Julius Baer Challenge: Praggnanandhaa dominates

The winner of the event, which is organised by the Play Magnus Group, will receive USD 10,000. The time-control for the rapid games is 10+5, the time-control for the blitz games is 3+2.

Praggnanandhaa clearly dominated the rapid games. He won the first set 2.5-0.5 and the second set 2-0.

In the first game of day two Praggnanandhaa had White and tried a quiet and positional line (6.Bd3) against Pranav's Najdorf. Pragg soon got a dangerous initiative but Pranav defended well. However, he finally collapsed under the ongoing pressure.

 

Praggnanandhaa, R..2684

1–0

Pranav, V..2545

Baer Challenge Final Tel Aviv ISR12.12.2022[Schulz,A]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bd3 e5 A game in a recent online tournament continued 6...g6 7.f3 Bg7 8.Be2 Nbd7 9.0-0 b6 10.Be3 Bb7 11.Qd2 Qc7 12.g4 Ne5 13.g5 Nfd7 14.b3 e6 15.f4 Rc8 16.Ndb5 axb5 17.Nxb5 Qxc2 18.Nxd6+ Ke7 19.fxe5 Nxe5 20.Qb4 Qxe2 21.Nf5+ 1-0 (21) Niemann,H (2688)-Aronian,L (2759) chess24.com INT 2022 7.Nde2 Nc6 The main line arises after 7...Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Ng3 Be6 10.Nd5 Bxd5 11.exd5 g6 12.c4 1-0 (41) Nakamura,H (2736)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2784) chess24.com INT 2020 8.0-0 Be7 9.Nd5 0-0 9...Nxd5 10.exd5 Nb4 11.Be4 a5 12.c3 Na6 13.f4 Bf6 14.Ng3 0-0 15.Qc2 h6 16.Nh5 Nc5 17.Nxf6+ Qxf6 18.fxe5 Qxe5 19.Bh7+ Kh8 20.Bf4 Qf6 20...Qxd5 21.Rad1 Qh5 22.Bxd6 Re8= 21.Rae1 Bd7 22.Be5 Qd8 23.Bd4 Re8 24.Bxg7+ Kxg7 25.Rxf7+ Kh8 26.Rxe8+ Qxe8 27.Qf2 Qe5 28.Bg6 Be8 29.Rf8+ Kg7 30.Bxe8 1-0 (30) Cheparinov,I (2685)-Murzin,V (2541) Ankara 2022 10.c4 Be6 Worth considering was 10...Nxd5!? 11.cxd5 Nb4 12.Bb1 a5 13.a3 Na6 14.b4 axb4 15.axb4 Bd7= 11.Be3 Eyeing b6. Nd7 12.Qd2 White has more space and is better. h6 With the idea to play ...Bg5. 13.Nxe7+ Qxe7 14.Nc3 Nc5 15.Be2 f5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.Bf3 Ne6 18.Rad1 Rad8 18...Ncd4 does not work: 19.Bd5 Kh7 20.Bxe6 Nxe6 21.Qxd6+- 19.Bd5 Kh8 20.Ne4 Ncd4 21.Rfe1 Bg4 22.Rc1 22.f3? Bxf3 23.gxf3?? Nxf3+ is good for Black. 22...b5 23.Ng3 Reminding Black that the rook on e1 threatens the queen on e7. Nf5 24.Nxf5 24.h3!? Nxe3 25.fxe3 Bf5 26.Nxf5 Rxf5 27.cxb5 axb5 28.Rf1 with an advantage for White. 24...Bxf5 25.Qa5 Rb8 26.b3 Nc7 27.Bc6 bxc4 28.Rxc4 Bd3 29.Rc3 Bb5

30.Ba7 Putting Black's queenside under pressure but maybe White had an even better move. 30.Bxb5!? Nxb5 31.Rc6 looks strong. 30...Nd5 The only defense. 30...Rbc8 31.Bb7+- 30...Rbd8 31.Bb6+- 31.Bxb8 After 31.Bxd5 Qxa7 32.Bf3 White is still slightly better. 31...Nxc3 32.Qxc3 Rc8 To reach a position with opposite-coloured bishops. 32...Rxb8 33.Bd5 33.Qd2 Rxb8?! Inconsistent. 33...Rxc6= 34.Be4 Rf8 35.Rd1 Qa7? 35...Rd8 36.Bd5 36.h3 Be8 37.Qe3 Qc7 37...Qxe3 38.fxe3 and Black suffers from his weaknesses on d6 and a6. 38.Rc1 Qd8 39.Bd3 a5 40.Qe4 g6 41.Qe3?! 41.Qb7 with the idea -- 42.Rc7+- 41...Kg7 42.Rd1 Bc6 43.Bc4 Qe7? 43...Qc7 44.Qb6 White wins material. Rc8 45.Qxa5 h5 46.Bd5 Be8? Black had to try 46...Ra8 47.Qb4 Bxd5 48.Rxd5 Rxa2 49.Rxd6 Ra1+ 50.Kh2 Qf7 . 47.Qd2 Qa7 48.a4 Qb6 49.Bc4 49.a5+- 49...Rd8? 49...Bxa4 was possible. 50.a5 Qc7 51.Bd5 Bb5 52.Rc1 Qd7 53.b4 Rf8 54.Qe3 Qe7 55.Qb6 Bd7 56.Rc7 Kh6 57.Qe3+ g5 58.Bc6 1–0

In the second game Pranav had White and the King's Indian attack to get winning chances but Pragg kept cool and managed to liquidate into a rook ending in which he was clearly better. However, a number of inaccuracies by Pragg gave Pranav good drawing chances. But then Pranav returned the compliment and Pragg won the game.

Pranav is now trailing 0-2 and has two win both blitz sets to equalize the match.

Games

Links

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