In a remarkable display of skill, Indian Grandmaster R Vaishali, the lowest-rated player in the Total Chess Pilot tournament in Budapest, achieved significant victories on the first day by defeating both Hans Niemann and Wesley So in blitz matches. Vaishali, one of only two female players in the tournament, also managed to secure draws against notable opponents Richard Rapport, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, and Anish Giri. "I’ve had some good blitz days, but this was probably the best," Vaishali remarked, acknowledging the strength of her competition, which includes world-renowned players like Magnus Carlsen, whom she had hoped to compete alongside.

Despite Vaishali's impressive performance, the reigning women's blitz world champion, Bibisara Assauabayeva, faced a challenging day, suffering eight consecutive losses and finishing with just half a point from nine rounds. Meanwhile, world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen finished the blitz event unbeaten, securing the best tiebreaks and ultimately winning the blitz tournament. The competition format includes three time controls: blitz, rapid, and fast classic, with the tournament set to continue until November 15.S2

As the tournament progresses, the fast classic section commenced with tense matches, including a draw between Carlsen and Giri, and another draw between Arjun Erigaisi and Niemann. Players will engage in two fast classic games each day, compressing classical chess into two hours, leading up to the knockout stages that will follow the initial rounds.S1