Magnus Carlsen and Kateryna Lagno (pictured) led the open and women's divisions in the Tata Steel India Blitz competition, which got underway in Kolkata with fast-paced, thrilling activity. Lagno had an unblemished 7/9, winning five games and drawing four, while Carlsen, fresh off his quick victory, earned 6½/9 on Saturday despite a crucial loss to Arjun Erigaisi. Valentina Gunina and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu are in second place in their respective divisions, not far behind. | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Pragg wins six straight, Carlsen takes the lead.Magnus Carlsen maintained his strong play by leading the first half of the blitz category at the Tata Steel India event in Kolkata, where he had previously dominated the quick portion. With a score of 6½/9 points on Saturday, the world number one won five of the first six rounds. He was defeated by Arjun Erigaisi in round 8, though, in a shockingly brief bout that lasted just 20 moves. Interestingly, Carlsen briefly surpassed the astounding 2900 barrier in the live blitz ratings by round 7.
With nine rounds remaining, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu is only half a point behind Carlsen. Pragg overcame a challenging 0/3 start to win six straight games, including wins over Arjun and Daniil Dubov in the final stages. His day was a story of perseverance. His incredible return keeps him in the running and puts him ahead of Dubov and the previously mentioned Arjun, who are tied for third place with five and a half points apiece. The scenario is set for an intriguing finish as Pragg will face each of these opponents in the final rounds on Sunday.
With five points at the end of the day, Vidit Gujrathi had a strong performance as well. Vidit has performed better in the blitz after having trouble in the rapid part, and he is now within striking distance of the leaders. The 30-year-old might still challenge for the top spots on the last day, although blitz is notoriously unpredictable.
Enhance your pieces: a strategy for success you must understand
This course will teach us how to spot passively placed pieces in any scenario and how to move them into active squares to boost their health.
The final nine rounds of 3-minute games will wrap up the event on Sunday, starting at the customary 9:30 CEST start time. In a potentially thrilling climax, it is still unclear if Carlsen can repeat his 2019 performance in which he dominated Kolkata's quick and blitz phases, or if players like Pragg or Arjun can step up and challenge the defending favorite.
Women's: Lagno is in first place with a perfect 7/9 record.
On the opening day of the Tata Steel India Blitz women's competition, Kateryna Lagno was the most impressive performer, going unbeaten with an incredible 7/9 score. The seasoned grandmaster started and finished her day with back-to-back victories, recording five wins and four draws. She took a lot of momentum into the second half of the competition thanks to her victories over Valentina Gunina and Harika Dronavalli in the penultimate round.
With five points at the end of the day, Vidit Gujrathi had a strong performance as well. Vidit has performed better in the blitz after having trouble in the rapid part, and he is now within striking distance of the leaders. The 30-year-old might still challenge for the top spots on the last day, although blitz is notoriously unpredictable.
Enhance your pieces: a strategy for success you must understand
This course will teach us how to spot passively placed pieces in any scenario and how to move them into active squares to boost their health.
The final nine rounds of 3-minute games will wrap up the event on Sunday, starting at the customary 9:30 CEST start time. In a potentially thrilling climax, it is still unclear if Carlsen can repeat his 2019 performance in which he dominated Kolkata's quick and blitz phases, or if players like Pragg or Arjun can step up and challenge the defending favorite.
Women's: Lagno is in first place with a perfect 7/9 record.
On the opening day of the Tata Steel India Blitz women's competition, Kateryna Lagno was the most impressive performer, going unbeaten with an incredible 7/9 score. The seasoned grandmaster started and finished her day with back-to-back victories, recording five wins and four draws. She took a lot of momentum into the second half of the competition thanks to her victories over Valentina Gunina and Harika Dronavalli in the penultimate round.
With 6/9 points, Valentina Gunina, who is renowned for her unyielding manner, is in solo second place. As expected, Gunina won six games and lost three, completely avoiding draws. It's interesting to note that she lost every time she used the white pieces. Her duel with leader Lagno, wearing black, in the final round on Sunday might be crucial in deciding the tournament victor.
With five points, Aleksandra Goryachkina and the Indian duo of Humpy Koneru, Divya Deshmukh, and Vantika Agrawal are still in the running for the top spot. Encouraged by the enthusiastic local crowd in Kolkata, the Indian players will be especially driven to move up the rankings. Undoubtedly, a native player's success would reverberate with the enthusiastic spectators, as has been the case in previous editions of events taking place in India.
With five points, Aleksandra Goryachkina and the Indian duo of Humpy Koneru, Divya Deshmukh, and Vantika Agrawal are still in the running for the top spot. Encouraged by the enthusiastic local crowd in Kolkata, the Indian players will be especially driven to move up the rankings. Undoubtedly, a native player's success would reverberate with the enthusiastic spectators, as has been the case in previous editions of events taking place in India.
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