GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu began the Masters Blitz on the 2024 Biel Chess Pageant in an elimination spot, however he went on to win the event and climb to 3rd place within the general standings. As an alternative, it is GM Vincent Keymer who joins GM Sam Shankland in leaving the occasion. GM Liem Le has a three-point lead earlier than the ultimate three rounds of classical chess.
Within the Challengers, GM Saleh Salem has a shocking seven-point lead after scoring 9/10 in Blitz. That was expensive for GM Jonas Bjerre, who completed fourth however too far behind Salem after lacking a win within the ultimate moments of the ultimate spherical. Along with Bjerre, GMs Marc’Andria Maurizzi and Ihor Samunenkov are additionally eradicated.   Â
The sixth spherical of classical chess begins Tuesday, July 23, at 8 a.m. ET / 14:00 CEST / 5:30 p.m. IST.
10 rounds of blitz chess left Salem needing solely a attract classical chess to win the Challengers, whereas Le has a three-point lead however now faces every of his three rivals in classical video games with 4 factors out there for every win.Â
Masters And Challengers Standings After Blitz
Masters Blitz: Praggnanandhaa Strikes Into Competition, Eliminates Keymer
The blitz was the final occasion earlier than two gamers have been to be eradicated, and whereas Shankland was too far adrift to have any actual hopes, Praggnanandhaa in fifth place was simply 1.5 factors behind Keymer. That meant it mattered most for these two gamers, and their fortunes could not have differed extra—Praggnanandhaa received with a 7/10 rating (six wins, two attracts, two losses), whereas Keymer was final on 2/10 (one win, two attracts, seven losses).Â
Masters Blitz: Remaining Standings
The one participant to undergo nearly as a lot as Keymer was GM Abhimanyu Mishra, who dropped from second to fourth within the general standings.
Praggnanandhaa Powers Previous Keymer
Praggnanandhaa commented after his profitable day on the workplace:
“The way in which I used to be taking part in in classical I believed I don’t should play on this discipline, however right now went effectively. I used to be fortunate yesterday [vs. Shankland], I used to be worse out of the opening, however then by some means issues went effectively and at the very least I had a shot right now to make it to the highest 4. I began effectively and I obtained into the highest 4 fairly early, perhaps the primary two rounds itself, after which that stress was off.”
The way in which I used to be taking part in in classical I believed I do not should play on this discipline…
—Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu
Praggnanandhaa began the Blitz by beating Shankland once more after which, when he received within the second spherical, he had certainly caught Keymer, who opened with 0.5/2. For the reason that tiebreak, as Praggnanandhaa identified, was the Chess960 that he’d received earlier within the occasion, that meant he was forward of Keymer in fourth.
Praggnanandhaa took over, however when he misplaced to Shankland in spherical six whereas Keymer picked up his solely win, vs. Mishra, there was solely a 1.5-point hole with 4 rounds to go. That quickly grew once more, nevertheless, since within the very subsequent spherical Keymer misplaced to Le whereas Praggnanandhaa beat Mishra, who was visibly upset when he realized the white knights have been going to overwhelm his defenses.Â
A giant win for Praggnanandhaa vs. Mishra whereas Keymer loses, in order that Pragg is a win away from guaranteeing his spot within the ultimate stage of #BielChess from Tuesday-Thursday! https://t.co/WPuIgDQlro pic.twitter.com/U8ZgZrD576
— chess24 (@chess24com) July 21, 2024
Keymer’s elimination grew to become official within the eighth spherical since, regardless of Praggnanandhaa dropping to GM Haik Martirosyan and spoiling his probabilities of snatching second place, Keymer went down in flames towards Shankland.
Shankland beats Keymer, which confirms each gamers are eradicated from #BielChess with 2 blitz rounds to go. Liem, Martirosyan, Mishra & Pragg will go ahead to the ultimate 3 rounds of classical chess! pic.twitter.com/CDvWNDpagm
— chess24 (@chess24com) July 21, 2024
Keymer’s 13.Rfc1? in that sport misplaced to a easy, if spectacular, tactical sequence.
