CHINA TOPIX

05/05/2024 06:27:47 am

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Chess News: Wang Hao Maintains Top Spot with Draw Against Alexie Shirov

Wang Hao

(Photo : gettyimages.com) GM Wang Hao of China maintains the top spot at the 4th Al Ain Chess Classic

Grandmaster Wang Hao of China maintains the first position with a draw against Alexei Shirov of Latvia who remains in the second position. Meanwhile, Chinese GM Zeng Chongseng and Indian GM Abhijeet Gupta won their games to catch up a half point behind after six rounds of the 4th Al Ain Chess Classic at the Hili Reyhaan Rotana Hotel in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

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According to Gulf Today, the second seed of the tournament GM Wang stayed in solo lead with 5.5 points followed by the former world championship finalist Shirov, at 5 points.  

Wang is a former Chinese national champion. His first major tournament win was in the 7th Dubai Open in April 2005. In year 2007, he won the GACC Tournament.  He came in second place in the Asian Individual Championship held in Philippines after Zhang Pengxiang in September 2007.

According to Chessgame.com, Wang's finest moment so far has come with his outright victory in the Grandmaster Tournament at the 2012 Biel Chess Festival ahead of outright second placed Magnus Carlsen of Norway, after winning his last round game against Anish Giri. 

The other matches among leaders were drawn. Mchedlishvili used the Queen's Gambit Declined to draw with Libiszewski in 32 moves. Lalith drew with Kryvoruchko in 25 moves of a Queen's Indian Defense. Pantsulaia used the King's Indian Classical defense to draw with Pashikian in a marathon 71 moves after six hours of play.

Gupta and Zeng are tied at 4.5 points each together with six others, namely top seed Yuriy Kryvoruchko of Ukraine, Arman Pashikian of Armenia, Fabien Libiszewski of France Lalith Babu of India and Mikehil Mchedlishvili and Levan Pantsulaia of Georgia.

According to Gulf News, there are 9 players that are currently tied with 4 points each and 16 players follow at 3.5 points each in the race for $57,000 in cash prizes for the Masters event. A record 56 GMs and 5WGMs are among the 127-man field from 33 different countries have participated in the tournament.

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