How Did Local Teen Maniar Hold GM Mikulas to a Draw?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Hriday Maniar's remarkable draw showcases young talent in chess.
- The tournament attracts strong competitors from around the globe.
- A significant prize fund motivates participation.
- Upsets in chess highlight the unpredictability of the game.
- Support for young players is essential for the sport's growth.
Mumbai, June 17 (NationPress) The 13-year-old Hriday Maniar, a bright local talent, managed to secure a surprising draw against the experienced Slovak Grandmaster Manik Mikulas, marking a significant achievement in his burgeoning chess career during the opening round of the Mumbai International Grandmaster Chess Tournament on Tuesday.
The tournament kicked off with great excitement at the World Trade Centre, Mumbai, with Hriday's stunning performance capturing attention in Round 1.
Despite facing an opponent with nearly 500 rating points higher, Hriday exhibited commendable composure and precision, demonstrating impeccable technique against his more seasoned rival. This outcome is being celebrated as one of the most significant upsets of the tournament's start.
Aside from this extraordinary feat, the remaining 15 Grandmasters had little trouble defeating their opponents to progress to the second round of this 9-round Swiss format tournament. A total of 293 players from 18 nations have gathered to compete for a substantial prize pool of ₹25.00 lakhs.
This event is organized by the Indian Chess School under the auspices of the All India Chess Federation (AICF).
Key Results:
Round 1
Levan Pantsulaia (1) defeated Raman Siddharth B. (0)
Petrosyan Manuel (1) defeated Gada Om (0)
Paichadze Luka (1) defeated Shubh Kapur (0)
Nikitenko Mihail (1) defeated Gogte Soumil (0)
Lalit Babu M R (1) defeated Ayaan Trikha (0)
Gharibyan Mamikon (1) defeated Chavan Aditya (0)
Savchenko Boris (1) defeated Advik Reddy (0)
Panesar Vedant (1) defeated Saranya Devi (0)
Sanikidze Tornike (1) defeated Bhavya Gupta (0)
Deepan Chakkravarthy J. (1) defeated Shahan Vohra (0)
Davtyan Arsen (1) defeated Arjun Singh (0)
Nguyen Duc Hoa (1) defeated Parkar (0)
Slizhevsky Alexander (1) defeated Patlolla Indra Reddy (0)
Aleksandrov Aleksej (1) defeated Shitiz Prasad (0)
Fedorov Alexei (1) defeated Vageesh Swaminathan (0)
Budhidharma Nayaka (1) defeated Raj Kapoor (0)
Neelotpal Das (1) defeated Karthik Gopal G. (0)
Nithin Babu (1) defeated Mithilesh P. (0)
Nguyen Van Huy (1) defeated Laddad Aadhavan Atish (0)
Tologon Tegin Semetei (1) defeated Gnanaseelan (0)
Gochelashvili Davit (1) defeated Aabhas Kumar Srivastava (0)
Saravana Krishnan P. (1) defeated Jagesia Daksh (0)
Manik Mikulas (½) drew Hriday Maniar (½)