Cappelle: Anurag shines for India

by Priyadarshan Banjan - 24/02/2016

Anurag Mhamal of Goa was the best performer among the Indians at the Capelle la Grande Open 2016 held in France. Twelve Indians were participating in this strong French Open that was held from 13-21 February and collectively, we had a reasonable showing. 11-year-old Nihal Sarin scored the first IM-norm of his career. An illustrated report.

Circa August 2015: It was the National Challengers Championship in Nagpur and Anurag Mhamal, the International Master from Goa, was among the leaders after winning a spectacular game in round eight. With five rounds to go, things looked rosy for him as he stared at an opportunity to qualify for the prestigious National Premiers. What followed was a disaster that left him stranded in no man’s land. Next month, in a new tournament in a new city, the story was no different – he was leading the Keshabananda tournament comfortably only to falter towards the finish.

These aren’t the only instances, and life had been a wee bit frustrating for Anurag. “I used to focus on the ‘what ifs’ after making a hash of critical games and that was affecting my results,” says Anurag. A slight shift in his mindset was the need of the hour and this already yielding him gains. Anurag delivered his career-best performance, finishing fourth at the strong Capelle la Grande Open 2016.

Anurag's 7.0/9 earned him his second grandmaster norm

Notes by IM Anurag Mhamal:

[Event "Capelle La Grande 2016"]
[Site "Cappelle la Grande"]
[Date "2016.02.22"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Anurag, Mhamal"]
[Black "Abhijeet, Gupta"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A48"]
[WhiteElo "2383"]
[BlackElo "2383"]
[PlyCount "79"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[EventCountry "FRA"]
[SourceDate "2003.06.08"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. e3 O-O 5. Be2 d6 6. O-O b6 7. h3 Bb7 8. Nbd2
c5 9. c3 Nbd7 10. a4 a6 11. Bh2 Ra7 $5 {an interesting yet subtle move
vacating the a8 square for the queen so as to put more pressure on the a8-h1
diagonal.} (11... Qc7 {is played more often.}) 12. Bd3 cxd4 (12... Qa8 13. e4
$5 cxd4 (13... Nxe4 $6 14. Bxe4 Bxe4 15. Nxe4 Qxe4 16. Re1 Qa8 17. Rxe7 $14)
14. cxd4 Nxe4 15. Nxe4 Bxe4 16. Bxe4 Qxe4 17. Re1 Qd5 18. Rxe7 Bf6 19. Re3 Rc8
20. Rc1 {would have been more or less equal.}) 13. exd4 e5 14. Re1 (14. dxe5
Nxe5 15. Bc2 Qa8) 14... Qa8 {for a moment it seems as though black loses a
pawn for nothing but after a couple of moves, the compensation is quite
evident.} 15. dxe5 dxe5 16. Bxe5 Nxe5 17. Rxe5 Rd8 18. Qc2 Bc6 (18... Nh5 19.
Ree1 Nf4 20. Be4 $14) 19. Bf1 $6 (19. Ree1 $1 {was a precise move retaining a
slight advantage.}) 19... Rad7 $6 (19... Nh5 20. Ree1 Nf4 21. Ne4 ({the
computer suggests} 21. g3 Bxf3 22. Nxf3 Qxf3 23. Re3 Qh5 24. gxf4 {and white
should be able to hold this.}) 21... Re7 {but white is already facing a lot of
issues and black on the other hand has a very comfortable position.}) 20. Ree1
Nh5 $2 (20... Qb7 $5 21. Nd4 Bd5 22. Nc4 $14) 21. Nc4 $16 Qb7 22. Nfe5 Bxe5 23.
Nxe5 Rd2 24. Qb3 b5 {a desperate attempt trying to open up lines.} (24... Bd5
25. c4 Be4 26. Qc3) 25. axb5 axb5 26. c4 Nf4 (26... bxc4 27. Qe3 Rxb2 (27...
Be8 28. Bxc4 R2d4 29. b3) 28. Bxc4 Bd5 29. Ra7 Qb6 30. Nxf7 $18) 27. Qe3 R8d4 {
both players were under severe time trouble from this moment on.} 28. Nd3 (28.
Nf3 $1 Bxf3 29. Qe8+ Kg7 30. Re7 {was rather simple but completely overlooked.}
) 28... R2xd3 (28... Nxd3 29. Qxd4 bxc4 30. b3 $1) 29. Bxd3 Ne6 30. Bf1 bxc4
31. Qc3 Qd7 32. Bxc4 Nf4 33. Bf1 h5 34. b4 h4 35. b5 Be4 36. b6 Bb7 37. Ra7 Rd1
38. Rxb7 Rxe1 39. Rb8+ Re8 40. Qc7 1-0

Over all, Indians performed reasonably well; nevertheless, there was always a feeling that we could have achieved much more.

