Chess Olympiad: Praggnanandhaa retains India in title hunt as prime groups put together for last push

As the night wore on, a way of tedium crawled into the venue. The alleys and aisles have been nonetheless crammed, the courtyard was full, however an eerie vacancy had draped the sector. Tired shoulders crashed into drained shoulders, sunken eyes met sunken eyes. The gamers, spectators, volunteers — your entire mass of people that had gathered right here — appeared fatigued, bereft of their voice and spirit, wishing that the humid Sunday would finish quick.

The ninth spherical had all of the substances to be thrilling, extra so after the India B staff’s thrilling victory over the United States on Saturday. D Gukesh, the inarguable star of the match, might stretch his profitable run to 9 video games, which might be an Olympiad file. Should Armenia find yourself dropping or drawing to Uzbekistan, Gukesh and Co might parachute to the helm. There was the gang favorite R Praggnanandhaa and maybe a sight of chess-divine Magnus Carlsen.

But because it unfurled, because it usually unfurls in direction of the tip of lengthy tournaments, groups and gamers immediately embraced risk-free, gamble-reduced approaches, earlier than they go full-throttle within the final two rounds – the recoil earlier than the final leap. It’s just like the lull simply earlier than a livid endgame, when gamers flip circumspect, even a fraction cagey.

When the day started, Armenia topped the chart with 15 factors, trailed by India and Uzbekistan, each pegged at 14, with a 13-point pile of the Netherlands, Azerbaijan and Iran behind. The on the spot response could be to time period this version as one for the underdogs, a quicksand for the highest rung — prime seed USA, shackled by inhibitions, have been languishing in ninth spot, India A have been seventh, and Carlsen’s Norway not wherever within the prime 10.

Uzbekistan defeats Armenia 3-1 and jumps to the highest of the standings within the Open part of the #ChessOlympiad.

In Round 10 tomorrow, they’ll conflict with one other younger and aspiring staff, India B. pic.twitter.com/WNsCyU4EJv

— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) August 7, 2022

When the day ended, the lead had modified palms. Uzbekistan had leapt to the highest with 16 factors, with India B and Armenia locked on 15. Azerbaijan, the Netherlands, India A and USA have been all tagged at 14 factors, retaining the end hazy and open. All these groups might make a last push in what might be a chaotic final two days.

In the ladies’s part, 4 groups share the lead at 15 factors apiece – Poland, India, Kazakhstan and Georgia. It’s just like the pile earlier than the final bend of a 1500 metre race.

The hole was difficult — neither too big for the trailing groups to go all out nor for the leaders to sit down again and loosen up. So, even the often-aggressive India B adopted a barely defensive method towards a nuggety Azerbaijan, spearheaded by Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. His father was a boxer and skilled him to be a boxer too. But after he fell in love with chess, he swapped the gloves for the board and went onto develop into the nation’s most interesting chess participant but. On the board, he’s extra of a counterpuncher, weaving and ducking away from the punches along with his impregnable approach and ready for the right alternative to unleash his exact punches.

One would count on Gukesh to commerce blows. But he was unusually watchful, enjoying a ready recreation, constructing an impregnable fort round him. Mamedyarov too was hesitant to assault, even when a chance introduced itself with a terrifically-placed bishop for a diagonal assault. But he hesitated, possibly he was barely cautious of Gukesh’s pawn on a4. Towards the endgame, each have been left with none clear shot at glory. The match was extra like arm-wrestling, the benefit tilting this was and that with no clear winner.

So was Nihal Sarin’s recreation towards Rauf Mamedov, a turgid affair that by no means turned dynamic. Raunak Sadhwani’s recreation towards Nijat Abasov too flowed at the same tempo earlier than the previous dug deep and annoyed the Indian right into a semi-blunder when he moved his pawn to b4 on the forty fifth flip, slitting a gap for Mamedov to launch a comparatively easy assault. A dicey motion of Sadhwani’s rook to a2 left him with no options to claw again and handle a draw.

A defeat would have virtually ended their gold medal hopes, however the ever-smiling Praggnanandhaa unfold smiles on the faces of his teammates and spectators with a tenacious win. Vasif Durarbayil had him observing a defeat by the 56th flip, when he pocketed his pawn on f6, a transfer that would have probably unlocked Praggnanandhaa’s defences on the finish of one other attritional recreation. But when pushed to a nook, Praggnanandhaa shed warning, reclaimed his imaginative and prescient and made a sequence of audacious strikes. He took out a few pawns, destabilising the opponent’s pawn construction, on the expense of exposing his backline. Somewhat scared, Durarbayil started to stress over the well being of his king. He blundered by shifting the king to h7, hiding it behind a pawn, with out realising the heavy artillery at Praggnanandhaa’s disposal. He then serenely wrapped up the sport to acquire a significant level and be certain that his staff remained within the hunt for the gold.

The top-three would have remained as it’s however for Uzbekistan, seeded 14th, gunning down Armenia, in an occasion of the Goliaths overwhelmed by the hobbits. The prime boards of heavyweights drew towards one another, and people on the third and fourth appeared draw-bound however for Javokhir Sindarov and Jakhongir Vakhidov upsetting Ter-Sahakyan and Robert Hovhannisyan. There was late drama and the viewers would imagine that there could be some extra drama in retailer for the final two days because the match curls into the ultimate bend.

Table (Open): Uzbekistan 16; India, Armenia 15; Azerbaijan 14, the Netherlands 14, India A 14, USA 14

Women: Poland 15, India 15, Kazakhstan 15, Georgia 15.