Chess Grand Prix 2022 LIVE - Leg 1 - Vidit loses to Aronian - Updates, Results, Scores Blog
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Indian chess players Pentala Harikrishna and Vidit Gujrathi
The FIDE Chess Grand Prix cycle 2022 kick off tonight with the first leg in Berlin. There are two candidates slots up for the grabs at the end of the cycle and two Indians - Vidit Gujrathi and Pentala Harikrishna will be among the 22 other players who battle it out for the coveted spot.
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That's all we have from day 1 of Chess Grand Prix Leg 1. Pentala Harikrishna held Axeli Shirov for a draw with the black pieces, before Vidit fell against Levon Aronian with black.
There was nothing he could do there did Vidit. A hard-fought contest, but not a start the Indian was hoping for.
Vidit gives up his bishop and it seems like he knows he has lost this. He is trying for some stalemate ideas and that is the only chance he has to survive this.
40 moves have been completed and the time trouble is out of the way now. But, the position looks awful for Vidit and it would be a miracle if he can hold this.
A win is almost certainly out of the question for Vidit here. Can he hold Levon for a draw? But, even that looks increasingly difficult right now. That b7 bishop being Vidit's biggest nemesis.
The pressure is building on both Vidit and Levon. They both have 13 minutes each on the clock and they have to play 12 moves before the clock runs out.
The Armenian has a rather pleasant position though.
A three-fold repetition by Pentala Harikrisha and Alexi Shirov to settle for half a point each.
This is the final position on the board. A 30-move draw.
Shirov has been thinking for more than 30 minutes and it is not an easy position to play with Hari a pawn up. But, there is nothing the Indian can do with the extra pawn. A draw is very much on the cards here.
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