The Indian chess workforce signalled its intent to win a gold medal within the open part of the continuing Chess Olympiad after defeating a hapless Morocco workforce 4-0 within the first spherical of the match on Wednesday. The Indian girls’s workforce additionally gained 3.5-0.5 in opposition to the Jamaican workforce with Vaishali — enjoying 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 highest board for India. And Praggnanandhaa responded by placing his opponent Mohamed Tissir — at 47 years of age greater than twice the age of Praggnanandhaa — underneath heavy duress from the 18th transfer itself.
Tissir, an Worldwide Grasp with a ranking of 2355 and at the moment ranked 2639 on the planet amongst energetic gamers, was overmatched. His peak ranking of 2490 got here in October 2006, when Praggnanandhaa would have been one-year-old.
Enjoying with black items, the Moroccan was 50 minutes behind on the clock by the twentieth transfer. However not less than his king was safely ensconced within the h8 sq.. Or so he will need to have thought. Quickly, the air round his king began to constrict and issues bought claustrophobic as items retreated behind to beat 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 finally misplaced on time.
On the opposite boards, the remainder of the Indian workforce 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 handy India the proper begin.
The Indian workforce is seeded second within the open part behind Group USA, who’re lacking the providers of their top-ranked participant, Hikaru Nakamura.
Enjoying in opposition to Panama of their opening spherical, United States of America gained 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 an interesting 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 area of six strikes — in making an attempt to regulate that sq..
Regardless of the Vaishali’s apparent ranking 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.