Chennai Masters R3: Arjun pulverizes Predke

by Shahid Ahmed
12/17/2023 – Arjun Erigaisi scored his first win of the event against Alexandr Predke in the third round of the Chennai Grand Masters 2023. After losing the first round against Harikrishna, Arjun was virtually in a must-win situation to stay in the championship hunt and keep his chances in the FIDE Circuit. Predke made a positional mistake which allowed his opponent to force the queen exchange. Arjun made the most out of his opportunity to trail the leaders — Sanan Sjugirov and Harikrishna — by a half point at 1.5/3 along with Levon Aronian, Pavel Eljanov and D Gukesh. | Photos: Shahid Ahmed
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Harikrishna escapes against Eljanov

A mutual blunder between Harikrishna and Eljanov allowed the former to salvage a half point via perpetual check. Gukesh had a relatively calm draw against Parham Maghsoodloo.

Chennai Grand Masters 2023 Official logo

Harikrishna - Eljanov: 0.5-0.5

The sole rated game played earlier this year between GM Pentala Harikirshna and GM Pentala Eljanov ended in a draw at the World Rapid Team Championship. Their last decisive rated game occurred in 2019.

Harikrishna - Eljanov: 0.5-0.5
Position after 25...a5

White should have taken on b5 here with 26.Bxb5. Instead, he went for an adventurous 26.Bxh7+? which is incorrect if Black plays correctly. Fortunately for White, his opponent didn't. 26...Kxh7 27.Qh4+ Kg8 28.Rh5 f5 29.Rh8+ Kf7 30.Qh5+ Kf6?? Black blundered. 30...Qg6 would have been winning for White — 31.Re7+ Kf6 32.Qe2 Rxh8 33.Qe5+ Kg7 34.Rxg7 is what Harikrishna felt to be his only way to continue the fight. White got an opportunity to force a perpetual: 31.Rh6+ gxh6 32.Qxh6+ Kf7 33.Qh7+ Kf6 34.Qh6+ Kf7 and it's a draw.

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 0-0 9.Nc3 Ne8 10.Nd5 Bd6 11.Re1 c6 12.Ne3 Be7 13.c4 Nc7 14.d4 d5 15.cxd5 Bb4 16.Bd2 Bxd2 17.Qxd2 Nxd5 18.Nxd5 Qxd5 19.Re5 Qd6 20.Bc4 Bd7 21.Rae1 Rad8 22.Qc3 Bc8 23.d5 b5 24.Bd3 cxd5 25.Qd4 a5 26.Bxh7+? 26.Bxb5 26...Kxh7 27.Qh4+ Kg8 28.Rh5 f5 29.Rh8+ 29.Re7?? Qxe7 30.Qxe7 Rfe8 29...Kf7 30.Qh5+ Kf6?? 30...Qg6 31.Re7+ Kf6 32.Qe2 Rxh8 33.Qe5+ Kg5 34.Rxg7 31.Rh6+ gxh6 32.Qxh6+ Kf7 33.Qh7+ Kf6 34.Qh6+ Kf7 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Harikrishna,P2696Eljanov,P2691½–½2023C67Chennai Grand Masters 20233.3

Harikrishna goes crazy! Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India

Pentala Harikrishna and Pavel Eljanov react to the live commentary of their own game as there is a 15-minute delay in the transmission of the moves | Video: ChessBase India

Harikrishna and Eljanov had an exciting draw, but it was certainly not a thrilling one for Harikrishna

Dark Bishop vs Knotty Knight - Sanan v Aronian | Video: ChessBase India

My strategy was to play crappy chess - Levon Aronian | Video: ChessBase India

Sanan Sjugirov and Levon Aronian had an interesting draw

Parham Maghsoodloo and D Gukesh had a relatively calm draw

Arjun - Predke: 1-0

GM Arjun Erigaisi played only two rated games against GM Alexandr Predke. He lost the first one and drew the second. It was time for Arjun to deliver the equalizer.

