Tata Steel Chess: Nihal Sarin, Anna Ushenina champions | So Good News

Last year it was Arjun Erigaisi and this year it was Nihal Sarin – Tata Steel Chess India Junior Indian Champion.

Interestingly, Arjun ended up spoiling Nihal’s party a bit by winning the final round game, which came with an incredibly accurate preparation, but the latter pocketed the top prize in the rapid section. Arjun finished second.

Nihal actually won the tournament with a clean sweep. This is quite a feat at this level. “This is easily my best performance,” said the 18-year-old from Thrissur, Kerala.

Anna Ushenina belongs to a place far more remote and experiencing difficult times. But a Ukrainian woman had reason to be happy Thursday at the National Library here. She emerged as the women’s champion after winning both tie-break games against Georgia’s Nana Dzagnidze.

“I think I should play only in India,” she said with a smile, referring to the gold medal won by Ukrainian women at the Chennai Chess Olympiad three months ago.

Results (except Indians):

Open: Round nine: SP Sethuraman 2 lost to Hikaru Nakamura (USA) 4.5; So Wesley (USA) 4 bit d. Gukesh 4.5; Shahryar Mamedyarov (Aze) 4.5 and Vidit Gujrati 4.5; Parham Magsudloo (IRI) 4 tied with Nodiberk Abdusattarov (Uzb) 4.5; Arjun Erigaisi 6 bt Nihal Sarin 6.5.

Tournament: 1. Nihal, 2. Arjun, 3-7. Vidit, Nakamura, Gukesh, Mamedyarov and Abdusattorov; 8-9. Magsudloo and Wesley; 10. Sethuraman.

Women: Round nine: Olivia Kiolbasa (Paul) 4.5 bts Koneru Hampi 5; Anna Ushenina (Ukr) 6.5 and R. Vaishali 5; Dronavalli Harika 5.5 bt B. Savitha Shri 1; Nana Dagnidze (Geo) 6.5 with Maria Muzychuk (Ukr) 5; Vantika Agrawal 3 bt Anna Muzychuk (Ukr) 3.

Tie-breaker: Nana Dzagnidze lost to Anna Ushenina 0-2.

Tournament: 1-2. Ushenina and Dzagnidze; 3. Harika, 4-6. Maria, Hampi and Vaishali; 7. Kiolbasa 4.5; 8-9. Vantika and Anna; 10. Anna and Savita.