Wesley So (Open section) and Carissa Yip (women’s) stole the show on the first day of the blitz section of the Tata Steel Chess India at Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium on Saturday.

So logged seven points out of nine, with Arjun Erigaisi (6.5) close behind and Nihal Sarin (5.5) in third place.

In the women’s section, Yip got six points, with Stavroula, Goryachkina, and Vaishali Rameshbabu just half a point back, setting the stage for a thrilling action on the final day.

The Open section saw early rounds decided by nerves and time pressure. Arjun Erigaisi started with a slice of luck as his opponent walked into a forced mate, while Vidit Gujrathi pounced when Wesley So trapped his own king.

Hans Niemann won in a queen endgame after a last second mistake from Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, and Viswanathan Anand showed his trademark resilience by holding Wei Yi despite being a pawn down.

Round II produced one of the day’s standout moments as Sarin, who won the rapid title on Friday, defeated Anand in just 21 moves, powered by a clever bishop intermediate move.