After a tough group stage loss to Yassuo, Cr1tikal found his form and blanked Erobb to secure a spot in the consolation bracket semifinals.

MoistCr1tikal Downs Erobb, Clinches Semifinal Berth

News

Updated: Jun 16, 2020, 1:08 PM | 19 | Chess.com News

The Chess.com PogChamps Quarterfinals kicked off Monday, with MoistCr1tikal, Hutch, and Voyboy progressing with decisive results. In the championship bracket, the quality of play from both Hutch and Voyboy was seamless, and many expect both players to reach the finals on Friday. With the win in the consolation bracket, MoistCr1tikal will face the winner of Tuesday's quarterfinal between SlikeR and Swiftor.

Tuesday's quarterfinals will be starting at 12:45 p.m. Pacific Time (21:45 Central Europe). With three matches scheduled, the PogChamps will feature talents like Ludwig, SlikeR, and Forsen.

With a full day to review Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual, Ludwig should be fully prepared for his quarterfinal clash with xChocobars.

Make sure to tune into Chess.com's official quarterfinals coverage of the 2020 Chess.com PogChamps on Tuesday at 12:45 p.m. Pacific Time (21:45 Central Europe) on Chess.com/tv.

MoistCr1tikal Eliminates Erobb

The PogChamps first quarterfinal saw MoistCr1tikal advance after two quick wins against Erobb. While the wins may have come quickly, MoistCr1tikal was very fortunate that Erobb missed a chance to win a piece out of the opening of the first game:

With the loss, Erobb needed to win to keep his PogChamps dreams alive. He daringly tired 2. Qh5, only to lose it a few moves later due to Black's rapid development.

Though this match marks the end of the PogChamps for Erobb, he shared how much chess he was playing on his phone while taking care of his newborn daughter. MoistCr1tikal, now in the semifinal, is a stone's throw away from playing for the consolation bracket. Could there be a rematch with xQc on the horizon?

Hutch Pushes Past NateHill, Punches Ticket To Semifinal

Many expected Hutch to easily clinch his place in the semifinal, but NateHill showed stubborn resistance early. After a tense opening, the Fortnite star made a critical mistake, one of only two the entire match. Hutch's conversion was technical, giving him a one point lead.

Now with White, NateHill played his opening in reverse, using the extra tempo to correct his error from the previous game. After crashing through in the center, White's position was promising, but a blind spot on h3 brought an abrupt end to the game.

While many players have shown significant improvement throughout the PogChamps, NateHill's development as a player stands alone. Fans won't have to wait long to see him play again, as the Twitch Rivals event in July will give the Fortnite streamer another chance to show his skills. Hutch, now in the semifinals, will face the winner of Wednesday's quarterfinal between NymN and Papaplatte.

Yassuo Tilts, Voyboy Wins Both Legs To Advance

Given Yassuo's quality of play during the group stage, many thought it would be possible for him to keep the match with Voyboy close. While Yassuo's opening selection proved challenging, misclicks plagued him in the first game, as his lack of space gave Voyboy an unstoppable attack.

Yassuo needed a win, but the opening was not friendly to him. Despite being in his preparation, the League of Legends blundered twice in the opening, giving Voyboy a clear piece advantage. While Yassuo tried a couple of tactical ploys, his initiative fizzled out, putting an end to the match.

Voyboy will now face the winner of Tuesday's quarterfinal between Boxbox and Forsen. Many, including Yassuo, regard Voyboy to be the favorite to win PogChamps, but his road to the title will get considerably tougher from here.

SlikeR Favored In Tuesday's Quarterfinal

Many fans of the PogChamps event want to see Ludwig face SlikeR in the consolation bracket final. For that to happen, both must win their respective matches on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals. While SlikeR is the favorite on paper, Swiftor has shown clear improvement with each game, and in a single game match, could steal the show if SlikeR is not careful. Clocks will start at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time (22:00 Central Europe) on Chess.com/TV.

Can SlikeR string two wins together against the American sharpshooter, Swiftor?

Boxbox, Forsen Meet In Highly-Anticipated Quarterfinal

In what is expected to be the closest match of the quarterfinal round, both Boxbox and Forsen will be fighting to keep their tournament hopes alive. Boxbox, having won all three of his matches, needs only one more win to get his much-desired date with Voyboy. After losing to NymN, Forsen will need to bring his best chess, as many still regard him as a dark horse to win the PogChamps. Clocks will start at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time (23:00 Central Europe) on Chess.com/TV.

Which player will earn the right to play Voyboy in the semifinals?

Ludwig, xChocobars Fighting For Survival

After buying Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual, Ludwig appears to be determined to win the consolation bracket. With "throwing for content" no longer an option, fans expect Ludwig to match the same quality of play he brought in Sunday's win against Swiftor. While xChocobars will be the underdog in this matchup, she will be looking for her first win of the event. The winner of this quarterfinal will face the winner of Thursday's quarterfinal between xQc and Fuslie in the next round.

Clocks will start at 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time (00:00 Central Europe) on Chess.com/TV.

Ludwig is a favorite in the consolation bracket, both on and off the board.

Still deciding who to root for in the first-ever Chess.com PogChamps? Here's a quick sampler of each streamer:

♜ Here's a preview of all the streamers competing in the https://t.co/EufIHuV7ha #Pogchamps! Starts in 1 hour on https://t.co/kaTA3dFcqn and https://t.co/qaLMGLOA9W ♜ pic.twitter.com/aqGbbRPjGq
— Chess.com (@chesscom) June 5, 2020