Latest news with #MVL
Indian Express
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
Praggnanandhaa bests MVL in tiebreaks to win Chess Classic Romania as Niemann praises GCT playoff format
It took a herculean effort from Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Alireza Firouzja to win on-demand in their respective last classical round games to enforce a tiebreak with R. Praggnanandhaa, but the Indian showed tremendous resoluteness to eventually win the three-way tiebreaker. He beat MVL in the final blitz tiebreak to clinch the second leg of the Grand Chess Tour (GCT) — the Superbet Chess Classic Romania 2025 — on Friday night. Praggnanandhaa, who was leading by half a point over MVL and Firouzja, drew his last round game against the USA's Levon Aronian, which allowed the French duo to catch up with him. The three-way tiebreak saw all three players pit against each other. The first two blitz matches — between Pragg and Firouzja and MVL and Firouzja — were drawn before the Indian got the better of MVL in the final blitz game. The tiebreak format, which is result-oriented with shorter time controls and Armageddon if necessary, was praised by American Grandmaster Hans Niemann. 'GCT has a very creative Armageddon tiebreak format. An intriguing idea that could be used by other competitions. Best wishes to Pragg. Niemann wrote on X. Very innovative Armageddon tiebreak format from GCT. Interesting concept that other tournaments could adopt. Congrats to Pragg! — Hans Niemann (@HansMokeNiemann) May 16, 2025 Since the tiebreak format had already been used in earlier tournaments, it can be argued whether or not it was innovative. Niemann's statement, though, might be an indication of his comment to FIDE. This is particularly in light of Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi's contentious agreement to split the World Blitz Title at the 2024 World Rapid and Blitz Championship in New York on Wall Street. Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi agreed to share the title after the final ended in a tie, as the decision came after three sudden-death games failed to produce a winner. After that, Niemann went on an explosive rant on social media, lashing out at FIDE, the global governing body of chess, for allowing the two players to share the prestigious title. 'The chess world is officially a joke. THIS HAS NEVER BEEN DONE IN HISTORY. I can't believe that the official body of chess is being controlled by a singular player FOR THE 2ND TIME THIS WEEK. THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE WORLD CHAMPION! (sic)' Niemann posted on his X handle.
Hindustan Times
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
R Praggnanandhaa clinches Superbet Classic title, beats Maxime Vachier-Lagrave after three-way tie
India's R Praggnanandhaa clinched the Superbet Classic title in Romania after prevailing in a dramatic three-way tie-break, edging out Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Alireza Firouzja in blitz deciders. The 18-year-old Indian grandmaster held his nerve in the final game against MVL, sealing a memorable win in the opening leg of the Grand Chess Tour. In the blitz tiebreaks, the first two clashes – Praggnanandhaa vs Firouzja and Vachier-Lagrave vs Firouzja – ended in tightly contested draws, leaving the title hanging in the balance. It was in the decisive third game that Praggnanandhaa stepped, defeating Vachier-Lagrave to win the title. Earlier in the day, Praggnanandhaa played out a solid draw against American veteran Levon Aronian in the final round. Facing an early surprise with the French Defence, the teenager opted for a quiet setup, steering the game into an early queen exchange. As the game progressed, regular piece trades led to a draw. The players agreed to split the point after 43 moves. With the draw, Pragg joined Firouzja and Vachier-Lagrave in the lead. Both Firouzja and MVL had earlier registered wins to catch up. Firouzja turned the tables on local favourite Deac Bogdan-Daniel after being worse for large parts of the middlegame, while MVL capitalised on a late positional blunder by Jan-Krzysztof Duda to notch up a comfortable win. The tiebreak featured two blitz games for each player, and in case of a further deadlock, an Armageddon decider was scheduled. However, Praggnanandhaa rose to the occasion and sealed victory by defeating MVL in the final blitz game to clinch the title. Among the other Indian participants, D Gukesh ended with 4 points following a final-round draw against Fabiano Caruana. The American, meanwhile, finished fourth with 5 points. Wesley So and Aronian ended the tournament tied with Gukesh and Deac, while Duda, with just 3 points, brought up the rear.
The South African
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- The South African
Western Cape licence fee increase: Have your say by 17 May
The Western Cape government has invited residents to comment on proposed motor vehicle licence fee increases, published in the Provincial Gazette Extraordinary 9057 on 17 April 2025. The proposed increases will take effect on 1 August 2025. Public comments on the proposal can be submitted until 17 May 2025. While public input is considered during the review period, the government ultimately decides whether to implement the changes. According to Muneera Allie, the Western Cape Mobility Department's Head of Communication, the province has over 2 million registered vehicles and one of the best road conditions in the country. This is mainly due to the provincial government's commitment to ringfencing MVL revenue for road maintenance, upgrades, and expansion. Allie further states the importance of paying your vehicle licence fees. 'It is not just a legal requirement, but an important contribution to keep our roads safe, efficient, and reliable for everyone.' MVL fees are primarily used to: Construct, improve, and maintain the province's road infrastructure. Assist local governments and municipalities in maintaining their more strategic roads. Guarantee the continuous safe mobility for all users of the road. This includes residents, tourists, freight operators, and public transport passengers. The province's roads are vital for residents, businesses, tourism, service provision, and job creation. By keeping roads in top condition, the province safeguards economic competitiveness and improves quality of life. The proposed licence fee increases in the Western Cape will have a significant impact on everyday South Africans, particularly those in lower income brackets. Here is what the increase could mean for average drivers: The proposed fee increase will add to the already high cost of living for many South Africans. The increased licence fees could mean making difficult choices between essential expenses for lower-income households. Additionally, the increase could reduce mobility and heighten financial pressures. The Western Cape government should consider the potential impact of the proposed fee increases on lower-income households. Additionally, explore other alternative solutions that balance the need for revenue with the need to protect vulnerable populations. Email, post or deliver comments to: Email – Post – Mr Darryl Jacobs, Head of Department, Attention Ms Robyn Titus, Western Cape Mobility Department, PO Box 2603, Cape Town 8000 Deliver – Mr Darryl Jacobs, Head of Department, Attention Ms Robyn Titus, Western Cape Mobility Department, Ground Floor, 34 Roeland Street, Cape Town. Western Cape residents are encouraged to review the draft regulation and submit comments before the closing date of 17 May 2025. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
