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a day ago
- Sport
- First Post
Niemann's impressive runs ends in Freestyle Chess Las Vegas final as Aronian wins; Carlsen beats Nakamura for 3rd spot
Arjun Erigaisi and R Praggnanandhaa were best-performing Indian players at the Las Vegas leg of Freestyle Chess Grand Slam tour as Levon Aronian clinched the trophy and the $200,000 prize money by beating Hans Niemann in the final on Sunday. read more Levon Aronian did not need tiebreaks as he defeated Hans Niemann 1.5-0.5 in the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Las Vegas final. Image: Freestyle Chess Controversial Grandmaster Hans Niemann's dream run at the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam came to an end in the final as former World Rapid and Blitz champion Levon Aronian captured the trophy with a comprehensive win on Sunday. Aronian claimed the $200,000 prize money after beating Niemann 1.5-0.5 in the final. Meanwhile, world No.1 Magnus Carlsen finished third by beating Hikaru Nakamura after being eliminated from the title race and clinched the $100,000 prize money. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Aronian downs spirited Niemann Nonetheless, the biggest story from the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Las Vegas has been the stupendous form of Niemann in a tournament that is co-owned by Carlsen. Niemann had been accused of cheating by Carlsen, but those allegations could not stop him from obliterating all the challenges that came his way, as the 22-year-old reached the final, where he met the other in-form player, Aronian, the one who eliminated Carlsen to the lower bracket. Niemann played the first game of the final with white pieces and created a stonewall pawn structure in the centre that was also mimicked by Aronian. However, the American GM pulled off an intermezzo, resulting in a position where he was up by a pawn in an opposite-coloured bishop endgame. He eventually failed to pounce on Aronian's errors as the match ended in a draw. The second game witnessed a Queen's Gambit opening as Aronian soon took control of the game and with the move created a nice path to the victory. The match eventually lasted for 37 minutes before Niemann threw in the towel and took home a prize money of $140,000. He has also confirmed a spot in the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam tournament in South Africa. How Carlsen defeated Nakamura The first Carlsen vs Nakamura game ended in a draw with the former having the white pieces. In the second game, Carlsen seized an early queenside edge and steadily increased pressure on Nakamura's castled king. His light-squared bishop proved decisive, and once it anchored itself on the e4-square, the match was locked. In the match for the fifth-place finish, Fabiano Caruana defeated India's Arjun Erigaisi 2-0, while R Praggnanandhaa defeated Wesley So 1.5-0.5 to finish seventh. The top six are guaranteed a spot in the South Africa leg.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Chess World Cup: 23-year-old Indian Vantika Agrawal stuns former world champion, pockets Rs 5.8 lakh so far
Vantika Agrawal (FIDE Photo) Indian International Master (IM) Vantika Agrawal, 23 advanced to the third round of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 in Batumi, Georgia, after defeating former world champion Anna Ushenina of Ukraine in a thrilling tie-breaker match with a score of 4.5-3.5 on Friday. The second-round match between Vantika and Ushenina went into tie-breakers after both players won one Classical game each. Vantika won the first Rapid tie-breaker but lost the second, ultimately securing victory in the Blitz section by winning the first game and drawing the second. "Just relaxed," Vantika told FIDE after reaching the next round. "In the Classical section, I won the first match. In the second game, I was much better, but somehow, in the time crunch, I ended up losing. Again, in the 10 + 10 I got the lead with the black and drawing with white should not have been a difficult task, but yeah, then scores got levelled and I won in the blitz section." Poll Would you like to see more coverage of women's chess tournaments? Definitely Maybe Not really Not at all "In the earlier games, the mistake I made was that I was thinking a draw was enough, but here I was thinking I just had to play well. I was not thinking about the result. I think that kind of helped me a lot," Vantika explained about her winning strategy. The Indian has secured prize money of $6,750 (approx. Rs 5.8 lakh) for reaching Round 3, where she will face former World Rapid and three-time World Blitz Women's champion GM Kateryna Lagno of Russia. International Master Padmini Rout was eliminated after losing to former world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk of Switzerland in Round 2. Women's International Master Priyanka K also exited the tournament following losses in both Rapid tie-break games against Poland's Klaudia Kulon. Four other Indian players have already progressed to the third round of the tournament. Koneru Humpy will face Klaudia Kulon of Poland, while D Harika will play against Greece's Stavroula Tsolakidou. R Vaishali is set to compete against Carrisa Yip of the United States, and Divya Deshmukh will take on Serbia's Teodora Injac in their respective third-round matches. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Manika Batra's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 3. Watch Here!
