Men's Premier 08: clash of the titans!

by Priyadarshan Banjan - 23/11/2015

Round eight witnessed the highly awaited Sethu-Vidit clash, which lived up to its top billing in the complexity and the excitement it generated. Deep Sengupta won his first game of the tournament by defeating Shyam Sundar while M.R. Venkatesh took down Swapnil. Kunte managed to win with a sweet little tactic after Arghyadip blundered. M. Karthikeyan wiped out Rathnakaran on the kingside while P. Karthikeyan put it across Shyaamnikhil.

Round eight witnessed the highly awaited Sethu-Vidit clash, which lived up to its top billing in its complexity and excitement. Deep Sengupta won his first game of the tournament by defeating Shyam Sundar while M.R. Venkatesh took down Swapnil. Kunte managed to win with a sweet little tactic after Arghyadip blundered. M. Karthikeyan wiped out Rathnakaran on the kingside while P. Karthikeyan put it across Shyaamnikhil.

GM S.P. Sethuraman

GM Vidit Gujrathi

The classical French between these two titans turned into a crazy affair as Sethu launched himself on the kingside with his pawns while Vidit returned the punches on the other flank, where White's King stood.

The game was further complicated when Vidit bombed the center with 26...e5, initiating a complicated series of exchanges embedded with a queen sacrifice, en-passant. All this happened while both players were grappled by serious time-trouble.

[Event "ONGC 53rd National Premier Chess Champi"]
[Site "Hotel Kasi's Inn,Tiruvarur"]
[Date "2015.11.23"]
[Round "8.3"]
[White "Sethuraman, S.P."]
[Black "Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C11"]
[WhiteElo "2651"]
[BlackElo "2651"]
[PlyCount "96"]
[EventDate "2015.11.15"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "IND"]
[SourceDate "2003.06.08"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 Be7 8. Qd2
O-O 9. dxc5 Nxc5 10. O-O-O a6 11. h4 Qa5 12. Kb1 b5 13. Bd3 b4 14. Ne2 Nxd3 15.
Qxd3 Qb5 16. Qd2 a5 17. Ned4 Nxd4 18. Nxd4 Qc4 19. g4 f6 20. exf6 Bxf6 21. h5
a4 22. h6 g6 23. Rhe1 Bd7 24. Bf2 Rfe8 25. Nf3 b3 26. Bd4 e5 27. fxe5 Bxg4 28.
exf6 bxc2+ 29. Qxc2 Bf5 30. Qxf5 gxf5 31. Rg1+ (31. Ng5 $3 $16 Re4 32. f7+ Kf8
33. Rxe4 dxe4 34. Bc5+ Qxc5 35. Ne6+ Kxf7 36. Nxc5 Ra5 37. Rd5 f4 38. Rd7+ Ke8
39. Rd4 Rxc5 40. Rxe4+ Kd8 41. Rd4+ Ke7 42. Rxf4 Rh5 43. Rxa4 Rh1+ 44. Kc2 Rh2+
45. Kc1 Rh1+ 46. Kd2 Rh2+ 47. Ke3 Rh3+) 31... Kf8 32. Ng5 Re2 33. Nxh7+ Ke8 34.
a3 Rb8 35. Ka1 Rb3 36. f7+ Kxf7 37. Rg7+ Ke8 38. Nf6+ Kd8 39. Rg8+ Ke7 40.
Nxd5+ Qxd5 (40... Kf7 $1 41. Rg7+ Kf8 42. Nb4 Rxa3+ 43. bxa3 Qb3 $19) 41. Bf6+
Kxf6 42. Rxd5 Rexb2 43. Rg1 Rh2 44. Rf1 Rxa3+ 45. Kb1 Rb3+ 46. Ka1 Ra3+ 47. Kb1
Rb3+ 48. Ka1 Ra3+ 1/2-1/2

Practically, it is next to impossible to calculate all the details accurately, especially with mere seconds left per move. Sethu and Vidit did miss chances galore, but see the game and tell us, are you not entertained?

Arghyadip had a healthy position

until he poisoned himself with...

32. Rf5 in this position. What did Black reply?

Kunte tried his best to scare his opponent with a fork, and he succeeded!

[Event "ONGC 53rd National Premier Chess Champi"]
[Site "Hotel Kasi's Inn,Tiruvarur"]
[Date "2015.11.23"]
[Round "8.2"]
[White "Das, Arghyadip"]
[Black "Kunte, Abhijit"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B41"]
[WhiteElo "2456"]
[BlackElo "2515"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[EventDate "2015.11.15"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "IND"]
[SourceDate "2003.06.08"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Qc7 7. Be2 b6 8. O-O
Bb7 9. Qd3 Nc6 10. Nxc6 Bxc6 11. Be3 Bb4 12. Rac1 Bc5 13. a3 O-O 14. b4 Bxe3
15. Qxe3 e5 16. Rfd1 Rfb8 17. f3 Bb7 18. Rd3 h6 19. Bd1 Ra7 20. Bb3 Bc6 21.
Rcd1 a5 22. b5 Ba8 23. Na4 Rab7 24. Rd6 Qd8 25. c5 bxc5 26. Bc4 Ne8 27. R6d2 d6
28. Nc3 Rd7 29. f4 Qe7 30. fxe5 Qxe5 31. Rf2 Nf6 32. Rf5 Qxh2+ 33. Kxh2 Ng4+
34. Kg1 Nxe3 35. Be2 Nxd1 36. Bxd1 Re8 37. Bf3 Re5 38. Rxe5 dxe5 39. Na4 c4 0-1

For the second time in this tournament, the clock had a meltdown mid game, and a change of guard became necessary. Curiously, both the incidents involved Arghyadip with alternate colours!

