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8th Sunway Sitges Open R8: Arjun Erigaisi, Sethuraman and Abhimanyu Puranik in the title fray

by Shahid Ahmed - 22/12/2021

Top two boards ending in draws ensured more people can catch up with the leaders in Round 8 of 8th Sunway Sitges Open 2021 Group A. Arjun Erigaisi, Sethuraman and Abhimanyu Puranik are the only three Indians among the eight-pack leaders 6.5/8. They are closely followed by a dozen players at 6.0/8. The Indian players among them are - Nihal Sarin, Harsha Bharathakoti, Sankalp Gupta and IM Pranav Anand. WIM Sakshi Chitlange scored her third consecutive victory to be at the top among the women participants at 5.5/8. The penultimate round 9 starts today at 9 p.m. IST. Photo: Rupali Mullick

Nihal, Harsha, Sankalp and Pranav Anand in the chase

WIM Sakshi Chitlange completed a hat-trick including wins over two IMs and a WGM. She is currently the highest scoring woman 5.5/8.

Arjun Erigaisi joins the lead 6.5/8 | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Abdusattorov - Abhimanyu: 0-1

Whenever an opportunity is presented, Abhimanyu Puranik always tries to make the most out of it. He struck at the first chance he got to wreck his opponent Nodirbek Abdusattorov's (UZB) kingside.

Position after 18...Nxg2

18...Nxg2 is an interesting sacrifice. There is no immediate win for Black but it creates nagging long-term issues for White. 19.Kxg2 Qh3+ 20.Kg1 Qxf3 21.dxc5 Bh3 22.Ne3 Rxe4 23.Bg3 f5 24.Bc7 f4 25.Qd1 Rxe3 26.Qxf3 Rxf3 and White may have reduced the intensity of the attack but it is certainly far from over.

Position after 44.Be5

Black's best chance was after 44.Be5. While 44...Rxf2+ is also fine, practically things become difficult for Black to convert which is what happened in the game. Find out what Black should have done instead to push for a win.

Abdusattorov managed to get away from Abhimanyu's grasp | Photo: Niklesh Jain

Arjun - Muradli: 1-0

Arjun Erigaisi scored a clinical victory over IM Muradli Mahammad (AZE).

Position after 21.Nd5

The f6-knight is in a nasty pin which is a clear indication of things going terribly wrong for Black. Arjun had no trouble seizing his opportunity.

Arjun Erigaisi has joined the lead 6.5/8 | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Matthias - Sethuraman: 0-1

IM Matthias Dann (GER) made an incorrect sacrifice which completely turned things in Sethuraman's favor.

Position after 29.Rxd6

Computer recommends 29.a4 as the best move for White. 29.Rxd6 Bxd6 30.Qxg5 Qxb6 31.Qxh4 Qxf2 leaves White with very little material to make a dent on black king, moreover it increases the vulnerability of the white king. Sethuraman converted his advantage comfortably into a win.

Sethuraman is back in the lead | Photo: Niklesh Jain

GM Harsha Bharathakoti - GM Alexandr Fier (BRA): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Niklesh Jain

IM Thomas Dionisi (FRA) - GM Nihal Sarin: 0-1 | Photo: Niklesh Jain

Cristhian - Karthikeyan: 0.5-0.5

Karthikeyan was completely winning the rook and many pawns endgame. However, in the final moments, he made a small inaccuracy which allowed his opponent Cristhian Camilo Rios (COL) to salvage a draw.

Position after 73.Kxg6

Find out the winning continuation for Black after 73.Kxg6.

Cristhian fought well in the end to save the game | Photo: Niklesh Jain

GM Sankalp Gupta turned the tables in the final moments to beat GM Neelotpal Das in an exciting game | Photo: Niklesh Jain

Pranav - Novendra: 1-0

IM Pranav Anand beat his first GM of the event, Novendra Priasmoro (INA) in a fantastic manner.

Position after 29.Nxg5

Try to think like Pranav and find out the winning continuation for White, if Black accepts the sacrifice 29...fxg5.

