World Rapid 2023 Day 1: Carlsen, Vidit and Arjun Erigaisi in a five-way lead

by Shahid Ahmed - 27/12/2023

Arjun Erigaisi and Vidit Gujrathi are two Indians in five-way lead with Magnus Carlsen (NOR) after the fifth round of World Rapid 2023. Ivan Cheparinov (BUL) and Yangyi Yu (CHN) are the remaining leaders. Bharath Subramaniyam H had a great day after starting the event with a win over Germany no.1, Vincent Keymer. Sandipan Chanda also made an unbeaten start scoring three wins in-a-row to end the first day on 4/5, same as Bharath. In the Women's section, IM Nurgyul Salimova (BUL) and GM Jiner Zhu (CHN) are the coleaders with a perfect 4/4. They are followed by six players at 3.5/4. GM Vaishali R is the sole Indian among them. Vidit will face Carlsen in Round 6, while Arjun will go up against Yangyi. Round 6 starts today at 3 p.m. local time, 3:30 p.m. IST. Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Nurgyul and Jiner are the coleaders in the Women

GM Arjun Erigaisi is one of the five leaders 4.5/5 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Round 1: No easy start for the top seeds

The top three boards in both Open and Women section ended in draws in the first round. World Rapid 2022 Bronze medalist, WGM Savitha Shri B (2238) had the shortest draw of the round against the defending World Rapid Women's 2022 champion, GM Zhongyi Tan (CHN, 2528). IM Roman Kezin (2497), FM Gergana Peycheva (BUL, 2226) and WGM Jennifer Yu (USA, 2217) scored upsets against GM Vladislav Artemiev (2721), GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (SUI, 2506) and GM Mariya Muzychuk (UKR, 2457) respectively. GM Bharath Subramaniyam H (2426) scored a big win over the Germany no.1 GM Vincent Keymer (2631). GM Mitrabha Guha (2436) started with a win against GM Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli (ESP, 2635).

Bharath - Keymer

Position after 24.Nbxd6!

23...Ne5 allowed White to pick up the d6-pawn using tactics 24.Nbxd6. Soon he grabbed the a5-pawn and the bishop, eventually the game.

GM Bharath Subramaniyam H made a great start | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

What bugs Carlsen? Magnus vs Nikita Petrov | Video: ChessBase India

The shortest game of World Rapid 2023 - Savitha vs Zhongyi Tan | Video: ChessBase India

Arkady Dvorkovich, FIDE President, inaugurated FIDE World Rapid Women's Championship 2023 by making the first move on GM Wenjun Ju (CHN) and WIM Miaoyi Lu's board (CHN) | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Alisher Sadullaev, President, Uzbekistan Chess Federation, made the first move, on GM Magnus Carlsen (NOR) and GM Nikita Petrov's (MNE) board | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Round 2: Turmunkh stuns Humpy

GM Koneru Humpy (2444) got stunned by WGM Turmunkh Munkhzul (MGL, 2279) in a completely winning position. She decided to delay the advancement of her passed pawn which changed the fate of the game.

Humpy - Turmunkh

Position after 53...Ne3

Humpy was winning for the better part of the game. 54.c7 wins the game as White does not need to be bothered about either the rook or the bishop. However, White played 54.Be4+ Kh8 55.c7 cost the game Rh3+ 56.Qh2 Qa1+

WGM Turmunkh Munkhzul (MGL) scored a huge upset against GM Koneru Humpy | Photo: FIDE/Anastasia Korolkova

Round 3: S L Narayanan surprised Abdusattorov, Bolt by Conrad Holt against 'Shakh'

GM S L Narayanan (2586) made the most out of his opportunity as he defeated former World Rapid champion, GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB, 2727). According to the legend, Vishy Anand, GM Conrad Holt (USA, 2548) played a game of the year to beat GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE, 2715).

Abdusattorov - Narayanan

Position after 33...Ne4!

