Tight race: Carlsen, who is ahead by half a point, will have Abdusattorov hot on his heels. | Photo DEBASISH BHADURI
He began slowly, like a steady wind, but Magnus Carlsen is now turning into a destructive storm.
The World No. 1 won all his three games on the second day of the Tata Steel Chess India tournament at the Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium here on Thursday. That means he has won his last four games in a row.
Carlsen will go into the final day of the rapid section as the sole leader in the men’s section. But there is one player who could still catch up with him – Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who is trailing the top seed by just half-a-point.
Carlsen defeated S.L. Narayanan, Wesley So of the United States and Arjun Erigaisi to take his tally to five points. Abdusattorov, who started as the sole overnight leader, didn’t have as good a day though, as he had to settle for draws with Nihal Sarin and Vidit Gujrathi before he notched up a win in his last game of the day, against Narayanan with black pieces.
Carlsen and Abdusattorov are scheduled to meet in the last round on Friday. As things stand at the moment – the third-placed So is one full point behind the Uzbek – that game could be something of a final.
Aleksandra Goryachkina’s domination of the women’s tournament has been impressive, too. The Russian, in fact, enjoys a full point lead over her nearest rival, Nana Dzagnidze of Georgia.
Goryachkina had begun the day as a joint leader, along with compatriot Kateryna Lagno and Vantika Agrawal, but she won all her three games to break away from the competition. She has five points.
Vantika, D. Harika and Valentina Gunina of Russia are on 3.5 points, but it may not be that easy to stop Goryachkina, with just three rounds remaining.
The results (Men):
Sixth round: Vincent Keymer (Ger) 2.5 bt Nihal Sarin 2; Vidit Gujrathi 2 drew with R. Praggnanandhaa 3; S.L. Narayanan 2.5 lost to Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb) 4.5; Wesley So (USA) 3.5 drew with Daniil Dubov (Rus) 3; Arjun Erigaisi 2 lost to Magnus Carlsen (Nor) 5.
Fifth round: Arjun drew with Keymer; Carlsen bt So; Dubov drew with Narayanan; Abdusattorov drew with Gujrathi; Praggnanandhaa bt Nihal.
Fourth round: Keymer drew with Praggnanandhaa; Nihal drew with Abdusattorov; Gujrathi drew with Dubov; Narayanan lost to Carlsen; So bt Arjun.
Women:
Sixth round: D. Harika 3.5 drew with Valentina Gunina (Rus) 3.5; Alexandra Kosteniuk (Swi) 2 lost to Divya Deshmukh 2.5; Nana Dzagnidze (Geo) 4 bt Koneru Humpy 2; Aleksandra Goryachkina (Rus) 5 bt Kateryna Lagno (Rus) 3; Vantika Agrawal 3.5 bt R. Vaishali 1.
Fifth round: Vantika drew with Harika; Vaishali lost to Goryachkina; Lagno drew with Dzagnidze; Humpy drew with Kosteniuk; Divya lost to Gunina.
Fourth round: Harika bt Divya; Gunina bt Humpy; Kosteniuk drew with Lagno; Dzagnidze bt Vaishali; Goryachkina bt Vantika.
Published – November 14, 2024 08:39 pm IST