FIDE Chess Olympiad Spherical 6: India Leads Each Sections As Ding Defeat Prices China

GM Arjun Erigaisi and India go into the remainder day of the forty fifth FIDE Chess Olympiad on excellent scores after Arjun’s round-six win over GM Sanan Sjugirov helped India to a 3-1 victory over Hungary. That meant the only lead as China solely drew with Vietnam after GM Liem Le beat World Champion Ding Liren on demand. GMs Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana fell simply quick in their very own must-win video games, in order that Norway misplaced to Iran, whereas the highest seeds from the U.S. solely drew with Romania. 

India, the one crew to have gained all of its matches within the Ladies’s forty fifth FIDE Chess Olympiad, lead after IM Divya Deshmukh scored on board three to defeat Armenia 2.5-1.5. In shared second, some extent behind, are Georgia and Poland. Georgia’s board 4 IM Salome Melia gained from a dropping place to relinquish Mongolia out of the shared lead with a 2.5-1.5 rating, whereas Polish IM Oliwia Kiolbasa on board three introduced one other 2.5-1.5 victory handy China its second consecutive defeat.

Spherical seven of the 2024 FIDE Chess Olympiad begins on Wednesday, September 18, at 9 a.m. ET/15:00 CEST/6:30 p.m. IST.

Open Part: Arjun, India Maintain On Profitable As Ding Defeat Hurts China

See full outcomes right here.

That meant that for the primary time a crew has damaged away from the pack, although India-China in spherical seven will give China the possibility to get again to pole place—and provides us all one other preview of the Ding vs. GM Gukesh Dommaraju world championship match. 

4 groups have been on an ideal 10/10 going into spherical six, together with the second and third seeds, India and China. They’d method their matches the best way that they had the earlier 5 rounds, which for India meant with whole confidence and doing greater than required.

Solely GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu appeared underneath strain, however he held a draw with out drama in opposition to GM Peter Leko. GM Richard Rapport ended Gukesh’s successful streak, however that was the top of Hungary’s achievements. 

As soon as once more, Arjun was a beast as he made it six wins in six rounds and has moved to 2791.3 on the stay ranking record—2800 beckons, and it feels the one query is whether or not he makes it this match!

His win over Sjugirov featured a pawn sacrifice within the opening that gained an enormous benefit on the clock, and his precision within the middlegame and endgame was greater than his opponent might deal with. That is our Sport of the Day, and has been analyzed by GM Rafael Leitao, who writes:

There’s a chapter in Kasparov’s monumental ebook The Take a look at of Time wherein he analyzes three equal endgames and the way he managed to win all three in the identical match, in opposition to (if I am not mistaken) Larsen, Seirawan, and Petrosian. This recreation jogged my memory of that unforgettable chapter within the ebook, which tells the story of a younger chess participant’s rise to the title of world champion and the way necessary it’s to grasp the technical a part of the sport. 

The icing on the cake was an equally convincing win for GM Vidit Gujrathi, whose 5/6 might simply have been 5.5/6 if he’d discovered a win in opposition to GM Shakhiyar Mamedyarov the day earlier than. 

Vidit completes a wonderful win that provides India a 3-1 win over Hungary and the only lead on 12/12 going into the #ChessOlympiad relaxation day! pic.twitter.com/ERfbJED9zS

— chess24 (@chess24com) September 16, 2024

He was understandably happy with his play. 

Vidit on beating Gledura to assist India to a 3-1 win over Hungary: “Immediately I believe I performed a extremely good recreation! I received small strain from the opening, then I put strain, and ultimately he collapsed.” #ChessOlympiad pic.twitter.com/r6qdZzq0SF

— chess24 (@chess24com) September 16, 2024

China, in the meantime, had gained the earlier two rounds with three attracts and a single win, and it appeared as if they might repeat that sample when GM Wang Yue, the primary Chinese language participant ever to cross 2700 (in 2008) and to enter the top-10 (2010), confidently moved to 4/4.

If Ding had made a draw the match can be gained for China… however he did not!

It could be exhausting to name Le beating Ding a serious upset, contemplating the Vietnamese number-one entered the occasion 5 factors higher-rated, however the pawn-down place reached felt just like the form of place the world champion would have held with ease again in 2018 when he was at his very best and identified for tenacious protection.

