Sarin Wins Tata Steel Rapid, Anand Finishes Second Amid Emotional Tribute
Image Source: Internet
Kolkata: 21-year-old Nihal Sarin secured the Rapid title at the Tata Steel Chess tournament, dedicating the win to his late grandfather AA Ummar. Sarin earned 6.5 points in the competition, surpassing his own expectations. The Indian Grandmaster expressed his gratitude, stating that his grandfather was the reason he started playing chess. In the women's section, Kateryna Lagno emerged victorious with 6.5 points, beating defending champion Aleksandra Goryachkina by a significant margin of 1.5 points. Both winners took home a prize of $10,000 each. Viswanathan Anand, the 56-year-old chess legend, finished second in the Open category with 6 points. He needed a win against Sarin to secure the title but was held to a draw. Anand attributed his performance to his well-preparedness and expressed his happiness about getting back into the competitive zone. Anand's schedule for the rest of the year remains uncertain, similar to Sarin's. The Indian Grandmaster emphasized the importance of adapting to the ever-changing chess landscape, acknowledging the influx of new information and strategies. Sarin required a draw in the final round to secure the title and successfully drew with R Praggnanandhaa. He also won against Wesley So in earlier rounds. The young player stated that the last day was challenging but paid tribute to his grandfather by focusing on the tournament. Arjun Erigaisi and Nana Dzagnidze secured third place in the Open and women's sections, respectively. The blitz competition will begin on Saturday.
