Can Vidit Gujrathi become the Asian 2017 champion?

by Niklesh Jain - 20/05/2017

It's a complete bloodbath out there in Chengdu and only the hungriest of the players have a right for the top five spots. These five players qualify for the World Cup 2017. For Indians it's Vidit who has the best chance as he leads the tournament with 6.0/8. In the last round he is up against Yu Yangyi. Will he deliver? In the women's section Vaishali and Mary Ann Gomes are the two Indians with a chance of a podium finish. Illustrated report.

Photos by Lennart Ootes

After eight rounds at the Asian Continental 2017, only one Indian player has a chance to win a medal, and that's GM Vidit Gujrathi.

After losing in the fifth round to Wang Hao, Vidit has stung back with three consecutive wins and now leads the tournament five other players Wang Hao, Bu Xiangzhi, Yu Yangyi and Julio Sadorra. Here's his eighth round win against GM Bai Jinshi. Vidit played in enterprising fashion and was able to outplay the Chinese youngster in a complex middlegame.

[Event "Asian Continental-ch Open 2017"]
[Site "Chengdu"]
[Date "2017.05.19"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi"]
[Black "Bai, Jinshi"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E80"]
[WhiteElo "2687"]
[BlackElo "2586"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[PlyCount "79"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. f3 c5 4. d5 d6 5. e4 Bg7 6. Nc3 e6 {E80: King's Indian:
Sämisch: Lines without early ...0-0} (6... O-O 7. Bg5 h6 8. Be3 e6 9. Qd2 exd5
10. cxd5 Nh7 11. Bd3 Nd7 12. Nh3 Ne5 13. Nf2 f5 14. Be2 g5 15. exf5 Bxf5 16. h4
b5 17. hxg5 hxg5 18. Nxb5 Rb8 {0-1 (33) Najer,E (2682)-Mamedyarov,S (2772)
Sochi 2017}) 7. Nge2 exd5 8. cxd5 a6 {White has an edge.} 9. a4 Nbd7 10. Ng3 h5
11. Be2 Nh7 12. Be3 O-O 13. Qd2 h4 14. Nf1 f5 $146 (14... Re8 $11) ({
Predecessor:} 14... Re8 15. h3 f5 {1-0 (56) Askin,D (1942)-Winslow,E (2314)
San Francisco 2016}) 15. exf5 $14 gxf5 {[#]} 16. Bh6 $1 Re8 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 18.
Ne3 Qf6 19. g4 hxg3 (19... Ng5 $16 {was called for.}) 20. hxg3 $18 Ndf8 21. Nc4
Bd7 22. Nb6 Rad8 23. O-O-O Re7 24. Nxd7 Rdxd7 25. Rh5 b5 26. axb5 axb5 27. Bxb5
Ra7 28. Bd3 Ra1+ 29. Kc2 Rxd1 30. Nxd1 Qd4 31. Rh4 Qe5 32. Rf4 Qxd5 (32... Ng6
{keeps fighting.}) 33. Rxf5 Qe6 $2 {[#]} (33... Qd4 34. Rf4 Qe5) 34. Qc3+ Nf6
35. g4 c4 36. Bxc4 d5 37. Rxd5 Rc7 38. g5 Qxd5 39. gxf6+ Kg6 40. Bxd5 {
Precision: White = 77%, Black = 43%.} 1-0

The good news for Indian fans is that if Vidit wins the last round he has excellent chances of becoming the Asian champion. However, he faces a stiff challenge in the form of Yu Yangyi, who has been unbeaten at this event.

At the end of seven rounds things were looking bright for Indian fans. Vidit, Adhiban and Sethuraman all three were on 5.0/7 and joint second position. However, in the eighth round it was only Vidit who could score a win. Both Sethuraman and Adhiban slumped to defeats.

