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.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
1	7	GM	Thybo Jesper Sondergaard	2592	5½	½ - ½	5½	GM	Korobov Anton	2699	1
2	9	GM	Lalith Babu M R	2548	5½	1 - 0	5½	GM	Tabatabaei M. Amin	2643	3
3	5	GM	Short Nigel D	2633	5½	0 - 1	5½	IM	Salimova Nurgyul	2353	44
4	24	IM	Pantzar Milton	2434	5	0 - 1	5	GM	Niemann Hans Moke	2645	2
5	6	GM	Lagarde Maxime	2632	5	1 - 0	5	CM	Prraneeth Vuppala	2417	25
6	8	GM	Bernadskiy Vitaliy	2589	5	1 - 0	5	IM	Soumya Swaminathan	2351	45
7	29	IM	Gilevych Artem	2407	5	½ - ½	5	IM	Ioannidis Evgenios	2466	22
8	21	IM	Bharath Subramaniyam H	2476	4½	1 - 0	4½	GM	Kozul Zdenko	2639	4
9	32	IM	Barp Alberto	2388	4½	0 - 1	4½	GM	Iniyan P	2540	10
10	11	GM	Arjun Kalyan	2532	4½	1 - 0	4½	FM	Hess Max	2404	30
11	13	GM	Lodici Lorenzo	2524	4½	1 - 0	4½	FM	Martinovici Ilia	2398	31
12	50	IM	Rakesh Kumar Jena	2329	4½	1 - 0	4½	GM	Nikolov Momchil	2508	14
13	15	GM	Alsina Leal Daniel	2507	4½	1 - 0	4½	WIM	Beydullayeva Govhar	2290	57
14	54	FM	Becker Matthias	2311	4½	0 - 1	4½	GM	Brunello Sabino	2503	16
15	17	GM	Dvirnyy Danyyil	2492	4½	1 - 0	4½		Arhan Chethan Anand	1915	109

Details

Round 9 pairings

Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
1	44	IM	Salimova Nurgyul	2353	6½		6½	GM	Lalith Babu M R	2548	9
2	1	GM	Korobov Anton	2699	6		6	GM	Lagarde Maxime	2632	6
3	2	GM	Niemann Hans Moke	2645	6		6	GM	Thybo Jesper Sondergaard	2592	7
4	8	GM	Bernadskiy Vitaliy	2589	6		5½	GM	Short Nigel D	2633	5
5	3	GM	Tabatabaei M. Amin	2643	5½		5½	GM	Dvirnyy Danyyil	2492	17
6	10	GM	Iniyan P	2540	5½		5½	IM	Bharath Subramaniyam H	2476	21
7	22	IM	Ioannidis Evgenios	2466	5½		5½	GM	Arjun Kalyan	2532	11
8	50	IM	Rakesh Kumar Jena	2329	5½		5½	GM	Lodici Lorenzo	2524	13
9	16	GM	Brunello Sabino	2503	5½		5½	IM	Gilevych Artem	2407	29
10	41	FM	Klabis Rokas	2356	5		5	GM	Enchev Ivajlo	2477	19
11	45	IM	Soumya Swaminathan	2351	5		5	IM	Pantzar Milton	2434	24
12	25	CM	Prraneeth Vuppala	2417	5		5	GM	Solomon Kenny	2355	42
13	33	FM	Formento Paolo	2382	5		5	FM	Pasztor Balazs	2335	49
14	37	IM	Moksh Amit Doshi	2368	5		5		Gallana Marco	2274	59
15	81	CM	Mrithyunjay Mahadevan	2124	5		5	FM	Cumming Rhys	2358	40

Details

Prizes

Total Prize fund - €10000.

Links

Official site

Tournament regulations

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