Biel Chess 2024, Spherical 5: Praggnanandhaa Hits Again, Vaishali Seconds From Win

GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu lastly received a classical sport on the 2024 Biel Chess Pageant as he defeated GM Sam Shankland to reenter the world top-10. It was nearly an ideal day for the household as Vaishali Rameshbabu was getting ready to beating GM Saleh Salem and topping the Challengers earlier than she blundered on transfer 40 with simply three seconds to spare. GM Liem Le and Salem lead their teams going into Sunday’s Blitz.  

The Blitz begins Sunday, July 21, at 8 a.m. ET / 14:00 CEST / 5:30 p.m. IST.

It was Worldwide Chess Day and an opportunity to assist set a report…

World report damaged! Once in a while of the @FIDE_chess centenary right now, most #chess video games inside 24 hours shall be performed. It’s not midnight but, however it’s clear, the report shall be achieved, so @GWR handed tonight at #BielChess the certificates to FIDE-representative Laurent Freyd! pic.twitter.com/DrMT2ctaDm

— Biel Chess Pageant (@BielFestival) July 20, 2024

…whereas within the prime occasions, all six video games may, and maybe ought to, have completed decisively on Saturday. In the long run, nonetheless, half had been drawn.

Classical Chess Spherical 5 Outcomes: Masters And Challengers

The outcomes imply that Le and Salem proceed to steer going into Sunday’s 10 rounds of blitz chess. Then the underside two gamers in every part shall be eradicated.

Standings After Classical Chess Spherical 5: Masters And Challengers

Biel Masters Spherical 5: Praggnanandhaa Wins On Demand   

Praggnanandhaa 4-0 Shankland

If Praggnanandhaa had drawn or misplaced this sport, his possibilities of qualifying for the final stage of the Biel Chess Pageant—three ultimate classical rounds on Tuesday-Thursday—would have been minimal, since he’d want an outstanding blitz event to make up a four-point (or extra) deficit to GM Vincent Keymer. That meant the Indian star was keen to take some dangers, together with his 12.Qd2?! in an Anti-Berlin inviting bother. 

Shankland appropriately grabbed the pawn on e4 together with his knight, going for an trade sacrifice quickly afterward. In truth, the 2018 U.S. champion appropriately sacrificed the trade twice to supply a place the place Praggnanandhaa’s two rooks had been battling a pair of bishops. It was an interesting and murky wrestle, however the Indian GM prevailed.

That win noticed Praggnanandhaa climb again as much as world number-nine on the dwell score checklist, however extra importantly, for now, it places him inside placing distance of the gamers forward.

Mishra 1.5-1.5 Keymer

In truth, Praggnanandhaa may simply have ended the day degree with Keymer, whereas Mishra might be the chief, because the participant who set the report because the youngest GM ever was profitable a wildly complicated conflict at varied moments. There was by no means any completely clear goal-scoring alternative, nonetheless, and when Keymer survived a nerve-wracking time scramble the gamers shortly agreed a draw. 

The ultimate sport to complete, in both part, may have seen Le, the event winner in 2022 and 2023, take a commanding lead.

Le 1.5-1.5 Martirosyan

This 81-move conflict between two superb technicians produced a study-like endgame the place the Vietnamese number-one nearly managed to transform an additional pawn. Full evaluation would take critical research, however with the assistance of tablebases we are able to at the least level to the clear possibilities that had been missed.

Neither participant made a critical mistake till transfer 53.

Biel Challengers Spherical 5: Vaishali Seconds From Victory

The Challengers was arrange completely, since Vaishali, who trailed chief Salem by some extent, had the white items within the ultimate spherical of classical chess. A win would have seen her take a three-point lead into the Blitz.

Vaishali 1.5-1.5 Salem

Vaishali has picked up 23.6 score factors in simply 5 rounds of classical chess, however it may have been 4 factors extra, since towards Salem she twice reached a profitable place. The second time it appeared there was no probability she’d let it slip, however in mutual time bother she went astray on transfer 40, the final transfer earlier than an hour was added to her clock.

She reached that mark with three seconds to spare, whereas Salem immediately executed the saving transfer with simply 5 seconds left.

Vaishali makes transfer 40 with simply 3 seconds to spare… and it is a blunder, giving up the profitable place! #BielChess pic.twitter.com/g7rVs7opEZ

— chess24 (@chess24com) July 20, 2024

Shortly afterward a draw was agreed that noticed Salem maintain his slender lead.

The remaining two video games noticed GMs Marc’Andria Maurizzi and Igor Samunenkov lose and discover themselves all however doomed to be eradicated nonetheless nicely they play within the Blitz. GM Alexander Donchenko received a topsy-turvy sport towards Maurizzi to finish on a plus rating for classical chess. He commented:

“From the positions I had within the classical video games, I could be very pleased with my three factors [two wins, two draws, and one loss], as a result of the sport towards Vaishali, truthfully in the event you may lose greater than as soon as, I ought to have misplaced that sport greater than as soon as, and in addition I had superb possibilities to lose to Salem, so I took what I may and we’ll see how the blitz goes. I’m nonetheless in competition!”

The sport towards Vaishali, truthfully in the event you may lose greater than as soon as, I ought to have misplaced that sport greater than as soon as!

—Alexander Donchenko

GM Jonas Bjerre has work to do in Blitz to maintain his hopes alive, however at the least he completed issues off impressively towards Samunenkov.

That was the seventh loss in eight video games for Samunenkov, however for lengthy intervals he is been matching his opponents, and it needs to be a priceless expertise for the 15-year-old. 

The gamers will now play one another twice in 10 rounds of three+2 blitz on Sunday, with regular scoring (one level for a win, half for a draw) earlier than two gamers are eradicated in every part.

Then the remaining gamers will face one another in classical chess with colours reversed within the ultimate three rounds. With 4 factors for a win there, the leaders cannot relaxation on their laurels! 

Find out 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 Speedy 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.