Sethuraman lost a complicated Sicilian from the white side of the Najdorf to Yu Yangyi

[Event "Asian Continental-ch Open 2017"]
[Site "Chengdu"]
[Date "2017.05.19"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Sethuraman, S P."]
[Black "Yu, Yangyi"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B81"]
[WhiteElo "2633"]
[BlackElo "2743"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[PlyCount "86"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e6 7. g4 Nfd7 {
B81: Sicilian Scheveningen: Keres Attack} 8. g5 b5 9. a3 Bb7 {White is
slightly better.} 10. Be3 Nc6 11. h4 Be7 12. Qe2 Nde5 $146 ({Better is} 12...
Rc8 $11) ({Predecessor:} 12... Rc8 13. Bh3 Nxd4 14. Bxd4 e5 15. Be3 {1-0 (38)
Anand,V (2779)-Bologan,V (2640) Doha 2016}) 13. O-O-O Nc4 14. Nxc6 Bxc6 15. Bd4
O-O (15... e5 $5 16. Be3 Rb8 $11) 16. Rg1 Rb8 17. f4 e5 18. Bf2 exf4 19. Qf3 (
19. Bd4 $11) 19... Ne5 $1 $15 20. Qxf4 b4 21. axb4 Rxb4 {Threatens to win with
...Qa5.} 22. Nd5 (22. Bc5 $5) 22... Bxd5 23. Rxd5 f5 ({Black should play} 23...
Qc7 $15 24. Bd4 f6) 24. Bd4 $1 $14 Qc8 25. Be2 Qc6 26. Rg3 Ng6 (26... Qb7 $14)
27. Qd2 $16 Ra4 $2 (27... Rfb8 $16) 28. b3 $18 fxe4 29. Be3 (29. Bxg7 $18 {
has better winning chances.} Rf2 30. bxa4) 29... Ra1+ $16 30. Kb2 Rh1 31. h5 {
White has strong compensation.} Ne5 {[#]} 32. h6 (32. Ra5 $1 $16) 32... g6 $2 {
[#]} (32... Rf5 $1 $14) 33. Ra5 $1 $18 Rh2 34. Bg1 {[#]} (34. Rxa6 $18 Rxe2 35.
Qxe2) 34... Rxe2 $1 $16 35. Qxe2 Nf3 36. Qd1 ({Reject} 36. Rxa6 $6 Qd5 $14) ({
White should try} 36. Bf2 $16) 36... Rc8 (36... Rf5 $14 37. Rxf5 gxf5) 37. Bd4
$2 (37. c4 $16) 37... Nxd4 $15 38. c4 $2 ({White must play} 38. Qxd4 $15 Qxc2+
39. Ka3 d5+ 40. b4 Bxb4+ 41. Qxb4) 38... Nf3 {Black is clearly winning.} 39.
Rg4 Ne5 40. Rg3 {[#]} (40. Qd4 $142) 40... Nxc4+ $1 $19 41. bxc4 Qb6+ 42. Rb5
Qf2+ 43. Kb1 axb5 {Precision: White = 43%, Black = 49%.} 0-1

Due to this loss Sethuraman will not be able to defend his Asian Championship 2016 title

Adhiban's loss to Julio Sadorra in round eight was a big shock. Adhiban tried too hard playing the Chigorin variation (2.Qe2) in the French and was punished by his Filipino opponent

[Event "Asian Continental-ch Open 2017"]
[Site "Chengdu"]
[Date "2017.05.19"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Adhiban, B."]
[Black "Sadorra, Julio Catalino"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C00"]
[WhiteElo "2672"]
[BlackElo "2575"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[PlyCount "100"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]