Praggnanandhaa is 5 factors adrift of the chief, Le, who posted a clean 4 wins and one loss, to attain simply half some extent much less. Martirosyan precisely matched Le’s rating, which meant he stays three factors behind.
With 12 factors nonetheless up for grabs within the ultimate three classical video games from Tuesday to Thursday, any of the 4 remaining gamers can nonetheless win, notably as all of them play one another head-to-head.Â
Challengers Blitz: Salem On A Totally different Planet, Bjerre Misses Out
Solely GM Vaishali Rameshbabu‘s time hassle had allowed Salem to flee with a draw within the ultimate classical sport, however within the Blitz he was on a special degree solely, as he stormed to 9/10, conceding simply two attracts. That was 3.5 factors greater than his closest rival.
Challengers Blitz: Remaining Standings
Whereas Salem began with 5/5, Vaishali scored 1/5, so {that a} one-point lead within the general standings had, by the midway level within the Blitz, changed into a five-point lead for the participant from the United Arab Emirates.
Saleh Salem begins with 5/5 within the Blitz and now has a 5-point general lead over 2nd positioned Vaishali! https://t.co/wsOGnq5uPC #BielChess pic.twitter.com/1H8qnOHW6v
— chess24 (@chess24com) July 21, 2024
When the mud had settled Salem had a seven-point lead, and it was over GM Alexander Donchenko, who was simply half some extent forward of Vaishali.
Salem’s trick was not simply to play effectively, however to play a lot sooner than his opponents, in order that within the vital moments he was normally a minute or extra up on the clock. As an example, in his crushing win over Bjerre, he obtained to do issues in model. 33.Qf2 appears to defend the h4-knight and the f3-pawn, however actually it does neither!
That sport, and Salem’s wonderful streak basically, would show expensive for Bjerre. Bjerre had began the day in a protected fourth place, however had to make sure that he did not finish greater than 12 factors behind the chief, when he could be eradicated in keeping with the rules. It turned out he completed 12.5 factors behind, after a tragic ultimate sport.
The 15-year-old Samunenkov, who had a positive final day, neglected that he was blundering his queen in a key second. However Bjerre missed it too—thrice!
As you may see, Bjerre nonetheless had a draw after lacking profitable the queen—which might have been sufficient to remain within the occasion, however he blundered once more and misplaced.
It was already recognized earlier than the day started that Samunenkov and Maurizzi could be eradicated, however at the very least they went out on excessive notes, posting wonderful blitz scores. As an example, 17-year-old Maurizzi scored this good miniature towards Vaishali:
The state of affairs is completely different within the Challengers, the place with solely three gamers there shall be simply two rounds of classical chess for every participant, with a most of eight factors up for grabs. That signifies that Salem, with a seven-point lead, solely wants a attract both sport to clinch the title. He claimed, nevertheless, that he is not targeted on that:
“For me, classical video games are extra essential. I don’t care if I win the event or not, I simply wish to play good. Anyway, there’s additionally ranking on the road. I simply wish to play good video games. Successful the event or not just isn’t related!”
Successful the event or not just isn’t related!
—Saleh Salem
Monday is a relaxation day, with the remaining seven gamers in motion from Tuesday onward.
Learn how to watch?
The 2024 Biel Chess Pageant runs July 13-26 in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, and options over 20 particular person occasions. The principle ones are the six-player Masters and Challengers GM Triathlons the place the gamers compete in 5 rounds of Fast chess (2 factors for a win/1 for a draw), 5 rounds of Classical (4/1.5), and 10 rounds of Blitz (1/0.5). The highest 4 then play three extra rounds of Classical towards one another, with colours reversed. Ties are settled by the standings of the Chess960 event held on the opening day.Â
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