Serbia Open R6-7: Nihal and Kovalenko emerge as the leaders 6.0/7

by Shahid Ahmed - 07/07/2021

Nihal Sarin is aiming to score his second consecutive tournament victory and gain maximum momentum before starting his World Cup campaign. GM Igor Kovalenko (LAT) and Nihal are the only two players in the lead 6.0/7 at the conclusion of Round 7 at Serbia Open 2021. They will inevitably face each other in the penultimate round of the event. Kovalenko defeated Arjun in the seventh round. Pranav V and IM Aditya Mittal are just a half point behind the leaders at 5.5/7 each respectively. Both of them are poised for a strong finish and in a quest for their maiden GM-norm. Round 8 starts today at 8:30 p.m. IST. Photo: Rupali Mullick

Pranav and Aditya in pursuit

Nihal Sarin and Igor Kovalenko won both of their respective round 6 and 7 games to share the lead 6.0/7. They will now face each other in the penultimate round. Pranav Vijay remains the only untitled player among the top 50 boards. He drew with Fier and Suleymanli to climb to 5.5/7, a half point behind the leaders. IM Aditya Mittal is the only other Indian with 5.5/7 among the 15-players who are in pursuit. He scored two impressive victories against GM Velimir Ivic and GM Branko Damljanovic.

Nihal Sarin gained the lead | Photo: Rupali Mullick

R6: Nihal - Iskandarov: 1-0

Nihal outplayed his opponent GM Misratdin Iskandarov (AZE) with a fantastic positional play in the endgame.

Position after 25.Nb5

25.Nb5 makes sure d6-pawn falls and then Nihal beautifully maneuvered his knight and converted his extra pawn advantage into a win.

Nihal scored a nice technical win against Iskandarov | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Bharath - Postny: 0.5-0.5

IM Bharath Subramaniyam H held GM Evgeny Postny (ISR) to a draw.

Bharath Subramaniyam H is having a good tournament | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Fier - Pranav: 0.5-0.5

Pranav held Brazil no.1 GM Alexander Fier to a draw.

Pranav continues his fantastic form | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Lazov - Arjun: 0-1

IM Toni Lazov (MKD) made an ambitious which backfired terribly.

Position after 13.f4

13.f4 break actually weakens White's own king instead of launching a successful attack on Black king. Find out the best continuation for Black. The position eventually liquidated into a rook and few pawns endgame where Black had two extra pawns, thus White resigned.

Toni tried to do too much too soon | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Raunak - Agibileg: 0-1

Raunak Sadhwani lost to IM Uurtsaikh Agibileg after the former played a bit passive.

Position after 36...Bd4

White played 37.Nd1 which made things difficult. Instead, White should have taken on d4 immediately 37.Nxd4. Eventually, White lost an exchange and Black converted it into a win.

Raunak suffered a tough loss | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Aditya - Ivic: 1-0

IM Aditya Mittal scored a fine victory over GM Velimir Ivic (SRB).

Aditya Mittal showcased his endgame prowess against Velimir Ivic | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Abhimanyu - Boucquet: 1-0

Abhimanyu Puranik scored an academic victory against CM Emile Boucquet (BEL).

Position after 15...Nxd5

15...Nxd5 is a mistake as White gets to do a thematic attack. Find out the winning continuation for White.

Abhimanyu Puranik bounced back with a victory after suffering a loss | Photo: Rupali Mullick

R7: Arjun - Kovalenko: 0-1

Arjun Erigaisi played boldly against GM Igor Kovalenko (LAT) in the middlegame which completely exposed his king.

Position after 30.Ng3

White went wrong in the endgame when he played 30.Ng3. Instead, 30.Rxa4 is suggested by the computer to be the best continuation for White. It is certainly not easy to find in a practical game when the clock is ticking down.

Position after 42...Kh7

43.Qxc7 would have been a better try for White to prolong the fight instead of the text 43.Qb3 which allowed Black to regain control.

Arjun suffered his first loss of the event against Kovalenko | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Sanal - Nihal: 0-1

Nihal Sarin scored his second consecutive victory of the day, this time against GM Vahap Sanal (TUR).

Position after 21...Nd7

To understand Nihal's strength, you have to figure out the reason behind 21...Nd7, a backward move which is necessity in this position is something we do not often consider.

Position after 35.Rf3

It's time to deliver the finishing blow. Find out the winning continuation for Black in the above diagram.

