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GM Nihal Sarin is thru to the Quarterfinals of the 2023 Chess.com Velocity Chess Championship Offered by Coinbase. He defeated GM Alexey Sarana with a ultimate rating of 16-10 and he gained all three segments regardless of a short web connectivity scare within the final one.
Within the Quarterfinals, Nihal will face the winner of GM Dommaraju Gukesh vs. GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
The subsequent spherical of 16 match is GM Dmitry Andreikin vs. Alireza Firouzja, which begins on Friday, September 8, at 1:00 p.m. ET / 19:00 CEST / 22:30 IST.
This matchup had a little bit of current historical past. Final week, within the Julius Baer Technology Cup, Nihal forfeited his first two video games in opposition to Sarana on account of connection points—after which mouse slipped a full rook within the third sport to lose the match.
On prime of that, Sarana made it into this occasion via the qualifier, whereas Nihal was invited. The Serbian GM proved himself in opposition to a number of the world’s finest, together with former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik. 
Sarana might have gained the battle, however he hadn’t gained the battle. Nihal led their earlier blitz encounters 65-33, with 14 attracts. He beat Sarana within the 2020 JSCC finals 18-7. Nihal additionally had the group vote, with 79% anticipating the Indian GM’s victory.
SmarterChess predicted the 2022 World Chess Championship finalist would win each single one of many three segments—a prophecy that proved to be true. In reality, the SmarterChess rating prediction got here uncomfortably near the precise ultimate rating.
5+1: Nihal-Sarana 6-3
If one listened to the pre-match predictions, they might have been flabbergasted to start with.
Sarana gained the primary two video games. In sport one, we noticed an attention-grabbing imbalance of a rook and two additional pawns (for Sarana) in opposition to two bishops (for Nihal); tactically, one of many bishops dropped.
The second sport featured a pointy pawn race in a knight endgame. Bok summarized what occurred: “Sarin was within the driver’s seat the whole sport, however within the time scramble Sarana turns it round!”
In the long run, Black was up a knight, however White was up a king.
Simply because the chips have been down, along with his again in opposition to the wall, Nihal turned the match round. He gained three video games in a row, the third one showcasing a positional squeeze ending with firework techniques and checkmate on the board.
We have awarded this our Sport of the Day distinction, with notes by GM Rafael Leitao beneath.
After two attracts, Nihal gained one other sport to take a two-point lead. Each gamers have been residing on the one-second increment, with Nihal making strikes at a number of factors with only one second on the clock. The Indian GM gained the nervy queen and knight endgame.
Because the gamers enacted the equal of boxing whereas balancing on a tightrope, Bok exclaimed: “That is anxious watching, think about how the gamers really feel!”
That is anxious watching, think about how the gamers really feel!
—Benjamin Bok
After this sport, Korley stated: “The lean is actual.” Though Sarana was getting respectable (and sometimes higher) positions, Nihal was extra resourceful when clock occasions have been low.
Nihal completed the phase with a three-point lead. Within the final sport, he masterfully outplayed Sarana in an endgame with 4 vs. three pawns on the identical aspect of the board, with a queen and rook for all sides.
3+1: Nihal 5-4 Sarana
Staying true to the SmarterChess prediction, Nihal gained the second phase as nicely. Sarana was in a position to win two video games within the 3+1, however the rating might have been nearer if he did not let profitable positions slip. After all, simpler stated than achieved. It is blitz.
After a nothing-happened draw within the first sport, Nihal did not convert a profitable place within the second—one other draw. In sport three, the Indian GM made up for it by profitable a actually good knight vs. dangerous bishop endgame. The bishop was so dangerous, the truth is, that Sarana simply gave it away for a pawn out of desperation.
Two video games later, Sarana gained for the primary time since sport two—that is 12 video games in between the 2 wins.
However it was a pyrrhic victory, and Nihal picked up the place he left off within the following sport. They are saying techniques movement from superior positions, and 31.Bxa6! was a living proof.
31.Bxa6, Increase! 💥 Ways movement like water.#SpeedChess pic.twitter.com/jNBGSInZTK
— chess24.com (@chess24com) September 6, 2023
NIhal gained once more and took a four-point lead within the subsequent sport. Sarana ought to have gained the sport that adopted, however as usually occurs when the momentum so fiercely helps one participant, when it rains it pours. The win slipped via Sarana’s fingers like sand.
Nihal gained once more by trapping a rook, profitable the change. And though he misplaced the final sport of the phase, the Indian GM nonetheless led the match by 4 factors, 11-7.
1+1: Nihal 5-3 Sarana
Though he suffered an early scare with connectivity points at the start of the phase, Nihal regained management and gained the match.
In a totally equal place, the Indian grandmaster misplaced the primary sport on time. Primarily based on his response, it appeared like web connectivity was the perpetrator.
Nihal loses the primary bullet sport on time and it seems like it might be on account of his web connection.#SpeedChess pic.twitter.com/8wQ4O71iIH
— chess24.com (@chess24com) September 6, 2023
After a draw, Sarana had a extremely good shot at profitable one other sport, however Nihal held it. From there, the Indian phenom unfold his wings and took off.
First, he evened the rating with a win within the fourth sport. He confirmed off the ability of a queen and knight mixture and finally sacrificed his knight within the endgame for a flowery end.
Nihal wins and evens the rating within the bullet phase with some fanciness on the finish!#SpeedChess pic.twitter.com/U2fQENQDVD
— chess24.com (@chess24com) September 6, 2023
He went on to win 4 video games in a row. In sport 5 of the bullet phase, Nihal grabbed pawn after pawn after pawn on the queenside as Sarana’s assault by no means materialized. “Christmas got here early,” stated Korley, because the white queen swallowed pawns like Pac-Man.
“Christmas got here early. The entire black pawns left the queenside!” says Korley.
Nihal wins once more and takes a five-point lead.#SpeedChess pic.twitter.com/W4RLuvbXvU
— chess24.com (@chess24com) September 6, 2023
By the point Sarana had six and a half minutes left to beat a six-point deficit, the comeback was just about inconceivable. Nihal misplaced the final sport, however the match was over earlier than it was over.
Within the interview, Nihal admitted that he did not put together in any respect for the match. Requested what the turning level was, he answered: “Profitable the second sport was good for me. After I gained the third sport, I used to be feeling extraordinarily good,” with out mentioning worrying at any level.
On his upcoming match in opposition to Gukesh or Vachier-Lagrave: “I suppose I’ve respectable probabilities in opposition to each of them. I suppose MVL is the slight favourite.”
Nihal on enjoying Vachier-Lagrave or Gukesh:
“I suppose I’ve respectable probabilities in opposition to each of them. I suppose MVL is the slight favourite [to win their match].”#SpeedChess pic.twitter.com/edH4IDyqxk
— chess24.com (@chess24com) September 6, 2023
Nihal pockets $4,846.15 whereas Sarana makes $1,153.85 by win share.
Bracket
All Video games | Nihal vs. Sarana | Spherical Of 16
The principle occasion of the 2023 Velocity Chess Championship Offered by Coinbase takes place September 4-22. It’s the strongest on-line pace chess contest on this planet, with 16 gamers—12 invited and 4 qualifiers—vying for a share of the $150,000 prize fund together with probably the most prestigious titles in on-line chess.
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