Diptayan Ghosh Stuns Chess World by Defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi

Diptayan Ghosh's Historic Victory

In a remarkable turn of events at the World Chess Cup, Grandmaster Diptayan Ghosh achieved a stunning upset by eliminating former world championship contender Ian Nepomniachtchi from the tournament after triumphing in the second game of their second-round match on Wednesday.

The match was largely one-sided, with Ghosh dominating the board and not allowing Nepomniachtchi, who struggled with his white pieces, any opportunities. An unclear position emerged early on, and Nepomniachtchi faltered with a simple tactic in the middle game, resulting in the loss of a pawn.

As the game progressed into more technical phases, Ghosh showcased his skills, consistently applying pressure by exchanging pieces. This strategic play quickly led to a rook and pawns endgame.

“This is undoubtedly the most significant victory of my chess career, defeating Nepo in a match,” Ghosh expressed following his impressive win.

In earlier matches, Grandmaster P Harikrishna made history as the first Indian to reach the third round by decisively beating Arseniy Nesterov from Russia. Meanwhile, world junior champion V Pranav faced a disappointing defeat against Norway's Aryan Tari.

Despite starting with the advantage of playing black, Pranav squandered his chances, leading to a tie-break game that will determine their future in the tournament.