Firouzja and Pragg share the lead, MVL and Abdusattorov a point behind
Friday was a great day for Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu at the Super Rapid & Blitz in Zagreb, Croatia. With three consecutive wins – against Ivan Saric, Bogdan-Daniel Deac and Anish Giri – he catapulted himself into first place with 12 points. He shares the leading position with Alireza Firouzja, who ended the previous two days as sole leader. On Friday, Firouzja drew twice, against world champion Gukesh Dommaraju and Jorden van Foreest, and lost his encounter against Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
Anish Giri 0 – 2 Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu (round 9)
Maurice Ashley interviewed Praggnanandhaa after the day’s three games, and together they discussed the outcome of the game against Anish Giri. Pragg was proud of his response to Giri’s move 33.Qa5. In the interview, he said that he had not considered the move beforehand and was thus annoyed, but then realised that he could play a strong reply.
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After 34…Rxf2, White resigned and Praggnanandhaa celebrated his third win of the day. Pragg cannot rest on his laurels, however. He not only shares first place with Firouzja – the rest of the field is close behind. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Nodirbek Abdusattorov follow one point back on 11 points, while Vincent Keymer and Gukesh share fifth place on 10 points.
Co-leader Alireza Firouzja | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Nodirbek Abdusattorov scored two wins and a draw on Friday | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Keymer drew all three of his games on day three of the competition – against Giri, Gukesh and Vachier-Lagrave – and as a result shares fifth place with Gukesh, both on 10 points.
Anish Giri 1 – 1 Vincent Keymer (round 7)
After Giri went in for the exchange of rook for knight and pawn, Keymer exchanged his bishop pair for the two white knights. The players thus transposed into an endgame with two rooks, a queen and seven pawns against rook, bishop, queen and eight pawns.
Vincent Keymer, in fifth place, still has room to climb in the standings – in the blitz, the cards will be reshuffled | Photo: Lennart Ootes