Gukesh downs Abasov, joins Nepomniachtchi at the top

TORONTO: Grandmaster D Gukesh grabbed a share of the lead alongside Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi by becoming the only Indian to post a win in the fifth round of the FIDE Candidates Chess Tournament, outwitting Azerbaijan’s Nijat Abasov in a hard-fought contest here.

With nine rounds still to come in the double round-robin event, the 17-year-old Gukesh and Nepomniachtchi share the top spot with 3.5 points and they are followed by top-seeded American Fabio Caruana half a point behind.

American Hikaru Nakamura was the other winner on the day against Firouza Alireza of France while Indian teen R Praggnanandhaa played out a draw with overnight sole leader Nepomniachtchi.

Vidit Gujrathi also put an end to his losses by settling for a draw with Caruana. Praggnanandhaa and Nakamura share the fourth spot with 2.5 points followed closely by Gujrathi on two points. Alireza and Abasov share the last position on 1.5 points apiece.

In the Women’s competition, nothing changed in terms of standings with all the four games ending in draws.

Praggnanandhaa’s sister R Vaishali could not dent the defence of Anna Muzychuk and Koneru Humpy recovered with a draw against Aleksandra Goryachkina of Russia.

Lagno, Vaishali and Salimova shared the third spot with 2.5 points, half a point ahead of Humpy, Muzychuk and Lei.

Gukesh started off with the King pawn and faced the Petroff defense.

The Indian ensured a complex middle game and had an edge right till the time the players hit the first time control. However, on the 40th move, Gukesh erred and what seemed like a walk-in-the-park became a tough game,

Abasov fought hard and was close to a draw by the 80th move but a blunder by the Azerbaijani on the 83rd cast the die decisively in Gukesh’s favour with an extra pawn in the queen and pawn endgame.

The game lasted 87 moves and went on for a marathon six hours.