Arjun - Predke
Position after 26...Bg4

26...Bg4 allowed White to force a queen trade after 27.Rxe3 Qxe3 28.Qd4 Qxd4 29.Nxd4. However, Arjun was unsure how he would make progress if his opponent went for 29...a5. Thus, after 29...Bd7, he immediately went 30.a5 to make a breakthrough on the queenside and push for a win. It was not easy, but White showed some fine technique to convert his advantage into a win.

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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Nd5 Nxd5 8.exd5 Ne7 9.c3 Nf5 10.a4 Be7 11.Bd3 0-0 12.0-0 Nh4 13.f4 a6 14.Na3 exf4 15.Bxf4 Ng6 16.Bxg6 hxg6 17.Nc4 Qc7 18.b3 b6 19.Be3 Rb8 20.Bd4 Bg5 21.Nd2 Re8 22.c4 Be3+ 23.Bxe3 Rxe3 24.Re1 Qc5 25.Kh1 Bf5 26.Nf3 Bg4 27.Rxe3 Qxe3 28.Qd4 Qxd4 29.Nxd4 Bd7 30.a5 b5 31.cxb5 Bxb5 32.Kg1 Bd3 33.Ra4 Re8 34.Rb4 Re1+ 35.Kf2 Re5 36.Nc6 Re2+ 37.Kf3 Ra2 38.Rb8+ Kh7 39.Rd8 f5 40.Rxd6 Be4+ 41.Kf4 Rxg2 42.Rd8 g5+ 43.Ke5 Race of the passed pawns They can be very sharp and material is often not the most important factor: Rxh2? This is too greedy. White's d-pawn will now decide the day. 43...Re2 was forced, e.g. 44.Nd4 Re1 45.d6 Bg2+ 46.Kxf5 Bh3+ 47.Kxg5 Re4 with defensive chances. Petronijevic: This was best chance for black, although he should be lost after a proper play: 48.Nf3 Be6 49.h3! Bxh3 50.Rf8 Rg4+ 50...Be6 51.Rf4 Re3 52.b4 Rd3 53.Nd4 Bd7 54.Rf7 Bh3 55.Nf5 Bxf5 56.Kxf5 Rxd6 57.Ke4 Kg6 58.Ke5 Kxf7 59.Kxd6 g5 60.b5 g4 61.bxa6 g3 62.a7 g2 63.a8Q g1Q this position is winning according to tablebase. Of course, in a practical game it is very hard to prove that. 51.Kf5 Ra4+ 52.Ke5 Rxa5+ 53.Kf4 g5+ 54.Kg3 Kg7 55.Re8 Bf5 56.d7 Bxd7 57.Re7+ Kf6 58.Rxd7 Rb5 59.Rd6+ Ke7 60.Rd3 Kf6 61.Nd2 not easy but after a proper play White should win in a long run. 44.Nd4! The sting of the knight scorpion. Ra2 45.b4 Neccessary prophylaxis. 45.d6? rushs due to Rxa5+= 45...g4 45...Bxd5 46.Rxd5 f4 47.Rd6+- 46.d6 g3 47.d7 g2 48.Rh8+! White strikes first. Kxh8 48...Kg6?! 49.d8Q g1Q 50.Qe8+ Kg5 51.Qh5# 49.d8Q+ Kh7 50.Qg5 Ra1 51.Ne2! The knight stops Black's counterplay and it is over. Rb1 51...Kg8 52.Ke6 Rd1 53.Qg3 Rd8 54.Nf4+- 52.Ke6! The king enters the attack. Rxb4 52...Rh1 53.Kf7 Bd5+ 54.Kf8 g6 55.Qf4 Be6 56.Qe5 Kh6 57.Qxe6+- 53.Qh4+ The sting of the queen scorpion. Kg8 54.Qd8+ Kh7 55.Kf7 Rb7+ 56.Kf8 f4 57.Qh4+ Kg6 58.Nxf4+ Kf5 59.Nxg2 g5?! 59...Bxg2 is more tenacious, but does not defend due to 60.Qf2+ Ke6 61.Qxg2 Rf7+ 62.Kg8 Rf6 63.Kxg7 Rf7+ 64.Kg8 Rf6 65.Qg5 Rf5 66.Qe3+ Re5 67.Qb6++- 60.Ne3+ Kf6 61.Qh6+ Ke5 61...Bg6 is met by 62.Nd5+ Kf5 63.Ne7++- 62.Qxg5+ Kd4 63.Qf4 Rb5 64.Ke7 Petronijevic: A bit faster is 64.Nc2+ Kd3 65.Ne1+ Kd4 66.Nf3+ Kd3 67.Qd2+ Kc4 68.Qd4++- 64...Kd3 65.Ng4 Bd5 66.Ne5+ Kc3 67.Qe3+ Kb4 68.Kd6 Rxa5 69.Nd3+ Kc4 70.Nb2+ Kb4 71.Qd2+ Another sting of the queen scorpion. 71.Qd2+ Kb5 72.Qd4 72.Qxd5++- works as well of course. 72...Bh1 73.Qc5# 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Erigaisi Arjun2727Predke,A26891–02023B33Chennai Grand Masters 20233.4

