Ian Nepomniachtchi Extends Lead After Marathon Win Against Vidit Gujrathi
The Candidates Chess tournament concluded another intriguing round of action with major shifts in the standings. Leading the charge was Russian GM Ian Nepomniachtchi, who pulled ahead as the sole leader after outlasting India's Vidit Gujrathi in an epic marathon battle.
Playing with black pieces, Nepomniachtchi showed tremendous resilience against Gujrathi's strategy, navigating through crucial middlegame phases to eventually gain the upper hand in the ending. His victory propels him to 7 points, leaving no room for errors in the business end of the event.
India's Pragguanandaa could not continue his dream run, falling to a scheming Hikaru Nakamura who is making his charge felt. The American veteran secured his sixth win to climb within half a point of the lead pack.
Meanwhile, 17-year-old sensation Gukesh had to settle for a draw against world no.2 Fabiano Caruana, despite holding the advantage for large parts of the matchup. His stalemate keeps him in contention alone in second place.
Alireza Firouzja gained another crucial full point by defeating Nijat Abasov. Over in the women's tournament, India's Koneru Humpy shared the point with Tan Zhongyi while Vaishali caused an upset over Nurgyul Salimova.
With just three rounds remaining, the fight at the top promises even more excitement. Nepomniachtchi will look to maintain his slim advantage, while others eye up opportunities to seize control of quest for the 2024 Candidates crown.
