Arkhangelsk variation

Grand Chess Tour: Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa began his Sinquefield Cup campaign with a comfortable draw against American counterpart Samuel Sevian in the opening round of the penultimate event of the Grand Chess Tour.

Playing with the black pieces, Praggnanandhaa gave little away as the Arkhangelsk Variation of the Ruy Lopez produced a relatively quiet encounter. The Indian’s preparation appeared to be superior, while Sevian showed little inclination to complicate matters.

The players began exchanging pieces early, with a pair of rooks coming off the board as soon as the 11th move. Further exchanges led to a queen-and-minor-piece endgame in which both players had two knights each, leaving little scope for either side to create winning chances.