Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi has surged right into a joint lead on the prestigious Chennai Grand Masters chess match, capitalising on errors by world champion D Gukesh, organising an exhilarating end with simply two rounds remaining.
IMAGE: Arjun Erigaisi is in joint lead with 3.5 factors after 5 rounds of the Chennai Grand Masters. {Photograph}: Anna Shtourman/FIDE
Key Factors
- Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi secured a vital win towards world champion D Gukesh.
- Erigaisi now shares the joint lead with French GM Alireza Firouzja, each on 3.5 factors.
- GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov can be a robust contender, half some extent behind the leaders.
- The Chennai Grand Masters is a round-robin match that includes eight grandmasters.
- The match affords a considerable prize purse and useful FIDE Circuit factors.
India’s Arjun Erigaisi capitalised on world champion D Gukesh’s errors to storm into the joint lead after the fifth spherical of the fourth version of the Chennai Grand Masters on Monday.
With simply two rounds left to play, Erigaisi is tied with French GM Alireza Firouzja on 3.5 factors, whereas GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov additionally registered a win with black to throw his hat within the title race, remaining half some extent behind on 3.
Event Overview And Stakes
Eight grandmasters face-off in a spherical robin format within the tournment which affords a prize purse of Rs 75,00,000 and useful FIDE Circuit factors.
After the fourth spherical ending in all attracts, Abdusattorov took the assault to Indian GM Nihal Sarin with black items and slowly however absolutely tightened the noose to drive his opponent to resign after 38 strikes.
Erigaisi’s Strategic Victory Over Gukesh
The all-Indian conflict between Erigaisi and Gukesh started with a ceremonial opening transfer by Jeshua J, a Tamil Nadu-born teen who holds the document of turning into the youngest Area FIDE Grasp on the age of seven years, 10 months and eight days.
Thereafter, Erigaisi performed a strong sport with black and was fast to go for the kill as soon as the world champion’s accuracy of strikes dropped within the center sport.
Erigaisi stayed affected person and as soon as it was clear that his pawn on the d-file was positive to be promoted to a queen, Gukesh resigned on transfer 63. Whereas Firouzja, who had gained the primary two rounds, settled for a draw towards GM Dmitry Andreikin after 41 strikes.
Spherical 5 Outcomes:
• GM M Pranesh (2) drew with GM Hans Niemann (2)
• GM D Gukesh (1.5) misplaced to GM Arjun Erigaisi (3.5)
• GM Nihal Sarin (2) misplaced to GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (3)
• GM Alireza Firouzja (3.5) drew with GM Dmitry Andreikin (2.5)
Spherical 6 Pairing (July 21, 3:00 pm IST):
• GM Hans Niemann vs GM Dmitry Andreikin
• GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov vs GM Alireza Firouzja
• GM M Pranesh vs GM D Gukesh
• GM Arjun Erigaisi vs GM Nihal Sarin.
