Chess.coms top event for women, the $70,000 Julius Baer Womens Speed Chess Championship, is back next month and this time with a big-name sponsor and six of the strongest players on the planet.

Defending champion GM Kateryna Lagno and the near-legendary GM Hou Yifan, the world number-one for eight years and last years runner-up, have confirmed they will resume their speed chess rivalry.

Both will battle it out in the main event from November 13 to 22, which is supported by the Swiss private bank Julius Baer.

The stellar lineup also includes the highly-decorated GMs Alexandra Kosteniuk and Valentina Gunina. Kosteniuk and Gunina are two of the finest and fastest women players, and both former champions.

Indias GM Harika Dronavalli, the runner up to Hou in 2021, will also return alongside fellow countrywoman IM Vaishali Rameshbabu, the fast-rising 22-year-old from Chennai and sister of the prodigy GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu.

Here's what happened in last year's dramatic final:

Two more spots are available from what promises to be an exciting qualification event, open to all titled women, from November 8 to 9. This year, however, the format for the first stage is slightly different.

The Julius Baer Womens Speed Chess Championship is being brought into line with the Speed Chess Championship and the Junior Speed Chess Championship which means the qualifier will see a 14-round Swiss on day one followed by a top-8 double elimination bracket on the second day.

The winner of each bracket on day two will advance from the qualifier to the main event. Play will begin at 9 a.m. ET / 15:00 CEST / 18:30 IST on both days.

The main event starting November 13 will see an eight-player single elimination bracket, with seedings determined by a Chess.com panel. The six players listed above have been directly invited, and will be joined by the two qualifiers.

All matches will be played over 5+1, 3+1 and 1+1 time controls. The exact schedule will be confirmed later.

Antje Hembd, Head Global Sponsoring & Partnership Julius Baer, said: We are thrilled to support the Womens Speed Chess Championship for the first time and to help to empower women and create a more equitable, diverse and exciting chess landscape.

"This year Julius Baer has been included in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GE). This inclusion shows our commitment to advance to the topic and to share our results transparently supporting our Diversity & Inclusion vision to foster an inclusive environment built on care.

This years Julius Baer Womens Speed Chess Championship is the fifth edition of the event, which has seen a series of thrilling finals since it first burst onto the scene four years ago.

GM Elina Danielian, who reached the main event as a qualifier, won the inaugural WSCC in 2019 defeating Gunina 15-13 in the final. Danielian was dethroned in 2020 by GM Anna Ushenina, who beat Kosteniuk in the final. Hou then took the title in 2021, toppling Dronavalli, before Lagno won it against Hou in 2022.

You can watch the live broadcast on Chess.com/TV or on our YouTube and Twitch channels. Find out more about the 2023 Julius Baer Women's Speed Chess Championship in our event guide here.

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Hou Yifan Out For Revenge Against Lagno In 2023 Julius Baer ... - Chess.com

Chess.com is excited to announce that we will be hosting the 2023 U.S. Collegiate Rapid and Blitz Championships. The rapid championship will be held on October 29and the blitz championship on November 5.

Registration is underway and continues until 12 a.m. Eastern/9 p.m. Pacific the day before each event. The games start at 12 p.m. Eastern/9 a.m. Pacific. The games will be US Chess online-rated.

Established in 2019, this event has quickly become one of the premier tournaments in the country for college students. Last year's individual champions were GM Benjamin Gledura from Webster in the rapid and GM Mikhail Antipov from Mizzou in the blitz.

Among those crowned this year will be the 2023:

Additionally, the top four individual performances from each institution will count toward team championships, and the top three individual finishers in each event will also be recognized as well as players below certain US Chess rating thresholds. Last year's team champions were Webster University in rapid and the University of Missouri in blitz.

The rapid event is a nine-round Swiss tournament with a 10+5 time control, while the blitz event is a 12-round Swiss tournament with a 3+2 time control.

Register here; it's free! Note that a .edu email address is required.

This November, new champions will be crowned as we head into 2024, which will begin with the Pan-American Intercollegiate Championship in January and the Spring 2024 season of the Collegiate Chess League.