33.Qe7 allowed White to run interference Ne4! 34.fxe4 Qxe2+ 35.Kg3 Qe3+ 36.Kg2 Qxe4+? apparently this is a mistake as it allows White to get back in the game 37.Qxe4 dxe4 38.Kg3?? h5 39.gxh5 f5 and the pawn endgame is lost for White. 38.h5 was White's last chance to salvage a half point.

GM S L Narayanan defeated the former World Rapid champion, GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) | Photo: FIDE/Anastasia Korolkova

Bardiya - Arjun

Position after 34...Red8

35.Rxd3! Rxd3 36.Qxg6 Qxe3+ 37.Kh1 would have ended things on a positive note for GM Bardiya Daneshvar (IRI, 2470). Instead, he blundeerd 35.Kh1?? Arjun pounced on his opportunity Nf2+! 36.Rxf2 Rxd1+ 37.Kg2 Qc6 and it's over.

Conrad - Mamedyarov

Position after 30.d7

30.d7 exd2 31.dxe8Q Qxe8 32.Rxe8 dxc1Q+ 33.Kf2 Qg1+ 34.Kxg1 Nf3+ 35.Kf2 Nxd4 36.Bxd4 Bg7 37.Re7 Bxg4 38.Bxg7 and White won the game in the next few moves.

GM Harika Dronavalli - IM Padmini Rout: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: FIDE/Lennart Ootes

Round 4: Parham puts up a good fight against Magnus

GM Magnus Carlsen (NOR, 2818) does not believe in fortresses. He once again reaffirmed that belief against GM Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI, 2644).

Parham - Magnus

Position after 40...f5

To hold this game with white pieces, White would want to exhaust his pawn moves to f4 and g3, then survive another 50 moves without dropping the knight. It is as tough as it sounds in a practical game as it is in theory, especially when your opponent is none other than the world no.1.

Why was Magnus Carlsen surprised | Video: ChessBase India

"Strange things always happen on first day of World Rapid and Blitz!" - Magnus Carlsen | Video: ChessBase India

Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI) probably made Magnus Carlsen (NOR) work the hardest on the first day to score a full point | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Round 5: Vidit and Arjun beat Maksims, Bharath continues his impressive run

GM Vidit Gujrathi (2691) and GM Arjun Erigaisi (2654) defeated GM Maxim Chigaev (ESP, 2587) and GM Maxim Matlakov (2616) respectively to joins the world no.1 in a five-way lead.

Chigaev - Vidit

Position after 36.g4??

Find out the winning continuation for Black after 36.g4??

GM Maksim Chigaev (ESP) vs GM Vidit Gujrathi | Video: ChessBase India

"A cheese sandwich would be nice!" - Vidit Gujrathi leads with 4.5/5 after the fifth round | Video: ChessBase India

GM Maksim Chigaev (ESP) blundered in the final moments against GM Vidit Gujrathi

Matlakov - Arjun

Position after 34...Nd2

35.Bb6 b2 36.c7?? an overambitious approach turned out to be costly for White Rxc7! 37.Rxc7 bxa1Q 38.Rg7+ Kh8 39.Bxd8 Nf1+ and Black won.

Arjun Erigaisi 's Swaggy Final Move - Matlakov vs Arjun | Video: ChessBase India

Arjun Erigaisi on 4.5/5 start and thoughts on winning World Rapid + Candidates spot | Video: ChessBase India

Arjun Erigaisi showed great resiliency to beat Maxim Matlakov from a difficult position | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

How does Magnus Carlsen win such games? Khismatullin vs Carlsen | Video: ChessBase India

GM Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO) - GM Bharath Subramaniam H: 0.5-0.5

Some are more equal than others?