Although Sasikiran (2632) had to start with a draw, is solidity showed as he did not lose a game to finish with 7.0/9 for a seventh place finish. [Photo: WIM Silvia - Raluca Sgîrcea of Thinking Squares]

G.N. Gopal (2525) had a par performance with 6.5/9, losing to Kamsky and Vovk, to finish ninth.

Abhijeet Gupta (2613) was coasting along nicely until a loss to compatriot Mhamal left him at the sixteenth place with 6.5/9. [Photo: WIM Silvia - Raluca Sgîrcea of Thinking Squares]

Lalith Babu (2554) too scored 6.5/9

Prasanna Rao (2460) ended with 5.5/9

Vishnu Prasanna (2526) was also left back at 5.5/9 [Photo: Amruta Mokal]

Eleven-year-old Nihal Sarin was the toast of the tournament as the players, officials and even the media were left enchanted at the freshness he brought to the games.

[Event "Cappelle la Grande open 2016"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.02.16"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Terrieux Kevin, IM."]
[Black "Nihal Sarin"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E70"]
[WhiteElo "2446"]
[BlackElo "2259"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r3qrk1/1ppb1pb1/n2p2pB/p2Pp2p/2P1P2P/2N2PN1/PP1Q2P1/2KR3R b - - 0 15"]
[PlyCount "55"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]

15... f6 $1 {The Rook on f8 is the worst placed piece in the position, and
hence Black just improves it suitably.} 16. Nge2 Rf7 17. Be3 f5 18. exf5 gxf5
19. f4 e4 20. Ng3 Bxc3 21. Qxc3 Rg7 22. Ne2 Nb4 23. Kb1 Nd3 24. Nc1 Nxc1 25.
Bxc1 Rxg2 26. Rhg1 Rg4 27. Rxg4+ fxg4 $17 {Black's plan is to run home with
the passers.} 28. b3 Qg6 29. Bb2 Kh7 30. f5 Bxf5 31. Re1 Rg8 32. Qxa5 b6 33.
Qc3 g3 34. a4 g2 35. Rg1 e3+ 36. Ka2 e2 37. Qf3 Re8 38. Bc3 Bg4 39. Qf2 Qc2+
40. Bb2 Qf5 41. Qd4 Re5 42. Qd2 Qf2 0-1

Nihal held former World Championship Candidate Kevin Spragget (2522) of Canada to an exciting draw. [Photo: WIM Silvia - Raluca Sgîrcea of Thinking Squares]

[Event "Cappelle la Grande open 2016"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.02.15"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Spraggett Kevin, GM."]
[Black "Nihal Sarin"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B90"]
[WhiteElo "2522"]
[BlackElo "2259"]
[PlyCount "134"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e5 7. Nde2 h5 8. Bg5
Be6 9. Bxf6 Qxf6 10. Nd5 Bxd5 11. Qxd5 Nc6 12. Nc3 Rc8 13. a3 g6 14. Bc4 Bh6
15. Qd3 O-O 16. Nd5 Qd8 17. c3 Kh7 18. Qe2 Qg5 19. O-O f5 20. Rad1 f4 21. f3 b5
22. Ba2 Qd8 23. a4 Rb8 24. b4 Ne7 25. axb5 axb5 26. Rd3 Bg5 27. Rfd1 Bh4 28.
Nxe7 Qb6+ 29. Kh1 Bxe7 30. Bd5 Kh6 31. Qe1 Rfc8 32. Ra1 Rc7 33. Qg1 Qxg1+ 34.
Kxg1 Kg5 35. Kf2 Kf6 36. Ra3 Bd8 37. Ke2 Ke7 38. Rd1 Rd7 39. Kd3 Bb6 40. Bc6
Ra7 41. Rxa7+ Bxa7 42. Ra1 Bf2 43. Ra5 Kf6 44. Bxb5 Kg5 45. Ra2 Be3 46. Bc6 Kh4
47. Kc4 Kg3 48. Kd5 g5 49. Kxd6 Rd8+ 50. Bd7 Bf2 51. b5 Kxg2 52. Kc7 Rxd7+ 53.
Kxd7 Kxf3 54. Rxf2+ Kxf2 55. b6 g4 56. hxg4 hxg4 57. b7 g3 58. b8=Q g2 59. Qxe5
f3 60. Qd4+ Kf1 61. Qd1+ Kf2 62. Qd2+ Kf1 63. Qe3 f2 64. Qd3+ Ke1 65. Qe3+ Kf1
66. Qh3 Kg1 67. Qe3 Kf1 1/2-1/2

With a rating performance of 2459, he earned his career’s first International Master Norm for his efforts. ChessBase on its part has awarded the boy...

... the Bobby Fischer Masterclass DVD!

Yogesh Gautam, who by the way celebrates his birthday today, scored 5.0/9

Sahil Tickoo (1960) finished first in the 1900-2000 category with 5.5/9

Prasenjit Dutta (2214) scored 5.5/9

Prasenjit and Sahil, along with Vaibhav Aggarwal (1727), are standing below which iconic French monument?