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Announcing The 2023 US Collegiate Rapid & Blitz Championships - Chess.com

World number-one Magnus Carlsen won a 23-move miniature as he set out to defend his title in the 2023 Qatar Masters, a tournament last held in 2015. GMs Hikaru Nakamura and Anish Giri were among the star names to win in round one, but GMs Gukesh Dommaraju and Nihal Sarin had to fight for draws, while GM Vladimir Fedoseev was put to the sword by 19-year-old Indian IM Kushagra Mohan.

Round two starts on October 12 at 8 a.m. ET/14:00 CEST/5:30 p.m. IST.

The 2023 Qatar Masters is the third edition of a trendsetting chess open that we first saw almost a decade ago. Let's take a quick look back at the history.

The chess world has long been divided between a rich elite and a mass of players struggling to make ends meet. To get to the elite you need talent, sometimes a little luck, and above all to perform well in "open tournaments," which, as the name suggests, are events that are more or less open to everyone willing to pay an entry fee and their own expenses.

As soon as top young players could, they'd stop playing open events for modest and hard-to-win prizes and instead compete in small all-play-all tournaments against their elite colleagues, where even relative failure would be financially rewarded. The drawback of such events for chess fans, however, is that we quickly become familiar with all the top players and sometimes tire of seeing them compete against each other week after week.

That led, in the last decade, to a new trend to hold open tournaments, but to make them attractive to the world's very best players with hefty top prizes and appearance fees. The Qatar Masters, along with similar events held in Gibraltar and on the Isle of Man, was a trailblazer with its first edition in 2014.

Chinese GM Yu Yangyi, at the time just 20 years old, was the surprise winner, after taking down former World Champion GM Vladimir Kramnik in the final round. Kramnik tied with Giri for second, half a point behind.

A year later, World Champion Carlsen had joined the fray. He duly won but needed a playoff against Yu, who had defeated GM Wesley So on demand in the final round, while Kramnik again took third place. Among the participants that year were future GMs 12-year-old Alireza Firouzja and 11-year-old Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

Sadly that was the last Qatar Masters, until now, although the organizational effort in 2016 went into holding the World Rapid and Blitz Championships in Doha. Carlsen said of that event when interviewed after round one: "I tied for first in both rapid and blitz, but I only got bronze and silver on tiebreaks. I still have something to prove!"

The Qatar Masters is back, and though the venue has shifted from Doha to the nearby Lusail Sports Arena in Lusail, the format remains the same.

160 players are competing in the top group over nine rounds of classical chess, for $108,250 in prizes. The top prize is $25,000.

There are also other prizes on offer, including $5,000 for the top female player.

The line-up is formidable, including eight 2700+ rated players, as well as Carlsen, Nakamura, Giri, and Gukesh from the world's top-10.

For round one, the rating list was cut in two, so that number-one-ranked Carlsen played number 79, 17-year-old Indian IM L R Srihari, number-two-ranked Nakamura played number 80, 21-year-old Indian IM Vantika Agrawal, and so on. That meant there were heavy favorites on all the top boards, and many stars did grab the expected wins. For instance, Carlsen shrugged off a late arrival in Qatar to beat Srihari in just 23 moves. He claimed to have made a very late choice of what to play:

"I didnt know what to play on move 1, so I just asked Mohammed [organizer Qatari GM Mohammed Al-Modiahki], who made the first move, to make a move, and he played 1.c4, and I thought it looked like a good move, so Ill play it!"

He played 1.c4, and I thought it looked like a good move, so I'll play it!

Magnus Carlsen

Carlsen said he was surprised in the opening, but then things swung his way, since his opponent, "chose a very concrete approach later, going for some material, which was flawed, because he had no pieces protecting his king and then it was a fairly pleasant job attacking after that."

The former world champion got to offer multiple piece sacrifices, including a choice of rooks.

The sparkling 23-move win that follows is our Game of the Day, annotated by GM Dejan Bojkov.

Nakamura admitted he had a "very, very tough game" against the talented Vantika, though he credited his 62-move victory to cranking up the pressure when his opponent was low on time. Her weakening 28.f5? was essentially the losing move, and was played with under 20 seconds on the clock.

With 28...Qe2+! and then 29...Qd3 Nakamura was able to force a favorable endgame, and he never gave his opponent another chance. Check out his full recap below.

