Reputation is cumbersome baggage. It has to be protected all the time. Arjun Erigaisi failed to do that on Day 1 of Tata Steel Chess India. After three rounds of rapid, he was eighth in the field of 10 with just one point.
Viswanathan Anand gave a fresh taste of his greatness by finishing the day as joint-leader on 2.5 points with Hans Niemann of USA. Vidit Gujrathi was in a pack of two with two points. R Praggnanandhaa and Nihal Sarin were on 1.5 each. Aravindh Chithambaram was at the bottom with 0.5.
In the women’s section, India’s top guns had a bad day. R Vaishali lost two and drew one to be placed 10th on 0.5 points. Divya Deshmukh and D Harika drew two and lost one apiece to reach one point. Vantika Agarwal was the saving grace for India. She was half-a-point behind leader Carissa Yip of USA, on two points with two others.
The performer of the day for India was a player who didn’t post a single win. R Rakshitta is a complete outsider in the women’s section with an ELO rating of 2148. The gap between her and the other contestants is huge.
Yet, she gave a brave account of herself by drawing all her games. Rakshitta began by holding reigning world women’s rapid champion Aleksandra Goryachkina of Russia. She then held Carissa and Divya.
Erigaisi started with attack on his mind. He tried to blitz Vidit and his position looked intimidating. Vidit, however, found the resources to defend and then attack. Erigaisi didn’t have a draw on his mind even if it meant defeat. It was Praggnanandhaa’s turn to beat the world No. 3 next.
The last-round game against Nihal was do-or-die for Erigaisi. Nihal had a draw and a win in the first two games and by beating him, the reigning world rapid bronze medallist salvaged something from a bad day.
STANDINGS
Open category
2.5: Viswanathan Anand, Hans Niemann. 2: Wesley So, Vidit Gujrathi. 1.5: Nihal Sarin, R Praggnanandhaa. 1: Wei Yi, Arjun Erigaisi. 0.5: Aravindh Chithambaram, Volodar Murzin.
Women’s category
2.5: Carissa Yip. 2: Nana Dzagnidze, Kateryna Lagno, Vantika Agarwal, Aleksandra Goryachkina. 1.5: Rakshitta Ravi. 1: Harika Dronavalli, Stavroula Tsolakidou, Divya Deshmukh. 0.5: R Vaishali.
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