Indian Chess.com League: Chess Gurukul too good for Superkids

Fancied Chess Gurukul overcame a slow start and eventually ended the first day as the worthy leader, with 16 game-points, in the inaugural Indian Chess.com League (ICL).

File picture of R. Praggnanandhaa.

Fancied Chess Gurukul overcame a slow start and eventually ended the first day as the worthy leader, with 16 game-points, in the inaugural Indian Chess.com League (ICL) on Friday.

In the fifth and last round of the day, Gurukul comprising Aravindh Chithambaram, R. Praggnanandhaa, M. Karthikeyan, Aditya Mittal and R. Vaishali, outplayed second seed Superkids 3.5-1.5.

Strangely, the trio of Aravindh, Karthikeyan and Vaishali won with black pieces against Nihal Sarin, Raunak Sadhwani and Divya Deshpande.

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Surprise packet

Even as Gurukul lived up to its reputation, last seed Undercover Agents proved to be the surprise packet of the day.

The side captained by Padmini Rout, and consisting of Arjun Kalyan, Girish Kaushik, Koustav Chatterjee and Ajay Karthikeyan, stunned third seed Desi Boys 3-2 and, like Gurukul, stayed unbeaten.

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The results

Fifth round: Superkids lost to Chess Gurukul 1.5-3.5; Desi Boys bt Five Fighters 3.5-1.5; Chess Pathshala lost to Undercover Agents 2-3; Cheeky Cheetahs lost to United India 1.5-3.5; Chess Gyaan drew with Chess Thulir 2.5-2.5.

Fourth round: Chess Gurukul bt Cheeky Cheetahs 4-1; Chess Thulir lost to Superkids 1.5-3.5; Undercover Agents bt Desi Boys 3-2; Five Fighters drew with Chess Gyaan 2.5-2.5.

Third round: Chess Pathshala lost to Chess Gurukul 2-3; Cheeky Cheetahs drew with Superkids 2.5-2.5; Desi Boys bt United India 4-1; Five Fighters bt Chess Thulir 3.5-1.5; Chess Gyaan drew with Undercover Agents 2.5-2.5.

Second round: Chess Gurukul drew with Desi Boys 2.5-2.5; Superkids bt Chess Pathshala 4-1; Chess Thulir bt Cheeky Cheetahs 3.5-1.5; United India bt Chess Gyaan 4-1; Undercover Agents drew with Five Fighters 2.5-2.5.

First round: Chess Gyan lost to Chess Gurukul 2-3; Desi Boys drew with Superkids 2.5-2.5; Undercover Agents bt Chess Thulir 3-2; Chess Pathshala lost to Cheeky Cheetahs 0.5-4.5; Five Fighters lost to United India 1.5-3.5.

Standings (after five rounds): 1. Chess Gurukul (16 game-points), 2. Desi Boys (14.5), 3-4. Undercover Agents, Superkids (14 each), 5. United India (13.5), 6. Five Fighters (11.5), 7-8. Chess Thulir, Cheeky Cheetahs (11 each), 9. Chess Gyan (10.5), 10. Chess Pathshala (9).