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Surya Ganguly wins Chess960 Rapid Open at 55th Biel, Sethuraman second

by Shahid Ahmed - 12/07/2022

GM Surya Sekhar Ganguly won the Chess960 Rapid Open with an unbeaten 6.5/7 at 55th Biel Chess Festival. He finished a full point ahead of the runner-up, GM Sethuraman S P 5.5/7. WGM Vera Nebolsina (FRA) also scored 5.5/7, however she was adjudged third according to tie-breaks. Gukesh started well in the GMT Accentus Chess960 with a hat-trick of wins, before scoring only a half point in the next four games. The standings of this event is used to determine the seeding of the Classical segment of the GMT. The Rapid event will take place on Tuesday 12th July. Who do you think will win the GMT? Photo: Simon Bohnenblust/Biel Chess Festival

Gukesh gets the better of Keymer

D Gukesh had six decisive games and only one draw the 55th Biel Chess Festival Accentus Chess960. He scored three wins, a draw and suffered three losses in a very strong field. The next best thing to winning an event is beating the champion. Gukesh managed to accomplish that. He beat the eventual champion, Vincent Keymer in the very first round of the tournament. The Grandmaster Triathlon (GMT) comprises Classical, Rapid and Blitz event. The Chess960 standings will only be as tie-breaker if the accumulated points of GMT turns out to be the same.

Top three (L to R): 2nd - GM Sethuraman S P, 1st - GM Surya Sekhar Ganguly, 3rd - WGM Vera Nebolsina (FRA) and Swiss Champion - GM Alexandra Kosteniuk | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust/Biel Chess Festival

Accentus GMT 960 Top three (L to R) - 2nd Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB), 1st Vincent Keymer (GER) and 3rd Liem Le Quang (VIE) | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust/Biel Chess Festival

Round 1: Keymer - Gukesh: 0-1

Gukesh started his tournament with a victory over Vincent Keymer (GER).

Position after 15.c5

15.c5 did not help White's already dwindling position. 15...cxd5 16.cxd6 Nc6 17.Rad1 Nb4+ 18.Kb1 Nxd3 19.Rxd3 dxe4 and it's over for White.

Round 2: Gukesh - Abdusattorov: 1-0

Gukesh did a nice maneuvering with his knight to beat the reigning World Rapid champion, Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) in 21 moves.

Position after 18.Ne6

The knight at e6 has completely crippled Black's position. 18...Ra8 19.Ng5 Rg7 20.Bd4 Rf7 21.Bc5 and Black resigned.

Round 3: Yangyi - Gukesh: 0-1

Gukesh got a fantastic position early in the middlegame against Yangyi Yu (CHN).

Position after 25.Nc1

Gukesh had no trouble seizing his advantage 25...Nxe4 26.Nxe4 fxe4 27.Qxe4 Rf4. He won the game in another five moves.

Gukesh pondering during a Chess960 game | Photo: Patrick Straub/Biel Chess Festival

Round 5: D Gukesh - Gata Kamsky (USA): 0-1 | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust/Biel Chess Festival

The tournament hall at Biel Congress Center in Biel, Switzerland | Photo: Patrick Straub/Biel Chess Festival

Round 5 in progress | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust/Biel Chess Festival

Replay the livestream

Biel Chess Festival: Accentus Chess 960 tournament Live Commentary by GM Arturs Neiksans and Angelika Valkova | Video: Biel Chess

Replay Gukesh's games

Replay all games

Photo Gallery

The participants of the GMT at 55th Biel International Chess Festival | Photo: Biel Chess Festival

Angelika Valkova asks a question to GM D Gukesh at the inauguration ceremony | Photo: Biel Chess Festival

GM D Gukesh drew number six at the Drawing of Lots | Photo: Biel Chess Festival

Final standings of GMT Accentus Chess960

Rk.SNoNameFEDRtgPts. TB1  TB2  TB3 
13GMKeymer VincentGER25525,00,515,254
24GMAbdusattorov NodirbekUZB26705,00,515,254
31GMLe Quang LiemVIE26264,50,011,754
42GMSalem A.R. SalehUAE26554,00,09,504
57GMKamsky GataUSA27173,51,010,252
66GMGukesh DIND22233,50,013,253
78GMNaiditsch ArkadijAZE26001,50,05,251
85GMYu YangyiCHN27381,00,01,501

Details

Final standings of Chess960 Rapid Open

Rk.SNoNameFEDRtgPts. TB1  TB2 
12GMGanguly SuryaIND26086,529,5196,0
21GMSethuraman S.PIND26135,533,5193,0
38WGMNebolsina VeraFRA22375,528,0200,5
43GMKosteniuk AlexandraFID25215,033,5205,5
54IMShaikh Mohammad NubairshahIND24455,028,0190,5
67Schnepp GunnarAUT22625,027,0183,5
716Ragios KonstantinosGRE19245,026,0176,0
813Manukonda ArunIND20214,530,0198,5
915Wanner StefanSUI19754,521,5171,0
105Herrera Reyes Jose AntonioESP23454,031,5186,5

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