Ian Nepomniachtchi made a tweet after the fifth round where he raised the questions of the world no.1 getting personal lounge which no one else has gotten

Various players opined on his tweet

FIDE replied

Video Gallery

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Anish Giri and Vidit Gujrathi Watching Gukesh's Game | Video: ChessBase India

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Watch World Rapid Open and Women 2023

Live Commentary of Day 1 by GM Viswanathan Anand & WGM Anastasiya Karlovich from 3 p.m. local time, 3:30 p.m. IST

Round 5 Open results

Rd.	Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
5	4	15	GM	Yu Yangyi	2699	3½	1 - 0	3½	GM	Narayanan S L	2586	58
5	5	57	GM	Chigaev Maksim	2587	3½	0 - 1	3½	GM	Vidit Santosh Gujrathi	2691	18
5	6	45	GM	Matlakov Maxim	2616	3½	0 - 1	3½	GM	Erigaisi Arjun	2654	26
5	8	11	GM	Fedoseev Vladimir	2716	3	½ - ½	3½	GM	Bharath Subramaniyam H	2426	137
5	11	13	GM	Dubov Daniil	2712	3	1 - 0	3	GM	Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.	2573	68
5	12	101	GM	Lazavik Denis	2509	3	½ - ½	3	GM	Praggnanandhaa R	2706	14
5	14	23	GM	Nihal Sarin	2667	3	½ - ½	3	GM	Quparadze Giga	2559	74
5	19	49	GM	Chanda Sandipan	2602	3	1 - 0	3	IM	Isanzhulov Arystan	2299	170
5	28	21	GM	Esipenko Andrey	2677	2½	½ - ½	2½	GM	Adhiban B.	2528	92
5	36	129	GM	Pranesh M	2459	2½	1 - 0	2½	GM	Henriquez Villagra Cristobal	2590	54
5	37	61	GM	Paravyan David	2584	2½	1 - 0	2½	GM	Pranav V	2472	122
5	41	107	GM	Zeng Chongsheng	2501	2	0 - 1	2	GM	Gukesh D	2656	24
5	67	143	GM	Nasuta Grzegorz	2402	1½	½ - ½	1½	GM	Ganguly Surya Shekhar	2645	30
5	70	100	GM	Ivic Velimir	2509	1½	0 - 1	1½	GM	Aditya Mittal	2381	150
5	81	167	IM	Ohanyan Emin	2302	1½	0 - 1	1½	GM	Mitrabha Guha	2436	134
5	82	189	FM	Oro Faustino	2150	1½	0 - 1	1½	GM	Karthik Venkataraman	2426	138
5	87	184	FM	Bakhrillaev Bakhrom	2196	1	0 - 1	1	GM	Sadhwani Raunak	2586	60

Details

Round 4 Women results

Rd.	Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
4	5	20	IM	Vaishali Rameshbabu	2373	2½	1 - 0	2½	WGM	Voit Daria	2275	49
4	12	8	GM	Koneru Humpy	2444	2	1 - 0	2	IM	Nomin-Erdene Davaademberel	2286	44
4	13	46	WGM	Pourkashiyan Atousa	2281	2	1 - 0	2	GM	Dronavalli Harika	2440	9
4	14	56	IM	Padmini Rout	2255	2	1 - 0	2	WGM	Divya Deshmukh	2422	13
4	36	89	IM	Soumya Swaminathan	2104	1½	1 - 0	1½	WGM	Hejazipour Mitra	2256	55
4	38	103	WGM	Rakshitta Ravi	1921	1½	½ - ½	1	GM	Muzychuk Mariya	2457	7
4	41	40	WFM	Zhao Shengxin	2298	1	0 - 1	1	FM	Sahithi Varshini M	2138	80
4	47	69	WGM	Priyanka Nutakki	2205	1	1 - 0	1	WFM	Aydin Gulenay	2089	92
4	48	73	WGM	Yakubbaeva Nilufar	2187	1	0 - 1	1		Velpula Sarayu	1751	110
4	51	107	WCM	Lesbekova Assel	1848	1	0 - 1	½	WGM	Savitha Shri B	2238	60

