Koneru Humpy clinches silver at Women's World Rapid Chess Championships 2023

By Ajay Gandhar

Ajay Gandhar has been part of Khel Now since 2023 and has covered almost every Olympic sport, but Badminton, Tennis, Football, and Track and Field have his heart.

Published at :December 28, 2023 at 11:50 PM

Modified at :December 28, 2023 at 11:50 PM

Koneru Humpy clinches silver at Women's World Rapid Chess Championships 2023

(Courtesy : Sarkari Pariksha)

Vidith Gujrathi finished fourth in men’s category.

Koneru Humpy, India’s top-ranked woman chess player, added another feather to her cap by winning the silver medal at the Women’s World Rapid Chess Championships 2023 held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan from December 26th to 28th.

The athlete from Andhra Pradesh finished at the top position after 11 rounds with 8.5 points, along with Russia’s Anastasia Bodnaruk. She played a tie-breaker against Bodnaruk for the title but lost 1.5-2.5 to earn the precious silver medal from the event. This is her third medal from these championships after a gold in 2019 and a bronze in 2012.

She held her own against the eventual champion Bodnaruk in the classical games, drawing both of them with black pieces. However, in the blitz playoff, Humpy could not match the speed and accuracy of Bodnaruk, who prevailed in the sudden-death game after two draws and a loss.

Humpy was not the only Indian player to shine at the championship, as several others also performed well and improved their ratings. In the women’s section, Varshini finished at 13th place with 7.5 points,

In the men’s section, Vidit Gujrathi was the best-placed Indian player, finishing at the fourth position with 9 points in 13 rounds. He missed out on a medal by a whisker, as he lost to China’s Yu Yangyi in the final round. Other notable performances came from R Praganandha who finished in 8th rank.

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The undisputed king of rapid chess once again claimed the men’s title, Magnus Carlsen, who secured the world rapid chess crown for a record fifth time. Carlsen scored 3/4 on the final day, winning over Russia’s Vladimir Fedoseev and Iran’s Pouya Idani, and drawing with India’s Vidit Gujrathi and China’s Yu Yangyi. Carlsen’s score of 10/13 eclipsed Fedoseev (9.5/13) and Yu Yangyi (9/13), who finished second and third respectively.

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Ajay Gandhar

Ajay Gandhar has been part of Khel Now since 2023 and has expertise across a wide range of Olympic sports. While his coverage spans the Olympic spectrum, he is passionate about Badminton, Tennis, Football, and Track and Field. Beyond his primary focus areas, Ajay is also an avid kabaddi enthusiast and closely follows the sport.