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A single decisive game in the penultimate round of the Masters section at the Chennai Grand Masters tournament reshuffled the standings, as Arjun Erigaisi suffered his first defeat of the event. Arjun, who had recently crossed the 2800 rating threshold, lost to fellow Indian Aravindh Chithambaram in an unexpected turn of events. The other games ended in draws, resulting in Arjun sharing the lead with Levon Aronian. Aravindh's victory catapulted him to a shared second place with Amin Tabatabaei, both trailing the co-leaders by half a point.
Aravindh's win against Arjun marked his first victory after five draws, yet his rating continued to rise throughout the tournament due to the calibre of his opponents. This particular triumph over a 2799-rated Arjun added 6.3 rating points, moving Aravindh above Parham Maghsoodloo in the live rankings. Despite the loss, Arjun's performance keeps him above the 2800 mark, though he has now dropped to fourth in the live rankings, with Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura moving ahead.
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In the game, Aravindh opted for a modest opening with white, allowing Arjun to create complications if he wanted to press for a win. True to his aggressive style, Arjun pursued a complex strategy but ultimately overextended, weakening his position. Aravindh took advantage of these missteps, converting his positional edge into a memorable 48-move victory over the tournament's top seed and previous sole leader.
Another key game that could have ended decisively was the encounter between Levon Aronian and Vidit Gujrathi. Vidit, who has struggled throughout the tournament, had a superior position but was unable to capitalise on his advantage. Aronian's tenacious defence allowed him to hold the draw after 64 moves, as both players ended with bare kings on the board.
With three critical games set for the final round on Monday, the stage is set for a dramatic finish at the Anna Centenary Library. The encounters Arjun Erigaisi v. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Levon Aronian v. Amin Tabatabaei, and Parham Maghsoodloo v. Aravindh Chithambaram will determine the ultimate victor in this tightly contested event.
Levon Aronian
Analysis by Shahid Ahmed
Aravindh has not lost a classical rated game against Arjun since 2018. Aravindh has been a tough opponent for Arjun in recent times. He opted for the Trompowsky opening with the white pieces, the same line he prepared for Levon Aronian.
Black played aggressively: 18...g4 19.hxg4 Nxg4 20.Bg3 Bg7 21.Rfe1 Nf8 22.Nh2 Nxh2 23.Bxh2 e5, with a break that only helped White.
24.dxe5 Bxe5 25.Bxe5 Rxe5 26.Nf3 Re6 27.Rbd1 Bb7 28.Nd4 Rg6 29.Bh5 Rg5 30.Qe2 and White was in full control.
There followed 30...Qd7 31.f4 Rg7 32.Qc2 Ne6 33.Nf5 Rh7 and...
34.e4 started a beautiful sequence that went 34...Nxf4 35.exd5!. Playing like this against the world number two certainly shows Aravindh's confidence in his abilities. Of course 35...Nxh5 is not a good idea due to 36.Re7 Qc8 37.Qf2 and White would have won the game a bit earlier.
The moves flowed harmoniously for White, although he was tense in time pressure. The finish was quite picturesque.
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Arjun Erigaisi
The Challengers section has narrowed down to a thrilling two-player race for the title. After leading since the outset, Pranav Venkatesh will face Leon Luke Mendonca in Monday's final round. Pranav, who has held the top position with consistent performances, will have the white pieces against Mendonca, who now sits half a point behind. The head-to-head matchup will determine the section's outright winner, setting up an intense finale in Chennai.
Mendonca closed in on Pranav by defeating Karthikeyan Murali with the white pieces in the sixth round. Karthikeyan, who had been on a two-game winning streak, fell into a challenging position after overextending his play with black. The young Mendonca capitalised on Karthikeyan's errors, securing a victory in their first-ever classical encounter.
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Both Pranav and Mendonca, aged 18, are vying for a coveted spot in the Masters section for the next edition of the tournament. The outcome will mark an important milestone in their careers as they look to join the ranks of their fellow young Indian GMs in the global elite.
Leon Luke Mendonca
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