Details

Standings after Round 5 Open

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	w-we	K	rtg+/-
1	1	GM	Carlsen, Magnus	NOR	2818	4,5	13	16	2586	0	0,49	0	0
2	26	GM	Erigaisi, Arjun	IND	2654	4,5	13	15,5	2547	0	1,19	0	0
3	43	GM	Cheparinov, Ivan	BUL	2618	4,5	12,5	15	2536	0	1,29	0	0
4	15	GM	Yu, Yangyi	CHN	2699	4,5	12,5	13,5	2575	0	1,06	0	0
5	18	GM	Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi	IND	2691	4,5	12	13,5	2539	0	0,92	0	0
6	137	GM	Bharath, Subramaniyam H	IND	2426	4	15	17,5	2641	0	2,80	0	0
7	4	GM	Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime	FRA	2767	4	14	16,5	2584	0	0,23	0	0
8	13	GM	Dubov, Daniil	FID	2712	4	14	16,5	2549	0	0,35	0	0
9	39	GM	Anton Guijarro, David	ESP	2625	4	13	15	2557	0	0,87	0	0
10	51	GM	Shimanov, Aleksandr	FID	2599	4	13	15	2508	0	0,74	0	0
11	56	GM	Gareyev, Timur	USA	2588	4	12,5	13,5	2559	0	1,03	0	0
12	42	GM	Shevchenko, Kirill	ROU	2619	4	12	14	2518	0	0,48	0	0
13	52	GM	Xu, Xiangyu	CHN	2598	4	12	14	2458	0	0,47	0	0
14	41	GM	Mamedov, Rauf	AZE	2622	4	12	13,5	2592	0	0,88	0	0
15	77	GM	Holt, Conrad	USA	2548	4	11	11,5	2594	0	1,43	0	0
16	49	GM	Chanda, Sandipan	IND	2602	4	10,5	12,5	2408	0	0,17	0	0
17	63	GM	Ponkratov, Pavel	FID	2580	4	10	11,5	2535	0	0,90	0	0
18	8	GM	Rapport, Richard	ROU	2735	3,5	15	17,5	2588	0	-0,08	0	0
19	57	GM	Chigaev, Maksim	ESP	2587	3,5	14,5	16	2496	0	0,23	0	0
20	23	GM	Nihal, Sarin	IND	2667	3,5	13,5	16	2559	0	0,16	0	0

Details

Standings after Round 4 Women

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	w-we	K	rtg+/-
1	21	IM	Salimova, Nurgyul	BUL	2371	4	8,5	9	2259	0	1,25	20	25
2	11	GM	Zhu, Jiner	CHN	2431	4	7,5	8,5	2290	0	1,15	10	11,5
3	51	IM	Bodnaruk, Anastasia	FID	2265	3,5	8	8	2410	0	1,62	10	16,2
4	45	WGM	Tokhirjonova, Gulrukhbegim	USA	2285	3,5	7	8,5	2234	0	0,90	20	18
5	32	WIM	Omonova, Umida	UZB	2331	3,5	7	8,5	2161	0	0,50	20	10
6	20	IM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	IND	2373	3,5	7	8	2284	0	0,85	20	17
7	29	WGM	Zhai, Mo	CHN	2351	3,5	7	8	2223	0	0,58	20	11,6
8	37	IM	Mammadzada, Gunay	AZE	2315	3,5	6,5	8	2177	0	0,60	20	12
9	48	WGM	Munkhzul, Turmunkh	MGL	2279	3	10	11	2388	0	1,03	20	20,6
10	54	IM	Guichard, Pauline	FRA	2257	3	9,5	10,5	2354	0	0,93	20	18,6
11	34	IM	Munguntuul, Batkhuyag	MGL	2322	3	9,5	10,5	2249	0	0,43	10	4,3
12	35	IM	Kiolbasa, Oliwia	POL	2320	3	9	9	2245	0	0,41	20	8,2
13	12	GM	Muzychuk, Anna	UKR	2424	3	8,5	10	2271	0	0,00	10	0
14	71	WGM	Kamalidenova, Meruert	KAZ	2196	3	8	10	2370	0	1,86	40	74,4
15	8	GM	Koneru, Humpy	IND	2444	3	7,5	9,5	2264	0	0,00	10	0
16	30	IM	Tsolakidou, Stavroula	GRE	2349	3	7	9	2182	0	-0,06	20	-1,2
17	14	GM	Gunina, Valentina	FID	2412	3	7	8,5	2253	0	0,08	10	0,8
18	46	WGM	Pourkashiyan, Atousa	USA	2281	3	7	8	2240	0	0,44	20	8,8
19	56	IM	Padmini, Rout	IND	2255	3	6,5	8	2424	0	1,18	10	11,8
20	6	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	FID	2463	3	6,5	8	2248	0	-0,24	10	-2,4