Seven of the top-ten seeds won, with GM Jorden van Foreest pouncing on a less-than-obvious blunder to trap German IM Raphael Lagunow's queen. Just to emphasize the point, when the queen briefly managed to escape the box, it was only to find itself doomed to be lost.

No one said it was going to be easy, however. Giri did eventually win, but only after again and again seeming to let a win slip against another talented young Indian IM, S Rohith Krishna. You could definitely be forgiven for missing the strength of 20.Rh5! (with the main threat simply to follow up with Qb5 and take on d5).

Giri made very hard work of what followed, however, and allowed his opponent to come incredibly close to taking a draw.

All's well that ends well, but for other top players, it was an even tougher day at the office.

Nihal had to defend an inferior endgame until move 109, while Indian IM Mohammad Nubairshah Shaikh had the mighty Gukesh on the ropes. The world number-eight eventually exchanged off queens and groveled for a draw, but it still cost 3.7 rating points and dropping out of the top-ten on the live rating list.

Of course, that wasn't the worst that could happen, with Fedoseev losing 8.4 points after falling to 279-point-lower-rated Kushagra in a game where things escalated fast.

There are still eight rounds to go, however, so early misfortunes are no insurmountable obstacle to overall success.

Qatar Masters | All Games Round 1

The 2023 Qatar Masters is a nine-round open tournament for players rated 2300+. It takes place in Lusail, Qatar on October 11-20, and boasts a $108,250 prize fund with $25,000 for first place, as well as a $5,000 prize for the top female player.

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Qatar Masters Round 1: Carlsen Wins 23-Move Miniature - Chess.com

It started with a Chess.com account during the pandemic. Now 9-year-old FM Faustino Oro from Argentina has made history as the youngest player ever to score an IM norm.

The prodigy dubbed the "Messi of Chess" by Argentinian media made headlines in June when he crossed 2300 for the first time. He was the youngest player ever to do so, beating the former record set by Uzbek GM Javokhir Sindarov by over seven months. Just three months earlier, he had also become the youngest ever to break 2200.

On September 17, Oro, nicknamed "Fausti," scored 6.5/9 and finished second in II Copa Ciudad, a round-robin tournament in Comodoro Rivadavia, southern Argentina. Remarkably, he went through the nine rounds undefeated and scored four wins and five draws.

He finished off FM Andres Aguilar in round 5 excellently.

While Fausti was helped by several shorter draws throughout the tournament, he exhibited superb attacking skills as well, such as in this game in round seven.

Fausti finished a point behind the winner, GM Diego Flores, but tied with GM Neuris Delgado Ramirez, both grandmasters with whom he drew.

After the event, Flores was full of praise for Fausti.

What I can tell you about Faustino is that he is an incredible boy. Here he confirmed what he has been doing in each tournament and how much is expected of him. It makes me happy to see him play, how he uses every resource in every position, and that he also continues an upward streak in his career," Flores told Infobae.

Oro's score was enough for his first IM norm, making him the youngest player in the history of the game to do so. GM Abhimanyu Mishra, who has the prestigious title of the world's youngest-ever grandmaster, also holds the record as the youngest-ever IM. He achieved that at 10 years, 9 months, and 3 days, 17 days earlier than GM R. Praggnanandhaa. As Fausti turns 10 on October 14, this means he has almost 10 months to break yet another record.

"Fausti is very happy to have achieved the norm, but the focus is always on improving the level of play," Fausti's father, Alejandro Oro, tells Chess.com. "When this happens, everything else follows naturally: norms, titles, and Elo ratings."

He says his son is particularly happy about only having lost one of his last 18 classical games. "That gives him more confidence to face the upcoming challenges," he says.

Asked about the record as the youngest player to score a norm, he says:

"We, as parents, are very proud, but we don't chase records. If they come, they are welcome, but Fausti's goal is to reach the elite of chess, and for that, you don't necessarily have to set records."

In the three weeks since the norm, Fausti has received plenty of media attention at home in Argentina. How does a 9-year-old deal with that?

"We try to make the exposure as gradual as possible, although sometimes it's quite challenging. He likes it when people talk about him in a positive way, but in general, he's not too fond of interviews. Pressure is something that comes with any high-level competitive sport, but he has the mindset of a bull, which makes it easier for him," Alejandro Oro says.

