Chess

Skilling Open: Vidit Gujrathi goes down to Sergey Karjakin

After being in a promising position in the sixth round, Vidit loses his way and the game against Karjakin; Anish Giri continues to lead.

Rakesh Rao Rakesh Rao
NEW DELHI 24 November, 2020 17:18 IST

Vidit Gujrathi is currently placed 15th in the 16-played field.   -  Rajeev Bhatt

Rakesh Rao Rakesh Rao
NEW DELHI 24 November, 2020 17:18 IST

Vidit Gujrathi rallied to force four draws after slipping to defeat against Sergey Karjakin on the second day of the Skilling Open online chess tournament on Monday.

ROUND FIVE REPORT

After being in a promising position in the sixth round, Vidit (3.5 points) lost his way and the game against Karjakin. Thereafter, Vidit proved equal to Hikaru Nakamura, Quang Liem Le, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Wesley So.

With five rounds to go, Vidit is placed 15th in the 16-player field. He faces an uphill task of breaking into the top-eight for a place in the knockout phase.

Half-point lead for Giri

Overnight leader Anish Giri held on to his half-point lead after drawing all five games on Monday. Magnus Carlsen, half-a-point behind Giri, got his queen trapped against Sergey Karjakin in the day’s final round and lost.

The results
  • 10th round: Vidit Gujrathi (3.5) drew with Wesley So (USA, 6); Anish Giri (Ned, 6.5) drew with Teimour Radjabov (Aze, 5); Sergey Karjakin (Rus, 4.5) bt Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 6); Hikaru Nakamura (USA, 5.5) bt Ian Nepomniachtchi (Rus, 5.5) Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra, 5.5) drew with Levon Aronian (Arm, 4.5); Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Pol, 3) bt Alireza Firouzja (FIDE, 5); Ding Liren (Chn, 6) bt David Anton (Esp, 5); Quang Liem Le (Vie, 4.5) bt Peter Svidler (Rus, 4).
  • Ninth round: Vidit drew with Vachier; Carlsen drew with Giri; So bt Quang; Nepomniachtchi drew with Karjakin; Radjabov lost to Ding; Anton bt Duda; Svidler drew with Nakamura; Firouzja bt Aronian.
  • Eighth round: Quang drew with Vidit; Giri drew with Nepomniachtchi; Ding drew with Carlsen; Aronian drew with Anton; Vachier drew with Friouzja; Nakamura drew with So; Duda lost to Radjabov; Karjakin drew with Svidler.
  • Seventh round: Vidit drew with Nakamura; Svidler drew with Giri; Carlsen bt Duda; Radjabov bt Aronian; Anton lost to Firouzja; So drew with Karjakin; Quang lost to Vachier; Nepomniachtchi drew with Ding.
  • Sixth round: Karjakin bt Vidit; Giri drew with So; Aronian drew with Carlsen; Vachier bt Anton; Firouzja lost to Radjabov; Ding drew with Svidler; Nakamura lost to Quang. Duda lost to Nepomniachtchi.

Standings (after 10 rounds)
  • 1. Giri,
  • 2-4. Ding, Carlsen, So,
  • 5-7. Nakamura, Vachier, Nepomniachchi,
  • 8-10. Radjabov, Anton, Friouzja,
  • 11-13. Quang, Aronian, Karjakin,
  • 14. Svidler,
  • 15. Vidit,
  • 16. Duda.

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