New Delhi
No Indian has won a medal at the FIDE World Cup since Viswanathan Anand won the first two editions of the tournament in 2000 and 2002. Two decades later, there are four Indians in the quarterfinal of the 2023 tournament, with at least one Indian guaranteed a spot in the semifinal. Vidit Gujrathi, who stayed in the shadows of his superstar teen compatriots, started as an underdog against two-time World Championship finalist Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi but showed that he too can compete at the highest level, pulling off a stunning 4-2 triumph to grab the last quarterfinal slot in Baku on Monday. Along with Gukesh D, Arjun Erigaisi and R. Praggnanandhaa, Vidit completed the record-breaking Indian quartet, making it the first time that four Indians have advanced to the quarterfinal of the tournament. India’s campaign in the FIDE Women’s World Cup though came to an end as Harika Dronavalli fell to the strongest Russian in the women’s section. Second seed Aleksandra Goryachkina beat Harika 4.5-3.5 by winning the penultimate five-minute blitz game after the last Indian challenger fought back to make it 2-2. Vidit, after holding Nepomniachtchi in the two-game mini-match in classical time-control over the past two days, proved equal in the two 25-minute rapid games before scripting an absolutely stunning climax. In the first 10-minute game, Vidit trailed the Russian on the clock. On the 37th move, Nepomniachtchi erred and Vidit, despite all the pressure, saw his chance and seized it. For the remainder of this 60-move thriller, Vidit consistently found the right continuation. With his rook tied down behind Vidit’s advanced pawn and king almost out of play, Nepomniachtchi resigned.