His father has previously talked about how he created an account on Chess.com for his son during the pandemic to prevent him from kicking a ball inside their home during lockdown, which has been essential for his progress. In August, FaustinoOro crossed 2900 for the first time in blitz. He is also creating content for ChessKid.com, where he has been doing a live show called "Fausti el pequeo gigante" (Fausti the little giant) in addition to being an ambassador for ChessKid throughout Latin America.

"I first came across Fausti when he started streaming on his own channel during the pandemic. The only thing worse than my chess skills are my Spanish skills, but even though I didn't understand what he was saying, his energy was infectious! I became a fan right away. Of course, he went on to become a very strong player too; perhaps a generational talent. My only hope is that he doesn't learn English. Otherwise, I'm out of a job for sure," Chesskid's CCO FM Mike Klein said.

Director of ChessKid Espanol, WIM Ivette Garcia Morales, says:

"I met Faustino Oro since at that time IM Jorge Rosito was both of their coaches. I remember Jorge Rosito telling me how talented a 7-year-old student named Faustino was. This was during the pandemic, and at that time both Faustino and I had a show, I remember how impressed I was at that first show."

With an October rating of 2358, Oro is well on the way to breaking 2400 as well. GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov is currently the youngest to cross that mark when he had barely turned 10.5 years old.

He now targets becoming an international master, but the long-term goal is even higher.

"He wants to become a world champion, but the focus is on playing better than yesterday, and achieving that already brings him one step closer to the goal," Alejandro Oro concludes.

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9-Year-Old Dubbed 'Messi Of Chess' Youngest Ever To Score IM Norm - Chess.com

The victors of Titled Tuesday on October 10 were a long-time contender and a first-time winner: GM Dmitry Andreikin took home his 16th victory in the early tournament while GM Eduardo Iturrizaga, who made waves earlier this year by reaching Division I of the Aimchess Rapid, won his first Titled Tuesday in this week's late event.

Both scored 10 points out of 11, although only Andreikin won outright as GM Jose Martinez took a tough-luck second-place finish in the late event.

One of the favorites in the field of 577 was knocked out of contention early on, when GM Alireza Firouzja faced IM Levy Rozman and lost his second game of the first five rounds. (No bonus points were awarded for all four knights occupying all four central squares.)

Meanwhile, one of the other favorites, GM Magnus Carlsen, started out 7/7. However, he lost in two of the next three rounds and the 10th round game against Andreikin ended up effectively deciding the tournament.

In the final round, Andreikin and GM Anton Demchenko made a six-move draw to lock up the top two spots, while Carlsen recovered in just 82 seconds of clock time to grab third place with the best tiebreaks among seven players on nine points.

October 10 Titled Tuesday | Early | Final Standings (Top 20)

(Full final standings here.)

Andreikin won $1,000, Demchenko $750, and Carlsen $350 for their finishes. Rounding out the top five were Martinez in fourth place for $200 and GM Alexey Sarana in fifth for $100. IM Tatjana Vasilevich finished in 16th place on eight points to claim the $100 women's prize.

In the late field of 429, Iturrizaga and Martinez quickly emerged as the top two contenders. After six rounds, they were the last players on perfect scores. Naturally, they faced each other in the seventh round, where it was Martinez who won in a game that got fairly tactical quite early.

Iturrizaga would end up winning all of his last four games, quickly closing the gap with Martinez. Martinez could only make draws in the very next rounds, splitting the point with GM Daniel Naroditsky in the eighth round and GM Nihal Sarin in the ninth.

Iturrizaga would beat both of them, which effectively ended up being the difference in the tournament. His victim was Naroditsky in round nine, and then Nihal in round 11:

Martinez also won in the last two rounds, including against early winner Andreikin in the final round, keeping the tie going. Unfortunately for Martinez, head-to-head is only the fourth Swiss tiebreak, and Iturrizaga edged him out by a point in the first tiebreak.

October 10 Titled Tuesday | Late | Final Standings (Top 20)

(Full final standings here.)