Deep won his first game of the tournament as he managed to put pressure on Shyam Sundar's kingside and centre, especially with the stroke 34.e5! resulting in concrete material gains.

[Event "ONGC 53rd National Premier Chess Champi"]
[Site "Hotel Kasi's Inn,Tiruvarur"]
[Date "2015.11.23"]
[Round "8.7"]
[White "Sengupta, Deep"]
[Black "Shyam, Sundar M"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C84"]
[WhiteElo "2589"]
[BlackElo "2481"]
[PlyCount "87"]
[EventDate "2015.11.15"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "IND"]
[SourceDate "2003.06.08"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. O-O Be7 7. c3 O-O 8. h3
Bd7 9. Nbd2 Re8 10. Re1 Bf8 11. d4 h6 12. Bc2 g6 13. Nf1 Bg7 14. Ng3 Qe7 15. d5
Nb8 16. Be3 a5 17. b3 Na6 18. a3 b5 19. Qd2 Kh7 20. Rad1 Reb8 21. b4 axb4 22.
axb4 Bf8 23. Nh2 Be8 24. f4 Nd7 25. Nf3 Bg7 26. Nf1 Rc8 27. N1h2 c5 28. fxe5
Nxe5 29. Nxe5 Qxe5 30. bxc5 Nxc5 31. Bd4 Qg5 32. Qf2 Ra2 33. Nf3 Qd8 34. e5
dxe5 35. Bxc5 Rxc5 36. Bxg6+ fxg6 37. Qxc5 Bd7 38. d6 Qa8 39. Qe3 Qc6 40. Kh1
Rc2 41. Qe4 Qxc3 42. Nh4 Bxh3 43. d7 Bxg2+ 44. Nxg2 1-0

Praneeth played his pet Najdorf yet again and settled for a draw with...

The Drawcula of the tournament: Neelotpal has drawn six of his eight games so far, in spite of playing fighting chess

[Event "ONGC 53rd National Premier Chess Champi"]
[Site "Hotel Kasi's Inn,Tiruvarur"]
[Date "2015.11.23"]
[Round "8.6"]
[White "Neelotpal, Das"]
[Black "K., Praneeth Surya"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B94"]
[WhiteElo "2475"]
[BlackElo "2413"]
[PlyCount "66"]
[EventDate "2015.11.15"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "IND"]
[SourceDate "2003.06.08"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 Nbd7 7. Bc4 Qb6 8.
Bb3 e6 9. O-O Be7 10. Kh1 Nc5 11. Qe2 h6 12. Bh4 O-O 13. f4 Qc7 14. e5 dxe5 15.
fxe5 Nh7 16. Bxe7 Qxe7 17. Qe3 Qg5 18. Rf4 b6 19. h4 Qh5 20. Kg1 Bb7 21. Raf1
Rad8 22. Bc4 Nd7 23. Re1 g5 24. hxg5 Nxg5 25. Qg3 Qg6 26. Bd3 Qg7 27. Rg4 Nc5
28. Re3 Kh8 29. Rh4 Rg8 30. Nce2 Nxd3 31. cxd3 Nh7 32. Qxg7+ Rxg7 33. g3 Rg6
1/2-1/2

Rathnakaran was smashed out of the park by...

Murali Karthikeyan, who after a 0/2 start is standing alone at the third spot with 5.0/8

[Event "ONGC 53rd National Premier Chess Champi"]
[Site "Hotel Kasi's Inn,Tiruvarur"]
[Date "2015.11.23"]
[Round "8.5"]
[White "Karthikeyan, Murali"]
[Black "Rathnakaran, K."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C04"]
[WhiteElo "2498"]
[BlackElo "2447"]
[PlyCount "89"]
[EventDate "2015.11.15"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "IND"]
[SourceDate "2003.06.08"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nd7 6. Nb3 f6 7. Bb5 a5 8. a4
Be7 9. exf6 Bxf6 10. O-O O-O 11. Re1 Qe7 12. Bf4 Ndb8 13. Qd2 b6 14. Qc3 Bb7
15. Re2 Rc8 16. Rae1 Nd8 17. Qe3 Nd7 18. g4 g6 19. h4 Nf8 20. g5 Bg7 21. Nh2 c6
22. Bd3 c5 23. Bb5 Nf7 24. Ng4 Ba6 25. Bxa6 Rxa6 26. Be5 Nxe5 27. dxe5 Qe8 28.
Qf4 b5 29. Nf6+ Bxf6 30. exf6 bxa4 31. Nd2 Rb6 32. Nf3 Nd7 33. Rd2 Rb4 34. Qg3
Qf7 35. c3 Rc4 36. Qd6 Re8 37. Rde2 Rg4+ 38. Kf1 d4 39. cxd4 cxd4 40. Rxe6 Rxe6
41. Qxe6 Qxe6 42. Rxe6 Rf4 43. Re8+ Nf8 44. Ne5 Re4 45. Re7 {The only way to
stop mate would be to go Rxe5, which is lost anyway.} 1-0

