 "Chess World Cup: Vidit Gujrathi advances to fifth round; R Praggnanandhaa bows out")
Sochi: India No 3 Vidit Santosh Gujrathi registered a 2-0 win over Jeffrey Xiong on Friday to advance to the fifth round in the FIDE Chess World Cup. However, the good run of teenaged Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa ended with a 0.5-1.5 defeat to Frenchman Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in the fourth round. The French GM came back strongly after having drawn the first game with a 33-move win in the second to send the highly-rated Indian prodigy packing. Gujrathi, riding high after a good win in Thursday’s first game, sealed a spot in the fifth round with a 43-move victory over his American opponent in a Pillsbury Defence opening. The 15-year old Praggnanandhaa (Elo rating 2608), playing in his maiden World Cup, had posted three impressive wins, including one over veteran Michal Krasenkow in the third round, before Vachier-Lagrave proved his superiority. Tournament favourite and world No 1 Magnus Carlsen of Norway was held to a draw in the second game by Radoslaw Wojtaszek (Poland) and the two will play a tie-break on Saturday.
Vidit Gujrathi registered a 2-0 win over Jeffrey Xiong on Friday to advance to the fifth round.
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