Venit, vidit, vicit

India is quite possibly the birthplace of chess, with the four branches of the ancient Indian army, infantry, cavalry, chariots and war elephants, morphing into the pawns, knights, rooks and bishops of the modern game. The most celebrated protagonist of Indian chess is former world champion, Viswanathan Anand. Nevertheless, behind him are surging younger generations of Indian grandmasters, some of whom (e.g. Dommaraju Gukesh and Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa) are still barely into their teens.

In the slightly older generation, mid-twenties, are such accomplished practitioners as Vidit Santosh Gujrathi, who made his presence strongly felt when he came, saw and conquered with a spectacular victory against ex-world champion Vladimir Kramnik at Wijk aan Zee in January (see this column of 9 February). Vidit has now scored a further noteworthy performance, sharing second prize at Prague behind only Vitiugov, and winning the following filigree endgame against a one-time world title challenger.

Vidit-Gelfand; Prague Masters 2019; Petroff Defence

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Nxe5 d6 4 Nf3 Nxe4 5 Nc3 Nxc3 6 dxc3 Be7 7 Be3 This line was invented by Aron Nimzowitsch. For example the game Nimzowitsch-Marshall, San Sebastian 1911 continued 7 Bd3 Nc6 8 Be3 Bg4 9 Be4 Qd7 10 Qd2 0-0-0 11 0-0-0 and was eventually drawn. 7 … 0-0 8 Qd2 Nd7 9 0-0-0 Nf6 10 Bd3 c5 11 Kb1 b5 (diagram 1) 12 Rhe1 This is a new try. 12 Bxb5 as in Sanal-Antic, Belgrade 2018 is very risky. The game continued 12 … Rb8 13 Bd3 Be6 when White blundered with 14 Ng5 (14 c4 is equal), allowing 14 … Bxa2+! 15 Kc1 (15 Kxa2 Qa5+ 16 Kb1 Rxb2+ leads to mate) 15 … Rxb2 and White is completely lost although he somehow managed to draw.