Capelle witnessed snowfall during the tournament!

Nom

Elo

Cat.

Fede

Ligue

R 1

R 2

R 3

R 4

R 5

R 6

R 7

R 8

R 9

Pts

Tr.

Perf

Bu.

KAMSKY Gata

2667 F

SenM

USA

+111B

= 31N

+ 45B

= 47N

+ 9B

+ 14N

+ 21B

+ 30B

= 5N

7½

44½

2806

ITURRIZAGA BONELLI Eduardo

2624 F

SenM

VEN

+ 4N

+500B

- 9N

+ 10B

+224N

+ 19B

= 12N

= 13B

+ 30N

45½

2717

54½

BAUER Christian

2631 F

SenM

FRA

IDF

+192B

+ 38N

= 73B

+ 25N

+ 18B

= 32B

= 6N

= 15N

+ 31B

44½

2747

ANURAG Mhamal

2383 F

SenM

IND

- 2B

+144N

+228B

+ 82N

= 69B

+ 25N

+ 73B

+ 16B

= 6N

43½

2648

VOVK Andrey

2632 F

SenM

UKR

= 78N

+102B

- 10N

+147B

+ 87N

+ 72B

+ 39N

+ 9B

= 1B

2656

53½

JUSSUPOW Artur

2578 F

SenM

GER

IDF

= 75B

+ 99N

= 20B

+149N

+140B

+ 31N

= 3B

+ 71N

= 4B

2639

53½

SASIKIRAN Krishnan

2632 F

SenM

IND

CAZ

= 70B

+153N

= 31B

+307N

+ 77B

= 18N

+ 52B

= 12N

+ 44B

2688

KULAOTS Kaido

2575 F

SenM

EST

CVL

+ 79N

= 58B

= 54N

+ 75B

= 72N

= 26B

+ 62N

+ 90B

+ 43N

41½

2618

52½

GOPAL G.n.

2525 F

SenM

IND

+100B

+151N

+ 2B

= 37B

- 1N

+ 74N

+ 20B

- 5N

+ 98B

6½

2630

55½

MIEZIS Normunds

2486 F

SenM

LAT

FRC

+ 85B

= 32N

+ 5B

- 2N

+122B

+ 82B

= 17N

+ 50N

= 15B

6½

44½

2655

55½

PEREZ PONSA Federico

2586 F

SenM

ARG

+143N

+ 57B

= 13N

+ 39B

= 36N

+ 23B

- 30N

+ 38B

= 19N

6½

43½

2669

54½

VOROBIOV Evgeny E.

2571 F

SenM

RUS

DSA

+170B

- 46N

+155B

+ 63N

+108B

+ 95N

= 2B

= 7B

= 13N

6½

43½

2569

53½

TROFF Kayden W

2511 F

CadM

USA

+122B

+114N

= 11B

= 69N

+225B

= 33N

+ 34B

= 2N

= 12B

6½

2635

DJUKIC Nikola

2565 F

SenM

MNE

+ 63B

= 20N

+138B

= 42N

+124B

- 1B

+ 86N

= 48N

+ 70B

6½

2565

53½

KHARITONOV Alexandr

2569 F

SenM

RUS

= 86N

+107B

+137N

= 23B

+ 91N

+222B

= 16N

= 3B

= 10N

6½

2560

52½

GUPTA Abhijeet

2613 F

SenM

IND

+ 83B

= 71N

+ 40B

= 44N

+109B

+ 47N

= 15B

- 4N

+ 81B

6½

42½

2635

53½

ZUBOV Alexander

2603 F

SenM

UKR

+140B

= 56N

+ 92B

= 51N

+ 46B

= 44N

= 10B

+142N

= 18B

6½

42½

2629

BURMAKIN Vladimir

2556 F

SenM

RUS

+157N

+113B

+141N

+ 91B

- 3N

= 7B

= 40N

+139B

= 17N

6½

42½

2593

52½

LALITH BABU M R

2554 F

SenM

IND

+ 74B

=138N

+ 84B

+ 70N

= 34B

- 2N

+ 75B

+ 46N

= 11B

6½

2591

52½

ESSERMAN Marc

2410 F

SenM

USA

+ 80N

= 14B

= 6N

=141B

+169N

+ 41B

- 9N

+182B

+ 69B

6½

2587

Check the complete standings here.

Photos, unless mentioned, are taken by Alexandre Feryn for the official website.

Previous Report:

Indians at Cappelle La Grande

17/02/2016 - 12 Indians are playing at the Cappelle La Grande tournament in France. We have some of the top guys like Sasikiran, Abhijeet Gupta, Lalith Babu who are all on 4.0/5 and also fiery talents like 11-year-old Nihal Sarin who beat his first grandmaster of his chess career! With four rounds to go the tournament is very interestingly poised and we can look forward to a strong Indian finish.