Tata Steel Chess: Nihal Sarin, Anna Ushenina emerge champions
The Hindu
If it was Arjun Erigaisi last year, it is Nihal Sarin this year — the teenaged Indian champion at th
If it was Arjun Erigaisi last year, it is Nihal Sarin this year — the teenaged Indian champion at the Tata Steel Chess India at the National Library here on Thursday.
Interestingly, Arjun spoiled Nihal’s party a bit in the end, winning their final round game with what turned out to be some remarkably precise preparation, but the latter had already pocketed the top prize in the rapid section. Arjun finished runner-up.
Nihal, in fact, won the tournament with a round to spare. “It’s easily my best performance,” said the 18-year-old from Thrissur, Kerala.
Ukraine’s Anna Ushenina emerged the champion in the women’s event after winning both her tie-breaker games against Georgia’s Nana Dzagnidze.
“I think I should only play in India,” she said smiling, referring to the gold medal the Ukraine women’s won at the Chess Olympiad in Chennai three months ago.
The results (Indians unless specified): Open: Ninth round: S.P. Sethuraman 2 lost to Hikaru Nakamura (US) 4.5; Wesley So (US) 4 bt D. Gukesh 4.5; Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Aze) 4.5 drew with Vidit Gujrathi 4.5; Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI) 4 drew with Nodiberk Abdusattarov (Uzb) 4.5; Arjun Erigaisi 6 bt Nihal Sarin 6.5.
Standings: 1. Nihal, 2. Arjun, 3-7. Vidit, Nakamura, Gukesh, Mamedyarov and Abdusattorov; 8-9. Maghsoodloo and Wesley; 10. Sethuraman.
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.