American chess players dominated the podium at the Tata Steel Chess India blitz tournament, which concluded in Kolkata on Sunday. Wesley So emerged victorious in the open section, while Carissa Yip claimed the top prize in the women's competition, marking a complete U.S. sweep of the prestigious event.
A Hard-Fought Victory for Wesley So
For Wesley So, this win was a long time coming. In his sixth attempt at the tournament, he finally secured the championship title. So entered the final day as the overnight leader and managed to maintain his position through nine intense rounds of blitz chess. "At last a win," a relieved So stated after the event. He acknowledged the toughness of the competition, adding, "This has always been a very tough tournament and I always tried hard. I now hope to win the rapid event too someday."
His path to victory was far from smooth. So suffered a shocking defeat in the very first round, losing to Indian Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi from a winning position. Reflecting on his resilience, So credited his professional experience: "The fact that I could make a comeback from that was because as a professional player, perhaps I have lost a million games before that." He fittingly noted that his tournament ended with a loss as well, to R Praggnanandhaa in the final round.
Dramatic Final Rounds and Podium Finishers
The battle for the open title intensified as Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi trailed So by just half a point heading into the last nine rounds. The clash between the two leaders in the 15th round ended in a draw, keeping Arjun in contention. However, his challenge faltered with consecutive losses to Hans Niemann and R Praggnanandhaa in the subsequent rounds.
Meanwhile, Wesley So extended his lead by holding Aravindh Chithambaram to a draw. He then sealed the championship with a round to spare after drawing his penultimate game against Hans Niemann. Rapid section winner Nihal Sarin and Arjun Erigaisi finished tied for second place, just one point behind So with 11 points each.
Carissa Yip's Stunning Deante and Event Drama
In the women's section, Carissa Yip made a spectacular debut, winning the trophy in her very first appearance at the Tata Steel Chess India blitz. Like So, she was the overnight leader and successfully defended her position. The women's competition saw its own share of drama, with Vantika Agarwal staging a remarkable comeback late on the second day.
The tournament was not without external disruptions. Play was interrupted twice during the 14th round due to power failures, throwing games into disarray. Clocks were stopped as players were forced to stand up mid-game. Although power was restored quickly the first time, it failed again before the start of the next round, causing further delays to the schedule.
The victories of Wesley So and Carissa Yip highlight the growing strength of American chess on the global stage, particularly in the fast-paced blitz format. Their triumphs in Kolkata add significant titles to their careers and set the stage for future encounters in the Tata Steel Chess India rapid event.
