Arjun Erigaisi kicked off his campaign with a win over Bulgaria’s Martin Petrov at the FIDE World Cup.
Credit: Special arrangement
Most of the top-rated players, including World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh and other Indians, struggled to exert their supremacy, having to stay content with draws against lesser fancied opponents in the first game of the second round of the FIDE World Cup in Goa.
Reigning World Junior Champion Pranav Venkatesh brought some cheer to the Indian camp by defeating higher-rated GM Aryan Tari of Norway while Arjun Erigaisi began his campaign with a victory.
R Praggnanandhaa also had to settle for a hard-fought draw while Anish Giri, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Wesley So, Hans Nieman, Vidit Gujrathi were some of the top guns whose encounters ended in deadlock.
Gukesh played the English Opening against Nogerbek and there were times when he appeared in better position. Nogerbek defended stubbornly to finally earn half a point after 84 moves with just both the Kings gracing the board.
Child prodigy 12-year-old Oro Faustino of Argentina, dubbed the ‘Messi of Chess’ held higher-rated Vidit Gujrathi to a draw.
In other important results Sam Shankland defeated former World Championship finalist Vassily Ivanchuk with the black pieces.
Aryan Tari opened the English way against Pranav and his knight moved many times during the Opening stages. The Indian showed patience and pounced on a blunder by his opponent on the 40th turn. Pranav’s pieces suddenly came to life, breaking through the castle barriers and with his queen, rooks and bishops gunning fire, Tari resigned after 41 moves.
Praggnanandhaa playing Kuybokarov, rated almost 250 points below him, in the Queen’s Gambit Declined game had to watch the game going along equal lines throughout. Pragg did try all tricks for initiative till all the life was squeezed out of the position.