The second day of the World Rapid Chess Championship in Doha witnessed a stunning display of nerve and skill from Russia's Vladislav Artemiev, who defeated two of the world's top players to surge into the joint lead. The world No. 84 scored remarkable back-to-back victories over India's world No. 5 Arjun Erigaisi and the legendary Magnus Carlsen of Norway on Saturday.
Artemiev's Time-Trouble Triumphs
Artemiev, known for his comfort in complex time scrambles, lived up to his reputation in a dramatic sixth-round clash against Arjun Erigaisi. Playing with black pieces, Artemiev was caught off guard by Arjun's preparation, leaving him with a precarious 21 seconds for 21 moves. Despite being in a difficult position with white holding a clear advantage after 31 moves, the tide turned when Arjun missed a critical rook move, opting for a queen move instead.
Eight moves later, another error—a bishop move instead of a knight retreat—proved costly. Artemiev pounced on the opportunity, showcasing incredible composure to play the final 27 moves with only seconds on his clock and secure victory after 48 moves.
Toppling the King: Carlsen Falls
The Russian grandmaster carried his momentum into the next round against the formidable Magnus Carlsen. In an equal position, Carlsen chose ambition over pragmatism, refusing a pawn capture on the 15th turn. This led to a sharp and entertaining endgame filled with tactical shots from both sides.
Although Artemiev did not find the optimal continuation, Carlsen failed to find the equalising Bc6 move. This left the Norwegian facing either mating threats or decisive material loss. Visibly frustrated with his own miscalculation, Carlsen not only resigned but also pushed away the camera of a Norwegian TV staffer following him after the game.
Standings and Indian Contingent
These twin victories propelled Artemiev to 7.5 points after nine rounds, putting him in a tie for first place with American grandmaster Hans Niemann. The final four rounds of the 13-round tournament are scheduled for Sunday.
For India, world champion D. Gukesh (6.5 points) had a mixed day. He started with draws against Anish Giri and Alexey Sarana before defeating David Guijarro. However, a loss to Uzbekistan's Nodirbek Abdusattorov pushed him down to the joint third spot on the leaderboard.
Women's Section Update
In the women's championship, played over 11 rounds, China's overnight sole leader Zhu Jiner was held to draws by Russia's Aleksandra Goryachkina and Georgia's Nino Batsiashvili, ending her winning streak. This allowed defending champion Koneru Humpy to join Jiner at the top of the standings with three rounds remaining.
Zhu Jiner managed to avenge her earlier defeat by beating eventual Women's World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh in the last round of the day. Humpy secured a vital draw against Goryachkina. India's 15-year-old Krishna H. Goutham endured a tough day, losing three of her four games, including encounters with Anish Giri and Hans Niemann.
