2nd Chennai GM R1: Vidit fumbles big time, Arjun Erigaisi crosses 2800 again

by Shahid Ahmed - 05/11/2024

2nd Chennai Grand Masters is off to a fantastic start. The opening round witnessed a rollercoaster battle between GM Vidit Gujrathi and GM Arjun Erigaisi. Vidit had winning chances in the rook and minor piece endgame. Despite being control for the better part of it, time trouble caused him to miss all his chances and eventually make a terrible blunder which turned the tables. The World no.4 and India no.1 won the game and crossed 2800 once again. World Blitz 2021 winner, GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) scored the only other win against GM Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI). GM Aravindh Chithambaram could have had a difficult outcome if his opponent, GM M Amin Tabatabaei (IRI) pressed further. Round 2 starts tomorrow at 3 p.m. IST. Photos: Himank Ghosh and Anmol Bhargav

Only decisive games in Challengers

The rating favorites won their games in the Challengers section. It resulted in all four games ending decisively. GM Leon Luke Mendonca scored the fastest win of the round against GM R Vaishali. GM Harika Dronavalli made an incorrect break in an equal rook and knight endgame against GM Pranav V.

GM Vidit Gujrathi lost from a winning position against GM Arjun Erigaisi

Masters: Vidit - Arjun: 0-1

GM Arjun Erigaisi (2799) won the last Classical game against GM Vidit Gujrathi (2739) at WR Masters Cup last month. This time the majority of the game was a rook and bishop vs. rook and knight endgame. Vidit even got a decisive advantage at one point.

Position after 52...Rb1

White's rook and bishop are already placed better. What he needed to was to bring the king in action 53.Kc4. It was not easy to figure that out in time trouble especially when it is not the obvious plan. 53.Rc7 Ke8 54.Rc8+ Kf7 55.Rd8 Nb6 56.Rf8+ Kg7 57.Rf6 and White got few more small chances.

Position after 86...Ng3+

After battling for more than four hours, Vidit blundered when he took the poisoned pawn at e5. 87.Ke6 would have kept the game going. 87.Kxe5?? ended things in a hurry Kg6! Black does not need to rush playing Re4+ as 88.Kf6 saves the day. Instead, 87...Kg6! ends the game 88.Ke6 Re4+ 89.Kd7 Nf5 forcing the rook exchange. Black ran the h-pawn down the board and won the game.

Vidit Gujrathi - Arjun Erigaisi, Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India

Interview with GM Arjun Erigaisi | Video: ChessBase India

GM Arjun Erigaisi certainly believes in - it is not over until it's over

Arjun Erigaisi is World no.3 again with a live rating 2803.2 | Source: 2700chess.com

Aravindh - Tabatabaei: 0.5-0.5

Last month, GM Aravindh Chithambaram (2706) defeated GM M Amin Tabatabaei (IRI, 2686) at Spanish League Honor Division. This time, the Iranian made things difficult in the endgame.

Position after 30...a4

White is going to lose the exchange as it is not possible to save it. 31.Qxa4 Qd3 32.Qxb4 Qxe2 33.Kh2 Rc2 34.Qg4 h5?! instead 34...f5 would have made things practically difficult for White. 35.Qg5 Rxb2 36.e4 White opened up the bishop's path Rd2 37.h4 and the game ended in a draw via perpetual check in the next few moves.

Aravindh Chithambaram escaped with a draw against M Amin Tabatabaei (IRI)

Vachier-Lagrave - Parham

Position after 31.Ra2

In time trouble, GM Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI, 2712) made an incorrect choice to save his h4-pawn 31...Rh8? What he needed to do was stop the passed a5-pawn from rolling freely 31...Bb7 is what he should have played. 32.a6 Kc7 33.a7 Nd6 34.Bc3 Ra8 35.Be5 Kd7 36.Ra6 Nc4 37.Bb8 and the rook got fixed at the corner of the board on a8. It became just a matter of time before White won the game.

Final position after 50...Kxh3

The above position can almost be treated like pawn endgame where e5 and g4 are mined squares. So White has to go 51.Ke6 Kg4 52.Ke5 to win the game instead of going 51.Ke5?? directly. It leads to a draw after 51...Kg4.

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave - Parham Maghsoodloo, Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) made a winning start against Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI)

Levon Aronian (USA) - Alexey Sarana (SRB): 0.5-0.5

Challengers: Vaishali - Leon: 0-1

This was the first ever Classical rated game played between GM R Vaishali (2490) and GM Leon Luke Mendonca (2631). Leon was coming into this game with a great form, the same cannot be said for his opponent. Despite Vaishali being the first to launch an attack, she retreated her pieces very quickly. Leon's hint of attack shattered her kingside after her blunder.

Position after 28...Nf4

29.Rb1?? invited disaster Ne2+ 30.Kh1?? Qxf2! and it was over as checkmate is inevitable.

