Aravindh Chithambaram wins second leg of the MPL Indian Tour

by Shahid Ahmed
6/6/2022 – The second leg of the MPL Indian Chess Tour, sponsored by the Play Magnus Group, took place on June 2-6 as a 16-player single round-robin. Aravindh Chithambaram and Nihal Sarin finished in shared first place on 32/45 points — the football scoring system was in place — but Aravindh scored a higher number of wins, which granted him tournament victory. This win earned Aravindh a spot in the next event of the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour.
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Nihal Sarin ties for first

The $100,000 MPL Indian Chess Tour is a series of four 16-player all-play-all tournaments where the winners, and the top four by Tour standings, qualify for an 8-player knockout final. The winner of each event also gets a place on the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour. The players have 15 minutes for all their moves, plus a 10-second increment starting from move one. There are 3 points for a win and 1 for a draw. Official website.

After an incredibly strong performance on day 3 of the competition — when he won all four of his games — Aravindh Chithambaram grabbed the lead in the second leg of the online tour. Two more wins and a draw on Sunday granted the 22-year-old tournament victory, as he had a better tiebreaker than Nihal Sarin, who also finished with 32/42 points.

While Nihal remained undefeated, it was Aravindh who scored ten wins, one more than his younger compatriot. Aravindh actually scored 11 wins, but Gukesh’s withdrawal — due to internet-connection difficulties — nullified that victory. GM Harsha Bharathakoti and FM Aradhya Garg were the only two players who managed to beat the eventual winner.

This win earned Aravindh a spot in the next event of Meltwater Champions Chess Tour. He also qualified for the eight-player tour finals, which will take place in November.

Leon Luke Mendonca and Raunak Sadhwani scored 26/45 each to finish in third and fourth places respectively.

MPL Indian Chess Tour 2022

In round 13, Aravindh scored his fifth straight win (out of six!) by beating Leon Mondanca with the white pieces. 

 
Aravindh vs. Mendonca - Round 13

There are always two approaches to any position: you either let your opponent do the things he/she wants or take charge and do the things you want. In short, take control. Aravindh did exactly that with 28.Nexf3!, a classy move.

The game continued 28...exf3 29.Rxe7 Bxe7 30.Ne6 Qd6 31.Nxf8 Nxf8 32.Bf5 Qf6 33.Qxf3 

 

White gave up two minor pieces for a rook, but he also got three extra pawns. Furthermore, the black bishops are unable to unleash their true potential in this position. Aravindh went on to win the game comfortably.

 
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1.e4 0 c6 0 2.d4 4 d5 2 3.exd5 1 cxd5 2 4.Bd3 0 Nf6 4 5.c3 5 Bg4 24 6.Qb3 3 Qc7 34 7.h3 1 Bd7 14 8.Nf3 26 e6 7 9.0-0 3 Bd6 16 10.Re1 2 Bc6 80 11.Nbd2 6 Nbd7 57 12.Qd1 1 0-0 44 13.Qe2 5 Nh5 64 14.Ng5 230 Nhf6 50 15.Ngf3 31 Nh5 4 16.Nf1 158 Nf4 22 17.Bxf4 2 Bxf4 0 18.g3 1 Bd6 60 19.Ne3 49 Rae8 219 20.Ng4 3 f6 113 21.Qc2 8 Kh8 52 22.Re3 192 e5 58 23.Bxh7 5 e4 16 24.Bg6 10 f5 81 25.Ng5 63 Re7 70 26.Qd1 85 f4 58 27.Ne5 63 f3 13 28.Nexf3! 88 exf3 7 28...Bxg3 29.Ne5 29.fxg3?? Qxg3+ 30.Kh1 exf3-+ 29...Bxf2+ 30.Kg2 Nf6 30...Bxe3?? 31.Qh5+ Kg8 32.Qh7# 29.Rxe7 2 Bxe7 5 30.Ne6+- 1 Qd6 10 31.Nxf8 2 Nxf8 15 32.Bf5 5 Qf6 13 33.Qxf3 6 g6 11 34.Bg4 5 Qxf3 2 35.Bxf3 0 Kg7 2 36.Re1 4 Bd6 5 37.h4 9 Kf6 3 38.Bg4 6 Kf7 35 39.Kg2 20 Nh7 12 40.Be6+ 2 Kg7 11 41.Bg4 109 Nf6 8 42.Be2 3 Ne4 14 43.Bd3 4 Nf6 10 44.f3 9 Kf7 7 45.Kf2 6 Bd7 13 46.g4 22 Bc6 11 47.Rh1 13 Bf4 5 48.h5 12 gxh5 4 49.gxh5 0 Kg7 20 50.Rg1+ 8 Kf7 6 51.Bg6+ 4 Ke6 9 52.Re1+ 7 Kd6 7 53.Rh1 20 Bh6 1 54.Kg3 4 Bd7 8 55.Re1 7 Bd2 18 56.Re2 5 Bh6 2 57.Re5 26 Be6 9 58.f4 47 Bf8 22 59.b3 25 Bh6 17 60.Re1 7 Bf8 11 61.Re2 19 Bh6 7 62.Re5 7 Nd7 13 63.Re1 7 Nf6 3 64.a4 9 Bd7 15 65.a5 9 Be6 10 66.Re2 3 Bf8 6 67.Rc2 13 Bh6 13 68.c4 5 b6 14 69.axb6 46 axb6 0 70.Rc3 12 Bg7 11 71.Rc1 2 Ne4+ 12 72.Bxe4 17 dxe4 0 73.Rd1 9 Bf5 21 74.Kf2 23 Bh6 10 75.Ke3 2 Kc6 15 76.Rg1 9 Bh7 6 77.Ra1 6 Kb7 5 78.Ra2 8 Bf5 15 79.b4 20 Bf8 13 80.c5 11 bxc5 7 81.bxc5 0 Bg7 13 82.Rg2 10 Bf6 12 83.Rg8 8 Bh4 9 84.h6 5 Kc6 7 85.h7 6 Bxh7 2 86.Rh8 1 Bf6 13 87.Rxh7 3 Kd5 3 88.Rd7+ 2 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Aravindh,C2606Mendonca,L25621–02022B13MPL Indian Chess Tour - Leg 213.3

