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The Tata Steel Chess India Blitz 2024 in Kolkata witnessed a thrilling first half, with World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and three-time World Women's Blitz champion Kateryna Lagno dominating the Open and Women's sections, respectively.Carlsen, known for his exceptional chess prowess, started the tournament with a strong 6.5 points out of a possible 9. However, his winning streak was broken in round eight by Indian prodigy Arjun Erigaisi, who defeated him in a stunning 20-move game. Carlsen later settled for a draw against Vidit Gujarathi in the final round of the day.India's R Praggnanandhaa, a rising star in the chess world, emerged as a strong contender, securing second place with 6 points. After losing his first three games, Praggnanandhaa displayed remarkable resilience, winning six consecutive games to close the gap on Carlsen.Arjun Erigaisi and Russia's Daniil Dubov are tied for third place with 5.5 points each. Erigaisi's victory over Carlsen was a major upset, showcasing his potential as a future chess champion.In the Women's section, Lagno maintained an undefeated streak, accumulating 7 points with five wins and four draws. Valentina Gunina trails her by a single point, while Rapid Champion Aleksandra Goryachkina occupies third place with 5 points.Goryachkina had a promising start with three consecutive wins but struggled to maintain her momentum, drawing her remaining six games.

Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa put up a valiant fight against world number one Magnus Carlsen of Norway in the eighth round of the Norway Chess Tournament, but ultimately succumbed to the Norwegian's superior experience. However, Praggnanandhaa's elder sister, Vaishali, emerged victorious against overnight leader Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine in the women's section.Carlsen's victory extended his lead to a full point over Hikaru Nakamura of the United States, who suffered a defeat against Firouzja Alireza of France. Meanwhile, World Champion Ding Liren of China continued his disappointing run, losing to Fabiano Caruana of the United States.With just two rounds remaining in the six-player double round-robin tournament, Carlsen holds a commanding lead with 14.5 points, followed by Nakamura with 13.5 points. Praggnanandhaa sits in third place with 12 points, while Alireza trails him by a full point. Caruana occupies fifth place with nine points, while Liren languishes at the bottom with 4.5 points.In the women's section, world champion Wenjun Ju of China surged ahead of the field with 14.5 points after defeating Pia Cramling of Sweden. Muzychuk's loss to Vaishali dropped her to second place with 13 points, 1.5 points ahead of Vaishali and Tingjie Lei of China. Koneru Humpy of India remains in fifth place with eight points.All three games in the men's category ended in draws in the Classical format, leading to Armageddon games as per tournament rules. Carlsen struggled to break down Praggnanandhaa's solid defense in the Classical game, eventually reaching a theoretically drawn rooks and pawns endgame. However, in the return game, Praggnanandhaa's inexperience showed as he lost several pawns and eventually succumbed to Carlsen's superior endgame technique.Nakamura remained within striking distance of Carlsen despite his loss to Alireza. The Frenchman played an impressive game and will fancy his chances in the remaining rounds. Vaishali defeated Muzychuk for the second time in the tournament in the Armageddon game, taking advantage of her better-placed rooks to secure the victory.Humpy's hopes of a comeback were dashed by her loss to Tingjie Lei. The Indian star, known for her resilience, now needs two wins to finish the tournament on a high note.

18-year-old Indian chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa has achieved a historic milestone by securing his first classical victory over five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen. This triumph, which occurred in Round 3 of Norway Chess, marks a significant moment in Praggnanandhaa's career and underscores his exceptional talent.Praggnanandhaa's victory was not a fluke but rather the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. He has previously defeated Carlsen in faster time controls, but this classical win is a testament to his growing maturity and skill. Playing with the Black pieces, Praggnanandhaa exploited an inaccuracy in Carlsen's opening and seized the initiative.Carlsen's attempt to throw off Praggnanandhaa with a dubious opening choice backfired, as the Indian maintained a high level of accuracy throughout the game. Praggnanandhaa's superior calculation skills and gumption allowed him to outwit Carlsen and secure the win in 37 moves.Praggnanandhaa's victory is a significant achievement for Indian chess and a testament to the rising talent of young players. It also highlights the changing landscape of chess, where younger players are increasingly challenging the established elite.Praggnanandhaa's win came on the birthday of fellow Indian prodigy D Gukesh, who recently qualified for the World Championship challenger's tournament. This coincidence adds to the significance of Praggnanandhaa's victory and underscores the bright future of Indian chess.Despite his historic win, Praggnanandhaa remains humble and focused. He recognizes the importance of not letting emotions affect his performance and is determined to continue improving his game.

