World Blitz championship; India’s Koneru Humpy bags Silver medal

Indian chess player Koneru Humpy on Friday bagged a Silver medal in the women’s section of the FIDE World Blitz Chess Championship. The Indian ace made a superb comeback after a modest run in the initial phase to take the medal. She defeated Zhongyi Tan in the 17th and final rounds.

In the Open event, won by world No.1 Magnus Carlsen of Norway with 16 points, no Indian player could manage a top-10 finish. The experienced P Harikrishna was the best Indian in the Open section, taking a 17th-place finish with 13 points with Nihal Sarin a spot behind with an equal number of points.

Fast-rising Arjun Erigaisi, the highest-seeded Indian here, wound up 42nd after a patchy display which saw him lose games 16, 17 and 18. Compatriot Vidit Santosh Gujrathi’s form was also up and down and he finished a lowly 90th.