An unbeaten Anish Giri emerged as an early leader after five rounds of FTX Crypto Cup even as Magnus Carlsen suffered an “awful” opening day in the last major of the $1.5-million Meltwaters Champions Chess Tour on Sunday.
Giri, looking for his second title from the sixth leg of the Tour, won against last-man Alan Pichot, Ding Liren and Alexander Grischuk, in that order, besides drawing with Levon Aronian and Daniil Dubov in the second and fifth rounds.
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Giri, armed with four points, enjoyed a half-point lead over the undefeated trio of Wesley So, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Hikaru Nakamura.
Among the second-placed players, who shared an identical two-win-three-draw record, Vachier was most impressive since his victims included Carlsen, in the fourth round.
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Carlsen, apart from that lone loss, was the only player to drop half a point to Pichot, which saw the Argentine open his account in the day’s last round. Carlsen started well by beating Shakhriyar Mamedyarov in a double-edged battle. However, he not only failed to win another game on the day and the loss to Vachier ended his 30-game unbeaten streak in the league stage of the Tour.
In the much-awaited clash with Ian Nepomniachtchi, challenger for the next World championship match, Carlsen gained a better position but could not translate his advantage into an important win. Carlsen’s other draw came against So.
The results:
Fifth round: Anish Giri (Ned) drew with Daniil Dubov (Rus); Ian Nepomniachtchi (Rus) drew with Peter Svidler (Rus); Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra) drew with Hikaru Nakamura (USA); Wesley So (USA) drew with Alireza Firouzja (FIDE); Shahkriyar Mamedyarov (Aze) bt Fabiano Caruana (USA); Teimour Radjabov (Aze) drew with Levon Aronian (Arm); Ding Liren (Chn) bt Alexander Grischuk (Rus); Alan Pichot (Arg) drew with Magnus Carlsen (Nor).
Fourth round: Grischuk lost to Giri; Nakamura drew with So; Carlsen lost to Vachier; Firouzja drew with Nepomniachtchi; Aronian drew with Ding; Dubov bt Pichot; Svidler drew with Mamedyarov; Caruana drew with
Radjabov.
Third round: Giri bt Liren; Nepomniachtchi lost to Nakamura; Wesley drew with Carlsen; Vachier drew with Dubov; Mamedyarov lost to Firouzja; Pichot lost to Grischuk; Caruana drew with Aronian; Radjabov bt Svidler.
Second round: Aronian drew with Giri; Grischuk lost to Vachier; Dubov lost to So; Carlsen drew with Nepomniachtchi; Nakamura bt Mamedyarov; Ding bt Pichot; Firouzja drew with Radjabov; Svidler lost to Caruana.
First round: Pichot lost to Giri; Mamedyarov lost to Carlsen; Svidler bt Aronian; Nepomniachtchi bt Dubov; So bt Grischuk; Radjabov drew with Nakamura; Vachier drew with Liren; Caruana drew with Firouzja.
Standings (after five rounds): 1. Giri (4 points), 2-4. Nakamura, Vachier, So (3.5 each), 5-7. Ding, Radjabov, Firouzja (3 each), 8-10. Caruana, Nepomniachtchi, Carlsen (2.5 each), 11-13. Dubov, Svidler, Aronian (2 each), 14. Mamedyarov (1.5), 15. Grischuk (1), 16. Pichot (0.5).
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