Live stream - Day 4

Commentary by GM Srinath Narayanan and IM Tania Sachdev

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1.e4 0 e5 0 2.Nf3 3 Nc6 1 3.Bb5 1 a6 2 4.Ba4 1 d6 1 5.c3 42 Nf6 26 6.d3 23 g6 39 7.0-0 2 Bg7 2 8.Re1 10 0-0 10 9.Nbd2 1 Re8 24 10.Nf1 10 b5 18 11.Bc2 2 Bb7 1:32 12.Ng3 50 Nb8 1:16 13.h3 1:30 Nbd7 50 14.Be3 9 c5 30 15.Qd2 53 d5 17 16.Bh6 2 dxe4 3:02 17.dxe4 22 Nf8 55 18.Qe3 6 Qc7 17 19.Bxg7 1:27 Kxg7 0 20.Qg5 9 Ng8 1:26 21.Nf5+ 2:19 21.Nh5+!? Kh8 22.Nf6= 21...Kh8 3 22.Ne3 0 f6 51 23.Qh4 2 Ne6 12 24.a4 2:17 c4 1:06 25.Nd5 1:44 Bxd5 56 26.exd5 0 Nf4 2 27.Nh2 1:10 27.g3= g5 28.d6 27...Rad8 42 27...Kg7 28.axb5 2 axb5 0 29.Ng4 18 29.g3= remains equal. Nd3 30.Bxd3 cxd3 31.Qe4 29...Kg7 39 29...Rd6 30.Ra6= 29 Nxd5 56 31.Rea1 5 Qd7 24 32.Be4 33 Qf7 7 33.Bxd5 1:20 Rxd5 2 34.Rb6 1 f5 2:03 35.Ne3 8 Rc5 2 36.Rd1 35 f4 10 37.Ng4 1:05 h5 19 38.Nf6 8 38.Rdd6= keeps the balance. hxg4 39.Qg5 38...Nxf6 10 39.Rxf6 0 Qxf6 13 40.Rd7+ 2 Qf7! 1 41.Rxf7+ 1 Kxf7 0 42.g3 7 Rd5 29 42...fxg3 Threatens to win with ...e4. 43.Qxg3 e4 43.gxf4 7 e4 1 44.Qg3 10 e3 31 44...Rf5 45.fxe3= 12 Rd1+ 9 46.Kf2 13 Rd2+ 10 47.Kf3 13 Rd3 19 48.Kf2 14 b4 12 49.cxb4 40 Rd2+ 3 50.Kf3 2 Rxb2 6 51.Qg5 11 Rb3 10 52.Qc5 1:22 Kg7 18 53.b5 12 c3 13 54.Qc7+ 37 Kh6? 3      
54...Kf8± 55.Qc6? 0 55.Qf7!+- Rxe3+ 56.Kxe3 c2+ 57.Kd2 57.Qxb3 c1Q+ 58.Ke4 Qc8± 57...c1B+ 58.Kxc1 Rxb5 59.Qe8 55...Rf8!= 12 55...c2 56.Qxe8 g5 57.Qc6+ Kg7 58.Qxc2 Rxb5 59.Qc7+ Kh8 60.Qd8+ Kg7 61.Qd7+ Kf6 62.Qxb5 56.h4 23 c2 9 57.Qxc2 6 Rxb5 2 58.Qc3 5 Rb7 5 59.Qc5 6 Rbf7 11 60.Qg5+ 2 Kh7 1 61.Qd5 1 Rf5 29 62.Qd6 3 R5f6 1 63.Qd2 5 Rb6 9 64.Qd7+ 7 Kh6 2 65.Qe7 5 Rbf6 7 66.Qc7 5 R8f7 28 67.Qc1 4 Kh7 16 68.Qc5 21 Re6 5 69.Qd4 11 Rfe7 4 70.Qc5 2 Kg7 11 71.Qd4+ 2 Kf7 6 72.Qd5 1 Kf8 0 73.Qc5 2 Kg8 6 74.Qd5 2 Kh7 7 74...Kf8!? 75.Qd4 3 Rxe3+ 2 76.Qxe3 0 Rxe3+ 0 77.Kxe3 0 Kg7 1 78.Kd4 6 Kf6 2 79.Ke4 1 Ke6 0 80.Ke3! 1 Ke7 8 80...Kf5!? 81.Kf3 Ke6= 81.Ke4 5 Kf6 3 81...Ke6!? 82.Ke3 1 Kf7 4 82...Kf5!? 83.Kf3 Kf6= 83.Ke4 1 Kf6 2 83...Ke6!? 84.Ke3 3 Ke6 1 84...Kf5!? 85.Kf3 Kf6= 85.Ke4 1 Kf6 0 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Sadhwani Raunak2669Karthikeyan,M2613½–½2022C77MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20221.1
Ganguly,S2616Nihal Sarin26460–12022C50MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20221.2
Gupta,A2606Mitrabha Guha25000–12022D38MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20221.3
Puranik,A2608Aradhya Garg22751–02022C64MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20221.4
Mendonca,L2551Ghosh Diptayan2538½–½2022D24MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20221.5
Visakh N R2506Harsha Bharathakoti2547½–½2022D76MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20221.6
Vantika Agrawal2371Erigaisi Arjun2675½–½2022A43MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20221.7
Gukesh D2659Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.26060–12022D02MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20221.8
Karthikeyan,M2613Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.26060–12022B42MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20222.1
Erigaisi Arjun2675Gukesh D2659½–½2022D00MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20222.2
Harsha Bharathakoti2547Vantika Agrawal23711–02022E81MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20222.3
Ghosh Diptayan2538Visakh N R25060–12022D38MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20222.4
Aradhya Garg2275Mendonca,L2551½–½2022D45MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20222.5
Mitrabha Guha2500Puranik,A26080–12022A15MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20222.6
Nihal Sarin2646Gupta,A2606½–½2022D04MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20222.7
Sadhwani Raunak2669Ganguly,S26161–02022C67MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20222.8
Ganguly,S2616Karthikeyan,M26131–02022B06MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20223.1
Gupta,A2606Sadhwani Raunak26690–12022D38MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20223.2
Puranik,A2608Nihal Sarin2646½–½2022C54MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20223.3
Mendonca,L2551Mitrabha Guha25001–02022D38MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20223.4
