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IMAGE: Argentina’s Faustino Oro lost to India’s Vidit Gujrathi in the 2nd round of the FIDE World Cup in Panaji on Thursday. Photograph: FIDE/X
Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi finally came out triumphant against 12-year-old Oro Faustino of Argentina while Nihal Sarin was ousted from the FIDE World Cup after missing several opportunities against Greek Grandmaster Kourkoulos-Arditis Stamatis in the first set of tie-break games, as the second round concluded in Panaji on Thursday.
It was heartbreak for Nihal as the Kerala Grandmaster was hoping to make a mark in this unique competition that features the world’s best player.
However, Stamatis was on course as he kept the pressure on till Nihal collapsed after getting several chances.
Nihal could have won the match easily as he enjoyed decent positions but he spurned them even as Stamatis capitalised on the opportunities he got.
India’s second major casualty on the day was Aravindh Chithambaram who lost to compatriot K Venkatramanan after the second set of rapid games.
GM Gujrathi made it to the last-64 stage after some hiccups, defeating Faustino in a match that went into the rapid section. Gujrathi drew the first game and won the second with black to show his class.
World junior champion V Pranav also showed nerves of steel to get past Aryan Tari of Norway. Having won the first game, it was Pranav’s match to lose. And when he lost the second game with white, not many gave him a chance. But he came back strongly to win the first game with white and then drew without much ado to reach the last-64 stage of the knockout event that has a US$ 2 million prize fund.
M Pranesh defeated Dmitrij Kollars of Germany, winning both his games to also move into the round of 64.
Meanwhile, R Praggnanandhaa and S L Narayanan moved closer to qualifying for the next round with fine victories in the first set of tie-break games featuring blitz chess.
Praggnanandhaa walked out from a horrible situation in the second game of the tie-break when he was dead lost but the Indian ace stayed afloat with his best defense, and despite being a piece dawn was eventually able to turn the tables.
Indian results (Round 2, Game 2): Temur Kuybokarov (Aus) drew with R Praggnanandhaa 1-1, 1-1; 1-1, 0.5-1.5 Oro Faustino (Arg) lost to Vidit Santosh Gujrathi 1-1, 0.5-1.5; Nihal Sarin lost to Kourkoulos-Arditis Stamatis (Gre) 1-1, 0.5-1.5; Murali Karthikeyan lost to Idani Pouya (Iri) 1-1 0.5-.15; Nikita Vituigov (Eng) lost to S L Narayanan 1-1, 1-1-0.5-1.5; Dmitrij Kollars (Ger) lost to M Pranesh 1-1, 0-2; V Pranav beat Aryan Tari (Nor) 1-1, 1.5-0.5;; Raunak Sadhwani lost to Robert Hovhannisyan (Arm) 1-1, 0-2.
