Defending champion and Grand Master Aravindh Chithamabaram claimed his first victory of the tournament in Round 2 of the Prague Chess Festival in Czechia on Thursday, defeating America’s Hans Niemann. Although it wasn’t smooth sailing for the 26-year-old, he managed to hold his nerve to register the win, keeping himself in contention for a successful title defence.
Aravindh Chithamabaram had lost his first game
The youngster had gone down to Uzbekistan Nodirbek Abdusattorov in the first round of the tournament and got his second black in a row. Although Chithamabaram got a black on this occasion too and blundered his knight in the 31st move of the contest, he survived the scare to get the better of Niemann. Niemann had took the initiative early on with his white pieces but was short of time at a crucial juncture and paid a heavy price. Aravindh shifted the pressure on to Hans, given he had 17 minutes left on the clock, while the American only had less than a minute on his.
Niemann succumbed to pressure and made the wrong moves, leading to Aravindh securing the victory in 53 moves for his first points.
D Gukesh plays out yet another draw
19-year-old D Gukesh, the reigning World Champion, who drew against Hans Niemann, saw a similar result for himself against Nodirbek Yakubboev. Gukesh, who was playing his second white game, did not get so much reward either. Gukesh will next lock horns against the Netherlands’ Jorden van Foreest, while Aravindh Chithamabaram will face Iran’s Parham Maghsoodloo.
As far as the Challenger’s section goes, Divya Deshmukh drew against Spain’s Daniil Yuffa to stay on a fifty percent score following two matches. The other Indian contingent in Surya Shekhar Ganguly opened his campaign with a draw against Denmark’s Jonas Buhl Bjerre.
