Latest news with #ViswanathanAnand
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
2025 FIDE Rapid & Blitz Team Championships: Erigaisi's MGD1 in knockouts, chases historic double
Arjun Erigaisi's Team MGD1 and Viswanathan Anand's Freedom powered into the knockouts on Day 1 of the Blitz leg at the 2025 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Team Championships. Freedom advanced from Pool B along with Hexamind Chess Team, Theme International Trading, and Malcolm's Mates. MGD1, which won the Rapid leg in historic fashion, made it through a challenging Pool D, joined by KazChess, Hetman GKS Katowice, and Pool A qualifiers were WR Chess, Ashdod Elit Chess Club, Knight Dance, and FIDE Management Board. Pool C saw Uzbekistan, Germany and Friends, Rookies, and Generation XYZA make the cut. Also read | Indian boxer Nishant Dev wins second pro bout by unanimous decision What happens next? With the pool stage complete, the tournament now enters the knockout phase. Here's what lies ahead: - The 16 qualified teams (top four from each pool) will battle it out in a single-elimination format. - Each encounter consists of two games, with players alternating colours. - The time control is 3+2. And if teams are tied? - If a match ends level, teams will play up to three additional matches at 3+2, alternating colours each time, until a match is decided. - If still tied after three matches, a sudden-death game follows: a random pair of players (who've already faced each other) contest a bidding Armageddon game starting at 4+2. The tournament is taking place at the Novotel London West in London, England. WR Chess. The Blitz title last year was won by WR Chess, led by Magnus Carlsen, who is absent this year.
The Hindu
14-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championship: Arjun Erigaisi and Team MGD1 win historic Rapid title
It was a landmark day for Indian chess as Team MGD1, led by Arjun Erigaisi, clinched the Rapid title at the third edition of the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Team Championship, becoming the first Indian-sponsored team to achieve this feat in the event's history. MGD1 is not only a chess team but also a Pune-based chess management and investment firm that nurtures talent, organises tournaments, and fields Team MGD1 as its flagship venture. Distinct from other teams that feature one or two Indian players, MGD1's line-up is predominantly Indian, and includes Arjun Erigaisi, Pentala Harikrishna, Leon Luke Mendonca, Pranav V, and Atharvaa P. Tayade. In a tense final round against Malcolm's Mates, it was Erigaisi, Pranav, and Tayade who delivered crucial victories to secure the title after an intense day marked by a neck-and-neck contest with Hexamind Chess Team, featuring the likes of Levon Aronian, Vidit Gujrathi and Divya Deshmukh. Hexamind ultimately finished just one match point behind MGD1, while Viswanathan Anand's Freedom claimed third place with 17 match points. Day 1 highlights After four rounds of rapid chess on the opening day, Team MGD1 emerged as the sole leader, maintaining a flawless 4/4 match record. WR Chess, led by stars including Alireza Firouzja and Hikaru Nakamura, and Alexandra Kosteniuk, finished the day tied for second after drawing a fiercely contested match against Freedom, captained by Viswanathan Anand. ALSO READ | Gukesh reminds me of myself from 2008-2009, says Magnus Carlsen Notable absentees from this year's competition are Magnus Carlsen, who spearheaded WR Chess's triumph in the 2023 Blitz Team Championship, and Ian Nepomniachtchi, who couldn't attend due to passport trouble. Day 2 highlights The second day was a treat to all chess fans in India as Viswanathan Anand, showing flashes of his timeless brilliance, defeated Arjun Erigaisi in a pivotal Round 5 clash between Freedom and the dominant MGD1. This marked the first time MGD1 failed to win in this edition. But MGD1 swiftly regrouped in the next round, delivering a commanding performance against WR Chess. Meanwhile, Hexamind continued its rise in the standings, matching MGD1's tally of 13 match points after eight rounds. Close on its heels stood Freedom, Uzbekistan, and Germany & Friends, each poised within striking distance as the rapid stage approached its final day. In the end Team MGD1 held its nerve to seal the title and script history. About the event The third edition of the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championship commenced in Hammersmith, London, on Wednesday and will run till June 15. This year's event features an extended five-day format featuring 55 teams: three days dedicated to rapid chess (a 12-round Swiss system) followed by two days of blitz. The tournament has drawn grandmasters, prodigies, and amateur enthusiasts from around the world, all vying for the €500,000 prize fund, with €310,000 allocated to the rapid section and €190,000 to the blitz. Each team consists of six players per match, with the requirement to field at least one female player and one recreational player (rated below 2000 FIDE).
