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Czech Rapid Open 2016: Puranik delivers a majestic performance

by Priyadarshan Banjan - 23/07/2016

A handful of Indians has headed to the Czech Republic to compete in the Czech Open 2016 chess festival. The main event is the grandmaster tournament that began on 22 July, but prior to that, a rapid tournament was held with a very strong field replete with titled players — it was FIDE rated and formed a part of the ACP Tour. Two Indians delivered a memorable performance. An illustrated report.

Czech Rapid Open 2016: Puranik delivers a majestic performance 

A handful of Indians has headed to the Czech Republic to compete in the Czech Open 2016 chess festival. The main event is the grandmaster tournament that began on 22 July, but prior to that, a rapid tournament was held with a very strong field replete with titled players — it was FIDE rated and formed a part of the ACP Tour.

 

The tournament was a 9-round rated swiss with the time control of 15 mins. for the game + 10 secs. per move. The field was led by Czech genius GM David Navara and Armenian Sergei Movsesian. Both the stars had a bumpy tournament managing just 6.0/9 and 6.5/9 respectively.

The event was won by Polish GM Kacper Piorun (2585) with 8.0/9, while GM Stanislav Novikov (2574) was runner-up with 7.5/9.

14 Indians, led by GM Neelotpal Das, were in the fray in this strong rapid tournament. However, the proceedings were dominated by two 2200s!

Third: IM Abhimanyu Puranik (2227) with 7.0/9

Abhimanyu has been rising meteorically over the last couple of years. Despite his 2450+ classical rating, his rapid Elo was just 2227. One must note that the reason this is so is because he was rated in the 2200s when he first played a rapid rating event! He has come a long way since then.

[Event "rapid"] [Site "?"] [Date "2016.07.20"] [Round "3.12"] [White "Puranik, Abhimanyu"] [Black "Nagy, Gabor"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B22"] [WhiteElo "2475"] [BlackElo "2439"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "3kn3/1p6/p4p2/4p3/4Q3/2P1N2P/P4qPK/8 w - - 0 33"] [PlyCount "25"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] [SourceDate "2003.06.08"] 33. Qd5+ {The material is equal but black has a inadequately walled king.} Kc8 34. Qe6+ Kd8 35. Nd5 Qc5 36. h4 Qf8 37. h5 Qg7 38. Kg1 Qh7 39. h6 Qb1+ 40. Kh2 Qg6 {It is forced mate from here.} 41. Qe7+ Kc8 42. Nb6+ Kb8 43. Qd8+ Ka7 44. Nc8+ Kb8 45. Ne7+ 1-0

Perhaps, his opponents did not know this fact? He raced off to a near-perfect 4.5/5, before losing to David Navara in the sixth round. He finished with 2.5/3 to finish third in the tournament with 7.0/9.

[Event "rapid"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.07.21"]
[Round "9.5"]
[White "Puranik, Abhimanyu"]
[Black "Stocek, Jiri"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B22"]
[WhiteElo "2475"]
[BlackElo "2550"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "2r1r1k1/1p1qnpp1/p6p/3pR3/3P4/1PPQ4/3B1PPP/R5K1 w - - 0 22"]
[PlyCount "101"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[EventType "rapid"]
[SourceDate "2003.06.08"]
[TimeControl "900+10"]
[WhiteClock "0:00:52"]
[BlackClock "0:01:48"]
22. Qh3 {248 A very strange move.} (22. Rae1 $11) 22... Qxh3 {43} 23. gxh3 {1}
f6 {15} 24. Re6 {17} Kf7 {27} 25. Rb6 {25} Rc7 {13} 26. Ra5 {53} g5 {201} 27.
h4 {74} Nc8 {5} 28. Rb4 {28} Re2 {9} 29. Be3 {25} Ne7 {109} 30. hxg5 {29} hxg5
{35} 31. Rc5 {2} Rd7 {19} 32. c4 {40} Nf5 $2 {29} (32... Rb2 $1 33. Kg2 dxc4
34. Rbxc4 (34. Rcxc4 b5 35. Rc5 Nd5 $19) 34... Nd5 35. Bc1 Rxb3 $19) 33. Kf1 {
30} Rb2 {31} 34. Rxd5 {2} Rxd5 {2} 35. Rxb7+ {10} Ke6 {4} 36. cxd5+ {2} Kxd5 {1
} 37. Rb6 {15} Ke4 {160} 38. Re6+ {13} Kd3 {2} 39. Rxf6 {28} Nh4 $2 {4} (39...
Nxe3+ 40. fxe3 Kxe3 $11) 40. Rc6 {4} Rxb3 {15} 41. d5 {7} Rb1+ {32} 42. Rc1 {1}
Rxc1+ {13} 43. Bxc1 {2} Nf5 {3} 44. Bxg5 {12} Ke4 {5} 45. Bd2 {19} Kxd5 {4} 46.
Kg2 {2} Ke6 {19} 47. Kf3 {10} Nd4+ {2} 48. Kg4 {16} Nb3 {7} 49. Bc3 {9} a5 {6}
50. h4 {2} Kf7 {2} 51. Kf5 {3} Nc5 {86} 52. h5 {14} Nd7 {10} 53. h6 {4} Kg8 {2}
54. Bxa5 {7} Kh7 {1} 55. Bd2 {1} Nc5 {4} 56. f3 {13} Nd3 {13} 57. Be3 {13} Ne1
{7} 58. Ke4 {8} Kg6 {2} 59. Bg5 {11} Nc2 {28} 60. f4 {2} Nb4 {53} 61. f5+ {1}
Kf7 {1} 62. Bd2 {22} Nc6 {3} 63. Bc3 {8} Kg8 {1} 64. Kd5 {16} Nd8 {2} 65. Bd4 {
32} Nf7 {11} 66. Be3 {5} Nd8 {16} 67. Kd6 {7} Nf7+ {6} 68. Ke7 {6} Ne5 {5} 69.
f6 {17} Ng6+ {1} 70. Ke8 {3} Ne5 {9} 71. Bf4 {10} Nf7 {3} 72. h7+ {4} 1-0

