12/15/2023 – The Chennai Grand Masters 2023 got off to a splendid start. Just when it seemed like the first round would end up being victorless, Pentala Harikrishna and Pavel Eljanov proved those predictions wrong. Arjun Erigaisi (Harikrishna’s opponent) made a significant mistake early in the game. It made him defend the better part of the battle. Eventually he missed his final opportunity to salvage a half point, which cost him the game. Parham Maghsoodloo (Eljanov’s opponent) made a huge blunder in a rook and two pawns endgame which was seemingly heading towards a draw. | All photos are by Shahid Ahmed unless specified otherwise.
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Endgames decide the fate
Chennai Grand Masters 2023 official logo
Harikrishna - Arjun: 1-0
GM Pentala Harikrishna (2696) played only three rated games against GM Arjun Erigaisi (2727) a few months ago in Kolkata at Tata Steel Chess India 2023. Arjun won a rapid and blitz game each, while the other blitz game ended in a draw. Of course, Harikrishna had not forgotten about it.
According to Harikrishna, 15...Bxc3 was a huge mistake, simply because Black suddenly has to find all the tough correct moves. White has a bishop pair and rooks controlling on the c-file, which does not make things easier for him.
White blundered 49.Ra7?? It allowed Black to escape with a draw via 49...Rh5 50.f5 — now he needed to take the h6-pawn with Rh1+ 51.Kd2 Rxh6. Instead, he missed it and went to capture the f5-pawn. 50...Rxf5 abandoned all hope for Black to salvage a draw.
Pavel Eljanov explains in depth what Gyula Breyer already saw in 1911 and what became an opening choice of the likes of Kasparov, Kramnik, Anand or Carlsen. The Breyer Variation, which is characterised by the knight retreat to b8.
Harikrishna breaks down his win against Arjun Erigaisi and also talks about reaching Bremen, just three hours before the game | Video: ChessBase India
The battle of the Telugu boys - Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India
Final moments: Pentala Harikrishna vs Arjun Erigaisi | Video: ChessBase India
Pentala Harikrishna got the better of Arjun Erigaisi
Maghsoodloo - Eljanov: 0-1
GM Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI, 2742) and GM Pavel Eljanov (UKR, 2691) played only two classical rated games before this encounter. The first one ended in a draw, and Maghsoodloo won the second one. It was about time for Eljanov to deliver the equalizer.
51.Re3?? was the decisive mistake by White. 51...Rg5+ dropped the h5-pawn and Black got a decisive advantage, thanks to White's misplaced king at the center of the board.
Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI) Stunned by Pavel Eljanov (UKR) | Video: ChessBase India
Pavel Eljanov (UKR) on his win against Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI) | Video: ChessBase India
Pavel Eljanov (UKR) 'got the jump' on his opponent as he jokingly said at the 'Draw of Lots' when he was asked about his aim at this event
In this Fritztrainer: “Attack like a Super GM” with Gukesh we touch upon all aspects of his play, with special emphasis on how you can become a better attacking player.
GM Levon Aronian (USA) - GM D Gukesh: 0.5-0.5
GM Sanan Sjugirov (HUN) - GM Alexandr Predke (SRB): 0.5-0.5
Sagar Shah shows you on this DVD how you can use typical patterns used by the Master of the past in your own games. From opening play to middlegame themes.
Replay the round-1 live commentary by IM Sagar Shah, Amruta Mokal with guest commentators GM Anish Giri and IM Sopiko Guramishvili | Video: ChessBase India
Shahid AhmedShahid 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.
Opening videos: Sipke Ernst brings the Ulvestad Variation up to date + Part II of ‘Mikhalchishin's Miniatures’. Special: Jan Werle shows highlights from the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 in the video. ‘Lucky bag’ with 40 analyses by Ganguly, Illingworth et al.
In this video course, Grandmaster Ivan Sokolov explores the fascinating world of King’s Indian and Pirc structures with colours reversed, often arising from the French or Sicilian.
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