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R Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh
Zagreb (Croatia): World champion D Gukesh lost to compatriot R Praggnanandhaa to end two points behind Magnus Carlsen with 15.5 here in the Super United Rapid and Blitz Chess Tournament.
After crashing through nearly everyone defences and enjoying a three-point lead at the end of day two, Gukesh lost his steam.
He started off with five losses in the blitz section before recovering a bit by drawing the sixth game but he lost the seventh. Despite winning the eighth game, Gukesh eventually lost to Praggnanandhaa.
Meanwhile, Carlsen scored a whopping 7.5 points from his nine games to come back in front. It was indeed an indication of things to come since in the last edition, the Norwegian had won his last nine games to be crowned champion.
Gukesh was at his prime in the rapid section wherein he won as many as six games, including one against Carlsen, but the Indian was way below par in the blitz which saw him losing six games on the opening day of the fastest version of the game.
It remains to be seen who is going to rule the roost on the final day but for now, Carlsen remains the firm favourite for the crown with 17.5 points in all out of a possible 27. He has a 1.5-point lead over Duda Jan-Krzysztof of Poland, who also did well on the first day of blitz.
With nine rounds still to come in the blitz section, Carlsen is likely to win by scoring six points out of remaining games but Gukesh has to do much better as he has been completely out of sort in this version.
Carlsen had earlier termed Gukesh as not up to the mark in the other formats, while Gukesh had proven him wrong in rapid chess. In blitz, the world champion still has to prove himself.
Standings after round 9 (blitz): 1. Magnus Carlsen (Pol, 17.5); 2. Duda Jan-Krzysztof (Pol 16); 3. D Gukesh (Ind, 15.5); 4. Wesley So (Usa, 14.5); 5. R Praggnanandhaa (Ind, 13.5); 6-7. Alireza Firouzja (Fra), Fabiano Caruana (Usa) 13 each; 8-9:. Anish Giri (Ned) Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb) 11 each; 10. Ivan Saric 10.