 M.G. Gahan knows how to have fun!

M.G. Gahan (2305) scored 6.5/9, performing at 2585.

Gahan came to the rapid tournament on the back of a blitz marathon and had a start rating of 2305. Almost all his games were against players rated 2400+.

Black to play (under time pressure). Evaluate the position and decide what move you must play.

In the seventh round, after a topsy-turvy middlegame, Gahan reached the above position. He has a rook and a knight for two pawns. But White has a life-threatening threat. Both the players were under time-pressure. Is Black winning, or is White?

[Event "rapid"] [Site "?"] [Date "2016.07.21"] [Round "7.9"] [White "Hasangatin, Ramil"] [Black "Gahan MG"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B01"] [WhiteElo "2505"] [BlackElo "2249"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "r4k2/ppq2rpQ/1n6/2b5/8/1BP4P/PP4P1/4R2K b - - 0 29"] [PlyCount "11"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] [SourceDate "2003.06.08"] [TimeControl "900+10"] [WhiteClock "0:00:21"] [BlackClock "0:00:37"] 29... Be3 $1 {the only move that holds equality.} 30. Bxf7 $2 {141} ({Now, white must take a draw with} 30. Qh8+ Ke7 31. Qh4+ (31. Rxe3+ $2 Kd7 32. Bxf7 ( 32. Qh4 Rf1#) 32... Rxh8 $19) 31... Kf8 32. Qh8+ $11) 30... Qxf7 {18} 31. Rxe3 {46} (31. Qh8+ Qg8 $17) 31... Qf1+ {1} 32. Kh2 {1} Qf4+ 33. Rg3 Qe5 {7 Black has a piece for two stagnant pawns. Black must be winning.} 34. h4 {35} Re8 { 56 and black soon won.} 0-1

In the final round, Gahan landed in a soup, only to wriggle out of it just in time.

[Event "rapid"] [Site "?"] [Date "2016.07.21"] [Round "9.13"] [White "Gahan MG"] [Black "Belyakov, Bogdan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C44"] [WhiteElo "2249"] [BlackElo "2488"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "r4rk1/p4p2/3bbp1p/3p4/8/8/PPB1NPPP/3R1RK1 b - - 0 18"] [PlyCount "29"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] [SourceDate "2003.06.08"] [TimeControl "900+10"] [WhiteClock "0:01:03"] [BlackClock "0:01:07"] {The position should be dynamically equal. White has a more normal pawn structure, but black has the bishop pair and good centre control. he continues energetically.} 18... Be5 {12} 19. b4 {50} Rfb8 {40} 20. f4 {66} Bg4 {2} 21. Bd3 {69} Bd6 {11} 22. b5 $2 {18} (22. a3 a5 23. h3 Bd7 24. Nc3 axb4 25. axb4 Bxb4 26. Nxd5 Kg7 27. Kh2 $11) 22... Re8 {2} 23. Rd2 {10} Bb4 {56} 24. Rc2 {34} Re3 {14} 25. Nc1 {19} Ba3 {251} 26. Rc3 {29} Bxc1 {6} 27. Rfxc1 {4} d4 {1} 28. Ra3 {66} Bf5 $2 {6} (28... Rc8 29. Rxc8+ Bxc8 30. Rxa7 Rxd3 31. b6 Kg7 32. b7 Bxb7 33. Rxb7 Rd1+ 34. Kf2 Rd2+ 35. Kf3 Rxa2 36. Rd7 Rd2 $11) 29. b6 $1 {20} Rb8 {239} (29... Bxd3 30. b7 Rb8 31. Rc8+ $18) (29... Rxd3 30. b7 Rb8 31. Rxd3 $18) 30. bxa7 {23} Ra8 {1} 31. Rb1 {48} Rxa7 {7} 32. Rxa7 {8} Bxd3 {2} 1-0

IM Visakh N.R. (2198) scored 6.0/9.

