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57th Biel GMT R1: Vaishali outplays Jonas

by Shahid Ahmed - 17/07/2024

R Vaishali made an impressive start at 57th Biel Chess Festival GMT 2024. She outplayed Jonas Buhl Bjerre (DEN) in the Challengers section. Her well-placed knights caused knightmare for his opponent. An incorrect attack on the knight only helped them improve their position and later win the game. R Praggnanandhaa could not follow through after a thematic knight sacrifice for two pawns on the kingside against Abhimanyu Mishra (USA). Four Indians - GM Koustav Chatterjee, GM Surya Sekhar Ganguly, GM Krishnan Sasikiran and GM Harsha Bharathakoti have made a perfect start 2/2 in the MTO. GMT Round 2 and MTO Round 3 starts today at 2 p.m. local time, 5:30 p.m. IST. Photo: Biel Chess Festival

Abhimanyu Mishra stuns Praggnanandhaa

All three games of the Challengers section ended decisively. Salem Saleh (UAE), R Vaishali and Alexander Donchenko (GER) scored crucial four points in the first round. 

GM Vaishali scored a win over GM Jonas Buhl Bjerre (DEN) | Photo: Biel Chess Festival

Jonas - Vaishali: 0-4

GM R Vaishali (2488) won her first Classical rated game against GM Jonas Buhl Bjerre (DEN, 2653).

Position after 21.Rhd1

Black's knights are beautifully placed on c5 and d3. 21.Rhd1 helped Black to improve her knights' positions Nb2 22.Rdc1 Nc4 23.Qc3 Ra7 24.Ned4 Ne4 25.Qd3 Rc7 26.Bxe6+?

Position after 26.Bxe6+?

26.Bxe6+? is not actually a pawn gain for White. In fact, it turns White's position much worse Bxe6 27.Nxe6 Qb2+ 28.Nd2 Ncxd2 29.Nxc7 Nf1+! and Black won the game in another ten moves. A fantastic play by Vaishali.

Opening of the 1st classic round (Masters & Challengers) - Biel Chess Festival | Video: ChessBase

Praggnanandhaa - Abhimanyu Mishra: 0-4

R Praggnanandhaa (2757) played only one Classical rated game against Abhimanyu Mishra (USA, 2604) in 2022 and he won that. This time, the World no.8 made a thematic knight sacrifice for two pawns on his opponent's kingside in Ruy Lopez.

Position after 21...Qe6

White's difficult follow through in the above position is 22.Nxe5 according to the computer. 22...Qe7 23.Ng4+ Kg7 24.e5 and White has enough compensation. However, the game continued 22.Nh4 Rg8 23.Qf3 Kg7 24.Nf5+ Kh8 Black managed to put his king into safety and White's attack has fizzled out. Abhimanyu went on to win the game.

GM Abhimanyu Mishra (USA) scored a crucial four point against the highest rated player in the field | Photo: Biel Chess Festival

MTO: Vantika draws with the top seed Aryan

GM Koustav Chatterjee (2525), GM Surya Sekhar Ganguly (2592), GM Krishnan Sasikiran (2581) and GM Harsha Bharathakoti (2569) have made a perfect start 2/2. IM Vantika Agrawal (2390) held the top seed GM Aryan Chopra (2632) to a draw in Round 2. WIM Mounika Akshaya Bommini (2140) drew with IM Alexis Tahay (FRA, 2392).

GM Koustav Chatterjee | Photo: Biel Chess Festival

GM Surya Sekhar Ganguly | Photo: Biel Chess Festival

GM Krishnan Sasikiran | Photo: Biel Chess Festival

Round 1 in progress | Photo: Biel Chess Festival

Round 2 in progress | Photo: Biel Chess Festival

ChessBase's very own Arne Kaehler is at the festival. He made some cool videos on the rest day, check them out.

Masters & Challengers boat tour in Biel/Bienne | Video: ChessBase
Saleh Salem vs Haik Martirosyan - Blind Bullet Chess on a boat | Video: ChessBase

Replay live stream

Replay 56th Biel International Chess Festival 2024 GMT Round 1 Live commentary by GM Arturs Neiksans (LAT) and Angelika Valkova (UKR) | Video: Biel Chess Festival

Scoring in GMT Classical

Win = 4 points

Draw = 1.5 point

Loss = 0

Replay Round 1 GMT Masters games

Replay Round 1 GMT Challengers games

Replay Biel MTO Round 1-2 games

Masters Round 1 results

Bo.No.Rtg NameResultName RtgNo.
112661
GMMartirosyan, Haik M.1½ - 1½GMShankland, Sam
26836
222721
GMKeymer, Vincent0 - 4GMLe, Quang Liem
27315
332757
GMPraggnanandhaa, R0 - 4GMMishra, Abhimanyu
26044

Details

Standings after Round 1

Rank Name Games Classical Rapid Blitz Total
1 GM LÊ Quang Liêm 6 4 5
9
2 GM Haik MARTIROSYAN 6 1 ½ 7
8 ½
3 GM Abhimanyu MISHRA 6 4 4
8
4 GM Sam SHANKLAND 6 1 ½ 4
5 ½
5 GM PRAGGNANANDHAA R 6
5
5
6 GM Vincent KEYMER 6
5
5

Details

Challengers Round 1 results

Bo.No.Rtg NameResultName RtgNo.
112638
GMSalem, A.R. Saleh4 - 0GMMaurizzi, Marc`andria
26206
222653
GMBjerre, Jonas Buhl0 - 4GMVaishali, Rameshbabu
24885
332633
GMDonchenko, Alexander4 - 0GMSamunenkov, Ihor
25354

Details

Standings after Round 1

Rank Name Games Classical Rapid Blitz Total
1 GM Alexander DONCHENKO 6 4 7
11
3 GM Saleh Salam 6 4 6
10
2 GM VAISHALI Rameshbabu 6 4 5
9
4 GM Jonas BJERRE 6
5
5
5 GM Marc' Andria MAURIZZI 6
4
4
6 GM Ihor SAMUNENKOV 6
3
3

Details

Round 2 pairings

Bo.No.Rtg NameResultName RtgNo.
152488
GMVaishali, RameshbabuGMDonchenko, Alexander
26333
212638
GMSalem, A.R. SalehGMBjerre, Jonas Buhl
26532
362620
GMMaurizzi, Marc`andriaGMSamunenkov, Ihor
25354

Details

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