Visakh N R2506Aradhya Garg22750–12022A12MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20223.5
Vantika Agrawal2371Ghosh Diptayan25380–12022A73MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20223.6
Gukesh D2659Harsha Bharathakoti2547½–½2022A59MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20223.7
Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.2606Erigaisi Arjun26751–02022E14MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20223.8
Karthikeyan,M2613Erigaisi Arjun2675½–½2022C79MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20224.1
Harsha Bharathakoti2547Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.26061–02022A20MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20224.2
Ghosh Diptayan2538Gukesh D26591–02022A13MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20224.3
Aradhya Garg2275Vantika Agrawal23710–12022D27MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20224.4
Mitrabha Guha2500Visakh N R25061–02022D00MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20224.5
Nihal Sarin2646Mendonca,L25511–02022D31MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20224.6
Sadhwani Raunak2669Puranik,A26081–02022C88MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20224.7
Ganguly,S2616Gupta,A26061–02022A16MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20224.8
Gupta,A2606Karthikeyan,M26130–12022D02MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20225.1
Puranik,A2608Ganguly,S26161–02022C54MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20225.2
Mendonca,L2551Sadhwani Raunak2669½–½2022A80MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20225.3
Visakh N R2506Nihal Sarin26460–12022E34MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20225.4
Vantika Agrawal2371Mitrabha Guha25000–12022A61MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20225.5
Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.2606Ghosh Diptayan25381–02022C47MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20225.7
Erigaisi Arjun2675Harsha Bharathakoti25471–02022D00MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20225.8
Karthikeyan,M2613Harsha Bharathakoti25471–02022B38MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20226.1
Ghosh Diptayan2538Erigaisi Arjun26750–12022A20MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20226.2
Aradhya Garg2275Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.26061–02022D02MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20226.3
Nihal Sarin2646Vantika Agrawal23711–02022D35MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20226.5
Sadhwani Raunak2669Visakh N R25061–02022C77MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20226.6
Ganguly,S2616Mendonca,L2551½–½2022B90MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20226.7
Gupta,A2606Puranik,A2608½–½2022A30MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20226.8
Puranik,A2608Karthikeyan,M26131–02022A29MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20227.1
Mendonca,L2551Gupta,A26061–02022E60MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20227.2
Visakh N R2506Ganguly,S26160–12022D41MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20227.3
Vantika Agrawal2371Sadhwani Raunak26690–12022A81MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20227.4
Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.2606Mitrabha Guha25001–02022B12MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20227.6
Erigaisi Arjun2675Aradhya Garg22751–02022D02MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20227.7
Harsha Bharathakoti2547Ghosh Diptayan25380–12022D00MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20227.8
Karthikeyan,M2613Ghosh Diptayan25382022C65MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20228.1
Aradhya Garg2275Harsha Bharathakoti2547½–½2022B06MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20228.2
Mitrabha Guha2500Erigaisi Arjun26750–12022D30MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20228.3
Nihal Sarin2646Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.26062022MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20228.4
Ganguly,S2616Vantika Agrawal23711–02022B90MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20228.6
Gupta,A2606Visakh N R2506½–½2022D38MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20228.7
