Prague R2: Aravindh takes down Keymer

by Johannes Fischer
2/28/2025 – Vincent Keymer started the Prague Chess Festival with a convincing win, but in round two he suffered a defeat against Aravindh Chithambaram (pictured), who surprised Keymer with a double-edged and rare opening. The four other games in the Masters section all ended in draws. In the Challengers, two of the five games ended decisively, but there could have easily been more. | Photo: Petr Vrabec

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Aravindh and Shankland share the lead

The Prague Chess Festival is not only about prize money and rating points, but each round also awards a prize for the best game of the day. In round one, this prize went to Vincent Keymer for his victory against Wei Yi.

However, things did not go as well for Keymer in his round-two game against Aravindh Chithambaram. He ran into a preparation by the Indian grandmaster and had to solve problems in the opening in a double-edged, rarely played and theoretically disreputable variation. The German prodigy found no antidote to his opponent's convincing play.

Vincent Keymer

It was a tough day at the office for Vincent Keymer | Photo: Petr Vrabec

The other four games of the round all ended in draws, so Aravindh, who saved a draw from a losing position against Thai Dai Van Nguyen in the first round, and Sam Shankland, who drew against Nguyen in round two without much difficulty, are joint leaders with 1½ out of 2 points.

Round 2 results

Standings

All games

Challengers: Yakubboev joins leading group

There was more excitement in the Challengers. The Uzbek grandmaster Nodirbek Yakubboev, the top seed, scored his first win of the event, as he beat Marc'Andria Maurizzi with black. The second win of the round was secured by Divya Deshmukh, who first put Czech IM Richard Stalmach under pressure with an attack and then converted her advantage in the endgame.

Divya Deshmukh

Divya Deshmukh | Photo: Petr Vrabec

The other games in the round showed once again how difficult it is to win games from "winning" positions. For example, the Chinese grandmaster Ma Qun was clearly winning with black against the young Czech IM Vaclav Finek in the endgame, but then spoilt the position with a single inaccuracy.

Czech FM Jachym Nemec faced a similar situation. He was also clearly winning against the Greek GM Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis after a thrilling and combative game, but then let his opponent escape, leading to game to a draw.

After two rounds, three players are joint leaders with 1½ out of 2 points: Ivan Salgado Lopez, Jonas Buhl Bjerre and Nodirbek Yakubboev.

Ivan Salgado Lopez

Ivan Salgado Lopez | Photo: Petr Vrabec

Round 2 results

Standings

All games

Links


Johannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".
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