The chess world is in the galleries now - eager eyes fixed on one of the most prestigious and thrilling tournaments of the year. The Champions Chess Tournament 2020 has kicked off with its initial episode on 22nd November. An initiative by the Play Magnus Group, the Champions Chess Tour is one of its kind in online chess, where leading players across the globe will compete over ten tournaments spread over 10 months for a total prize amount of USD 1.5 million.
The threshold for the tournament is Skilling Open. With 16 participants, including India’s Vidit Gujarati, the event commenced on the 22nd and would end by 30th November.
The tournament’s first season, named after the chess wizard Magnus Carlsen, was an enormous success with over 17 million views over various platforms. The second season that kicked off in November will wrap up by mid 2021.
For India, the tournament has brought added flavours this year.
India’s sweet victory in online chess: Online Chess Olympiad 2020
The Champion’s Chess tournament has its ‘Indian Open’ which is one of the three majors. Those who win the regular tournaments will compete in the majors and those who bag the majors will appear for the finals to be held in September 2021.
Skilling Open’s Ugly Win – Knocking it out
The event witnessed eight of the leading Grandmasters eliminated in the Knock-out round. China’s top lead Ding Liren, the teen star Alireza Firouzja were a few of the surprise ‘knocked-outs’. Netherland’s Anish Giri and France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave managed to wriggle into the top eight with some efforts despite tight situations.
For starters, the World Champion had a tough time with his formidable rival Anish Giri in the Skilling Open, dragging to a draw in the first game of the best-of-four-rapid-game set. Carlsen won the c match by 2.5-1.5, though he called it an ugly win. As the other pre-match favourites, Hikaru Nakamura, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Wesley So were defeated in the quarter-finals, Carlsen emerged the strong winner.
To get a brush-up on the other flashbacks of Skilling Open, here a few details:
Levon Aronian, won against Nepomiachtchi (0.5-1.5 ) though he lost the second game. Teimour Radjabov won against Wesley So in the first and third games with black pieces and became the fastest winner of the day.
Between Maxime-Vachier Lagrave and Nakamura, the former stood a strong ground in the first game, survived the second with a strong defense and drew twice to secure his position.
India’s very own Vidit Gujarati – the only Indian to appear for Skilling Open – compromised in the opening round with Alireza Firouzja and wrapped up with three draws. Vidit (1.5 points) also drew with Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Ding Liren, but later losing to Aronian as well as Anish Giri (4).
With Ian Nepomniachtchi, Magnus Carlsen (3.5) had an initial winning position only to lose his queen later thanks to a dramatic 'mouse-slip'. But the master player grabbed his victories during the last three rounds and shared the second spot with David Anton.
While Anton emerged a surprise-packet, Giri ruled as the tournament lead.
Skilling Open- The semifinals
The semifinals saw Carlsen and So taking the lead.
Magnus Carlsen found himself in a similar situation with Ian Nepomniachtchi as he did with Anish Giri in his earlier match. The first game of the day saw him winning after clearing his path with a strong advantage.
Meanwhile, Wesley So’s had a one-sided victory over Hikaru Nakamura in the initial mini-match. Nakamura struggled hard to hold his position in his first game with white against. In the second game that was a closed battle so he gave up his knights for a calculated checkmating attack.
So will confront his opponent Carlsen in the finals of Skilling Open. Carlsen had confessed that he wasn't “playing that great '' after his tough battle against Ian Nepomniachtchi. Though the Russian player won Saturday’s first game following a few misses initially, the Norwegian Grandmaster bounced back in the next game to ensure his seat in the online final.
Closing In - The Finals
As the Skilling Open event is coming to a close, Carlsen and So have their face-off on 30th November. The first game of the day drew in a tie 2:2 following incredibly massive blows between the two. Carlsen emerged the winner in the first game in his signature style. Wesley So seemed to have a tormenting day as he missed out on an opportunity, but soon Carlsen lost his grip in a mating net.
Though the World Champion managed to get back to his feet and win Game 3, So had the day for his glory in the final game. The winner will be decided on Monday, the 30th, and the world is watching eagerly if the World Champion will wrap the prize fund of $30,000 as his 30th birthday present.
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