Airthings Masters: Aronian misses winning opportunity, Maxime wins third successive game

For the third place, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave won this third successive game to take a 1-0 lead in the second set against Daniil Dubov.

Levon Aronian plots a move. (File Photo)

Trailing by a set, Levon Aronian missed a possible winning opportunity and then escaped defeat by perpetual checks against Teimour Radjabov in the drawn 42-move opening game of the second set of their title-clash in the $200,000 Airthings Masters online rapid chess tournament.

Radjabov, who broke a string of three draws to win the fourth game of the first set on Saturday, had two rooks and a bishop against Aronian’s queen but could not find a way to escape perpetual checks.

 

For the third place, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave won this third successive game to take a 1-0 lead in the second set against Daniil Dubov.

On Saturday, Dubov won the first two games to move within a draw of taking the first set.

 

But thereafter, Dubov continued to play as though he was facing a must-win situation, took too many chances and let Vachier bounce back to take the third and fourth games.