Six players, one point apart, four more games each, playing for one position that matters — finishing atop the FIDE Candidates 2024. Over the next five days, Ian Nepomniachtchi, D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana and Vidit Gujrathi — will play four of the most decisive games of their careers as they race towards the top spot of the double round robin event featuring eight players where finishing first gives the right to challenge the World Champion. It’s a tournament where pressure comes in many forms, not just from the opponent across the board. Sample this: The racing pack of six is currently separated by one point on the standings after 10 games. No American has been world champion since Bobby Fischer in 1972, over five decades back. Caruana, who has competed in four Candidates previously, had his shot in 2018 but was denied by Magnus Carlsen. No Russian has ascended the throne since Vladimir Kramnik in 2006. Nepomniachtchi has had two shots at the title, after winning the last two Candidates tournaments, …