The playing arena
[Event "rapid"] [Site "?"] [Date "2016.07.21"] [Round "6.26"] [White "Domogaev, Sergey"] [Black "Konguvel, Ponnuswamy"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D85"] [WhiteElo "2419"] [BlackElo "2379"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "3R4/1qr2k1p/5bp1/p3r3/1p6/3Q2P1/P4B1P/3R2K1 w - - 0 36"] [PlyCount "14"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] [SourceDate "2003.06.08"] [TimeControl "900+10"] [WhiteClock "0:01:26"] [BlackClock "0:01:01"] 36. Qb3+ {7} Kg7 $4 {39} (36... Re6 37. R8d6 Rce7 38. Rb6 Qe4 $11) 37. Qg8+ {51 } Kh6 {0} 38. Qf8+ {8} Kg5 {37} 39. h4+ {12} (39. R8d4 $18 Qf3 40. h4+ Kh5 41. g4+ $18) 39... Kg4 {12 the only move that is also winning for black!} 40. Qxf6 {8} Kh3 {2 the point!} 41. R8d5 {21} Qxd5 {50} (41... Rxd5 {is less flashy, but almost mates.}) 42. Rxd5 {54} Rc1+ {0} 0-1

Indian Overview

SNo   Name Rtg FED 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Pts. Rk. Group
33 GM NEELOTPAL Das 2441 IND 1 0 ½ 1 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 4,5 83 G1
39 GM SUNDARARAJAN Kidambi 2418 IND 1 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 0 ½ 5,5 33 G1
41 IM SATYAPRAGYAN Swayangsu 2412 IND 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 ½ 0 5,5 35 G1
52   MOHAMMAD Nubairshah Shaikh 2368 IND 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 5,0 60 G1
64 IM KONGUVEL Ponnuswamy 2328 IND 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 ½ 0 4,5 63 G1
65   KULKARNI Rakesh 2321 IND 1 0 1 1 ½ 1 0 1 ½ 6,0 24 G1
68   ANTONIO Viani Dcunha 2305 IND 1 1 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 4,0 87 G1
69   GAHAN M G 2305 IND 1 1 1 ½ 1 0 1 0 1 6,5 11 G1
70   HEMANT Sharma 2305 IND 1 ½ 1 1 0 0 0 1 ½ 5,0 49 G1
79 IM KATHMALE Sameer 2246 IND 0 1 0 1 0 ½ 1 0 1 4,5 74 G1
86 IM PURANIK Abhimanyu 2227 IND 1 1 1 ½ 1 0 ½ 1 1 7,0 3 G1
91 IM VISAKH N R 2198 IND ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 6,0 22 G1
114   RAJA Harshit 2092 IND 0 0 1 ½ 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 4,5 82 G1
147   BHARADWAJ Dhanush 1755 IND 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 ½ 4,5 73 G1 

The tournament had a unique brand ambassador to spice things up — the mischievous knight!

And the festival had some legendary guests too! Oh, by the way, it is her birthday today (July 23). Happy Birthday, Judit Polgar!

 

Final Standings:

Rk. SNo     Name Typ sex FED Rtg Club/City Pts.  TB1   TB2   TB3 
1 6   GM PIORUN Kacper F   POL 2585   8,0 40,5 52,0 7
2 8   GM NOVIKOV Stanislav F   RUS 2574   7,5 40,5 51,5 7
3 86   IM PURANIK Abhimanyu F   IND 2227   7,0 40,5 51,5 6
4 18   GM BAYARSAIKHAN Gundavaa F   MGL 2509   7,0 39,5 51,0 6
5 5   IM CHIGAEV Maksim F   RUS 2587   7,0 39,0 49,5 6
6 9   GM BRYZGALIN Kirill F   RUS 2567   7,0 36,5 48,0 6
7 7   GM NABATY Tamir F   ISR 2574   6,5 42,5 54,5 6
8 21   IM ZAKHARTSOV Vladimir F   RUS 2491   6,5 40,5 51,0 5
9 12   IM YUFFA Daniil F   RUS 2544   6,5 40,0 51,5 5
10 19   GM ZILKA Stepan F   CZE 2494   6,5 40,0 51,0 5
11 69     GAHAN M G F   IND 2305   6,5 40,0 50,5 6
12 44   IM MALAKHOV Igor F   RUS 2400   6,5 38,5 47,5 5
13 15   GM CVEK Robert F   CZE 2531 Sk Slavoj Poruba 6,5 37,0 48,0 5
14 2   GM MOVSESIAN Sergei F   ARM 2703   6,5 37,0 47,5 6
15 38   IM RASIK Vitezslav F   CZE 2423   6,5 32,5 42,5 6

Check the complete standings here.

 

Games in PGN (Click on G1)


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