Anand’s mistakes allowed to me launch attack: Ganguly
KOLKATA: For Hikaru Nakamura, the turn in fortune came in the fourth round of the rapid section of Tata Steel Chess India 2018. He defeated Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan in that game, capitalising on his chances as his rival pushed too hard for win.
The crucial win coming after three successive draws gave Nakamura the feeling that he might go all the way and win the tournament.
“I had a feeling after I won the game against Shakhriyar that I would have good chances because it was the first win and came after couple of draws. So, after I won that game I felt that things were looking to fall in place,” the 30-year-old American Grandmaster said after winning the title with six points from nine games.
The GM from Pennsylvania picked that win against Mamedyarov as his best in the tournament. He was the only undefeated player in the tournament.
So, who put up the toughest resistance? Compatriot Wesley So, said Nakamura, in the eighth round.
Nakamura talked about his preparations. “I did not particularly prepare. Before the second day, I was playing a number of Indian players online, mainly blitz. I played a number of games against Adhiban (former Indian national champion) and beat him easily,” said Nakamura. “So, that gave you the confidence,” interjected Pentala Harikrishna jokingly.
For second placed Harikrishna, the crucial game was the win against Levon Aronian in the eighth round as he had started the day with a defeat to Sergey Karjakin. Harikrishna converted into win a very tricky position.
‘WAS VERY LUCKY’
“I don’t think I had too much time to think about anything at this point. We both made many mistakes in the game and I was lucky towards the end. He had a knight move which could have taken the game to draw but he didn’t find that so I am happy that I won that game. It was quite tense and I think it was pretty much equal but he managed to create something,” said Harikrishna.
Local star Surya Shekhar Ganguly ended the tournament on a satisfactory note as he defeated Viswanathan Anand in the final round. “It was quite strange that I was playing Anand for the first time in a tournament. Having worked with him for many years, we had played a number of times in training but this was the first time that played him in a tournament. It was good to win against him as schematically I didn’t have much going for me even in that game. But then Anand made some mistakes and that gave me the chance to launch an attack,” said Ganguly of what otherwise was a poor tournament for him.