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IMAGE: Dommaraju Gukesh is placed third with 15.5 points while compatriot Ramesh Praggnanandhaa lies fifth with 13.5 after Round 9 in the Super United Rapid and Blitz Chess Tournament in Zagreb, Croatia. Photograph: FIDE/Harry Gielen
World champion Dommaraju Gukesh was beaten by compatriot Ramesh Praggnanandhaa and ended up two points behind Magnus Carlsen, with 15.5, in the Super United Rapid and Blitz Chess Tournament in Zagreb, Croatia, on Saturday.
After crashing through nearly everyone’s defences and enjoying a three-point lead at the end of Day 2, Gukesh lost steam.
He started off with five defeats in the blitz section before recovering a bit by drawing the sixth game. After losing the seventh and winning the eighth game, Gukesh was beaten by Praggnanandhaa.
Meanwhile, Carlsen scored a whopping 7.5 points from his nine games to get back in front. It was indeed an indication of things to come since in the last edition. The Norwegian won his last nine games and was crowned champion.
Gukesh was at his prime in the rapid section wherein he won as many as six games, including one against Carlsen, but the Indian was way below par in blitz, which saw him lose six games on the opening day of the fastest version of the game.
It remains to be seen who is going to rule the roost on the final day, but, for now, Carlsen remains the firm favourite for the crown with 17.5 points out of a possible 27.
He has a 1.5-point lead over Duda Jan-Krzysztof of Poland, who also did well on the first day of blitz.
With nine rounds still to come in the blitz section, Carlsen is likely to win by scoring six points out of the remaining games.
Gukesh needs do much better as he has been completely out of sorts in this version.
Carlsen had earlier termed Gukesh as not up to the mark in the other formats, while Gukesh proved him wrong in rapid chess.
In blitz, the World champion still has to prove himself.
Standings after Round 9 (Blitz): 1. Magnus Carlsen (Pol, 17.5); 2. Duda Jan-Krzysztof (Pol 16); 3. D Gukesh (Ind, 15.5); 4. Wesley So (Usa, 14.5); 5. R Praggnanandhaa (Ind, 13.5); 6-7. Alireza Firouzja (Fra), Fabiano Caruana (Usa) 13 each; 8-9; Anish Giri (Ned) Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb) 11 each; 10. Ivan Saric 10.