Indian chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa secured an impressive fourth place finish at the Rapid and Blitz chess tournament in Poland, while world number one Magnus Carlsen emerged victorious after a remarkable performance on the final day.Carlsen, trailing China's Wei Yi by 2.5 points entering the final day, unleashed a stunning nine-game winning streak, including victories over three Indian players: Arjun Erigaisi, Gukesh D, and Praggnanandhaa. This triumph marks Carlsen's seventh consecutive tournament win, solidifying his dominance in the chess world.Arjun Erigaisi finished in fifth place, while Gukesh D, the youngest-ever challenger to the world title, placed 10th. Carlsen's victory propelled him to the top of the Grand Chess Tour 2024 season standings, a prestigious circuit of tournaments offering substantial prize pools.Praggnanandhaa's fourth-place finish is a testament to his exceptional talent. In 2023, he became the world's youngest chess player to reach the World Cup final, joining Viswanathan Anand as the only Indians to achieve this feat. His remarkable rise to prominence continued in 2022, when he defeated Carlsen multiple times, showcasing India's growing chess prowess.Praggnanandhaa's journey began at the tender age of five, and he became India's youngest and the world's second-youngest Grandmaster at age 12 in 2018. He is the fifth-youngest person to achieve the Grandmaster title, following Abhimanyu Mishra, Sergey Karjakin, Gukesh D, and Javokhir Sindarov.The International Chess Federation (FIDE) acknowledged Carlsen's triumph, tweeting, "Magnus Carlsen emerged as the winner of the 2024 Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz. The World #1 became the leader of the Grand Chess Tour 2024 season and took home $40,000 first prize."

India's R Praggnanandhaa continues to impress in the Superbet rapid and blitz chess tournament, securing another victory over world number one Magnus Carlsen of Norway. However, Wei Yi of China has extended his lead to a commanding 2.5 points after the first day of blitz.With nine rounds remaining in the blitz event, Wei Yi has accumulated an impressive 20.5 points, including seven wins on the opening day. The Chinese prodigy appears unstoppable and is poised to claim the first leg of the Grand Chess Tour unless a significant setback occurs.Carlsen, with 18 points, trails Wei Yi by a significant margin. Praggnanandhaa's consistent victories over the world champion in rapid chess have contributed to Carlsen's current position. However, Praggnanandhaa remains behind the leaders with 14.5 points, making it a two-horse race for the title.Arjun Erigaisi of India occupies fourth place with 14 points, followed by Duda Jan-Krzysztof of Poland with 13 points. Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan and Vincent Keymer of Germany are in sixth and seventh place, respectively, with 12.5 and 11.5 points.Anish Giri of Holland has improved his position to ninth with 10.5 points. In contrast, world championship challenger D. Gukesh of India continues to struggle, languishing at the bottom of the standings with 9.5 points.Carlsen has acknowledged that his nervous system was affected by his second-round loss to Praggnanandhaa. The world number one managed to secure six points out of nine, a respectable result, but he suffered another blunder against Abdusattorov after his defeat to the Indian prodigy.Wei Yi began the day with a loss to Gukesh but quickly recovered, conceding only a draw to Carlsen while winning the remaining seven games. Gukesh had a challenging day despite his strong start against the tournament leader, scoring only 2.5 points.Arjun's victories over Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh keep him in contention for a podium finish. Despite losses to Wei Yi and Carlsen, Arjun secured five wins and two draws in his other games, giving him optimism for the final day.

Chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa has garnered praise from legendary grandmaster Gary Kasparov for his quick and efficient autograph-signing technique. In a video posted on Twitter, Kasparov remarked, "Smart lad; a fast and short signature means your hand doesn't get sore so quickly!"Praggnanandhaa's rise to stardom has been meteoric. In 2023, he became the youngest player to reach the World Cup final, following in the footsteps of Viswanathan Anand. His impressive victories over Magnus Carlsen in 2022 brought India's chess prowess into the spotlight.The Chennai-based prodigy began his chess journey at the tender age of 5. By 12, he had become India's youngest and the world's second-youngest Grandmaster. Praggnanandhaa's love for mathematics and his ability to unwind with Tamil music and television shows add to his multifaceted personality.In 2023, Praggnanandhaa secured a silver medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games. His achievements have cemented his status as one of the most promising young chess players in the world.Kasparov's praise for Praggnanandhaa's autograph-signing technique highlights the importance of efficiency and practicality in the world of chess. The ability to conserve energy and maintain focus during long tournaments can give players a competitive edge.Praggnanandhaa's success is a testament to his hard work, dedication, and natural talent. As he continues to climb the ranks of chess, he is sure to inspire future generations of players and bring further glory to India on the global stage.

In the realm of Indian chess, the age of 17 has emerged as a pivotal milestone, marking a transition from adolescence to adulthood. It is an age where young prodigies are often dismissed as lacking the experience and maturity to compete with the elite. However, two exceptional talents, R Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh, have shattered these stereotypes, proving that age is no barrier to greatness.Praggnanandhaa, now 18, made headlines in 2023 when he reached the final of the World Cup, defeating a string of world-class players along the way. Gukesh, still 17, is currently tied for first place in the prestigious Candidates tournament in Toronto, with just two rounds remaining. Should he emerge victorious, he will have the opportunity to challenge for the world championship.Gukesh's performance in the Candidates has been nothing short of remarkable. He has displayed a level of composure, focus, and resilience that belies his age. Even after a heartbreaking loss that threatened to derail his tournament chances, he rebounded with a decisive win in the next game.This resilience is not new to Gukesh. At the age of 15, he suffered a devastating loss in the final round of the Reykjavik Open, missing a tactic that cost him the tournament victory. However, he quickly recovered, defeating Praggnanandhaa in a rematch a week later and going on to win three more tournaments in Spain without losing a single game.Gukesh's success can be attributed to his unwavering dedication to chess. Unlike many young players who are pushed into the game by ambitious parents, Gukesh's passion for the game was self-driven. He chose to prioritize chess over academics, a decision that was supported by his parents despite its unconventional nature.Going into the Candidates, Gukesh's chances were not widely touted. History has shown that young talents often struggle under the intense pressure of high-stakes competition. However, Gukesh has proven to be an exception. He has stuck to his game plan, remaining calm and patient, and has shown a maturity that belies his years.Gukesh's performance has not only impressed the chess world but has also challenged the perception of young players as lacking in experience and maturity. He has shown that age is no barrier to greatness and that with dedication, focus, and resilience, anything is possible.

In the eighth round of the Candidates chess tournament in Toronto, India's D Gukesh regained his joint lead with Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia after a decisive victory over compatriot Vidit Gujrathi. Gukesh's triumph came on a day when R Praggnanandhaa drew with Firouza Alireza of France, while Hikaru Nakamura defeated Fabiano Caruana in an all-American duel.Gukesh's victory was a testament to his tactical prowess. He surprised Gujrathi with a rare variation in the opening, forcing his opponent into a long thought process that cost him valuable time. Gukesh seized control of the only open file and used his queen and rook to penetrate Gujrathi's defenses. Despite Gujrathi's resistance, Gukesh's pressure proved too much, and he eventually checkmated his opponent in 38 moves.Praggnanandhaa, on the other hand, was unable to make significant progress with his white pieces against Alireza. The Indian opted for a variation in the Sicilian Taimanov that Alireza equalized without much difficulty. The players reached an equal endgame after the Queens were traded, and the draw was agreed upon ten moves later.Nakamura continued his dominance over Caruana, defeating the world number two in just 35 moves. Nakamura took his chances in the closed Ruy Lopez and capitalized on Caruana's unwarranted complications in the middle game. Caruana's time shortage also played a role in his downfall, as he missed a tactic in a difficult position.In the Women's section, Koneru Humpy scored a crucial victory over compatriot R Vaishali to move up to 3.5 points. Humpy's technical prowess proved superior to Vaishali's in an exchange down endgame, as her pair of rooks eventually outmaneuvered Vaishali's Bishop and Rook.The ninth round promises an exciting clash between Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa in the men's section, while Gujrathi faces the in-form Nakamura. The tournament remains wide open, with six rounds still to play.