European Club Cup 2023 R2: Nihal Sarin perplexes Paulius, crosses 2700, now World no.35
Nihal Sarin scored another scintillating win to cross 2700 in the live ratings. His second round win at European Chess Club Cup 2023 against the Lithuania no.1, GM Paulius Pultinevicius, made him the ninth Indian to surpass the 2700 barrier. This was certainly a long overdue and he did in an amazing manner. His team Tajfun SK Ljubljana won against MRU - ROSK Consulting 1.5-4.5. Magnus Carlsen played his first game of the event and he won it comfortably. Raunak Sadhwani playing next to the World no.1 on the same team Offerspill Sjakklubb also won his game. The Norwegian team defeated Wood Green 5-1. Armenia no.1 GM Haik Martirosyan also crossed 2700 in the very same round. Round 3 starts today at 3 p.m. local time, 6:30 p.m. IST. Photos: Niki Riga/ECCC 2023
Nihal becomes the ninth Indian to cross 2700
The 44th Chess Olympiad 2022 individual Gold medalist on Board no.2, GM Nihal Sarin fulfilled the prophecy of crossing 2700. For now, it is only in the live ratings. It is just a matter of time before he makes it permanent to be published in the official FIDE rating list.
MRU - ROSK Consulting - Tajfun SK Ljubljana: 1.5-4.5
GM Nihal Sarin (2694), GM Andrei Volokitin (2664), GM Ivan Saric (2647) and GM Robert Markus (2578) won their respective games. GM Viktor Erdos (2559) was held to a draw by IM Vaidas Sakalauskas (2344). The only individual game loss suffered for Tajfun SK Ljubljana was by GM Matej Sebenik (2523) against Vaidas Setkauskas (2239). Nihal's victory over GM Paulius Pultinevicius (2586) pushed his live rating over 2700 for the first time.
Paulius - Nihal
25.Rcc1 allowed Nihal to go for a nice tactic Nxd4! Black gains decisive advantage in all variations. The teenager, being a human and not a computer, misplayed slightly in the endgame which allowed his opponent to equalize. It seemed like the game was heading towards a draw.
49.Ka4 is the only way for White to save the game. Of course, it was not easy to find. White went for the obvious 49.Ka6?? which was a blunder. 49...f3 and Black won the game in another nine moves.
Nihal's twitter account tweeted (probably by his manager) a beautiful poem by Rudyard Kipling
Replay MRU - ROSK Consulting - Tajfun SK Ljubljana games
Offerspill Sjakklubb - Wood Green: 5-1
GM Magnus Carlsen (2839), GM Raunak Sadhwani (2641), GM Aryan Tari (2619), GM Frode Olav Olsen Urkedal (2519) and IM Benjamin Haldorsen (2454) won their respective games. Only GM Pranav Venkatesh (2579) lost his game against FM Borna Derakhshani (2358).
Wadsworth - Raunak
IM Matthew Wadsworth's (2446) position was already in trouble. 26.c5? did not help his case. 26...Na4 27.Bd2 Nxc5 28.Qe3 Bxe2 29.Qxe2 Rxf3 30.Be3 Ne4 31.Rc1 Qg6 32.Ba7 Qg4 33.Qc4 R8f4 Black's attack on the kingside is too overwhelming for White.
Replay Offerspill Sjakklubb - Wood Green games
Replay live stream
Every day round starts at 3 p.m. local time, 6:30 p.m. IST from 1st to 7th October 2023. The final round on 7th October starts 2 p.m. local time, 5:30 p.m. IST. The seven-round Swiss system tournament has a time control of 90 minutes for 40 moves plus 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move, starting from move one. The tournament will be taking place at Grand Blue FAFA Conference Hall in Durrës, Albania.
Replay Round 2 Open games
Replay Round 2 Women games
Round 2 Open results
No. | Team | Team | Res. | : | Res. |
1 | SK Rockaden | Superchess | 1 | : | 5 |
2 | Offerspill Sjakklubb *) | Wood Green | 5 | : | 1 |
3 | Novy Bor | SV Werder Bremen | 4 | : | 2 |
4 | Silla Chess Club | Asnieres - Le Grand Echiquier | ½ | : | 5½ |
5 | KSK Rochade | Schachclub Viernheim 1934 e.V. | ½ | : | 5½ |
6 | Turkish Airlines Sports Club | Paul Keres 1 | 4½ | : | 1½ |
7 | MRU - ROSK Consulting | TAJFUN SK Ljubljana | 1½ | : | 4½ |
8 | CE Le Cavalier Differdange *) | Partizani | 4½ | : | 1½ |
9 | Sentimento Ajka BSK | SK Dunajska Streda | 4½ | : | 1½ |
10 | CE Gambit Bonnevoie | C' Chartres Echecs | 1½ | : | 4½ |
Standings after Round 2
Rk. | SNo | FED | Team | Games | + | = | - | TB1 | |
1 | 1 | ROU | Superchess | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
2 | CZE | Novy Bor | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
3 | FRA | Asnieres - Le Grand Echiquier | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
4 | NOR | Offerspill Sjakklubb | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
5 | GER | Schachclub Viernheim 1934 e.V. | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
6 | TUR | Turkish Airlines Sports Club | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
7 | SLO | TAJFUN SK Ljubljana | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
8 | HUN | Sentimento Ajka BSK | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
9 | FRA | C' Chartres Echecs | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
10 | AZE | Vugar Gashimov | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Round 3 Open pairings
No. | Team | Team | Res. | : | Res. |
1 | Superchess | Vugar Gashimov | : | ||
2 | SK Zmaj | Offerspill Sjakklubb *) | : | ||
3 | Beer Sheva Chess Club | Novy Bor | : | ||
4 | Asnieres - Le Grand Echiquier | Gokturk Chess Sport Club | : | ||
5 | Schachclub Viernheim 1934 e.V. | Schachgesellschaft Zurich | : | ||
6 | Elektroprivreda | Turkish Airlines Sports Club | : | ||
7 | TAJFUN SK Ljubljana | Schachgesellschaft Riehen | : | ||
8 | Gambit Asseco-SEE | CE Le Cavalier Differdange *) | : | ||
9 | SK Javes Modra | Sentimento Ajka BSK | : | ||
10 | C' Chartres Echecs | Wasa SK | : | ||