Details

Round 6 Open pairings

Rd.	Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
6	1	18	GM	Vidit Santosh Gujrathi	2691	4½	4½	GM	Carlsen Magnus	2818	1
6	2	26	GM	Erigaisi Arjun	2654	4½	4½	GM	Yu Yangyi	2699	15
6	8	137	GM	Bharath Subramaniyam H	2426	4	4	GM	Chanda Sandipan	2602	49
6	12	58	GM	Narayanan S L	2586	3½	3½	GM	Fedoseev Vladimir	2716	11
6	13	14	GM	Praggnanandhaa R	2706	3½	3½	GM	Murzin Volodar	2547	79
6	16	70	GM	Yakubboev Nodirbek	2564	3½	3½	GM	Nihal Sarin	2667	23
6	22	129	GM	Pranesh M	2459	3½	3½	GM	Hovhannisyan Robert	2589	55
6	30	24	GM	Gukesh D	2656	3	3	GM	Bocharov Dmitry	2515	99
6	31	92	GM	Adhiban B.	2528	3	3	GM	Van Foreest Jorden	2655	25
6	40	68	GM	Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.	2573	3	3		Xue Haowen	2320	163
6	44	122	GM	Pranav V	2472	2½	2½	GM	Salem A.R. Saleh	2680	19
6	51	134	GM	Mitrabha Guha	2436	2½	2½	GM	Sjugirov Sanan	2571	69
6	54	138	GM	Karthik Venkataraman	2426	2½	2½	GM	Ter-Sahakyan Samvel	2542	81
6	56	150	GM	Aditya Mittal	2381	2½	2½	GM	Sanal Vahap	2526	95
6	64	30	GM	Ganguly Surya Shekhar	2645	2	2	IM	Zhalmakhanov Ramazan	2395	146
6	68	60	GM	Sadhwani Raunak	2586	2	2	IM	Pingin Artem	2394	147

Details

Round 5 Women pairings

Rd.	Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
5	2	37	IM	Mammadzada Gunay	2315	3½	3½	IM	Vaishali Rameshbabu	2373	20
5	6	41	IM	Charochkina Daria	2293	3	3	GM	Koneru Humpy	2444	8
5	10	56	IM	Padmini Rout	2255	3	3	IM	Narva Mai	2351	28
5	21	25	WGM	Ni Shiqun	2362	2½	2½	IM	Soumya Swaminathan	2104	89
5	24	9	GM	Dronavalli Harika	2440	2	2½	WFM	Poliakova Varvara	1994	101
5	25	13	WGM	Divya Deshmukh	2422	2	2	WFM	Khamdamova Afruza	2153	76
5	27	23	IM	Arabidze Meri	2364	2	2	FM	Sahithi Varshini M	2138	80
5	34	64	IM	Badelka Olga	2221	2	2	WGM	Rakshitta Ravi	1921	103
5	36	110		Velpula Sarayu	1751	2	2	WGM	Priyanka Nutakki	2205	69
5	46	60	WGM	Savitha Shri B	2238	1½	1½		Aktamova Zilola	1603	114

Details

Links

Official site

Tournament Regulations: Open and Women

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