Puranik,A2608Mendonca,L25510–12022B81MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20228.8
Mendonca,L2551Karthikeyan,M26131–02022D46MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20229.1
Visakh N R2506Puranik,A26080–12022D02MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20229.2
Vantika Agrawal2371Gupta,A2606½–½2022E74MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20229.3
Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.2606Sadhwani Raunak26691–02022A09MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20229.5
Erigaisi Arjun2675Nihal Sarin26460–12022D35MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20229.6
Harsha Bharathakoti2547Mitrabha Guha25000–12022A37MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20229.7
Ghosh Diptayan2538Aradhya Garg22751–02022D00MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 20229.8
Karthikeyan,M2613Aradhya Garg22751–02022C68MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202210.1
Mitrabha Guha2500Ghosh Diptayan2538½–½2022A11MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202210.2
Nihal Sarin2646Harsha Bharathakoti2547½–½2022D02MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202210.3
Sadhwani Raunak2669Erigaisi Arjun2675½–½2022C70MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202210.4
Ganguly,S2616Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.26060–12022B36MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202210.5
Puranik,A2608Vantika Agrawal23711–02022B07MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202210.7
Mendonca,L2551Visakh N R25061–02022D38MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202210.8
Visakh N R2506Karthikeyan,M26130–12022E61MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202211.1
Vantika Agrawal2371Mendonca,L25510–12022D12MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202211.2
Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.2606Gupta,A26061–02022B23MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202211.4
Erigaisi Arjun2675Ganguly,S2616½–½2022D02MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202211.5
Harsha Bharathakoti2547Sadhwani Raunak2669½–½2022C56MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202211.6
Ghosh Diptayan2538Nihal Sarin26460–12022D37MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202211.7
Aradhya Garg2275Mitrabha Guha25000–12022D41MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202211.8
Karthikeyan,M2613Mitrabha Guha2500½–½2022C18MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202212.1
Nihal Sarin2646Aradhya Garg22751–02022A11MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202212.2
Sadhwani Raunak2669Ghosh Diptayan2538½–½2022C67MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202212.3
Ganguly,S2616Harsha Bharathakoti25470–12022A17MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202212.4
Gupta,A2606Erigaisi Arjun26750–12022E04MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202212.5
Puranik,A2608Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.26060–12022A30MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202212.6
Visakh N R2506Vantika Agrawal23711–02022A45MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202212.8
Vantika Agrawal2371Karthikeyan,M26130–12022E91MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202213.1
Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.2606Mendonca,L25511–02022B13MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202213.3
Erigaisi Arjun2675Puranik,A2608½–½2022A46MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202213.4
Harsha Bharathakoti2547Gupta,A2606½–½2022A16MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202213.5
Ghosh Diptayan2538Ganguly,S26161–02022A13MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202213.6
Aradhya Garg2275Sadhwani Raunak26690–12022D35MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202213.7
Mitrabha Guha2500Nihal Sarin2646½–½2022D37MPL-2 Indian Chess Tour 202213.8

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Shahid Ahmed is the senior coordinator and editor of ChessBase India. He enjoys covering chess tournaments and also likes to play in chess events from time to time.
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