Arjun Erigaisi, how are you so good? | Arjun vs Predke - Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India

Arjun Erigaisi scored a very nice victory over Alexandr Predke

Levon Aronian greeted by Samantha Jackson, Public Diplomacy Press Officer and Spokesperson at the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai

Samantha Jackson shared a few words before inaugurating the round

Sunday means it's packed to the brim

The live audience following the commentary by IM Sagar Shah and Amruta Mokal, also getting to witness the players' analysis live in person

For more photos, please click here.

Samantha Jackson inaugurates Round 3 of the Chennai Grand Masters 2023 | Video: ChessBase India

People behind the organization of the Chennai Grand Masters 2023 | Video: ChessBase India

Arjun the boss! | IM Sagar Shah's Round 3 summary | Video: ChessBase India

Anti-Cheating Measures at the Chennai Grand Masters 2023 | Video: ChessBase India

Those who wish to spectate the tournament at the venue, please click here and check the procedure.

Replay Round 3 live stream

Replay the round-3 live commentary by IM Sagar Shah, Amruta Mokal with guest commentators GM Anish Giri and IM Sopiko Guramishvili | Video: ChessBase India

Replay Round 3 games

Round 3 results

Bo. No. Rtg Name Result Name Rtg No. PGN
1 2 2742
GM Maghsoodloo, Parham ½ - ½ GM Gukesh, D
2720 8
2 3 2703
GM Sjugirov, Sanan ½ - ½ GM Aronian, Levon
2723 1
3 4 2696
GM Harikrishna, Pentala ½ - ½ GM Eljanov, Pavel
2691 7
4 5 2727
GM Erigaisi, Arjun 1 - 0 GM Predke, Alexandr
2689 6

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Standings after Round 3

Rk. SNo Name FED Rtg Pts.  TB1   TB2   TB3   TB4 
1 Sjugirov, Sanan 2 0
2 Harikrishna, Pentala 2 0
3 Aronian, Levon 1,5 0
4 Eljanov, Pavel 1,5 0
5 Gukesh, D 1,5 0
6 Erigaisi, Arjun 1,5 0
7 Predke, Alexandr 1 0
8 Maghsoodloo, Parham 1 0

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Round 4 pairings

Bo. No. Rtg Name Result Name Rtg No. PGN
1 8 2720
GM Gukesh, D GM Predke, Alexandr
2689 6
2 7 2691
GM Eljanov, Pavel GM Erigaisi, Arjun
2727 5
3 1 2723
GM Aronian, Levon GM Harikrishna, Pentala
2696 4
4 2 2742
GM Maghsoodloo, Parham GM Sjugirov, Sanan
2703 3

Details

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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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