GM Sam Sevian achieved a spectacular upset in opposition to GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave to kick off the spherical of 32 matches within the Chess.com Global Chess Championship. Additionally, GM Dmitry Andreikin defeated GM Gata Kamsky in armageddon whereas GM Fabiano Caruana knocked out GM Jose Martinez. 

The spherical of 32 continues on Thursday, September 21, beginning at 9 a.m. PT / 18:00 CEST.

How to look at?

Twenty-one-year-old grandmaster Sevian confronted one of many favorites to win your entire occasion, Vachier-Lagrave. Community bracket predictions gave Sevian a ten% probability to win the match in opposition to the seventh-highest-rated participant in historical past. Even with the chances in opposition to him, Sevian got here prepared for a combat, and these two distinctive gamers had a completely fascinating duel. 

After moving into hassle on the board and the clock within the first recreation, Sevian struck again with unbelievable attacking play within the second. Vachier-Lagrave saved the strain on the youthful grandmaster all through, enjoying shortly and mopping up free pawns everywhere in the board. Yet, Sevian efficiently adopted by along with his assault, aiming all his sources on the kingside and discovering a decisive profitable tactical sequence. 

The rating was tied after 4 video games when Sevian gained the match in armageddon with the gorgeous d6!! to help his kingside breakthrough.

This recreation is our Game of the Day. 

Sevian shared his ideas on the improbable recreation end within the post-match interview: “I simply needed to discover the breakthrough on the finish.”

“I had this place with Black a few month in the past … When I had this with White, it was simply completely wonderful,” shares @SamSevian in his post-game interview.#ChesscomGlobal pic.twitter.com/S9sHeDyUqS

— ChesscomLive (@ChesscomLive) September 21, 2022

After two attracts, Andreikin gained the lead vs. Kamsky in a dynamic battle that occurred on all sides of the board. 

In the following recreation, Kamsky got here again to win a hard-fought ending and tie the match.

Kamsky exhibits nice resilience and wins on demand in an in depth endgame vs. Andreikin.

Vachier-Lagrave vs. Sevian may also be determined by an armageddon recreation.#ChesscomGlobal pic.twitter.com/mpLGBNpHaT

— ChesscomLive (@ChesscomLive) September 21, 2022

Andreikin gained the playoff with queenside play that outpaced his opponent’s kingside strain. 

Caruana vs. Martinez additionally started with two attracts. In recreation three, Caruana took the lead by breaking by on the kingside and changing a rook ending.

Round of 32 Scoreboard