Nihal Sarin is India no.5 with 2648 on Live Elo rating | Video: ChessBase India

Nihal scored a fantastic victory to jump into the lead | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Pranav - Suleymanli: 1-0

Pranav made a fantastic escape with his king and moved to the other side of the board to provide safety against IM Aydin Suleymanli's (AZE) attack.

Position after 39...Ra7

Pranav used both of his minor pieces to make a blockade and did not waste any move to prepare for his onslaught. It is time for White to capitalize on the advantage. Find out how.

Pranav V almost certain of his IM title | Video: Sagar Shah

Pranav scored another brilliant win | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Damljanovic - Aditya: 0-1

IM Aditya Mittal scored his second consecutive victory of the day. His seventh round victim was GM Branko Damljanovic (SRB).

Position after 21...h5

White has already sacrificed a bishop at b2, thus he needed to maintain the attack on the kingside and avoid further piece exchange. 22.Nxh5 is a mistake as Black happily takes it 22...Bxh5 23.Qxh5 Qd7 and there is nothing to worry anymore. Try to find out what was the better continuation for White in the above diagram. Aditya converted his material advantage into a victory comfortably.

Aditya Mittal closing in on his first GM norm | Video: ChessBase India

Aditya Mittal scored his fourth consecutive of the event, second against a Grandmaster | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Kuzubov - Bharath: 1-0

IM Bharath Subramaniyam's momentum got halted by GM Yuriy Kuzubov (UKR).

Position after 17.Rd3

Bharath got into trouble early in the middlegame as he lost a few tempi due to his queen getting attacked repeatedly like a pinball. Kuzubov liquidated into a queenside majority double rook endgame with an extra pawn. He converted his advantage into a win comfortably.

Bharath can still have a strong finish | Photo: Rupali Mullick

GM Evgeny Zanan (ISR) was held to a draw by IM Raja Rithvik R | Photo: Rupali Mullick

For more photos, click here.

Highlights

Here are a few interesting finishes from Round 6 and7

Final position - GM Andreas Diermas (AUT) lost to GM Eltaj Safarli (AZE), Round 6

