Nov 16, 2024 08:51 PM IST
The Norwegian is half-a-point forward of R Praggnanandhaa after 9 rounds; Kateryna Lagno heads girls’s discipline
Kolkata: The Tata Metal Chess match has been nothing in need of a curler coaster experience for Arjun Erigaisi, the most recent entrant to the 2800-rating membership. Barely two days earlier, Magnus Carlsen had picked his recreation in opposition to the Indian because the one he loved essentially the most within the fast spherical regardless that defeat was inflicted in simply 40 strikes. Lower to Saturday and it was Erigaisi’s flip to style victory when he received in 20 strikes within the blitz spherical.
Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi performs five-time World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen within the Tata Metal Chess India Blitz match in Kolkata on Saturday. (PTI)
Carlsen dropping is a uncommon occasion. Much more so when somebody forces him to provide in after simply 20 strikes. Such has been this match for the 33-year-old Norwegian that he has usually been pushed to a nook — notably by Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov within the fast spherical— though he had not been damaged. Enjoying with black items, Erigaisi lastly earned that honour by breaking by Carlsen’s defence with an accuracy of over 98%, in accordance with the dwell chess engines. Carlsen’s was 80%.
That blip aside, there was no stopping Carlsen as he expectedly topped the blitz standings on the primary day with 6.5 factors after 9 rounds, signing off the day with a draw in opposition to Vidit Gujrathi.
R Praggnanandhaa was in second place with six factors after a exceptional turnaround that noticed him register six consecutive wins after dropping his first three video games. Erigaisi and Russia’s Daniil Dubov are tied third with 5.5 factors every. Gujrathi is on 5, Abdusattorov on 4 and Wesley So on 3.5. Degree with So are GMs SL Narayanan and Nihal Sarin, the latter scoring wins in opposition to Vincent Keymer and Gujrathi.
Within the girls’s part, Russia’s Kateryna Lagno leads the sphere with 7 factors, sustaining an undefeated streak with 5 wins and 4 attracts. Valentina Gunina trails her by some extent in second place whereas fast champion Aleksandra Goryachkina is third with 5 factors. Goryachkina had a robust begin with three consecutive wins however managed solely 4 attracts within the remaining six video games.
Standings in blitz (after 9 rounds):
Open part: Magnus Carlsen (6.5); R Praggnanandhaa (6); Arjun Erigaisi (5.5); Daniil Dubov (5.5); Vidit Gujrathi (5); Nodirbek Abdusattorov (4); Wesley So (3.5); SL Narayanan (3.5); Nihal Sarin (3.5), Vincent Keymer (2).
Girls’s part: Kateryna Lagno (7); Valentina Gunina (6); Aleksandra Goryachkina (5); Divya Deshmukh (4.5); Vantika Agrawal (4.5); Koneru Humpy (4.5); Harika Dronavalli (4); Alexandra Kosteniuk (4); Vaishali R (3.5), Nana Dzagnidze (2).
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