Magnus Carlsen and Aleksandra Goryachkina displayed sheer dominance at the Tata Steel Chess India Rapid Tournament, each taking the sole lead in their respective sections on Day 2 at the iconic Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in Kolkata.
In the Open section, World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen registered a flawless performance, securing three consecutive victories against S L Narayanan, Wesley So, and Arjun Erigaisi. Starting the day just half a point behind overnight leader Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Carlsen’s masterful play elevated him to the top of the leaderboard with a commanding 5 points out of a possible 6.
Close on Carlsen’s heels is former World Rapid Champion Abdusattorov with 4.5 points. The Uzbek prodigy held his own with draws against Nihal Sarin and Vidit Gujrathi in rounds 4 and 5, and ended the day with a win over S L Narayanan, positioning himself as Carlsen’s primary challenger heading into the final day.
In the Women’s section, Aleksandra Goryachkina mirrored Carlsen’s success with an equally impressive performance, securing three victories on Day 2. Her back-to-back wins against India’s Vantika Agrawal and Vaishali R, followed by a victory over Kateryna Lagno, boosted her tally to 5 points, putting her firmly in the lead.
Trailing closely in second is Georgian Grandmaster Nana Dzagnidze with 4 points. Dzagnidze’s successful day included wins over Vaishali and Humpy Koneru, as well as a hard-fought draw with Kateryna Lagno. Players Harika Dronavalli, Vantika Agrawal, and Valentina Gunina share the third spot with 3.5 points each.
With three rounds remaining, fans can look forward to a nail-biting finale in the Rapid event on Friday afternoon, as the world’s best players battle it out for the coveted title.