1. e4 e6 2. Qe2 c5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O Nge7 7. c3 O-O 8. Na3
{C00: French: Unusual White 2nd moves} (8. d3 b6 9. h4 d5 10. Rd1 dxe4 11. dxe4
Qc7 12. Na3 a6 13. Nc4 b5 14. Nd6 Rd8 15. e5 Rb8 16. Bf4 {1-0 (32) Mamedov,R
(2657) -Akopian,V (2648) Berlin 2015}) 8... d6 9. Nc2 e5 {LiveBook: 25 Games}
10. b4 {The position is equal.} h6 $146 ({Predecessor:} 10... cxb4 11. cxb4 d5
12. d3 a6 13. Bb2 d4 14. a4 Be6 15. Ng5 Bb3 16. Ra3 Bxc2 17. Qxc2 {1/2-1/2 (30)
Debashis,D (2477)-Grover,S (2467) Sharjah 2013}) 11. b5 Na5 12. d4 exd4 13.
cxd4 Be6 14. Rd1 Bc4 15. Qe1 Bxb5 {[#]} 16. dxc5 $1 {And now Bd2 would win.}
Ba4 $1 (16... Bxa1 $6 17. Nxa1 Kh7 18. cxd6 $18 (18. Rxd6 Qc7 $16)) (16... dxc5
17. Rxd8) 17. Rxd6 Qc7 18. Bf4 {aiming for Rxg6!} (18. Ncd4 $5) 18... g5 ({
But not} 18... Bxc2 $6 19. Rxg6 $1 Qxc5 20. Bd6 $14) 19. Rd4 gxf4 20. Rxa4 Bxa1
21. Nxa1 Nac6 22. e5 Ng6 23. gxf4 Qd7 24. Nb3 Rad8 {White must now prevent ...
Ncxe5.} 25. Re4 Kh7 (25... f5 $5 26. Rc4 Kh7 $15) 26. Nbd4 Nxd4 27. Nxd4 Nh4
28. e6 Qe7 $1 {...f5 is the strong threat.} 29. exf7 Qf6 $1 30. Ne2 $1 Rxf7 $40
{Strongly threatening ...Rfd7. Black is up to no good.} 31. Ng3 Rfd7 {
Threatens to win with ...Rd1.} 32. Qe2 Nxg2 33. Kxg2 ({Don't play} 33. Re6 {[#]
} Nxf4 $1 34. Qc2+ (34. Rxf6 $2 {too greedy.} Nxe2+ 35. Nxe2 Rc8 $19) 34... Kg7
$15) 33... Qc6 34. Qg4 (34. Kh3 $5 Qxc5 35. Re6 $11) 34... Rf7 (34... Rg7 $5
35. Qf5+ Kg8 $15) 35. Kh3 {Hoping for Re6.} Rg8 36. Qe6 (36. Qh5 $11 {remains
equal.} Qg6 37. Qe2) 36... Qxe6+ $17 37. Rxe6 Rg6 38. Rxg6 $2 (38. Re4 $17)
38... Kxg6 {Endgame KR-KN} 39. Kg4 Rd7 40. f5+ Kg7 41. Ne4 Rd4 42. Kf4 $2 (42.
Kf3) 42... Ra4 $19 43. Ke5 Rxa2 44. Kd6 $2 (44. Nd6 Rb2 45. f6+ Kf8 46. Kd4)
44... Kf8 {Black is clearly winning.} 45. Kc7 Rb2 46. Nd6 a5 47. Nc4 Rc2 48.
Nxa5 Rxc5+ 49. Kb6 Rxf5 50. Nxb7 Rxf2 {Precision: White = 41%, Black = 72%.}
0-1

Aravindh was among the leaders of the tournament with 4.5/6, but lost his seventh round to Wang Hao and drew his eighth against Deep Sengupta

