GM Rameshbabu Vaishali tops table to qualify for knockout stage in FIDE World Blitz Championship 2024

In Chess, Grandmaster (GM) Rameshbabu Vaishali qualified for the knockout stage in the Women’s section of the FIDE World Blitz Championship 2024 today after finishing at the top of the table with 9.5 points from 11 rounds in New York. Vaishali was the sole Indian player in both the Women’s and Open sections to cross the first hurdle in the championship. She signed off the day with a draw against Carissa Yip.

Meanwhile, GM Humpy Koneru, who won her second World Rapid Chess Championship on Sunday, came agonizingly close to qualifying but finished in 9th place, resulting in an early exit from the tournament. 

In the Open section, India No. 1 GM Arjun Erigaisi, GM R. Praggnanandhaa, and GM Anish Giri all failed to make it into the top eight.

The Blitz Championship features 13 rounds in the Open section and 11 rounds in the Women’s section. The top eight players from each category advance to Stage 2, which follows a traditional knockout format to determine the champions. 

As the name suggests, Blitz games are faster, featuring 3-minute time controls with a 2-second increment per move starting from the first move.