GM Leon Luke Mendonca scored the fastest win of the round against GM R Vaishali

Raunak Sadhwani - Karthikeyan Murali | Video: ChessBase India

GM Karthikeyan Murali attempted to fight back after sacrificing an exchange, however, it became insurmountable as the game went on against GM Raunak Sadhwani

Pranesh M - Abhimanyu Puranik, Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India

GM Abhimanyu Puranik capitalized on GM Pranesh M's positional mistake in the endgame

Pranav - Harika

Position after 40.Rh1

GM Harika Dronavalli (2493) did the only thing she should not have done 40...f5?? Instead, 40...b6 was a plausible break. GM Pranav V (2602) had no trouble capitalizing on his opportunity 41.gxf5+- Nxf5 42.Nxf5 Rxf5 43.hxg5 hxg5 44.Rh7+ Kc8 45.Rg7 and White went on to win the game.

GM Pranav V won a game which GM Harika Dronvalli should have drawn

For more photos, please click here and here

Replay live stream

Replay Round 1 live commentary by IM Sagar Shah, Amruta Mokal and GM B Adhiban | Video: ChessBase India

Video Gallery

Day 1 recap by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India

The man who helped India become a chess super-power - Kailasanathan Swaminathan | Video: ChessBase India

Food at Chennai Grand Masters 2024 | Video: ChessBase India

Arjun Erigaisi faces Vidit Gujrathi | Video: ChessBase India

Replay Masters Round 1 games

Replay Challengers Round 1 games

Masters Round 1 results

Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	1	2706	GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.	½ - ½	GM	Tabatabaei, M. Amin	2686	8
2	2	2737	GM	Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime	1 - 0	GM	Maghsoodloo, Parham	2712	7
3	3	2739	GM	Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi	0 - 1	GM	Erigaisi, Arjun	2799	6
4	4	2739	GM	Aronian, Levon	½ - ½	GM	Sarana, Alexey	2679	5

Details

Standings after Round 1

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	RtgI	Pts.	TB2	TB3	TB4
1	6	GM	Erigaisi, Arjun	IND	2799	1	0,00	1	1
2	2	GM	Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime	FRA	2737	1	0,00	1	0
3	1	GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.	IND	2706	0,5	0,25	0	0
	4	GM	Aronian, Levon	USA	2739	0,5	0,25	0	0
	5	GM	Sarana, Alexey	SRB	2679	0,5	0,25	0	0
	8	GM	Tabatabaei, M. Amin	IRI	2686	0,5	0,25	0	0
7	3	GM	Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi	IND	2739	0	0,00	0	0
	7	GM	Maghsoodloo, Parham	IRI	2712	0	0,00	0	0

Details

Round 2 pairings

Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	8	2686	GM	Tabatabaei, M. Amin		GM	Sarana, Alexey	2679	5
2	6	2799	GM	Erigaisi, Arjun		GM	Aronian, Levon	2739	4
3	7	2712	GM	Maghsoodloo, Parham		GM	Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi	2739	3
4	1	2706	GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.		GM	Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime	2737	2

Details

Challengers Round 1 results

Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	1	2490	GM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	0 - 1	GM	Mendonca, Leon Luke	2631	8
2	2	2677	GM	Sadhwani, Raunak	1 - 0	GM	Karthikeyan, Murali	2625	7
3	3	2580	GM	Pranesh, M	0 - 1	GM	Puranik, Abhimanyu	2652	6
4	4	2602	GM	Pranav, V	1 - 0	GM	Dronavalli, Harika	2493	5

Details

Standings after Round 1

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	RtgI	Pts.	TB3	TB4
1	6	GM	Puranik, Abhimanyu	IND	2652	1	1	1
	8	GM	Mendonca, Leon Luke	IND	2631	1	1	1
3	2	GM	Sadhwani, Raunak	IND	2677	1	1	0
	4	GM	Pranav, V	IND	2602	1	1	0
5	1	GM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	IND	2490	0	0	0
	3	GM	Pranesh, M	IND	2580	0	0	0
	5	GM	Dronavalli, Harika	IND	2493	0	0	0
	7	GM	Karthikeyan, Murali	IND	2625	0	0	0

Details

Round 2 pairings

Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	8	2631	GM	Mendonca, Leon Luke		GM	Dronavalli, Harika	2493	5
2	6	2652	GM	Puranik, Abhimanyu		GM	Pranav, V	2602	4
3	7	2625	GM	Karthikeyan, Murali		GM	Pranesh, M	2580	3
4	1	2490	GM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu		GM	Sadhwani, Raunak	2677	2

Details

Where to watch

The entire event will be live-streamed on ChessBase India youtube channel. You can also visit the venue by getting the tickets from Bookmyshow.

Links

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