Woodward delivered the upset of the day, knocking off defending champion Caruana in Wednesday's round. That result tied him with Wesley So atop the standings. The day lived up to its billing as the tournament's most brutal yet. Eight decisive games from twelve total matches meant draws became rare. Players stopped playing it safe.
Lee maintained her perfect score through five rounds in the women's event, sitting at 4.5/5. She's running away with the field while the men's side stays congested at the top.
The defending champion's loss signals the field is fighting back. Caruana held first place coming in. Woodward's victory proves nobody's running away with this tournament. The classical preparation that carried Caruana through earlier rounds apparently wasn't enough against Woodward's preparation or middlegame execution.
Wesley So remains in the mix after avoiding defeat. He shares the lead with Woodward, meaning we have a three-way battle for first place if Caruana's loss stands alone. The women's tournament tells a different story. Lee's dominance through the midpoint looks ominous for her competitors. Four and a half points from five games typically builds an insurmountable lead in a Swiss system.
The pace of decisive games accelerated dramatically on Wednesday. Players stopped grinding out draws and took concrete chances. This shift changes the tournament's complexion entirely.