Aimchess Rapid R13-15: Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi and Vidit Gujrathi advance to the Quarterfinals

by Shahid Ahmed - 18/10/2022

Vidit Gujrathi finally broke his jinx. He defeated David Anton Guijarro in the final round of Prelims to advance to the Quarterfinals of a Meltwater Champions Chess Tour event for the very first time. Also, thanks to Arjun Erigaisi's win over Anish Giri, that played a key role in Vidit securing his spot in the Knockout stage. FIDE World Cup 2021 winner, Jan-Krzysztof Duda scored 28/45 to claim the pole position of Aimchess Rapid Prelims. D Gukesh, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Arjun all three scored 27/45 to secure second to fifth place, ahead of Carlsen 26/45. Quarterfinal matches start tonight at 9:30 p.m. IST. Photo: Champions Chess Tour

Duda tops the Prelims, Gukesh second

Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi both finishing ahead of the world champion, Magnus Carlsen in the Prelims is surely going to give them a huge boost after they both beat the world no.1 on consecutive days. Quarterfinal matchups are quite interesting: Duda vs Vidit, Carlsen vs Arjun, Mamedyarov vs Abdusattorov and Rapport vs Gukesh. Duda knocked out Vidit at the World Cup last year. Vidit certainly has not forgotten it. He would certainly like to avenge that elimination, although it is not the same but a very similar stage. Arjun would like to do better than their previous event, Julius Baer Generation Cup Final match. The Prelims was an exciting and a very tough field. Duda, Carlsen, Giri and Naroditsky - all four them suffered the minimum number of losses which is three each.

Vidit Gujrathi has finally got the monkey off his back and advanced to a Meltwater Champions Chess Tour knockout stage | Photo: Champions Chess Tour

Jan-Krzysztof Duda topped the Prelims and would certainly like to win another MCCT event after he won the Oslo Esports Cup earlier this year | Photo: Champions Chess Tour

Round 13: Vidit - Aditya: 3-0

IM Aditya Mittal put up a very good fight against GM Vidit Gujrathi. The teenager made an inaccuracy in the queen and minor piece endgame.

Position after 27...Qc2

Find out the minute difference between 27...Qc2 and Qc4. One continues the game for Black, while the other costs the entire game due to the dark square weakness on the kingside.

Harikrishna - Eric: 3-0

Harikrishna defeated Canada no.2 Eric Hansen, after the latter missed all his chances to defend the onslaught on the kingside.

Abdusattorov - Mamedyarov: 3-0

Reigning World Rapid champion, Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) had a cracker of a game against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE).

Position after 27...dxc4

White is certainly ready to attack, Black's pieces are not completely developed and his kingside is quite vulnerable too. Find out the best way for White to take advantage of it, like Abdusattorov did in this position.

Round 14: Aditya - Gukesh: 0-3

IM Aditya Mittal's preparation almost worked out against GM D Gukesh.

Position after 20...Nec5

Taking the knight turned out to be a not so good idea as seen in the game 21.dxc5 bxc5 22.Be7 c4 23.Bxf8 Rxb5. Black sacrificed an entire rook for three pawns, two of them are connected passed pawns on b and c-file. What White should have done in the above position was play 21.Be7 first. 21...Re8 22.Nd6 Qxc7 23.Nxe8 and White gains a decisive advantage.

Anton - Arjun: 0-3

After suffering a tough loss against the Romania no.1 Richard Rapport, Arjun Erigaisi bounced back with a victory over Spain no.4 David Anton Guijarro.

Round 15: Arjun - Giri: 3-0

Anish Giri is generally known to be a solid player, someone who rarely takes risks or goes for sharp positions. However, on odd days, he can certainly go for sharp positions just like Duda, Mamedyarov, Rapport or Dubov does quite often. So the question is, why doesn't the world no.7 prefer sharp positions often? Because things always do not work out in his favor.

Position after 21...Rc3

21...Rc3 is absolutely sound because White cannot take it due Nxc3+ forking the king and queen. Arjun played the humane 22.Nd7 instead of 22.Nc4, trying to deflect the bishop. 22...Qa5 23.Bxd5 Rc2 24.Qxc2 Nxc2 25.Kxc2 Bxd7 and after a back and forth play, White won the game.