2.5/4, tied with van Foreest and half a point behind Erdogmus. Abdusattorov has been the model of consistency in Malmö, with three draws and a win, while Erigaisi's results have been more volatile with a win, a loss, and two draws in his last three games.
Zhu Jiner Gets Off the Mark
Zhu Jiner scored her first win of the tournament, beating Andy Woodward in a Sicilian Najdorf in just 37 moves. After a difficult start with just half a point from three games, the women's world No. 2 showed her quality against the 15-year-old American, who had been one of the tournament's early surprises.
The win lifts Zhu to 1.5/4 and moves her away from the foot of the table, which Grandelius now occupies alone. Woodward drops to 2/4 but is still very much in contention given his strong start.
Standings After Round 4
| # | Player | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Score | |---|--------|----|----|----|----|-------| | 1 | Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 3/4 | | 2 | Nodirbek Abdusattorov | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 2½/4 | | 2 | Arjun Erigaisi | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 2½/4 | | 2 | Jorden van Foreest | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 2½/4 | | 5 | Magnus Carlsen | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | 2/4 | | 5 | Andy Woodward | 1 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 2/4 | | 7 | Zhu Jiner | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1½/4 | | 8 | Nils Grandelius | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/4 |
Looking Ahead
Round 5 on May 5 brings more critical matchups: Carlsen faces Zhu Jiner with white, needing to get back on track. Erigaisi takes on van Foreest in what could be a decisive game for both players' podium chances. Most intriguingly, Grandelius faces Abdusattorov and desperately needs to break his scoreless streak.
The real fireworks come in the final round on May 7: Carlsen vs. Erdogmus, the first-ever classical encounter between the world No. 1 and the youngest 2700 in history. If Erdogmus maintains his lead, that game could decide the tournament.
Meanwhile, the Grand Chess Tour Super Rapid & Blitz kicks off today in Warsaw, featuring the highly anticipated first meeting between World Champion Gukesh and challenger Sindarov.
Two Najdorf games in one round shows the opening's enduring popularity at the top level. If you want to learn the Najdorf properly, Anish Giri's Lifetime Repertoire on Chessable is one of the most comprehensive resources available. Browse Najdorf courses on Chessable.
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