Final position - GM Vugar Asadli (AZE) lost to IM Denis Makhnev (KAZ), Round 6

Final position - GM Nikola Sedlak (SRB) lost to FM Parviz Gasimov (AZE), Round 6

Final position - GM Jonas Buhl Bjerre (NOR) vs IM Piotr Nguyen, Round 7

Replay Round 6-7 games

Round 6 results

Bo.	No.		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	FED	Rtg	No.
1	6	GM	Petrosyan Manuel	ARM	2632	4½	½ - ½	4½	GM	Sanal Vahap	TUR	2556	25
2	12	GM	Shevchenko Kirill	UKR	2605	4½	½ - ½	4½	GM	Indjic Aleksandar	SRB	2607	9
3	47	IM	Kourkoulos-Arditis Stamatis	GRE	2485	4½	0 - 1	4	GM	Fedoseev Vladimir	RUS	2696	1
4	3	GM	Kovalenko Igor	LAT	2643	4	1 - 0	4	GM	Bjerre Jonas Buhl	DEN	2546	28
5	4	GM	Ter-Sahakyan Samvel	ARM	2643	4	½ - ½	4	GM	Aleksandrov Aleksej	BLR	2535	29
6	40	IM	Erenberg Ariel	ISR	2506	4	0 - 1	4	GM	Hovhannisyan Robert	ARM	2632	5
7	8	GM	Nihal Sarin	IND	2620	4	1 - 0	4	GM	Iskandarov Misratdin	AZE	2533	32
8	10	GM	Bernadskiy Vitaliy	UKR	2606	4	½ - ½	4	GM	Sadikhov Ulvi	AZE	2490	45
9	58	GM	Diermair Andreas	AUT	2455	4	0 - 1	4	GM	Safarli Eltaj	AZE	2604	13
10	72	IM	Bharath Subramaniyam H	IND	2426	4	½ - ½	4	GM	Postny Evgeny	ISR	2578	17
11	18	GM	Asadli Vugar	AZE	2574	4	0 - 1	4	IM	Makhnev Denis	KAZ	2480	49
12	20	GM	Fier Alexandr	BRA	2569	4	½ - ½	4		Pranav V	IND	2366	113
13	82	IM	Lazov Toni	MKD	2412	4	0 - 1	4	GM	Erigaisi Arjun	IND	2567	21
14	24	IM	Suleymanli Aydin	AZE	2563	4	½ - ½	4	IM	Ozenir Ekin Baris	TUR	2331	133
15	26	GM	Sadhwani Raunak	IND	2555	4	0 - 1	4	IM	Agibileg Uurtsaikh	MGL	2413	81
16	88	IM	Agmanov Zhandos	KAZ	2404	4	0 - 1	4	GM	Basso Pier Luigi	ITA	2550	27
17	7	GM	Pichot Alan	ARG	2630	3½	0 - 1	3½	IM	Nikitenko Mihail	BLR	2472	52
18	14	GM	Markus Robert	SRB	2600	3½	½ - ½	3½	IM	Ahmadzada Ahmad	AZE	2431	69
19	64	IM	Aditya Mittal	IND	2438	3½	1 - 0	3½	GM	Ivic Velimir	SRB	2582	16
20	30	GM	Warmerdam Max	NED	2535	3½	1 - 0	3½	FM	Maksimovic Bojan	BIH	2418	78
21	83	IM	Nguyen Piotr	POL	2411	3½	½ - ½	3½	GM	Zanan Evgeny	ISR	2535	31
22	85	IM	Raja Rithvik R	IND	2408	3½	½ - ½	3½	IM	Annaberdiev Meilis	TKM	2532	33
23	34	IM	Nenezic Marko	SRB	2531	3½	1 - 0	3½	IM	Vardaan Nagpal	IND	2366	111
24	36	GM	Sedlak Nikola	SRB	2519	3½	0 - 1	3½	FM	Gasimov Parviz	AZE	2353	121
25	135	FM	Irizanin Radoje	SRB	2330	3½	0 - 1	3½	GM	Damljanovic Branko	SRB	2501	41
26	128	FM	Karacsonyi Gellert	HUN	2340	3½	½ - ½	3½	GM	Leniart Arkadiusz	POL	2499	43
27	46	IM	Blohberger Felix	AUT	2490	3½	1 - 0	3½		Papidakis Georgios	GRE	2135	252
28	148	FM	Barseghyan Armen Ar.	ARM	2316	3½	½ - ½	3½	GM	Nestorovic Nikola	SRB	2477	51
29	15	GM	Puranik Abhimanyu	IND	2589	3	1 - 0	3½	CM	Boucquet Emile	BEL	2100	272
30	2	GM	Kuzubov Yuriy	UKR	2653	3	1 - 0	3	FM	Maerevoet Sim	BEL	2384	103

Details

Round 7 results

Rd.	Bo.	No.		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	FED	Rtg	No.
7	2	21	GM	Erigaisi Arjun	IND	2567	5	0 - 1	5	GM	Kovalenko Igor	LAT	2643	3
7	5	25	GM	Sanal Vahap	TUR	2556	5	0 - 1	5	GM	Nihal Sarin	IND	2620	8
7	11	113		Pranav V	IND	2366	4½	1 - 0	4½	IM	Suleymanli Aydin	AZE	2563	24
7	15	41	GM	Damljanovic Branko	SRB	2501	4½	0 - 1	4½	IM	Aditya Mittal	IND	2438	64
7	16	2	GM	Kuzubov Yuriy	UKR	2653	4	1 - 0	4½	IM	Bharath Subramaniyam H	IND	2426	72
7	18	59	IM	Kilgus Georg	AUT	2452	4	½ - ½	4	GM	Puranik Abhimanyu	IND	2589	15
7	23	69	IM	Ahmadzada Ahmad	AZE	2431	4	1 - 0	4	GM	Sadhwani Raunak	IND	2555	26
7	25	31	GM	Zanan Evgeny	ISR	2535	4	½ - ½	4	IM	Raja Rithvik R	IND	2408	85
7	31	84	FM	Babazada Khazar	AZE	2409	4	½ - ½	4	IM	Raja Harshit	IND	2484	48
7	43	66	IM	Mohammad Nubairshah Shaikh	IND	2436	3½	1 - 0	3½	FM	Baglan Esat	TUR	2359	117
7	56	111	IM	Vardaan Nagpal	IND	2366	3½	1 - 0	3½	CM	Unat Can Haktan	TUR	2130	254
7	61	71	IM	Sankalp Gupta	IND	2429	3	1 - 0	3		Sarenac David	SRB	2289	164
7	64	86	IM	Akshat Khamparia	IND	2406	3	½ - ½	3	WIM	Beydullayeva Govhar	AZE	2264	180
7	69	171	FM	Marn Jan	SLO	2280	3	0 - 1	3	IM	Mullick Raahil	IND	2386	101
7	73	107	FM	Vatsal Singhania	IND	2371	3	½ - ½	3	FM	Antova Gabriela	BUL	2241	196
7	75	197	FM	Spiric Igor	SRB	2241	3	½ - ½	3		Souhardo Basak	IND	2364	115
7	90	114	WGM	Nandhidhaa P V	IND	2365	2½	0 - 1	2½		Thorsbro Peter	DEN	2233	202
7	102	276	WFM	Nurmanova Alua	KAZ	2093	2½	½ - ½	2½		Tanmay Chopra	IND	2273	174
7	109	136	FM	Stankovic Milos M	SRB	2327	2	½ - ½	2	WIM	Sharma Isha	IND	2213	214
7	117	228	WIM	Rakshitta Ravi	IND	2190	2	0 - 1	2	IM	Velickovic Sasa	SRB	2281	170
7	118	175	CM	Dev Shah	IND	2270	2	1 - 0	2	CM	Debevec Blaz	SLO	2135	251
7	124	289		Tomic Stjepan	CRO	1928	2	0 - 1	2	WGM	Varshini V	IND	2226	208
7	125	211		Ojas Kulkarni	IND	2216	2	½ - ½	2	WFM	Kovacevic Radmila	SRB	2093	275

