Holding out: Praggnanandhaa gave perpetual checks to attract towards Firouzja in 39 strikes. Photo: FIDE
The opening spherical of the Candidates chess event produced loads of pleasure however just one decisive end result, as seven of the eight video games resulted in draws at Toronto.
Former World champion Tan Zhongyi of China was the one winner on Thursday. With black, she defeated compatriot Lei Tingjie in 52 strikes to emerge as the one participant — be it within the Open occasion or the ladies’s — within the lead place after the primary spherical.
All the 4 boards within the Open occasion have been drawn. One of these video games featured two Indians — D. Gukesh and Vidit Gujrathi. The recreation, during which Gukesh had white items, resulted in 21 strikes, with repetition.
The different Indian within the open occasion, R. Praggnanandhaa had the black items towards France’s Alireza Firouzja. Their recreation lasted 39 strikes, with the Indian giving perpetual checks.
The marquee recreation on the opening day featured the 2 strongest gamers within the event, and each Americans. Fabiano Caruana, the World No. 2, and Hikaru Nakamura, the World No. 3, drew after 41 strikes. Nakamura, with black items, defended properly to safe half-a-point.
In the opposite recreation, Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi, the winner of the final two Candidates tournaments, was pressured to separate the purpose with Nijat Abasov of Azerbaijan, the lowest-ranked participant.
In the ladies’s event, the 2 Indians within the subject, Koneru Humpy and R. Vaishali drew in 41 strikes. The all-Russian encounter between Aleksandra Goryachkina and Kateryna Lagno have been additionally drawn, as was the sport between Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine and Nurgyul Salimova of Bulgaria.
The outcomes (Indians until specified):
Open: Fabiano Caruana (USA) drew with Hikaru Nakamura (USA); D. Gukesh drew with Vidit Gujrathi; Alireza Firouzja (Fra) drew with R. Praggnanandhaa; Nijat Abasov (Aze) drew with Ian Nepomniachtchi (FIDE).
Women: Aleksandra Goryachkina (FIDE) drew with Kateryna Lagno (FIDE); R. Vaishali drew with Koneru Humpy; Lei Tingjie (Chn) misplaced to Tan Zhongyi (Chn); Anna Muzychuk (Ukr) drew with Nurgyul Salimova (Bul).
