India Chess Wrap, May 15: Praggnanandhaa still in contention as Gukesh opens account at Superbet Classic
D. Gukesh scored his first win of the Grand Chess Tour: Superbet Chess Classic Romania, defeating Levon Aronian in a game that showed why he is considered one of the best players in the world. Aronian, playing with the white pieces, chose the Ruy Lopez Exchange Variation and traded queens early, aiming for a calm, strategic game. But Gukesh had other ideas.
When Aronian pushed his central pawns, Gukesh responded boldly by bringing his king into the centre. It was an unusual decision, but it worked in his favour, giving him control and helping him turn the game around.
From there, Gukesh gradually took control, defending accurately and activating his rooks. His h-file pawn became a serious threat, and with no good moves left, Aronian resigned. Gukesh’s brave use of his king played a key role in the victory.
After going winless for seven rounds, Gukesh finally broke through and moved up to ninth place with 3.5 points. He may not be in the running for the title, but another Indian, Praggnanandhaa, led the standings after a vital win against Wesley So. His final opponent? Aronian. The last round takes place on 16 May.
Nihal Sarin books World Cup spot
Meanwhile, at the Asian Individual Chess Championships in Abu Dhabi, Nihal Sarin pulled off a brilliant win in the final round against tournament leader Bardiya Daneshwar, completing a stunning turnaround. Sarin, who had been in tenth place, won his last four games to finish with 7 points — equal with Daneshwar, who took first place on tie-breaks. This strong finish earned Sarin a spot in the World Cup, to be held in India later this year.
He will be joined by five other Indian players who also qualified: Pa. Iniyan, R. Raja Rithvik, S.L. Narayanan, M. Pranesh, and G.B. Harshvardhan — making it a strong performance for India.
In the women’s section, Vantika Agrawal was the highest-placed Indian, finishing fourth.
Elsewhere, the Women’s Grand Prix in Austria concluded with Anna Muzychuk winning the tournament. She held off a strong challenge from India’s R. Vaishali, who needed a win in the final round to stay in the race. Despite a brave effort, Vaishali drew the game and finished fourth with 5 points — a solid result in a competitive field.