In 2024, Ding quickly stumbled right into a place the tablebases introduced as misplaced, and when briefly given a reprieve he did not take it and slipped to defeat.

Ding Liren resigns vs. Liem Le and drops out of the Prime 20 — Vietnam takes a match level off China!https://t.co/UMboL9zTRx #ChessOlympiad pic.twitter.com/0Jqk5YD7rF

— chess24 (@chess24com) September 16, 2024

Le described the win as one of many largest of his life, whereas additionally revealing that he is utilizing his time in Budapest to recruit college students for the chess program he runs at Webster College in St. Louis. 

Liem Le on beating Ding Liren: “It is one of many largest [wins of my life], for positive. It is good to beat the World Champion and that is additionally essential for the crew end result — we received 2-2 in opposition to China, one of many contenders for the gold medal!” #ChessOlympiad pic.twitter.com/UX0PYhxKPp

— chess24 (@chess24com) September 16, 2024

That meant each Vietnam and China are on 11/12, some extent behind India, the place they’re joined by tenth seed Iran, who took down Norway. GM Pouya Idani pounced on a blunder by GM Frode Urkedal to attain the essential level. That left world number-one Carlsen needing to beat GM Parham Maghsoodloo on demand to rescue a draw.

Carlsen had an enormous area benefit in a Caro-Kann and it felt just like the form of place he would convert with ease, however as a substitute Maghsoodloo’s dynamic counterplay equalized the place, though Carlsen performed on till transfer 87.

Parham Maghsoodloo holds a draw vs. Magnus Carlsen and Iran defeats Norway! https://t.co/ksyqCCC43G #ChessOlympiad pic.twitter.com/KaCf4aAD6I

— chess24 (@chess24com) September 16, 2024

Nearly the final recreation to complete within the open part featured the world number-two, Caruana, who, after three attracts in United States vs. Romania, wanted to beat GM Bogdan-Daniel Deac to take care of his 100% rating and provides his crew victory. He fought on to maneuver 125, however in useless.

That meant the top-seeded aspect can now rating a most of 19 match factors, which traditionally implies that solely successful their remaining 5 matches will give a good probability of taking gold! 

Listed here are the successful scores because the Olympiad was performed over 11 rounds (in 2020 no over-the-board Olympiad was held due to the pandemic).

Issues are getting severe, and slip-ups may be pricey. In spherical six we noticed powerful blows for a variety of historically sturdy Olympiad groups. Azerbaijan slumped to a second loss in a row, in opposition to Lithuania, Spain have been crushed by Georgia, and Poland have been held to a draw by Austria when GM Valentin Dragnev noticed a shocking blow in opposition to GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda and rescued what had appeared a hopeless place. 

Valentin Dragnev’s queen sac in opposition to Jan-Krzysztof Duda was maybe the transfer of the 2024 #ChessOlympiad thus far! pic.twitter.com/tDczqw9TQk

— chess24 (@chess24com) September 16, 2024

To this point the whole lot goes India’s manner, however that would nonetheless change quick. China has the possibility to leapfrog their rivals with a win in spherical six, whereas a winner of Iran-Vietnam would additionally tie for the lead except India wins. 

2024 Chess Olympiad Spherical 7 Group Pairings: Open (Prime 15)

First, nevertheless, there’s the Bermuda Get together and a well-deserved relaxation day!  

Ladies’s Part: India Take Sole Lead; Georgia, Poland Observe Shut Behind

See full outcomes right here.

Although GM Harika Dronavalli had possibilities in a bishop vs. knight endgame on board one and IM Tania Sachdev was successful on board 4, Divya’s sole victory was sufficient to safe the match for India in opposition to Armenia.

Divya’s recreation was promising early on after a gap mishap, beginning with GM Elina Danielian‘s 15…Na5?, which left Black severely underdeveloped.

Second-seed Georgia confronted Mongolia, the third crew on an ideal rating going into this spherical. With quiet attracts on the opposite three boards, Melia introduced Georgia the one win they wanted. It was possible essentially the most sudden victory of the day, at the least when WFM Erdenebayar Khuslen discovered the tactic to win an alternate for completely nothing in return.