Iturrizaga won $1,000 for his victory while Martinez earned $750 in second place, which on top of his fourth-place prize earlier gave him $950 total. GM Matthias Bluebaum finished third for $350, GM Jaime Santos fourth for $200, and GM Sergei Zhigalko fifth, claiming $100. IM Karina Ambartsumova won the $100 women's prize with a 6.5/11 score.

Chess.com hosts Titled Tuesday every week as two 11-round Swiss tournaments. Open only to titled players, the first Tuesday tournament begins at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time/17:00 Central European/20:30 Indian Standard Time, and the other at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time/23:00 Central European/2:30 Indian Standard Time (next day).

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10/10 Was The Date, 10/11 Were The Scores - Chess.com

Three wins on the fly for GM Daniel Naroditsky in October's Bullet Brawls have left the American commentator in clear second on the all-time leaderboard with seven wins and closing quickly on GM Hikaru Nakamura, who has won the two-hour arena 10 times since its inception in April.

Indonesia's IM Yoseph Taher won $250 for second place and forced Naroditsky to push all the way to the end after streaking to a score of 232, while GM Jose Martinez rounded out the podium and earned $150 for his efforts.

Fresh from her I'M Not A GM Speed Chess Championship group stage victory, IM Polina Shuvalova finished 32nd in the arena and picked up the top female prize of $100 with 80 points to her name. Aspiring master Jason Leverett managed to win the community event, amassing 65 wins along the way.

The next edition of Bullet Brawl will take place on Saturday, October 21, 2023, at 1 p.m. ET/19:00 CEST.

How to review games?The games from October's second Bullet Brawl can be found here.

Strong finishes have typically been the lynchpin in victorious Bullet Brawl performances; however, in October's second edition, it was a 19-game unbeaten streak to kick off the event that put Naroditsky in the box seat.

While the U.S. GM was the top seed, several dangerous GMs including Oleksandr Bortnyk, Matthias Bluebaum, Sergei Zhigalko, and Nihal Sarin, who played the event after drawing his fourth round against IM Aditya Samant at the Qatar Masters, opted to play.

Following his third-place finish in October's first Bullet Brawl, Taher was the only competitor capable of keeping pace with Naroditsky, though, in their games against one another, Naroditsky was able to win all three.

The Blockade Variation of the Old Benoni Defense was the battleground for one of these key top-of-the-table clashes and despite the opening's name, the middle of the board quickly opened up in favor of Naroditsky. With an eight-second advantage on the clock, the now seven-time victor hopped his knights toward Taher's king and won a full rook.

For Taher, the loss took a toll on his momentum and spelled a patchy period while Naroditsky continued steaming ahead.

The winner's run was characterized by high-accuracy games, his trademark tactical speed, and most notably, the ability to sense important moments against the field's highest-rated players. In a game against popular streamer GM Tuan Minh Le, Naroditsky spotted a timely queen move that changed the fate of a game that looked destined to be drawn.

Shuvalova's efforts on Saturday provided a glimpse into what viewers can expect come Monday when the aptly named "Flawless_Fighter" takes on IM Lawrence Trent in the I'M Not A GM Speed Chess Championship Semifinals. Playing NM Dimitry Korol, Shuvalova intuitively found a brilliant move in one second and secured a win up by 20 seconds on the clock seconds later.

A monopoly on October's Bullet Brawl titles would see Naroditsky move to within striking range of Nakamura's all-time wins record of 10. Following the conclusion of the Qatar Masters, it should come as no surprise to see Nakamura return to challenge Naroditsky and defend his mantle.

Standings

Bullet Brawl is an exciting new titled arena that features Chess.com's top bullet specialists and now takes place weekly on Saturdays. The format is a two-hour arena with a 1+0 time control; the prize fund is $1,000.

Much like Titled Tuesday and Arena Kings, Bullet Brawl often features top GMs, including Hikaru Nakamura, Daniel Naroditsky, Andrew Tang, Tuan Minh Le, and many more!

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Naroditsky Wins Third Straight Bullet Brawl - Chess.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) A Rutherford County man is leading the push to make chess an official sport in Tennessee schools.

"We have to do something to help our kids be successful," said Rob Mitchell. "This reaches and resonates with children."

Mitchell is currently the Property Assessor in Rutherford County and has been playing chess since he was 5 years old. He said the board game can teach players critical thinking, problem-solving and strategic planning skills. He said it also serves as a tool that can improve educational performance.

