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Lalit Rohit moves closer to win the Vergani Cup 2022

by Shahid Ahmed - 09/01/2022

GM Lalit Rohit and IM Nurgyul Salimova (BUL) are the only two leaders 6.5/8 heading into the final round of Vergani Cup January 2022. They will face each other in the ninth round. While Lalit scored a clinical victory against M Amin Tabatabaei (IRI), Nurgyul defeated the legend, Nigel Short. The Bulgaria no.2 is in top form as she scored four consecutive victories, including two against GMs in the last two games. Lalit must win the final round to clinch the championship as a draw means, his fate might get decided by other players' results. GM Iniyan, GM Arjun Kalyan, IM Bharath Subramaniyam and IM Rakesh Kumar Jena are at 5.5/8 each. Round 9 starts today at 2:00 p.m. IST. Photo: Rupali Mullick

Nurgyul Salimova beats Nigel Short

IM Nurgyul Salimova is in terrific form as she beat GM Nigel Short in the penultimate round. IM Bharath Subramaniyam H and IM Rakesh Kumar Jena beat GM Zdenko Kozul (CRO) and GM Nikolov Momchil (BUL) respectively in Round 8.

Lalit's king walked all the way to h6 | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Round 7: Kotronias - Short: 0-1

Nigel Short (ENG) won a very nice game against Vasilios Kotronias (GRE).

Position after 19...Ne5

Black does not need to be bothered about the bishop getting trapped at f5 as 19...Ne5 spells an impending doom for White. 20.gxf5 Nf3+ 21.Kf1 Qg5 22.h4 Qxh4 23.Ke2 Nd4+ 24.Kd2 and now Black had something spectacular. 24...gxf5 which was played in the game is also winning.

Position after 24.Kd2

Find out the brilliant continuation for Black in the above position after 24.Kd2 which Short regretted missing.

Lalit - Lodici: 1-0

Lalit scored a clinical victory against Lorenzo Lodici (ITA).

Position after 19.Bc4

Black was forced to give up exchange to prevent annihilation on the kingside. 19...Rxe5 20.Nxe5 Nxe5 21.Rd4 Qc7 22.Ba6 and White eventually won the game.

Round 8: Lalit - Tabatabaei: 1-0

Lalit scored an important victory against M Amin Tabatabei (IRI) to stay in the lead.

Position after 40.Kh6

In a completely winning position, White moved his king all the way from d1 to h6, starting its journey from c1. The king not only found a safe haven at h6 but also proved to be a valuable piece against Black's deadly bishop pair to neutralize them.

Lalit scored a crucial victory against Tabatabaei | Photo: Rupali Mullick

IM Nurgyul Salimova scored a big victory against GM Nigel Short | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Milton - Hans: 0-1

Arguably, the most bizarre game of Round 8 was between IM Milton Pantzar and GM Hans Niemann. If you are wondering why, let's take a look at the following position:

Position after 33.Rxc5

It seems like White is completely winning. However, Black did not want to give up 33...Rxd1 34.Ra5 Rxe1+ 35.Kg2 Re2 36.a7 Rxf2+ 37.Kg1 Rd2 38.a8=Q

Position after 38.a8=Q

There is a lot of life left in the position, and it is far from over, that's what Hans Niemann felt and he went on to win the game. It is not over until it's over was brought to a whole new level in this game. If you still do not find the proceedings in the endgame interesting, check out the final position:

Final position after 66...h2

It would certainly not be an understatement to call this an early contender for game of the year. This has to be one of the best games of Hans Niemann.

GM Hans Niemann (USA) played a magnificent endgame against IM Milton Pantzar (SWE) | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Bharat - Zdenko: 1-0

IM Bharath Subramaniyam H seized his opportunity against GM Zdenko Kozul (CRO).

Position after 20...0-0

20...0-0 landed Black in more trouble. Find out why.

IM Bharath Subramaniyam H - GM Zdenko Kozul (CRO): 1-0 | Photo: Rupali Mullick

IM Rakesh Kumar Jena - GM Nikolov Momchil (BUL): 1-0 | Photo: Rupali Mullick

For more photos, click here.

 

The tournament is taking place at Hotel Kursaal, Cattolica in Italy from 2nd to 9th January 2021. Time control is 90 mins + 30 seconds increment and 15 minutes each will be added after 40th move in Group A which is for above 1800 FIDE rating.

Replay Round 6-8 games

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Round 8 results

Bo.No. NameRtgPts.ResultPts.NameRtg No.
17
GMThybo Jesper Sondergaard2592½ - ½GMKorobov Anton2699
1
29
GMLalith Babu M R25481 - 0GMTabatabaei M. Amin2643
3
35
GMShort Nigel D26330 - 1IMSalimova Nurgyul2353
44
424
IMPantzar Milton243450 - 15GMNiemann Hans Moke2645
2
56
GMLagarde Maxime263251 - 05CMPrraneeth Vuppala2417
25
68
GMBernadskiy Vitaliy258951 - 05IMSoumya Swaminathan2351
45
729
IMGilevych Artem24075½ - ½5IMIoannidis Evgenios2466
22
821
IMBharath Subramaniyam H24761 - 0GMKozul Zdenko2639
4
932
IMBarp Alberto23880 - 1GMIniyan P2540
10
1011
GMArjun Kalyan25321 - 0FMHess Max2404
30
1113
GMLodici Lorenzo25241 - 0FMMartinovici Ilia2398
31
1250
IMRakesh Kumar Jena23291 - 0GMNikolov Momchil2508
14
1315
GMAlsina Leal Daniel25071 - 0WIMBeydullayeva Govhar2290
57
1454
FMBecker Matthias23110 - 1GMBrunello Sabino2503
16
1517
GMDvirnyy Danyyil24921 - 0Arhan Chethan Anand1915
109

Details

Round 9 pairings

Bo.No. NameRtgPts.ResultPts.NameRtg No.
144
IMSalimova Nurgyul2353GMLalith Babu M R2548
9
21
GMKorobov Anton269966GMLagarde Maxime2632
6
32
GMNiemann Hans Moke264566GMThybo Jesper Sondergaard2592
7
48
GMBernadskiy Vitaliy25896GMShort Nigel D2633
5
53
GMTabatabaei M. Amin2643GMDvirnyy Danyyil2492
17
610
GMIniyan P2540IMBharath Subramaniyam H2476
21
722
IMIoannidis Evgenios2466GMArjun Kalyan2532
11
850
IMRakesh Kumar Jena2329GMLodici Lorenzo2524
13
916
GMBrunello Sabino2503IMGilevych Artem2407
29
1041
FMKlabis Rokas235655GMEnchev Ivajlo2477
19
1145
IMSoumya Swaminathan235155IMPantzar Milton2434
24
1225
CMPrraneeth Vuppala241755GMSolomon Kenny2355
42
1333
FMFormento Paolo238255FMPasztor Balazs2335
49
1437
IMMoksh Amit Doshi236855Gallana Marco2274
59
1581
CMMrithyunjay Mahadevan212455FMCumming Rhys2358
40

Details

Prizes

Total Prize fund - €10000.

Links

Official site

Tournament regulations



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