FIDE Grand Prix: Harikrishna suffers first loss

The World No. 22 went down to Li Chao of China in the eighth round.

P. Harikrishna will face Dimitry Jakovenko of Russia in the next round.

P. Hari Krishna’s unbeaten run in the Grand Prix chess championship ended following a 57-move loss to China’s Li Chao in the eighth and penultimate round here on Friday.

The defeat also dashed Hari’s hopes of being a potential champion in the event where he shared the lead more than once. Hari now shares the fourth spot with five others at 4.5 points.

Playing black, Hari sacrificed a pawn to reach a balanced position. But soon Hari erred in judgement by moving his knight instead of the light-coloured bishop. Sensing danger, Hari offered a draw which his Chinese rival declined. Hari’s position gradually worsened and Li Chao tightened the noose.

Teimour Radjabov drew with Alexander Riazantsev to stay in the lead with 5.5 points. The results: Eighth round: Li Chao (Chn, 4.5) bt P. Hari Krishna (4.5); Teimour Radjabov (Aze, 5.5) drew with Alexander Riazantsev (Rus, 4.5); Alexander Grischuk (Rus, 5) drew with Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Aze, 4.5); Ian Nepomniachtchi (Rus, 5) bt Levon Aronian (Arm, 3.5); Boris Gelfand (Isr, 4) drew with Pavel Eljanov (Ukr, 4); Dmitry Jakovenko (Rus, 4) drew with Ernesto Inarkiev (Rus, 3.5); Hou Yifan (Chn, 2.5) lost to Anish Giri (Ned, 4.5); Richard Rapport (Hun, 2) lost to Michael Adams (Eng, 4.5); Salem Saleh (UAE, 2) drew with Peter Svidler (Rus, 4).