Anish Giri held on to his position at the top but overnight joint leader Maxime Vachier-Lagrave lost the last four rounds to tumble out in the league phase of $150,000 Chessable Masters on Tuesday.
At the completion of 10 rounds, Giri topped the tally with six points, including one against Ding Liren who lost internet connection in drawn position and was later declared ‘lost on time’.
After a day’s rest, in the quarterfinals, Magnus Carlsen faces Fabiano Caruana, Liren plays Hikaru Nakamura, Vladislav Artemiev meets Ian Nepomniachtchi and Alexander Grischuk clashes with Giri.
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The Chinese (5.5 points) bounced right back and took second place jointly with Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi, who lost their encounter due to a ‘mouse-slip’. Fabiano Caruana made it at the expense of Vachier, the day’s favourite ‘whipping boy’.
Vachier started the day in joint lead with Giri and the two drew their game. Thereafter, it proved a freefall for the Frenchman as he lost to Radjabov, Caruana, Liren and Ian Nepomniachtchi.
Caruana (5) took the fourth spot and made it to the quarterfinals — just half-a-point ahead of Radjabov — following a final-round draw with Giri.
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The results:
Group ‘B’: (10th round): Anish Giri (Ned, 6) drew with Fabiano Caruana (USA, 5); Teimour Radjabov (Aze, 4.5) drew with Ding Liren (Ch, 5.5); Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra, 3.5) lost to Ian Nepomniachtchi (Rus, 5.5); Ninth: Nepomniachtchi drew with Giri; Caruana drew with Radjabov; Liren bt Vachier; Eighth: Radjabov drew with Giri; Liren bt Nepomniachtchi; Caruana bt Lagrave; Seventh round: Giri bt Liren; Vachier lost to Radjabov; Nepomniachtchi bt Caruana.
Quarterfinal line-up: Magnus Carlsen (Nor) vs Fabiano Caruana (USA); Ding Liren (Chn) vs Hikaru Nakamura (USA); Vladislav Artemiev (Rus) vs Ian Nepomniachtchi (Rus); Alexander Grischuk (Rus) vs Anish Giri (Ned).