Lindores Abbey Rapid Challenge: Nakamura in semifinals, victorious Liren draws level

Hikaru Nakamura became the first semifinal entrant at the Lindores Abbey Rapid Challenge while Liren drew against Yangyi to force a decider on Wednesday.

File photo of Hikaru Nakamura during the Tata Steel Rapid & Blitz chess tournament in Kolkata.

Hikaru Nakamura packed off Levon Aronian by handing out a 3-1 drubbing and became the first to enter the semifinals of the $150,000 Lindores Abbey Rapid Challenge on Monday.

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Ding Liren levelled his match score at 1-1 against Chinese compatriot Yu Yangyi, following a 2.5-1.5 win. Yangyi had won the first mini-match. The deciding mini-match will be played on Wednesday. In the second set of four mini-matches, Nakamura won the first game, drew the next two and punished a desperate Aronian in the final game for a comprehensive victory. Nakamura now awaits the winner of the Magnus Carlsen-Wesley So quarterfinals. In the other match of the day, Liren took the lead by winning the opening game and proved equal in the next two. In the fourth, he took a draw after establishing a clearly superior position.

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Quarterfinal-results: Second mini-match: Hikaru Nakamura (USA) bt Levon Aronian (Arm) 3-1; Ding Liren (Chn) bt Yu Yangyi (Chn) 2.5-1.5.