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
World Champion Gukesh to take on Carlsen in opening round of Norway Chess
Possessing the ability to trump the fiercest rivals in the classical chess style, world champion D. Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi will spearhead India's challenge at the Norway Chess tournament, where they will compete against the likes of Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura from Modnday (May 26, 2025). Gukesh will take on world No.1 Carlsen in the opening round in what should be one of the most keenly contested matches in the tournament, while first-timer Erigaisi will open his campaign against Wei Yi of China. In the women's section, two-time World Rapid champion Koneru Humpy will play country-mate R Vaishali in the first round. Norway Chess, comprising of six players in the men's and women's sections and played in a double round-robin format, is one of the most prestigious events on the chess calendar. This is the first time India have two players in the men's section, raising hopes of going all the way and clinching a maiden title for India in the tournament, which was first played in 2013. At that time, it featured 10 of the best players in the field, including five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand. Anand, who has played the tournament more than half-a-dozen times and finished runner-up in 2015, had recently said that he expected a 'very exciting battle' as both Gukesh and Erigaisi will not lack motivation or the determination to go after five-time world champion Carlsen, who has won half a dozen titles here. The presence of four Indians in the field also speaks about the growth of chess in the country though the task of getting past the likes of Carlsen and American Grandmasters Nakamura and the Chinese women's duo of Ju Wenjun and Lie Tingjie is easier said than done. Nakamura is ranked second in the world behind Carlsen and is one of the most difficult customers if the game goes into the Armageddon format in the event of a stalemate. Both Gukesh (world No.3) and Erigaisi (No.4) are ranked below him, and it would require immense grit and endurance to break through the defence of local hero Carlsen and Nakamura. Gukesh, following his world title-winning feat against China's Ding Liren in Singapore last year, is searching for this elusive title. He struggled in the Freestyle chess tournament in Paris and lost the Tata Steel Masters title to countrymate R. Praggnanandhaa earlier this year. The Chennai teenager also could not put up an impressive show in the Superbet Classic in Bucharest recently, with Praggnanandhaa winning the title. While Gukesh has seen a big slump since his world title-winning feat, Praggnanandhaa has been on fire this year. But it's only a matter of time before the teenager gets into his groove. The women's category, introduced last year, has women's world rapid champion Koneru Humpy and R Vaishali competing for the title with Chinese heavyweights, women's world champion Ju Wenjun and her challenger Tan Zhongyi. Humpy's clash with Wenjun could decide who wins the title, given that the Indian has kept the fire burning in her for more than two decades and still looks hungry for more, as was proved when she won the world rapid title on New York for a second time late last year in New York. The tournament boasts equal prize money, something very few chess events offer, and could be a motivation for the women competitors as well. The total prize fund is around $1,62,681. Men: Magnus Carlsen (Nor), Hikaru Nakamura (USA), D. Gukesh (Ind), Arjun Erigaisi (Ind), Fabiano Caruana (USA), Wei Yi (Chn). Women: Women: Ju Wenjun (Chn), Lie Tingjie (Chn), Koneru Humpy (Ind), Anna Muzychuk (Ukr), R. Vaishali (Ind), Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (Esp).
