Gujrathi punishes Nakamura for inaccurate moves
The stalemate between Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa keeps the former in jointlead with Nepomniachtchi; Humpy held while Vaishali goes down
The clash between the two Chennaibased teenagers, D. Gukesh and R. Praggnanandhaa, ended in a draw, but the other Indian, Vidit Gujrathi shocked second seed Hikaru Nakamura of the United States in the ninth round of the Candidates chess tournament at Toronto on Sunday.
Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi, the winner of the last editions, was held by Alireza Firouzja of France and that left the Russian retaining the joint lead along with Gukesh; they are on 5.5 points.
With five rounds to go, Praggnanandhaa is in the sole third position with five points. He is followed halfapoint behind, though, by Nakamura, Gujrathi and the topseeded American Fabiano Caruana, who was held by Azerbaijan’s Nijat Abasov, the lowestrated player in the field.
Tan back in sole lead
In the women’s tournament, China’s Tan Zhongyi returned to the sole lead position after defeating R.
Nakamura resigned on the 36th move faced with Gujrathi’s checkmating net with his queen, rook and knight.
Vaishali, who suffered her fourth consecutive loss.
Koneru Humpy drew with Russian Kateryna Lagno and is on four points and Vaishali on 2.5.
The leader Tan has six points.
Halfapoint behind her are compatriot Lei Tingjie, who drew with Nurgyul Salimova of Bulgaria, and Russian Aleksandra Gorychkina, who split the point with Ukraine’s Anna Muzychuk.
It was Gujrathi’s second
victory in the tournament against Nakamura, who was punished for his inaccurate moves.
The American, who had black pieces, resigned on the 36th move, faced with Gujrathi’s checkmating net with his queen, rook and knight.
“Obviously I did not find the right moves, but my time usage was absolutely horrible,” said Nakamura. “It was a huge reason why I could not find decent ideas, especially around
moves 2425.”
The results, ninth round: Open: D. Gukesh 5.5 drew with R. Praggnanandhaa 5; Alireza Firouzja (Fra) 3.5 drew with Ian Nepomniachtchi (FIDE) 5.5; Vidit Gujrathi 4.5 bt Hikaru Nakamura (USA) 4.5; Nijat Abasov (Aze) 3 drew with Fabiano Caruana (USA) 4.5.
Women: R. Vaishali 2.5 lost to Tan Zhongyi (Chn) 6; Lei Tingjie (Chn) 5.5 drew with Nurgyul Salimova (Bul) 4; Anna Muzychuk (Ukr) 3.5 drew with Aleksandra Gorychkina (FIDE) 5.5; Koneru Humpy 4 drew with Kateryna Lagno (FIDE) 5.
Derek Underwood, the most successful spin bowler in England’s Test cricket history, has died at the age of 78, his former county Kent announced on Monday.
Underwood, nicknamed ‘Deadly’, took 297 wickets in 86 Tests with his distinctive brand of brisk leftarm spin and was noted for being particularly effective on uncovered pitches, which were in use for much of a 24year FirstClass career that ran from 1963 to 1987. He made his England debut as a 21yearold in 1966 and played his last Test in 1982.
He famously bowled England to a Test victory over archrival Australia at The Oval in 1968 on such a surface, taking seven for 50 when a draw had seemed inevitable.
Famous pair
Together with outstanding wicketkeeper Alan Knott, he formed a celebrated combination for Kent and England. They might have achieved even more success for England had they not each been involved in Kerry Packer’s breakaway World Series Cricket of the late 1970s and a rebel tour of South Africa in 1982.