GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan and GM Nana Dzagnidze of Georgia gained all three rounds to leap into the only real lead of the 2022 Tata Steel Chess India Open Rapid and 2022 Tata Steel Chess India Women’s Rapid, respectively, by a full-point margin on the finish of the primary day.

Mamedyarov was adopted by Indian GMs Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin, with two factors every, in a tricky day for favorites GM Hikaru Nakamura and GM Wesley So of the U.S. within the open part. In the ladies’s part, Dzagnidze is trailed by Indian GMs Humpy Koneru and Harika Dronavalli, in addition to Ukrainian GMs Anna Ushenina and Mariya Muzychuk, all on two factors.

The occasion continues on November 29 at 22:30 p.m. PT/November 30 at 07:30 CET.

The fourth version of the Tata Steel Chess India Rapid began off on the iconic National Library of India, India’s largest library by quantity and public document, with greater than 200 years of historical past. A British-era constructing with typical appeal and standing, the auditorium inside was the venue of the event, with particular lighting and branding for the occasion.

Scenes from Day One of @tschessindia!
Catch all of the reside motion of the event on the National Library or on @chessbaseindia #tsci2022 #tschessindia #TSCI #chess pic.twitter.com/jDjiltkshd

— Tata Steel Chess India (@tschessindia) November 29, 2022

Open

Mamedyarov performed his trademark dynamic chess to outwit all his three opponents. In the primary two video games, he exploited uneven play by Indian GMs Gukesh D and S P Sethuraman. He confirmed his finest within the third recreation towards So, the place he infused problems by uncorking 9…b5!? within the opening. This is introduced as our Game Of The Day:

One of essentially the most absorbing video games of the day was between two of the pre-tournament favorites and countrymen, Nakamura and So, and so they introduced the spectators with an incredible conflict.

Nakamura misplaced a pawn within the endgame and put up a tricky battle, solely to lose the sport after a long-drawn wrestle. The recreation went on lengthy after the opposite video games had ended, drawing applause from the viewers for the standard of the battle:

Another good effort got here from Nihal who performed a traditional set-piece maneuver within the King’s Indian Defence, even with out the required pawn sacrifices to seize the darkish squares on the e5/f4 squares, towards GM Vidit Gujrathi:

All Games Open – Day 1

Standings

Women’s

The day truly began with the ladies’s occasion, when the spectators obtained to see the well-designed auditorium and taking part in area on the stage of the auditorium:

Dzagnidze scored three wins to emerge as the one participant with a clear rating on the finish of the day, taking a full-point lead. Facing opponents all youthful than her by virtually 20 years, she was in various ranges of issue in all three video games.  If her play on the day could be outlined by any single issue, it may be referred to as “endurance.”

In her post-game interview, she identified the place after her (Black) seventeenth transfer towards IM Oliwia Kiolbasa from the third spherical:

“I’ve concepts right here, I’ve plans. White ought to keep, you realize. It is just not simple to remain.” She certainly stayed on with grit in all of the video games, defending two tough endgames with the black items towards WIM Savitha Shri and Kiolbasa, and a tough, dynamic place with the white items towards IM Vaishali R. 

Ushenina’s sole win got here towards Kiolbasa within the first spherical with black items, the place she planted her darkish bishop on the d4-square, and the remainder of her recreation performed by itself:

Another necessary recreation was between Koneru and GM Anna Muzyuchuk the place the previous’s sense of hazard was acutely felt, particularly for a fast recreation. In chess, probably the most necessary ideas for robust gamers is the “threat threshold” of a participant. Such a way can’t be educated consciously—it all the time merely “flows via the finger” for a participant of sophistication. Koneru’s provocative play, fightback in a seemingly worse place, and protection have been instructive:

All Games Women’s – Day 1

Standings

The 2022 Tata Steel Chess India Rapid and Women’s Rapid are two of India’s most prestigious fast chess occasions. Players compete in a 10-player round-robin in fast video games with a 15+10 time management. The prize fund for every occasion is $10,000.

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