News18
25-05-2025
- Sport
- News18
Norway Chess, Round 1: D Gukesh To Take On Magnus Carlsen, Erigaisi Set To Debut
Gukesh faces Carlsen while Erigaisi meets Wei Yi in a blockbuster Norway Chess opener for India. World champion D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi, who possess the ability to outperform the fiercest rivals in classical chess, will lead India's challenge at the Norway Chess tournament. They will compete against top players like Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura starting Monday. Gukesh will face world No.1 Carlsen in the opening round, which promises to be one of the most keenly contested matches of the tournament. Meanwhile, first-time participant Erigaisi will begin his campaign against China's Wei Yi. In the women's section, two-time World Rapid champion Koneru Humpy will play against her compatriot R Vaishali in the first round. Norway Chess, featuring six players in both the men's and women's sections and played in a double round-robin format, is one of the most prestigious events on the chess calendar. This year marks the first time India has two players in the men's section, raising hopes of securing a maiden title for the country in this tournament, first held in advetisement The inaugural event included 10 of the best players, among them five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand. Anand, who has competed in the tournament more than six times and finished runner-up in 2015, recently expressed his anticipation for a 'very exciting battle." He believes both Gukesh and Erigaisi have the motivation and determination to challenge five-time world champion Carlsen, who has won six titles here. The participation of four Indian players highlights the growth of chess in the country, although overcoming opponents like Carlsen, American Grandmasters Nakamura, and Chinese women's duo Ju Wenjun and Lie Tingjie will be a formidable task. Nakamura is ranked second in the world behind Carlsen and is particularly challenging if the game reaches the Armageddon format in the event of a stalemate. Gukesh (world No.3) and Erigaisi (No.4) are ranked below Nakamura, needing immense grit and endurance to penetrate the defenses of Carlsen and Nakamura. Following his world title-winning feat against China's Ding Liren in Singapore last year, Gukesh is in pursuit of this elusive title. He faced struggles in the Freestyle chess tournament in Paris and lost the Tata Steel Masters title to compatriot R Praggnanandhaa earlier this year. Additionally, the Chennai teenager did not impress in the Superbet Classic in Bucharest recently, where Praggnanandhaa claimed the title. Despite his recent slump since winning the world title, Gukesh is expected to regain his form soon. Praggnanandhaa, on the other hand, has been in exceptional form this year. In the women's category introduced last year, Koneru Humpy and R Vaishali will compete against Chinese heavyweights Ju Wenjun and her challenger Tan Zhongyi. Humpy's clash with Wenjun could be pivotal in deciding the title, given Humpy's sustained competitive fire over two decades, as evidenced by her second world rapid title win in New York late last year. The tournament offers equal prize money, which is rare in chess events and could motivate women competitors. The total prize fund is around USD 162,681. Men: Magnus Carlsen (Nor), Hikaru Nakamura (USA), D Gukesh (Ind), Arjun Erigaisi (Ind), Fabiano Caruana (USA), Wei Yi (Chn). Women: Ju Wenjun (Chn), Lie Tingjie (Chn), Koneru Humpy (Ind), Anna Muzychuk (Ukr), R Vaishali (Ind), Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (Esp). (with PTI Inputs) First Published: May 25, 2025, 22:13 IST
Hindustan Times
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Shots fired at Magnus Carlsen as FIDE CEO serves jeans controversy reminder with brutal dig: ‘Does it look appropriate?'
Magnus Carlsen's jeans controversy during the World Rapid and Blitz Championships in New York last year was a sensational affair. The World No. 1 played the initial rounds of the Rapid tournament wearing jeans, which are prohibited under tournament regulations. The Norwegian was given the opportunity to immediately change his attire, but he disagreed with the chief arbiter. In response, he was disqualified for the future pairings of the day. Carlsen was allowed to return the next day, but instead he withdrew from the tournament. At the last minute, FIDE managed to get him for the Blitz tournament, where he once again courted controversy in the final as he shared the title with Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi. Fast forward to April 2025, FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky reminded chess fans that he hasn't forgotten about the jeans controversy, and took another dig at Carlsen. Carlsen was recently in action at the Grenke Chess Freestyle Open 2025, where he came out on top with a perfect 9/9 score. Posting a photo of the Grenke prize ceremony, Sutovsky questioned the dress code of the top GMs on the stage, along with Jan Henric Buettner. He wrote, 'Now a serious question - as we get back to review the dress code for FIDE events this year. 'Do you, as a spectator, feel it really does not matter? 'I think Grenke was a great event with hundreds of amateurs - but I am talking specifically about the top players. The photo is from the prize giving ceremony. Does it look appropriate? And if you were the host/organizer, would you have welcomed similar attire? 'Apart of spectators we will obviously inquire the opinion of hosting country, sponsors, broadcasters. And then we try to see what players think about it. But first thing first. He concluded, 'What's your take?' Recently, Carlsen publicly stated that his ugly war with FIDE was over, but he would prefer maintaining distance from the international body. Speaking to Reuters, he said, 'I'm not really very interested in what FIDE are doing. I'm sort of trying to do my things, being with the Esports World Cup, Freestyle.' 'FIDE's crown jewel is the classical world championship, right? That's what gives FIDE legacy and legitimacy, and none of us are going after that,' he added.
