Hans Niemann impresses at Freestyle Chess Las Vegas, beats Arjun Erigaisi as Magnus Carlsen struggles

Controversial American Grandmaster Hans Niemann made a blistering begin to the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour as he completed second in his respective group of the Las Vegas leg on Wednesday after beating India’s Arjun Erigaisi in his first sport. Niemann, who has been accused of dishonest by Magnus Carlsen prior to now, certified for the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Las Vegas by way of the net play-ins after a
last-minute pullout in Paris.

On Wednesday, nonetheless, the 22-year-old Niemann was in impressed kind as he outwitted a number of high gamers to complete second in Group Black, behind Hikaru Nakamura, with 4.5 factors. Nakamura got here first with six factors from seven matches, whereas Erigaisi and Fabiano Caruna completed within the high 4 with 4 factors every.

The highest 4 gamers from every group will qualify for the higher bracket quarter-finals, whereas the underside 4 finishers of every group will advance to the underside bracket quarter-finals.

Niemann shines as Carlsen struggles

The opposite Group White contains Carlsen, R Praggnanandhaa,
who completed because the joint chief, Javokhir Sindarov, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Levon Aronian, Vincent Keymer, Wesley So and Bibisara Assaubayeva. Carlsen is already knocked out of the quarter-finals after shedding in tiebreakers to Aronian.

Coming again to Niemann. He defeated Erigaisi in simply 20 strikes because the Indian Grandmaster registered a poor accuracy of 80.7. Thereafter, Niemann defeated fellow countryman Ray Robson earlier than enjoying out a draw in opposition to Sam Sevian of the USA.

In Spherical 4, Niemann defeated one other Indian Grandmaster, Vidit Gujrathi, earlier than thumping Leinier Domínguez, adopted by his first defeat to Nakamura. Within the closing spherical, he additionally misplaced to Fabiano Caruana.

The 21-year-old Indian chess sensation Erigaisi defeated Gujrathi, Sevian and Robson, moreover shedding to Niemann and Nakamura. He drew in opposition to Domínguez and Caruana.

Gujrathi had a tough time, along with his solely win coming in opposition to Domínguez as he misplaced the remaining video games, aside from a draw in opposition to Caruana. He completed final within the standings with simply 1.5 factors.