Carlsen, the world number one, capitalized on a blunder by Ding Liren to secure a victory, propelling him to the top with 12 points. This win was further bolstered by Fabiano Caruana‘s victory over Hikaru Nakamura, leaving Nakamura trailing Carlsen by a single point.Ding Liren, the reigning World Champion, continues to struggle, sitting at a distant last place with a meager 2.5 points.
Praggnanandhaa, after a hard-fought draw in the Classical game, lost to Firouzja Alireza in the Armageddon tiebreaker. This defeat places him third with 9.5 points, still within striking distance of the leaders.
In the women’s section, Vaishali suffered a loss against the reigning Women’s World Champion, Wenjun Ju, who expertly navigated the endgame to secure victory. This loss allowed Wenjun to share the lead with Anna Muzychuk, who won her match against Tingjie Lei in Armageddon. Both leaders stand at 10.5 points, a mere half point ahead of Vaishali.
The tournament, with four rounds remaining in both sections, promises further excitement. Carlsen appears poised for victory, but with Nakamura close behind, the fight for the title remains open. Praggnanandhaa, despite the recent setback, still has the opportunity to climb the ranks. Similarly, Vaishali will be aiming to bounce back and reclaim the top spot in the women’s section.
The tournament has also sparked discussions about the upcoming World Championship match. With bids from Delhi, Chennai, and Singapore under consideration by FIDE, the chess world eagerly awaits the announcement of the host city.
Results
Men: Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 12) beat Ding Liren (Chn, 2.5) 3-0; Hikaru Nakamura (USA, 11) lost to Fabiano Caruana (Usa, 6.5) 1-1.5; Firouzja Alireza (Fra, 8) beat R Praggnanandhaa (10) 1.5-1.
Women: R Vaishali (Ind, 10) lost to Wenjun Ju (Chn, 10.5) 0-3; K Humpy (Ind, 5) lost to Pia Cramling (Swe, 4.5) 1-1.5; Anna Muzychuk (10.5 beat Tingkie Lei (Chn, 7) 1.5-1).
(Inputs from PTI)