"They can learn to think before they move, and put some conscious effort into their decision making," said Mitchell.

Mitchell made his pitch in a letter to the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA). In the letter, he also stated the International Olympic Committee already recognizes chess as a sport. He said building programs in schools across the state would be cheaper than many other sports.

"We can get a program in statewide for less than it would cost to fund one 5A football squad," said Mitchell.

While he waits for a response from the TSSAA, Mitchell said for the last six months he has already been working to find ways to incorporate chess into more Rutherford County Schools.

"Im just excited about the opportunity of doing something that is novel and creative and inexpensive to change the lives of our communities," said Mitchell.

A spokesperson for the TSSAA said all rules and rule changes are made through member schools and the legislative process. Any member school can submit a proposal for a rule change to the legislative council. The proposal would then be discussed and voted on at a regional meeting, and then go in front of the legislative council.

Mitchell has also started a campaign to raise money to purchase chess boards for students: http://spot.fund/m1mrrsc [spot.fund]

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Should chess be an official sport in Tennessee schools? One man ... - News Channel 5 Nashville

Kazakhstan claimed a one-two finish with Kseniya Balabayeva winning by tiebreak score at the International Chess Federation World Junior Blitz and Rapid Chess Championships.

In the girls blitz tournament at Pula in Italy, there was a one-two for the nation with Balabayeva and Amina Kairbekova both finishing on 8.5 points out of 11.

Thanks to a better tiebreak score, gold went to Balabayeva.

Govhar Beydullayeva of Azerbaijan took the bronze medal with a score of 7.5 points.

The blitz open tournament was won by Mahammad Muradli of Azerbaijan.

Muradli won his opening six games and never looked like being caught from this point as he finished with 9.5 points out of 11 to take gold.

Kazakhstans Arystan Isanzhulov and neutral athlete Arseniy Nestorov finished tied on points behind Muradli, with Nestorov taking bronze courtesy of a better tiebreak score.

In the rapid events, the open category was won by Indias Raunak Sadhwani, who clinched a crucial win in his final game to take the title with 8.5 points.

Behind Sadhwani three players finished with 8 points, with Nesterov taking silver thanks to a superior tiebreak record, finishing as the only unbeaten player in the section.

Dimitris Alexakis of Greece took the bronze medal, while fourth on the same points total was Or Globus of Israel.

In the girls rapid event, victory went to Beydullayeva with a score of 9 points.

Kazakhstan claimed the second to fifth places, with Balabayeva second with 8.5 points.

The podium was completed by her compatriot Zeinep Sultanbek who finished with 7.5 points, holding off Nazerke Nurgali, who finished with the same score, by virtue of a better tiebreak record.

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Balabayeva beats compatriot to gold by tiebreak score at FIDE ... - Insidethegames.biz

The sugar and the flour or cornstarch in the custard will caramelize in the oven, and the result is a pie with a top that's a delicious golden caramel color and slightly crunchy, like a giant crme brle. Underneath the crackly top is a custard that tasteslike vanilla custard with a whisper of citrusy brightness.The buttermilk adds a tangy, unique flavor that balances the sweetness of the custard some recipes call for 2 to 3 cups of sugar. A flaky, buttery, slightly salty pie crust also works to balance the sweetness of a buttermilk pie.

For chocolate lovers, you can add cocoa powder to the custard, for a slightly sweet, deeply rich version of buttermilk chess pie that's almost like eating a brownie. The contrast between the richness of the chocolate and the lightness of the buttermilk is an ideal match. Both the lemon and chocolate versions wouldn't go amiss on a dessert table for the holidays. Luckily, you don't have to serve it warm. San Francisco baker Mary Denham of Blooms End likes chess pie room temperature or even chilled. For her chocolate chess pie, she amplifies the nuttiness of the chocolate with a whole wheat crust and tosses in some cacao nibs for crunch plus another dimension of cocoa flavor.

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What Is A Buttermilk Chess Pie, And What Does It Taste Like? - Daily Meal

Geostrategic chess over NepalKathmandu must deftly balance its own strategic and developmental imperatives as well as its ties with the big threeNew Delhi, Beijing, and Washington.

