Tata Steel Chess | It’s time for blitz, and Nihal Sarin cannot wait
The Hindu
Nihal, who had just won the rapid section of the tournament, relishes the blitz format
There was this moment at the National Library on Thursday evening when just about everyone at the press conference laughed aloud.
Viswanathan Anand, who has effortlessly stepped into his role of a commentator-cum-journalist, said he had one question for all the players: “How do you look forward to the blitz tournament [of the Tata Steel Chess India tournament]?”
After Arjun Erigaisi gave his answer, Anand, who is also the tournament ambassador, turned to Nihal Sarin and said, “Well, you don’t have to answer that.”
That brought the house down.
Nihal, who had just won the rapid section of the tournament, relishes the blitz format. And he is mighty good at it.
The 18-year-old indeed starts as one of the favourites in the blitz tournament, which opens on Saturday. After winning the rapid event, which he termed as his best-ever performance, he should be keen to continue his great run.
But he will find plenty of tough competition over the next couple of days in what is a very strong field. Top seed Hikaru Nakamura, fellow-American Wesley So and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan are big stars in international chess and there is of course a formidable Indian contingent as well. R. Praggnananandhaa’s arrival – he replaces S.P. Sethuraman -- makes the much-admired teenaged Indian quartet complete (Nihal, Arjun and D. Gukesh being the others).
Asian Games champion Avinash Sable opened his season in the 3000m steeple chase with a silver in the Portland Track Festival, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze event, in Oregon on Saturday. He clocked 8:21.85s. Asian champion Parul Chaudhary took the bronze in the women’s 3000m steeple chase in a season-best 9:31.38s. Former Asian bronze medallist Sanjivani Jadhav struck gold in the women’s 10,000m in 32:22.77s, a time which was a second off her personal best, while Seema was sixth in 32:55.91s.