The sport is not over till the scoresheets are signed, nevertheless, and Melia pounced on the chance to single-handedly alter her nation’s destiny on this match.

China appeared invincible after the primary 4 rounds, as that they had gained 15 video games and drawn only one by that time. Armenia defeated them in spherical 5, and on this spherical they changed 14-year-old prodigy IM Lu Miaoyi with IM Guo Qi on board three.  Early within the day, GM Robert Hess identified that there was no massive distinction within the gamers’ rankings and this was “a match that’s as 50-50 because it will get.”

Chinese language GM Zhu Jiner managed to neutralize a fleeting opening benefit that IM Alina Kashlinskaya achieved on board one, and it was Kiolbasa who made essentially the most of two bishops to grab match victory for Poland. 

That is two losses in a row for China, primarily leaving them out of rivalry for the gold medal, whereas Poland jumps into shared second place with Georgia—behind the thus far dominant Indian crew. There are seven groups on 10 factors behind them.

Of the closest matches, the opposite two have been Azerbaijan vs. Vietnam (2.5-1.5) and the U.S. vs. Switzerland (2.5-1.5). IM Ulviyya Fataliyeva performed an necessary position for Azerbaijan as she gained a one-sided recreation nearly straight out of the opening.

IM Ulviyya Fataliyeva, enjoying for Azerbaijan, appears to be like to already be successful on transfer 16! Rad1 subsequent and Black will wrestle to seek out protected squares for her items.https://t.co/tWKyzYlgaP#ChessOlympiad pic.twitter.com/BFQMLvBYBx

— chess24 (@chess24com) September 16, 2024

The U.S., however, in hassle when WFM Mariya Manko gained a demoralizingly one-sided recreation in opposition to IM Anna Zatonskih on board 4. Nonetheless, IMs Carissa Yip and Alice Lee saved the day with wins on boards two and three, whereas IM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova critically made a draw with the white items in opposition to the “Chess Queen” herself, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk.

Yip, who simply celebrated her twenty first birthday six days in the past, spoke with FM Mike Klein after her win and mentioned that she by no means felt too apprehensive for her crew—regardless of what eval bars have been telling spectators in the course of the match. She additionally talked about that she borrowed the odd-looking 5…h6 from a recreation the place she was White in opposition to Georgian GM Nana Dzagnidze, on the 2021 Ladies’s World Cup.

Objectively, her opponent managed to get a bonus, however spent a lot time doing in order that she began to go terribly mistaken with underneath 10 minutes in opposition to Yip’s almost 50.

Crucial match after the remainder day, after all, would be the pairing between first-seed India and second-seed Georgia. Will India proceed cruising forward or will Georgia lastly finish India’s six-match unbeaten streak? We’ll have to attend until Wednesday to know!

2024 Chess Olympiad Spherical 7 Group Pairings: Ladies (Prime 15)

No.	SNo	FED	Group	MP	:	MP	Group	FED	SNo
1	1		India	12	:	11	Georgia		2
2	30		Austria	9	:	9	Hungary		14
3	5		Ukraine	10	:	11	Poland		3
4	6		Azerbaijan	10	:	10	Kazakhstan		10
5	11		Armenia	10	:	10	United States of America		7
6	18		Mongolia	10	:	10	Germany		8
7	9		Spain	10	:	10	France		13
8	27		Canada	9	:	9	Bulgaria		12
9	39		Peru	9	:	9	Netherlands		17
10	23		Greece	9	:	9	Uzbekistan		34
11	4		China	8	:	9	Australia		46
12	36		Latvia	8	:	8	England		15
13	38		Estonia	8	:	8	Turkiye		16
14	19		Serbia	8	:	8	Iran		37
15	20		Vietnam	8	:	8	Czech Republic		41

NM Anthony Levin contributed reporting to this text.

The forty fifth FIDE Chess Olympiad is an enormous crew occasion for nationwide federations that takes place each two years. In 2024 it is being held in Budapest, Hungary, with 11 rounds that run September 11-22. In Open and Ladies’s sections, groups of 5 gamers compete in a Swiss Open, with every match performed over 4 boards. There are two match factors for a win and one for a draw, with board factors taken under consideration provided that groups are tied. Gamers have 90 minutes per recreation, plus half-hour from transfer 40, with a 30-second increment per transfer.

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