India’s young stars

At the Chennai Olympiad, the Indian team began as second seeds, even with former World Champion Vishy Anand absent from the lineup. But it is the host country’s privilege to field more than one team, and India used its second team to showcase the next generation of talent. This team, which included three 16-year-olds,

even won bronze, narrowly ahead of the first team. The gold medals went to another team of exceptionally talented youngsters from Uzbekistan, while Armenia took silver.

Dommaraju Gukesh, who was born in Chennai, produced an astonishing performance on board 1 for the second team. He began with eight consecutive victories, including a victory over former World Championship challenger Fabiano Caruana. His outstanding debut invites comparison with Vladimir Kramnik’s 8.5/9 result at the Manila Olympiad in 1992, where he was also just 16 years old. Gukesh’s result will see him join the world top 30, and invitations to face the world elite will surely come soon.

Gukesh took down an experienced Armenian grandmaster with an energetic kingside attack.

Dommaraju Gukesh – Gabriel Sargissian

Fide Olympiad, Chennai, July 2022

1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 Bb4 5 Qa4+ Nc6 6 e3 O-O 7 Bd2 dxc4 8 Bd6 9 Qc2 e5 10 dxe5 Nxe5 11 Be2 Nxf3+ 12 gxf3 Many would automatically recapture with the bishop, but opening the g-file is much more enterprising. a6 13 O-O-O b5 14 Rhg1 The h2 pawn is safe, as Black has no wish to open more lines for the White rooks. b4 15 Ne4 Nxe4 16 fxe4 Another good decision, as the central pawn mass soon assumes a key role in the attack. Qe7 17 f4 a5 17...f6 seems to be an improvement, to restrain the White pawns. After 18 e5 fxe5 19 Bd3 exf4 20 Bxh7+ Kh8 Black’s position looks precarious, but White has nothing concrete. 18 e5 Bc5 19 Rg5 Ba6 20 Rdg1 g6 21 Bxa6 Rxa6 22 f5 Ba7 23 e6 Kh8 Don’t panic! So often, that is the cornerstone of good defensive play, and at first sight this move ticks all the boxes. I imagine Sargissian may have envisaged 24 exf7 Rxf7 25 fxg6 Qxg5! 26 Rxg5 Rf1+ 27 Be1 Bxe3+ 28 Kd1 Bxg5, when the two rooks balance the queen. In fact, immediate measures were called for. 23...fxe6 24 fxg6 h6 25 g7 hxg5 26 gxf8=Q+ Kxf8. Black is not out of the woods, but can hope to exchange queens with Qe7-c5. 24 Kb1 This quiet response marks a decisive strengthening of the attack. Besides tucking the king away, it introduces the idea of Bd2-c1 and b2-b3. gxf5 (see diagram) This capture loses by force. 24...h6 25 R5g4 g5 was more stubborn, though White’s attack should succeed in the end. 25 Bxb4! Clearing a path for White’s queen. Qxb4 25...axb4 loses in much the same way as the game continuation: 26 Qg2 Qd8 27 e7 Qd3+ 28 Qc2 etc. 26 Qg2 Qe4+ 27 Qxe4 fxe4 28 e7 Re8 29 Rg8+ Rxg8 30 Rxg8+ Kxg8 31 e8=Q+ Kg7 32 Qe5+ Rf6 33 Qg5+ Very precise. 33 Qxe4 Bb6 would give Black hope of setting a fortress, where the queen has no targets to attack. Gukesh wants a passed pawn on the a-file, but first diverts the rook. Rg6 34 Qxa5 Now 34...Bxe3 35 Qc3+ picks up the bishop. Rg1+ 35 Kc2 Rg2+ 36 Kb3 Bb6 37 Qe5+ Kf8 38 Qh8+ Ke7 39 Qxh7 Re2 40 Qxe4+ Kf8 41 Qb4+ Black resigns as the rook will be lost to a fork next move.