Pranav played amazing to beat Novendra | Photo: Rupali Mullick

FM Manu David Suthandram R - IM Aditya Mittal: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Sharan Rao - IM Pedro Antonio Gines Esteo (ESP): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Rupali Mullick

WIM Sakshi Chitlange - IM Muhammad Lutfi Ali (INA): 1-0 | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Utsab Chatterjee - IM Pere Garriga Cazorla (ESP): 1-0 | Photo: Rupali Mullick

WIM Priyanka Nutakki - IM Deimante Daulyte-Cornette (FRA): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Rupali Mullick

IM Moksh Amit Doshi - CM Rajarishi Karthi: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Nawin Jayaprakash Jayavalli - IM Padmini Rout: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Rupali Mullick

For more photos, click here.

Replay Round 8 games

Round 8 results

Rd.Bo.No. NameRtgPts.ResultPts.NameRtg No.
826
GMAbdusattorov Nodirbek26336½ - ½6GMPuranik Abhimanyu2604
12
848
GMErigaisi Arjun26291 - 0IMMuradli Mahammad2503
30
8634
IMDann Matthias24820 - 1GMSethuraman S.P.2613
11
8832
GMHarsha Bharathakoti2489½ - ½GMFier Alexandr2572
15
8970
IMDionisi Thomas23960 - 15GMNihal Sarin2662
3
81246
GMRios Cristhian Camilo24605½ - ½5GMKarthikeyan Murali2630
7
81316
GMKadric Denis257251 - 05IMMohammad Nubairshah Shaikh2429
51
81419
IMLivaic Leon25475½ - ½5IMPranesh M2437
50
81862
GMNeelotpal Das241050 - 15IMSankalp Gupta2504
29
81958
IMPranav Anand241651 - 05GMPriasmoro Novendra2502
31
82042
IMKacharava Nikolozi246951 - 05IMSrijit Paul2340
97
82171
FMPapadiamandis Elliot23961 - 0GMIniyan Panneerselvam2555
17
82218
GMMegaranto Susanto25481 - 0CMPrraneeth Vuppala2377
77
82528
GMKarthik Venkataraman25061 - 0WGMGomes Mary Ann2354
88
82740
IMVrolijk Liam2473½ - ½IMSoumya Swaminathan2351
90
82984
FMManu David Suthandram R2360½ - ½IMAditya Mittal2459
47
83048
IMTaher Yoseph Theolifus24551 - 0IMManish Anto Cristiano F2336
99
833160
Sharan Rao2179½ - ½IMGines Esteo Pedro Antonio2413
59
835163
Dhananjay S2174½ - ½FMHess Max2404
65
836178
WIMChitlange Sakshi21321 - 0IMAli Muhammad Lutfi2399
68

Details

Round 9 pairings

Rd.Bo.No. NameRtgPts.ResultPts.NameRtg No.
9111
GMSethuraman S.P.2613GMCheparinov Ivan2664
2
9312
GMPuranik Abhimanyu2604GMErigaisi Arjun2629
8
963
GMNihal Sarin266266GMHarsha Bharathakoti2489
32
9929
IMSankalp Gupta250466GMKadric Denis2572
16
91058
IMPranav Anand241666GMDardha Daniel2533
24
9117
GMKarthikeyan Murali2630IMTaher Yoseph Theolifus2455
48
91350
IMPranesh M2437GMMegaranto Susanto2548
18
917173
IMTarigan Gilbert Elroy2149GMKarthik Venkataraman2506
28
91933
GMVasquez Schroeder Rodrigo2484WIMChitlange Sakshi2132
178
92427
GMNarciso Dublan Marc251955FMManu David Suthandram R2360
84
92790
IMSoumya Swaminathan235155IMBharath Subramaniyam H2479
36
93047
IMAditya Mittal245955FMMacias Pino Diego2324
104
93151
IMMohammad Nubairshah Shaikh242955FMLuque Saiz Andres2288
114
93252
FMGarcia Ramos Daniel242855Utsab Chatterjee2255
122
93353
IMBoyer Mahel242755Dhananjay S2174
163
93697
IMSrijit Paul234055GMNeelotpal Das2410
62
93765
FMHess Max240455Sharan Rao2179
160
938103
WGMFataliyeva Ulviyya232455IMVaishali R2401
66
94117
GMIniyan Panneerselvam25555Vaibhav Jayant Raut2097
193
94241
GMStefanova Antoaneta2469FMSamant Aditya S2318
107

Details

Prizes

Total Prize fund - €27155. For the entire prize details, click here.

Schedule

13th - 22nd December - 9:00 p.m. IST

18th December - Rest day

23rd December - 1:30 p.m. IST

Links

Official site

Tournament rules



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