The Indian chess staff signalled its intent to win a gold medal within the open part of the continued Chess Olympiad after defeating a hapless Morocco staff 4-0 within the first spherical of the event on Wednesday. The Indian ladies’s staff additionally received 3.5-0.5 towards the Jamaican staff with Vaishali — taking part in on the highest board for India within the absence of Harika Dronavalli — profitable her recreation. Tania Sachdev and Divya Deshmukh additionally claimed wins whereas Vantika Agarwal was held to a draw by Raehanna Brown.
With the 18-year-old world championship contender Gukesh selecting to sit down the primary spherical out, Praggnanandhaa performed on the top board for India. And Praggnanandhaa responded by placing his opponent Mohamed Tissir — at 47 years of age greater than twice the age of Praggnanandhaa — below heavy duress from the 18th transfer itself.
Tissir, an Worldwide Grasp with a score of 2355 and presently ranked 2639 on the planet amongst energetic gamers, was overmatched. His peak score of 2490 got here in October 2006, when Praggnanandhaa would have been one-year-old.
Taking part in with black items, the Moroccan was 50 minutes behind on the clock by the twentieth transfer. However a minimum of his king was safely ensconced within the h8 sq.. Or so he should have thought. Quickly, the air round his king began to constrict and issues obtained claustrophobic as items retreated behind to thrust back Praggnanandhaa’s assaults from the g and h information. By the twenty sixth transfer, the Indian teenager had pressured the time on his clock to simply 37 seconds. He ultimately misplaced on time.
On the opposite boards, the remainder of the Indian staff additionally responded to Praggnanandhaa’s win with victories: Arjun Erigaisi taking down Elbilia Jacques, Vidit Santosh Gujrathi beating Ouakhir Mehdi Pierre and Harikrishna Pentala defeating Moayad Anas at hand India the right begin.
The Indian staff is seeded second within the open part behind Staff USA, who’re lacking the providers of their top-ranked participant, Hikaru Nakamura.
Taking part in towards Panama of their opening spherical, United States of America received 3 ½ to ½ with Wesley So being held to a draw on the highest board, after Fabiano Caruana selected to relaxation the opener.
Different prime gamers like Ding Liren (China) and Magnus Carlsen (Norway) additionally opted to relaxation within the first spherical.
Vaishali’s win over Adani Clarke
Vaishali’s win with black items over Girl FIDE Grasp Adani Clarke noticed a captivating run of play the place there was a bloodbath for the management of the e4 sq. within the center recreation. Each gamers misplaced one pawn, one bishop and one knight every — within the house of six strikes — in attempting to regulate that sq..
Regardless of the Vaishali’s apparent score benefit over the Jamaican, the Indian participant solely held a slight benefit on the eval bar within the center recreation. That modified when Clarke blundered a knight within the twenty second transfer. There have been additional blunders on the twenty sixth and twenty eighth strikes from the Jamaican as Vaishali lastly claimed victory with 29 strikes.