Gukesh joint third after first day of St.Louis Rapid and Blitz

Liem and Oparin are next on two points, Nodirbek has one, and Sam Shankland is last after losing all his games.

For Gukesh, the first round was a heartbreak as he went down in extreme complexities arising from a Caro Kann defense game.

However, he recovered quickly, defeating Oparin in style.

The finale was picturesque out of a Sicilian Rossolimo as the Indian sacrificed his queen to checkmate the Russian turned American.

In the final game of the day, Gukesh, playing black against Liem, entered massive complications again.

But, unlike Aronian, Liem faltered under pressure and was left facing a lost position once the dust settled.

Results

Round 1: Levon Aronian (Usa) beat D Gukesh (Ind); Grigoriy Oparin (Usa) beat Liem Le Quang (Vie); Wesley So (Usa) drew with Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb); Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra) drew with Fabiano Caruana (Usa); Leinier Dominguez Perez (Usa) beat Sam Shankland (Usa).

Round 2: Gukesh beat Oparin; Leim beat Shankland; Vachier-Lagrave lost to Aronian; Abdusattorov lost to Caruana; Dominguez drew with Wesley.

Round 3: Oparin lost to Vachier-Lagrave; Liem lost to Gukesh; Wesley beat Shankland; Aronian beat Abdusattorov; Caruana beat Dominguez.

Standings 1.Aronian (6); 2.Caruana (5); 3-4 Gukesh, Wesley (4 each); 5-6: Vachier-Lagrave, Dominguez (3 each); 7=8.Oparin, Liem (2 each); 9.Abdusattorov (1); 10.Shankland (10).