Details

Round 8 pairings

Rd.	Bo.	No.		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	FED	Rtg	No.
8	1	8	GM	Nihal Sarin	IND	2620	6		6	GM	Kovalenko Igor	LAT	2643	3
8	8	13	GM	Safarli Eltaj	AZE	2604	5½		5½		Pranav V	IND	2366	113
8	9	64	IM	Aditya Mittal	IND	2438	5½		5	GM	Postny Evgeny	ISR	2578	17
8	13	46	IM	Blohberger Felix	AUT	2490	5		5	GM	Erigaisi Arjun	IND	2567	21
8	18	7	GM	Pichot Alan	ARG	2630	4½		4½	IM	Mohammad Nubairshah Shaikh	IND	2436	66
8	20	68	GM	Pap Misa	SRB	2431	4½		4½	GM	Puranik Abhimanyu	IND	2589	15
8	24	72	IM	Bharath Subramaniyam H	IND	2426	4½		4½	GM	Zanan Evgeny	ISR	2535	31
8	25	35	GM	Bogosavljevic Boban	SRB	2527	4½		4½	IM	Raja Rithvik R	IND	2408	85
8	30	48	IM	Raja Harshit	IND	2484	4½		4½	FM	Damjanovic Vuk	SRB	2369	109
8	31	50	IM	Cabarkapa Novak	SRB	2478	4½		4½	IM	Vardaan Nagpal	IND	2366	111
8	45	130	GM	Zhukova Natalia	UKR	2336	4		4	IM	Sankalp Gupta	IND	2429	71
8	57	101	IM	Mullick Raahil	IND	2386	4		4	CM	Boucquet Emile	BEL	2100	272
8	65	177	FM	Sahin Ozgun	TUR	2269	3½		3½	IM	Akshat Khamparia	IND	2406	86
8	69	199	FM	Maksimenko Viktor	KAZ	2239	3½		3½	FM	Vatsal Singhania	IND	2371	107
8	72	202		Thorsbro Peter	DEN	2233	3½		3½		Souhardo Basak	IND	2364	115
8	92	208	WGM	Varshini V	IND	2226	3		3	FM	Ronka Erik	FIN	2303	157
8	101	174		Tanmay Chopra	IND	2273	3		3	WFM	Balabayeva Xeniya	KAZ	2116	260
8	102	279		Jordanov Mihail	MKD	2082	3		3	CM	Dev Shah	IND	2270	175
8	106	139	IM	Zakic Srdjan	SRB	2324	2½		2½		Ojas Kulkarni	IND	2216	211
8	107	214	WIM	Sharma Isha	IND	2213	2½		2½	IM	Hasanzade Toghrul	AZE	2323	142
8	126	273		Herega Nejc	SLO	2099	2		2	WIM	Rakshitta Ravi	IND	2190	228

Details

Links

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