Praggnanandhaa, Arjun finish joint-fifth in Meltwater Champions Tour Finals

Magnus Carlsen, already assured of the title, maintained his all-win record by beating Jan-Krzysztof Duda 3-1 and received $50,000.

Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa defeated compatriot Arjun Erigaisi 2.5-0.5 in the seventh and final round to finish fifth in the Meltwater Champions Tour Finals. | Photo Credit: VELANKANNI RAJ B

R. Praggnanandhaa ended Arjun Erigaisi’s fightback and a three-match winning run as the two Indians shared the fifth spot in the $210,000 Meltwater Champions Chess Tour Finals on Sunday.

In the seventh and concluding round, Praggnanandhaa won 2.5-1.5 to match Arjun’s tally of nine points. The teenagers collected $22,500 each.

Magnus Carlsen, already assured of the title, maintained his all-win record by beating Jan-Krzysztof Duda 3-1 and received $50,000.

READ |Meltwater Champions Tour Finals: Erigaisi stuns Liem Le, Carlsen crushes Praggnanandhaa

Wesley So finished runner-up despite losing 3-4 to last-man Anish Giri.

Praggnanandhaa took the lead with black pieces in 49 moves by exploiting Arjun’s blunder committed on the 28th turn.

After a 58-move draw in the second game, Arjun hit back in the third after Praggnanandhaa blundered on the 17th move and resigned on the next.

Undeterred by the reverse, Praggnanandhaa returned strongly for the fourth game and controlled the proceedings from the 14th move. Arjun could not elude his younger rival’s grasp and eventually resigned on the 56th move.

Final standings:

1. Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 20 points, $50,000), 2. Wesley So (USA, 13, $32,500), 3. Liem Le Quang (Vie, 11, $27,500), 4. Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Pol, 10, $25000), 5-6. R. Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi (9 each, $22,500 each), 7-8. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Aze, 6, $15,000) and Anish Giri (Ned, 6, $15,000).