GM M.R. Venkatesh beat GM-elect Swapnil Dhopade

[Event "ONGC 53rd National Premier Chess Champi"]
[Site "Hotel Kasi's Inn,Tiruvarur"]
[Date "2015.11.23"]
[Round "8.1"]
[White "Venkatesh, M.R."]
[Black "Swapnil, S. Dhopade"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A11"]
[WhiteElo "2464"]
[BlackElo "2497"]
[PlyCount "111"]
[EventDate "2015.11.15"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "IND"]
[SourceDate "2003.06.08"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 c6 4. c4 dxc4 5. O-O Nbd7 6. Na3 Nb6 7. Qc2 Be6 8.
Ng5 Bg4 9. f3 Bh5 10. Nxc4 Qd4+ 11. Ne3 h6 12. Nh3 Bg6 13. Qb3 e5 14. f4 Bc5
15. Kh1 O-O 16. d3 e4 17. f5 Bh5 18. Nc2 Qd7 19. dxe4 Bxe2 20. Re1 Bc4 21. Qc3
Ng4 22. Bf3 h5 23. Rd1 Qe7 24. b3 Ba6 25. Bb2 f6 26. Nd4 Bxd4 27. Rxd4 Rad8 28.
Rad1 Rd7 29. Kg2 c5 30. R4d2 Rfd8 31. Nf4 Bb5 32. Ne6 Rxd2+ 33. Rxd2 Rxd2+ 34.
Qxd2 Bd7 35. Nf4 Bc6 36. Ng6 Qe8 37. h3 Nh6 38. Bxf6 Nxf5 39. exf5 Bxf3+ 40.
Kxf3 Qc6+ 41. Kf4 Qxf6 42. g4 hxg4 43. hxg4 Qd4+ 44. Qxd4 cxd4 45. Ke4 Kf7 46.
g5 Nc8 47. Kxd4 Nd6 48. Ke5 Nb5 49. Nf4 Nc3 50. g6+ Kf8 51. a4 a5 52. Nd5 Ne2
53. f6 Ng1 54. Nc7 Nf3+ 55. Kf4 Nd4 56. Ke4 1-0

P. Karthikeyan and Shyaamnikhil decided to discuss a queenless middlegame in a 3...Qd6 Scandinavian. White marched his King, almost across the board, and combined it with his rooks and two knights to win this crucial point, placing him clear second with 5.5/8 on the crosstable.

[Event "ONGC 53rd National Premier Chess Champi"]
[Site "Hotel Kasi's Inn,Tiruvarur"]
[Date "2015.11.23"]
[Round "8.4"]
[White "Karthikeyan, P."]
[Black "Shyaamnikhil, P."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B01"]
[WhiteElo "2441"]
[BlackElo "2436"]
[PlyCount "101"]
[EventDate "2015.11.15"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "IND"]
[SourceDate "2003.06.08"]

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd6 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 g6 6. Nb5 Qd8 7. c4 c6 8. Nc3
Bg7 9. h3 O-O 10. Bd3 Na6 11. Be3 c5 12. dxc5 Nd7 13. c6 bxc6 14. Rc1 Ndc5 15.
Bb1 Qxd1+ 16. Nxd1 Rd8 17. Ke2 Bf5 18. Bxf5 gxf5 19. Ne1 e5 20. Nc3 Ne6 21. f3
f4 22. Bf2 f5 23. Nc2 Rab8 24. Na4 c5 25. g4 e4 26. gxf5 Ng5 27. fxe4 Nxe4 28.
Rcd1 Re8 29. Kf3 Ng5+ 30. Kxf4 Re2 31. Kxg5 Rxf2 32. Ne3 h6+ 33. Kh4 Rf3 34.
Rhg1 Kh8 35. Rxg7 Kxg7 36. Rd7+ Kh8 37. Ng4 Rxf5 38. Nxh6 Rf2 39. Rxa7 Nb4 40.
Nxc5 Nc6 41. Rc7 Ne5 42. b3 Rbf8 43. Ng4 Nf3+ 44. Kh5 Re2 45. Kh6 Re1 46. a4
Nh4 47. Nd7 Rg8 48. Rc5 Rh1 49. Ndf6 Rg6+ 50. Kh5 Rxh3 51. Rc7 1-0

Round 9 Pairings:

Ranking Crosstable:

Watch the games LIVE!