Last Updated 17 October 2023, 02:12 IST

Nepal's President Bidhya Devi Bhandari shakes hands with China's President Xi Jinping during a welcome ceremony at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal October 12, 2019.

The intense jostling for influence among the Great Powers in strategically located Nepal has once again gained momentum. While China was busy reiterating the benefits of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to visiting Nepalese PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda late last month, the US promptly dispatched Alice Albright, the head of its Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a counter to the BRI, to the Himalayan nation within days of his return from Beijing.

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For a country that adheres to a policy of non-alignment, Nepal increasingly finds itself in the midst of a geo-strategic contest. With its own high strategic stakes in Nepal, India is undoubtedly closely monitoring developments there. Having traditionally held sway over a country with whom it shares a long and porous border, India has seen a significant reduction of its strategic space in Nepal, with China making rapid inroads.

In this complex scenario, Kathmandu must deftly balance its own strategic and developmental imperatives as well as its ties with the big threeNew Delhi, Beijing, and Washington. During Prachandas visit to China, the two sides signed 12 MoUs, but the trip did not yield significant outcomes for either side. Nevertheless, India knows well that Beijings growing presence in the Himalayan nation poses a clear and present threat.

To New Delhis relief, its relations with Kathmandu in the 10 months since the Maoist leader took over as PM have remained stable. However, it understands the need to stay vigilant, as the tide can turn against it at any time. Fickleness and opportunism are the hallmarks of Nepals politics and politicians, adept at playing Beijing against New Delhi. This has complicated Indias position in a country it once considered its strategic backyard.

In an effort to counter Chinese influence in Nepal, Washington has also sought a firmer foothold there. The alignment of India and the US regarding Chinas growing belligerence in the region and the broader Indo-Pacific should aid their common cause to check Beijings expansionist moves in Nepal. Washington has reason to be pleased, having got Nepal on board the $500 million MCC Compact after strenuous efforts.

In sharp contrast, Nepal and China have been unable to finalise the text for the BRI Implementation Plan even six years after the former joined the initiative. Prachandas visit saw the two sides resolve to accelerate discussions on it. Not a single project under BRI has taken off in Nepal since 2017. Under pressure from both the US and India, the realisation that BRI projects often lead to significant debt traps may also be weighing heavily on Kathmandus mind.

New Delhi would also be wary of Beijings latest initiatives: the Global Security Initiative (GSI), the Global Civilisation Initiative (GCI), and the Global Development Initiative (GDI). Mindful perhaps of Indian security interests, Kathmandu has not joined either the GSI, seen as an attempt by Beijing to forge its own security architecture, or the GCI. However, Beijing managed to nudge Nepal into backing the GDI with a joint statement, stating that Nepal supports it and will consider joining it. But this can only be seen as a face-saver at best for Beijing, as Kathmandu has not made a commitment to join it.

Both India and China are also seeking to push ahead with energy cooperation and connectivity projects with the landlocked nation. Nepal, having suffered during the unofficial economic blockade imposed by India in 2015, is keen to explore connectivity projects with China that would reduce its dependence on India. A feasibility study is on for the proposed Jilong/Keyrung-Kathmandu cross-border railway network, despite its seeming impossibility. A beginning has also been made enabling Nepal to receive transhipments from a third country using Chinese portsit got turmeric from Vietnam via the Tianjin port last month.

Redoubling its efforts to keep Nepal within its orbit, India has agreed to import 10,000 MW of power from Nepal in the next decade, even as it invests in the countrys hydropower sector. But the 6,480 MW Pancheshwar hydropower project remains in limbo over a quarter of a century after it was first mooted with the preparation of its feasibility report, headed nowhere.

The fragile coalition Prachanda leads is perhaps one reason for him to be more amenable to New Delhis overtures. With his party, the CPN (Maoist Centre), winning merely 32 seats in the 275-member Parliament, Prachandass government is dependent on the support of the pro-India Nepali Congress, which got 89 seats, for survival. Perhaps it explains why New Delhi-Kathmandu relations have not encountered stormy weather yet. But India can ill-afford to lose steam in Nepal.

(The writer is a senior Delhi-based journalist)

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Geostrategic chess over Nepal - Deccan Herald