Candidates chess: Nepomniachtchi takes sole lead in Round 5

Nepomniachtchi is in the lead with 3.5 points after earning a full point against China's Wang Hao. Vachier -Lagrave is placed second wiith three points.

Ian Nepomniachtchi took the sole lead at the Candidates chess tournament.

Ian Nepomniachtchi of host Russia became the first player to take the sole lead when he made China's Wang Hao pay the price for a terrible blunder in the fifth round of the Candidates chess tournament.

Nepomniachtchi, who had shared the lead overnight with Hao and France's Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, took his tally to 3.5 points. Vachier-Lagrave is placed second with three points. Nine rounds remain.

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The Nepomniachtchi-Hao was the only game that produced a decisive result. The other three games were drawn.

Hao, who adopted his trusted Petrov's Defence, was placed comfortably placed until he erred on the 32nd move. He went on to lose a piece, and the game 11 moves later.

The results (fifth round):

Anish Giri (Ned) 2 drew with Fabiano Caruana (US) 2.5; Alexander Grischuk (Rus) 2.5 drew with Ding Liren (Chn) 2; Kirill Alekseenko (Rus) 2 drew with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra) 3; Ian Nepomniachtchi (Rus) 3.5 bt Wang Hao (Chn) 2.5.