Indian Chess Player Clinches Bronze at World Blitz Championship

New Delhi: Indian International Master R Vaishali secured a bronze medal in the women's section of the World Blitz Championship, capping off an impressive performance by the country's chess players. Vaishali defeated Chinese opponent Zhu Jiner 2.5-1.5 in the quarter-finals before losing to fellow Chinese player Ju Wenjun 0.5-2.5 in the semi-final.

Despite being edged out in the semifinals, Vaishali's victory marked a notable achievement for India in the tournament. The bronze medal is a testament to the country's rising chess standards, which have been made possible by initiatives like the Waca Chess programme and the WestBridge Anand Chess Academy.

Fifth-time world champion and International Chess Federation (FIDE) vice president Viswanathan Anand congratulated Vaishali on her performance, saying it was "a great way to end the year" for Indian chess. "Congratulations to Vaishali for taking bronze. Her qualification was truly a power packed performance," he wrote.

In another development, world number one Magnus Carlsen and Russia's Ian Nepomniachtchi shared the World Blitz title after three sudden-death games failed to produce a winner. This marked the first time that the title was awarded to two players, with Carlsen opting for a share of the win due to the exhaustion caused by multiple games.

"I reached a point where it had been a long day," Carlsen said about the shared victory, "it was a nice solution to share the win. It was a good way to end it." The shared title is a reflection of the competitive dynamic in chess, with top players adapting to changing circumstances and finding ways to overcome challenges.

The World Blitz Championship has concluded its latest round, providing an exciting conclusion to India's international chess calendar for 2024.