Sharjah chess: Pendyala Harikrishna finishes second

Pendyala Harikrishna justified his billing to finish second at the Sharjah World Stars online chess tournament.

Harikrishna finished with 6.5 points.

Pendyala Harikrishna justified his billing to finish second at the Sharjah World Stars online chess tournament. Azerbaijan's Mamadyerov Shakhriyar also lived up to his potential as he emerged champion.

The top seed scored 7.5 points from 10 rounds and was the only unbeaten player in the double round-robin tournament. Harikrishna finished with 6.5 points.

The top two seeds had come face to face in the eighth round. That game was drawn but the Indian was able to keep his hopes alive after defeating Saleh in the ninth round.

He, however, lost his final round game to Wojtaszek, while Shakhriyar survived anxious moments before overcoming Saleh.

The standings:

1. Mamadyerov Shakhriyar (Aze) 7.5; 2. Pendyala Harikrishna (Ind) 6.5; 3. Radoslaw Wojtaszek (Pol) 6; 4. Rustam Kasimdzhanov (Uzb) 5.5; 5. Salem Saleh (UAE) 3; 6. Bassem Amin (Egy) 1.5.