Arjun defeats Carlsen; Gukesh’s Freestyle struggles proceed
Bengaluru:Arjun Erigaisi slipped into demolition mode rightaway on Day 1 of the Paris leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam tour on Monday. The 21-year-old Indian defeated world No.1 and 5 Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana respectively, within the first two fast rounds. His wonderful run was briefly halted by compatriot and reigning world champion D Gukesh in Spherical 3. It was Gukesh’s first full level from a Freestyle chess recreation this yr after he went winless by way of the primary leg at Weissenhaus in February. It, nevertheless, turned out to be his lone win of the day.
Of the 4 Indians – Arjun, Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa R and Vidit Gujrathi – who function within the 12-player occasion with 10+10 time management, single spherical robin over the primary two days, Arjun had the perfect opening day and is positioned at 3.5 factors. He’s adopted by Praggnanandhaa at 2.5 factors. Solely eight gamers will make the classical knockouts after two days and 11 rounds of fast video games.
Earlier than each spherical, the beginning place is picked utilizing a specially-designed lottery machine-like gadget with 960 small picket balls. The items on the again rank of the boards are randomised primarily based on the chosen place and the gamers are given ten minutes to debate earlier than the beginning of each spherical. The White and Black gamers huddle individually, sporting microphones, to debate the place. Earlier than the beginning of the day’s remaining spherical, Gukesh appeared to have mistakenly joined the flawed huddle, discussing alongside Black gamers, when he had the White items.
The sport between Carlsen and Gukesh in Spherical 4 didn’t finish nicely for the Indian. Whilst he navigated a seemingly irritating place, the 18-year-old’s coronary heart charge hovered round a strikingly calm 70 bpm. In a Queen endgame, with White flaunting a harmonious piece construction and Gukesh gazing little counterplay, he resigned in opposition to the five-time world champion to be stranded at 1.5 factors from 4 rounds. It was Carlsen’s third win in 4 rounds. Earlier within the opening spherical, Carlsen floor out a win from what regarded like a theoretical draw for some time. With little time on his clock, Vidit fumbled below stress and blundered by pushing his King to the h7 sq., inviting checkmate and shedding rightaway.
Outcomes (solely Indians):
Spherical 1: Magnus Carlsen beat Vidit Gujrathi; Arjun Erigaisi beat Fabiano Caruana; Gukesh D drew Maxime-Vachier Lagrave; R Praggnanandhaa misplaced to Richard Rapport
Spherical 2: Nepomniachtchi misplaced to Praggnanandhaa; Vidit beat Gukesh; Arjun beat Carlsen
Spherical 3: Gukesh beat Arjun; Hikaru Nakamura beat Vidit; Praggnanandhaa misplaced to Maxime-Vachier Lagrave
Spherical 4: Carlsen beat Gukesh; Vidit misplaced to Praggnanandhaa; Arjun misplaced to Nakamura
Spherical 5: Gukesh misplaced to Caruana; Praggnanandhaa drew Arjun; Keymer beat Vidit
Spherical 6: Vidit misplaced to Nodirbek Abdusattorov; Arjun beat Keymer; Carlsen beat Praggnanandhaa; Gukesh misplaced to Nakamura