Ranking after Round 8

Rk.	SNo		Name	sex	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	5	GM	Vidit Santosh Gujrathi		IND	2687	6,0	0,0	5,0	2518	32,5	26,5
2	6	GM	Wang Hao		CHN	2680	6,0	0,0	4,0	2602	37,5	31,5
3	4	GM	Bu Xiangzhi		CHN	2697	6,0	0,0	4,0	2558	33,5	27,5
4	1	GM	Yu Yangyi		CHN	2743	6,0	0,0	4,0	2552	33,5	27,5
	20	GM	Sadorra Julio Catalino		PHI	2575	6,0	0,0	4,0	2552	33,5	27,5
6	11	GM	Jumabayev Rinat		KAZ	2625	5,5	0,0	4,0	2470	30,5	24,5
7	16	GM	Bai Jinshi		CHN	2586	5,0	0,0	4,0	2592	34,5	28,5
8	26	GM	Batchuluun Tsegmed		MGL	2525	5,0	0,0	4,0	2559	33,0	27,0
9	19	GM	Maghsoodloo Parham		IRI	2577	5,0	0,0	4,0	2528	33,5	27,5
10	9	GM	Sethuraman S.P.		IND	2633	5,0	0,0	4,0	2502	30,5	24,5
11	15	GM	Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.		IND	2588	5,0	0,0	3,0	2604	36,0	30,0
12	17	GM	Sengupta Deep		IND	2586	5,0	0,0	3,0	2567	32,5	26,5
13	2	GM	Wei Yi		CHN	2732	5,0	0,0	3,0	2535	32,0	27,0
14	3	GM	Kasimdzhanov Rustam		UZB	2698	5,0	0,0	3,0	2529	32,0	27,0
15	7	GM	Adhiban B.		IND	2672	5,0	0,0	3,0	2507	31,5	25,5
16	18	GM	Karthikeyan Murali		IND	2585	5,0	0,0	3,0	2490	30,0	25,0
17	8	GM	Ganguly Surya Shekhar		IND	2653	5,0	0,0	2,0	2551	34,5	28,5
18	10	GM	Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son		VIE	2632	5,0	0,0	2,0	2510	31,0	25,5
19	23	IM	Tran Tuan Minh		VIE	2537	4,5	0,0	3,0	2559	33,0	27,0
20	44	IM	Atabayev Saparmyrat		TKM	2422	4,5	0,0	3,0	2523	30,5	25,5

Complete standings after round eight

Pairings of round nine

Bo.	No.		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	FED	Rtg	No.
1	1	GM	Yu Yangyi	CHN	2743	6		6	GM	Vidit Santosh Gujrathi	IND	2687	5
2	20	GM	Sadorra Julio Catalino	PHI	2575	6		6	GM	Wang Hao	CHN	2680	6
3	4	GM	Bu Xiangzhi	CHN	2697	6		5½	GM	Jumabayev Rinat	KAZ	2625	11
4	2	GM	Wei Yi	CHN	2732	5		5	GM	Karthikeyan Murali	IND	2585	18
5	8	GM	Ganguly Surya Shekhar	IND	2653	5		5	GM	Kasimdzhanov Rustam	UZB	2698	3

Five spots for World Cup 2017 are at stake and it seems like Vidit is the only one who has the chances of getting that berth.

Women's section:

Vaishali lost her eighth round against Vo Thi Kim Phung

With 5.5/8 Vaishali is currently on fourth position and has good chances of winning a medal. Top three spots or not, one thing is for sure, the girl is maturing into a complete player after her excellent performance at the Reykjavik Open and now at the Asian Continental.

Currently in third place is WGM Mary Ann Gomes who is up against the leader Vo Thi Kim Phung

Standings after round 8

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	8	WIM	Vo Thi Kim Phung	VIE	2323	7,0	0,0	6,0	2308	36,0	29,5
2	9	WGM	Nakhbayeva Guliskhan	KAZ	2321	6,5	0,0	5,0	2294	35,0	28,0
3	10	WGM	Gomes Mary Ann	IND	2318	5,5	0,0	5,0	2304	34,0	28,5
4	17	WIM	Vaishali R	IND	2272	5,5	0,0	5,0	2278	36,0	29,0
5	5	WGM	Hoang Thi Bao Tram	VIE	2371	5,5	0,0	5,0	2264	35,5	28,5
6	7	IM	Pham Le Thao Nguyen	VIE	2331	5,5	0,0	4,0	2291	39,5	32,5
7	1	GM	Lei Tingjie	CHN	2482	5,0	0,0	4,0	2286	35,5	30,0
8	2	IM	Khademalsharieh Sarasadat	IRI	2450	5,0	0,0	4,0	2228	33,0	26,5
9	4	IM	Padmini Rout	IND	2380	5,0	0,0	4,0	2194	31,5	25,0
10	22	WIM	Nandhidhaa Pv	IND	2252	5,0	0,0	4,0	2139	29,5	24,0