Grandmasters Dibyendu Barua, Pravin Thipsay satisfied with India's performance at Candidates 2024

Indian Grandmasters Dibyendu Barua and Pravin Thipsay are pleased with how the country's five-strong contingent, led by the prodigal R Praggnanandhaa, has performed so far at the prestigious Candidates 2024 Chess Tournament.

With Ian Nepomniachtchit of Russia leading the standings, India's D. Gukesh is tied for second place, with Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi in fourth.

With 10 rounds still to go, Barua feels that Koneru Humpy can still strike back in the women’s competition after succumbing to her first defeat at the hands of lowest seed and youngest participant Nurgyul Salimova of Bulgaria.

“Vidit can bounce back and Gukesh can score well. I would not rate Humpy out of equations as yet, she has the acumen and a great will to win; we will know in a few days,” Barua, a three-time national champion who was second Indian chess player after Viswanathan Anand to become a GM, told PTI.

In the women's section, R Vaishali holds joint third position. Humpy slipped to joint sixth on 1.5 points.

Grandmaster Pravin Thipsay said the Indians are in with a good chance.

“Nakamura is not motivated, so that leaves the Indian trio plus Nepo and Fabio Caruana,” Thipsay said.

However, amidst the promising start, there are areas of concern. Caruana, despite being the top seed, has not had a dominating start, and Nakamura's lack of motivation raises questions about his performance. Nonetheless, with 10 rounds still to go, the Indians remain in contention, with Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa showing commendable resilience.

Praggnanandhaa’s long-time trainer, R. B. Ramesh, said that it’s a good beginning for the 18-year-old.

“I think Pragg did exceptionally well coming out with that loss, and I also feel bad that he could have done better against Gukesh,” he said.

When asked about his absence from Praggnanandhaa’s corner, Ramesh said that it was a conscious decision.

In the women’s event, Tan Zhongyi of China has taken the early lead, with R Vaishali closely trailing behind. Aleksandra Goryachikina, the rating favorite, faces stiff competition from Tan, known for her steely nerves and determination.

As the tournament progresses, the women’s section may witness significant turnarounds. The matches ahead hold the promise of intense battles and strategic manoeuvres, keeping fans on the edge of their seats.

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All eyes are on Vidit and Humpy as they attempt to write their comeback stories in the prestigious Candidates Chess Tournament 2024, with the tournament's storyline ready for possible turns and turns.