News18
13-06-2025
- Sport
- News18
World Rapid And Blitz Team Championship: Team MGD1 In Joint Lead As Atharvaa Tayade Stars
Last Updated: Team MGD1 and Hexamind have registered six wins, a draw and a loss each, to lead the pack with 13 points, while Viswanathan Anand's Freedom stand third with 12 points. Indian GM Atharvaa Tayade maintained his untainted run at the ongoing edition of the World Rapid And Blitz Team Championship in London as the Indian notched up his eighth win in as many outings to help Team MGD1 remain tied at the top of the table with Hexamind. Team MGD1 and Hexamind have registered six wins, a draw and a loss each, to lead the pack with 13 points, while Viswanathan Anand's Freedom stand third with 12 points to their name. Favourites WR Chess, featuring prominent players like American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, Alireza Firouzja, and Wesley So, are currently in sixth place. Their title aspirations took a hit with consecutive losses. After drawing with the Anand-led Freedom in round five, Arjun Erigaisi's Team MGD1 triumphed over top seeds WR Chess 4-2 in round six. In round seven, MGD1 secured a narrow 3.5-2.5 victory against Germany and Friends. However, in the eighth and final round of the day, Hexamind dealt a significant 4-2 defeat to MGD1, resulting in a tie for first place. The major upset on day two was Freedom's 2.5-3.5 loss to Germany and Friends. Germany's top player, Vincent Keymer, led his black pieces to a crucial victory against Freedom's Rauf Mamedov on board one.
News18
09-06-2025
- Sport
- News18
Viswanathan Anand Is Back! Will Play In World Rapid And Blitz Team Championship
Last Updated: Viswanathan Anand will compete in the World Rapid and Blitz Team Chess Championship. Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand will compete for the Freedom team, led by FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky, in the World Rapid and Blitz Team Chess Championship starting in Dusseldorf, Germany. Anand is the only Indian player on his team. The WR Chess team, considered the favourites, will be led by Russia's Ian Nepomniachtchi on the top board, as the world's number one player, Magnus Carlsen, has withdrawn from the tournament. Arjun Erigaisi will play on the top board for his team, supported by P Harikrishna on the second board. They will represent the SG Alpine Warriors team. World junior champion V Pranav is a valuable addition to the SG Alpine Warriors, along with Luke Leon Mendonca, tipped as a future star of Indian chess, following the rise of world champion D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, and Aravindh Chithambaram. Nihal Sarin will also compete, representing the fifth-seeded Ashdod Elite Chess Club. Both Nihal and Anand will play as the top seeds on their respective boards, as will Arjun Erigaisi. However, the event will be without Carlsen and Gukesh, who have both opted out. The WR Chess team is the top contender for the title, boasting players like Nepomniachtchi, Alireza Firouzja, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Hikaru Nakamura, Alexandra Kosteniuk, and Wesley So. Each round must include a female player and a player rated below 2200 on the FIDE rating list as of 1 June, adding a compelling dynamic to the tournament. The event offers substantial prize money, with the winners of the rapid and blitz competitions receiving USD 110,000 and USD 75,000 respectively. The previous edition was highly successful, due in large part to Carlsen's participation. The prospects of the Indian team, SG Alpine Warriors, rest heavily on Arjun Erigaisi's performance. First Published: June 09, 2025, 20:59 IST
Hindustan Times
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Goa likely to be named Chess World Cup host
Bengaluru: Goa is likely to be announced as the host of the Chess World Cup, scheduled to take place in India later this year, HT has learnt. The October 31-November 27 tournament was originally supposed to be held in New Delhi. HT understands that after concerns over Delhi hosting the event arose, Chandigarh, Jaipur and Goa were considered as alternate venue options. Goa has now emerged as the preferred choice. 'There are some opinions from players and the chess community. Many players (had) different places, and I told them that let's try to do something new. Not repeating New Delhi, but doing it in some new location. So why not? It is good,' Fide president Arkady Dvorkovich told reporters in Stavanger a few days ago. India previously hosted a Fide World Cup over two decades ago. Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand had won that edition held in Hyderabad in 2002. One of Fide's flagship competitions, the World Cup, a knockout tournament held once every two years, will have 206 players participating. With a prize fund of around $2 million, the World Cup that Goa is set to host is particularly significant for the World Championship cycle. So far only one player – Fabiano Caruana of USA, has booked a spot in next year's eight-player, double round-robin Candidates tournament that will decide the challenger to reigning world champion Gukesh in the 2026 match. Of the seven remaining spots, three will be decided at the World Cup and will go to players who finish in the top three. In the previous edition of the World Cup held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 2023, R Praggnanandhaa had made a historic run to the final – the first Indian player to do so after Anand. He lost to eventual champion, world No 1 Carlsen but had earned a spot in the Candidates for his performance.
