World Team Chess Championship: India, Uzbekistan play out a draw in the first round of semifinals

Vidit Gujrathi salvaged an important draw to complement S. L. Narayanan’s brilliant victory as India and Uzbekistan drew 2-2 in the first round of the semifinals in the World Team Chess Championship.

FILE PHOTO: S. L. Narayanan beat Shamsiddin Vokhidov. | Photo Credit: B. VELANKANNI RAJ

Vidit Gujrathi fought back from an inferior position to salvage an important draw to complement S. L. Narayanan’s brilliant victory on the third board as India and Uzbekistan drew 2-2 in the first round of the semifinals in the World Team Chess Championship in Jerusalem on Thursday.

Nihal Sarin drew on the second board before S. P. Sethuraman squandered some early advantage to lose on the fourth board. In the second round of the quarterfinals on Wednesday, France hit back with a 3-1 victory over India to force the tie-breaker.

QUARTERFINAL REPORT

With each board witnessing a blitz game, the time-control being three minutes per player plus two-second increment per move, Nihal’s victory on the second board proved crucial after Narayanan won and K. Sasikiran drew.

Semifinals (Round 1)

Uzbekistan drew with India 2-2 (Nodirbek Yakubboev drew with Vidit Gujrathi; Javokhir Sindarov drew with Nihal Sarin; Shamsiddin Vokhidov lost to S. L. Narayanan; Jakhongir Vakhidov bt S. P. Sethuraman).

China drew with Spain 2-2.

Quarterfinals

Round Two: France bt India 3-1; (tie-breaker): India bt France 2.5-1.5 (Maxime Vachier-Lagrave drew with Vidit Gujrathi; Jules Moussard lost to Nihal Sarin; Laurent Fressinet lost to S. L. Narayanan; Maxime Lagarde bt K. Sasikiran); China drew with Poland 2-2; Spain bt Azerbaijan 2.5-1.5; Uzbekistan bt Ukraine 1.5-2.5).