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Superbet Classic 2024, Round 1: Gukesh defeats Bogdan-Daniel Deac; Praggnanandhaa settles for a draw

The second leg of the Grand Chess Tour 2024, The Superbet Classic Romania, started on June 26, Wednesday, in Bucharest. Indian Grandmaster Gukesh D started the competition on a winning note.

Notably, it was Gukesh’s first classical game since winning the FIDE Candidates. He defeated local lad, wildcard Grandmaster Bogdan-Daniel Deac in the first round of the Superbet Chess Classic Romania.

It’s worth noting that the Tour is using a new time control this year for its classical competitions - 120 minutes for the whole game, with a 30-second increment per move.

Interestingly, Gukesh secured a win in the first round, but it wasn’t smooth as his opponent moved strongly and kept up with the Indian GM’s level of play for a long time. The 22-year-old Romanian player was close to winning for a brief moment.

As the game went beyond move 30, the clock started to play a role. In the middlegame, Gukesh incorrectly captured his opponent’s knight. Though it gave Deac a chance to gain a substantial advantage, he missed it, and Gukesh ultimately made it big on his material benefit.

In the other game, Indian Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa R settled for a draw against 19-year-old Grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov from Uzbekistan.

Superbet Chess Classic competition will have one round played each day from June 26 to July 5, 2024. It will be a 10-player round-robin tournament.


Superbet Classic 2024: Round 1 Results

Fabiano Caruana - Alireza Firouzja 1-0

Praggnanandhaa R - Nodirbek Abdusattorov ½ - ½

Ian Nepomniachtchi - Maxime Vachier Lagrave ½ - ½

Gukesh D - Bogdan-Daniel Deac 1-0

Anish Giri - Wesley So ½ - ½


Superbet Classic 2024: Standings after Round 1

1. Fabiano Caruana - 1 Point

1. Gukesh D - 1 Point

3. Ian Nepomniachtchi - 0.5

3. Wesley So - 0.5

3. Nodirbek Abdusattorov - 0.5

3. Anish Giri - 0.5

3. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave - 0.5

3. Praggnanandhaa R - 0.5

9. Alireza Firouzja - 0

9. Bogdan-Daniel Deac - 0


Superbet Classic 2024: Round 2 Pairings

Fabiano Caruana vs Wesley So

Bogdan-Daniel Deac vs Anish Giri

Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Gukesh D

Praggnanandhaa R vs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

Alireza Firouzja vs Nodirbek Abdusattorov

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