Top names have it easy on Day One

Top players made untroubled progress on the opening day of the 16th Delhi International Open chess tournament marked by a couple of upsets among Grandmasters.

Top seed GM Arkadij Naiditsch, rated 2701, had an easy outing after his opponent Varshini V., rated 2062, failed to create any chances and lost. Naiditsch said, “I am wary of Indian youngsters as they are known to be dangerous and underrated. Today, it was an easy day.”

Second seed GM Abhijeet Gupta rated 2610, also had a simple victory with black pieces against Karnataka’s Likhit Chilukuri. Abhijeet leads the Indian title challenge.

The upset of the day was by unheralded West Bengal youngster Utsab Chatterji, rated 2005, who defeated Russian GM Andrei Devaitkin, rated 2471. Karthik Kumar Pradeep rated 2004, also edged past GM Himanshu Sharma, rated 2470.

Sambit Panda held International Master Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan, rated 2429 while Maharashtra youngster Soham Datar started the tournament on a positive note, holding Ukrainian Grandmaster Adam Tukhaev, rated 2570.

A total of 264 players, including 27 Grandmasters and 24 IMs are taking part in the premier section while Category B for players below 1999 international rating under way simultaneously has attracted 783 players. The third category for players below 1599 elo rating will start on Saturday and entries for this section have already crossed 950.