Vidit, Praggnanandhaa eye quarterfinal spots at Charity Cup

Vidit Gujrathi and R. Praggnanandhaa kept alive their chances of reaching the quarterfinals of the $150,000 Charity Cup rapid online chess tournament after holding the eighth and ninth spots on the penultimate day of the league rounds.

File Photo of Vidit Gujrathi.

Vidit Gujrathi and R. Praggnanandhaa kept alive their chances of reaching the quarterfinals of the $150,000 Charity Cup rapid online chess tournament after holding the eighth and ninth spots on the penultimate day of the league rounds on Monday.

 

Vidit (18/36) won twice and drew the other two games. Praggnanandhaa (17/36) started the day by losing to second-placed Magnus Carlsen but drew twice before beating China’s Lei Tingjie. Harikrishna’s chances of making the top-eight bracket from the 16-player field ended following a seventh successive draw. Three more rounds remain.

Overnight leader Le Quang Liem (27/36) stayed ahead despite losing to Ding Liren in the 12th round.

The results (involving Indians): (12th round): P. Harikrishna drew with Vidit Gujrathi; Lei Tingjie (Chn) lost to R. Praggnanandhaa; (11th round): Vidit bt Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Pol); Praggnanandhaa drew with Richard Rapport (Hun); Ju Wenjun (Chn) drew with Harikrishna; (10th round): Hans Moke Niemann (USA) drew with Vidit; David Navara (Cze) drew with Praggnanandhaa; Harikrishna drew with Le Quang Liem (Vie); (9th round): Ju Wenjun (Chn) lost to Vidit; Praggnanandhaa lost to Magnus Carlsen (Nor); Gawain Jones (Eng) drew with Harikrishna.