Newly-crowned FIDE Candidates’ champion D Gukesh struck back after recovering from a sedate start to defeat compatriot R. Praggnanandhaa and Vincent Keymer in the Superbet rapid and blitz tournament, a part of the Grand Chess tour.
Gukesh, who recorded just a lone draw out of three games, fought his way back at the expense of Praggnanandhaa earlier in the first round of the day. Praggnanandhaa lost his way in the middle game and did not quite recover.
Wasting no time following the loss to Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa also returned much stronger in the fifth-round, defeating Holland’s Anish Giri, while Gukesh made most of chances to crush Keymer.
The dream run of Romanian Kirill Shevchenko was ended by Erigaisi Arjun who scored his first victory in the event.
At the top, World number one Magnus Carlsen of Norway joined Shevchenko in the lead on seven points out of a possible ten and these two are now followed by Wei Yi of China who is one point behind.
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The Indian trio of Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa and Arjun are sharing the fourth spot on five points along with Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan. Duda Jan-Kryzstof of Poland and Vincent Keymer of Germany share the eighth spot with four points and a completely off-form Giri is now in the last spot with just two points.
Four more rounds remain in the rapid section of the event before an 18-round blitz tournament kickstarts
Earlier, World Number seven Arjun held Carlsen to an easy draw in the opener and then drew two more games to remain within striking distance of early leader Kirilll Shevchenko of Romania after the third round of tournament.
While Gukesh lost his first two games before drawing the third, R Praggnanandhaa recovered in the third round to beat Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan to be on a fifty percent score.
Shevchenko, the lowest seed in the tournament emerged as the early leader with three victories on the trot coming in contrasting fashion.
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