Vidit Gujrathi and counterparts earn quarterfinal spot at FIDE World Cup

As the prestigious FIDE World Cup flared, Vidit Gujrathi ventured on a stupendous journey, hoofing out from the glooms of his younger equivalents. Confronting the tough Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi, a two-time World Championship finalist and seeded fourth, Vidit portrayed his nerve by staging an unprecedented 4-2 victory.

This win assured him the coveted final quarterfinal place alongside fellow aptitudes D. Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and R. Praggnanandhaa in Baku, Azerbaijan.

In a similar tale, D. Harika, a stalwart in the women's category, is enthralled in a riveting contention against the second-seeded Russian Aleksandra Goryachkina. The encounter resulted in a gripping 4.5-3.5 score, with Goryachkina ultimately latching her conquest through a tense five-minute flurry game.

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Vidit Gujrathi shines against versus Nepomniachtchi at FIDE World Cup

Vidit's voyage to success evolved through a series of strategic motions and gritty interpretations. Over a couple of days of classical time-control mini-matches, he held his ground versus Nepomniachtchi. The subsequent 25-minute rapid games saw him carry a strong balance, finally ushering to a pivotal moment.

In a nail-biting 10-minute game, Vidit depicted his perseverance. Faced with diminishing time and drastic pressure, he grasped an opportunity, capitalizing on Nepomniachtchi's blunder to assure a climactic win.

With his dexterity apparent through distinct moves, Vidit steadily progressed his pawn, pushing Nepomniachtchi's capitulation. The final junctures showed Vidit's resourcefulness, as he bested with just 49 seconds remaining against Nepomniachtchi's 5.01 minutes.

Vidit Gujrathi's triumph underscored his relentless priority and strategic prowess. His journey acts as a depiction of his compelling annals of the FIDE World Cup, a ground where the intelligence and mastery of chess partakers are shown in their full magnificence. As the quarterfinals in on the cards, the suspense builds, vowing further exhibitions of intellect and tactical knack in this riveting chess tale.

Results: Open (pre-quarterfinal): 20-Vidit Gujrathi (2719) occurred victorious facing off versus 4-Ian Nepomniachtchi (FIDE, 2779) with a final score of 4-2. Women (quarterfinal): 2-Aleksandra Goryachkina (FIDE, 2557) fettered conquest versus 10-D. Harika (2500) with a score of 4.5-3.5.