So wins Blitz Open event

 

 

AMERICAN Grandmaster Wesley So showed remarkable consistency to clinch the title in the Open category with a round to spare, while India’s Nihal Sarin ended as runner-up in the Tata Steel Chess India Blitz chess tournament here on Sunday. TheWomen’s section also ended with a thrilling play off that saw another American Carissa Yip hold her nerve to lift the trophy.

 

India’s Vantika Agarwal finished runner up.The closing roundsof the tournament delivered relentless tension,late twists, and fitting champions in both sections. In the Open event, Wesley So aggregated 12 points for the title while Sarin ended with 11 points. Another Indian, Arjun Erigaisi ended at third spot, also with 11 points.Wesley So capitalised when Vidit Gujrathi blundered an entire rook in a double rook end game.

 

Wei Yi outplayed Viswanathan Anand, who ended at eighth with eight points, by calmly consolidating an extra exchange, while R Praggnanandhaa opened lines for his rook and established a power fulk night out post to defeat Hans Niemann. Sarin also struck with a key win over Anand,while Wesley held Wei Yi to maintain control of the standings. As the finish line approached, Erigaisi scored a notable win by preventing Anand from castling, but Wesley stayed just ahead despite several tense end games, including a draw where he blundered back an exchange against Aravindh Chithambaram.

 

A safe draw against Hans ensured Wesley’s title, even though he lost in the final round.TheWomen’s section was equally gripping. Vaishali Rameshbabu scored a convincing win over Stavroula Tsolakidou, who eventually ended at third place,while Aleksandra Goryachkina surged late, including a remarkable game featuring four queens on the board against Nana Dzagnidze.