'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUG/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgP/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMJHLn//xAAiEAABAwMDBQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEAAYRBRMjFBUhMTL/2gAIAQEAAT8AtqxXbqtxjUII6TcY20xw59kIwF5qdZckzZB7Ol3kVyJl4C/PvBNf/8QAFxEAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECQf/aAAgBAgEBPwCYWn//xAAVEQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAP/aAAgBAwEBPwBK/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
India's FIDE Candidates competitors had a difficult day in Toronto, Canada, during the tournament's seventh round. It was a disappointing day for the contingent, as none of the five Indian players, despite high hopes and strong performances, managed to secure a win.
One of India's top competitors, D. Gukesh, went down to France's Alireza Firouzja, so he lost the opportunity to take the only lead in the men's category. Due to time constraints, Gukesh's defeat turned out to be a blow to his hopes of winning.
Similarly, despite dominating much of his game, Vidit Gujrathi was forced to settle for a draw against Nijat Abasov, who ranked last in the standings. Vidit was frustrated by the missed opportunity to convert his advantage into a win.
Defending champion Ian Nepomniachtchi held Hikaru Nakamura to a draw after playing brilliantly. He continues to lead the leaderboard.
R. Praggnanandhaa, another promising Indian talent, drew an even match against Fabiano Caruana, demonstrating his resilience and skill on the board.
However, his sister R. Vaishali lost to China's Lei Tingjie, adding to the Indian contingent's disappointment. Vaishali struggled against Tingjie, eventually losing. The loss exacerbated the challenges that the Indian contenders faced in the fiercely competitive tournament.
Koneru Humpy, the other women's category contender from India, continued her search for a first win as she settled for a draw against Anna Muzychuk. Despite her efforts, a victory remained elusive as she reached a mutual agreement with Muzychuk on the 40th move.
Overall, the seventh round of the Candidates 2024 tournament proved to be difficult for the Indian team, with setbacks all around. As the tournament progresses, the Indian players will look to regroup and come back stronger in the following rounds.
Candidates 2024: Day 7 Results (Indians Only)
Open Category
Fabiano Caruana 1/2-1/2 R. Praggnanandhaa
Nijat Abasov 1/2-1/2 Vidit Gujrathi
Alireza Firouzja 1-0 D. Gukesh
Women's Category
Anna Muzychuk 1/2-1/2 Koneru Humpy
Lei Tingjie 1-0 Rameshbabu Vaishali
