Anand, Vidit take quick draws, stay half-point behind four leaders

Carlsen nailed Shakhiryar Mamedyarov for a late error after Giri became the first player to score three wins.

Viswanathan Anand.

As expected, Viswanathan Anand and joint-overnight leader Ian Nepomniachtchi were engaged in a drawn encounter in the sixth round of the Tata Steel Masters chess tournament in Wijk Aan Zee on Friday.

When the action resumed after a day of rest, Anand settled for a quick 22-draw with the Russian, who played with black pieces.

A little earlier, Vidit Gujarati signed peace in just 18 moves with USA’s Samuel Shankland. Anand and Vidit are on 3.5 points.

Joining Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren in the lead at four points were the triumphant duo of Magnus Carlsen and Anish Giri.

Carlsen nailed Shakhiryar Mamedyarov for a late error after Giri became the first player to score three wins following his 44-move victory with black pieces against Poland’s Jan-Krzysztof Duda.

In the Challengers section, R. Praggnanandhaa (2.5 points) recorded his fifth successive draw after A 35-move deadlock with Germany’s Elizabeth Paehtz.

Sixth-round results:

Viswanathan Anand (3.5) drew with Ian Nepomniachtchi (Rus, 4); Vidit Gujarati (3.5) drew with Samuel Shankland (USA, 2.5); Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 4) bt Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Aze, 2.5); Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Pol, 2.5) lost to Anish Giri (Ned, 4); Ding Liren (4) drew with Teimour Radjabov (Aze, 3); Jorden van Foreest (Ned, 2) bt Vladimir Fedoseev (Rus, 2); Richard Rapport (Hun, 2.5) drew with Vladmir Kramnik (Rus, 2).