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Harikrishna or Liem - Who will win Prague Chess Masters 2022?

by Shahid Ahmed - 17/06/2022

Pentala Harikrishna scored an important victory in the penultimate round against the UAE no.1 Salem Saleh. This win put him in the championship contention with Liem Quang Le. Both of them are now at 5.5/8. It all comes down to the final round and how each of them fare. Harikrishna will face Spain no.2 David Anton Guijarro and Liem will go against Spain no.1 Francisco Vallejo Pons. Harikrishna also moved to India no.2 and World no.27 once again in the live ratings. Final Round 9 starts today at 11 a.m. local time (2:30 p.m. IST). It will be either Harikrishna or Liem who will win the Prague Chess Festival 2022 Masters. Photo: Petr Vrabec/Prague International Chess Festival

Harikrishna climbs to India #2 and World #27

Vidit Gujrathi's search for the first win of the event continues as he made seventh consecutive draw. He is now at 3.5/8. Meanwhile, Sasikiran is at 50% score 4/8 at fourth place currently.

Harikrishna had a well contested draw with Liem | Photo: Petr Vrabec/Prague International Chess Festival

Masters Round 8: Salem - Harikrishna: 0-1

Pentala Harikrishna (2701) scored a very nice win against the UAE no.1 Salem Saleh (2679).

Position after 17...Nxc5

White should have retreated his rook to a3. Instead, he stayed true to his style and opted for 17.Re1. Harikrishna played the precise move 17...Nxc5 clearing up the seventh rank, so that 18.Bd6 is met by Ra7. Even 17...bxa4 would have also been winning for Black, 17...Nxc5 is more definitive.

Harikrishna beats Salem with cool defence | Video: ChessBase India

Challengers Round 8: Sasikiran - Abdusattorov: 0.5-0.5

Krishnan Sasikiran (2635) had a solitary opportunity against the regining World Rapid champion, Uzbekistan no.2 Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2661).

Position after 26...b5

27.Nxb5 Bxb5 28.cxb5 keeps White's chances. However, the game continued 27.Re7 bxc4 28.Bxc4 and the game eventually ended in a draw.

Prague International Chess Festival 2022 Masters Round 7 Live Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India
Prague International Chess Festival 2022 Masters Round 8 Live Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India

Replay Round 7-8 Masters games

Replay Round 7-8 Challengers games

Schedule

The Round-Robin tournament will take place from 8th to 17th June 2022. Every day except the last round, games will start at 3 p.m. local time (6:30 p.m. IST). Sunday 12th June is a rest day. The ninth round game on 17th June will start at 11 a.m. local time (2:30 p.m. IST).

Masters Round 8 results

Bo.No.Rtg NameResultName RtgNo.
1102692
GMAnton Guijarro David½ - ½GMMaghsoodloo Parham
27169
212681
GMNavara David½ - ½GMShankland Sam
27188
322610
GMNguyen Thai Dai Van½ - ½GMVallejo Pons Francisco
27037
432709
GMLe Quang Liem½ - ½GMVidit Santosh Gujrathi
27236
542679
GMSalem A.R. Saleh0 - 1GMHarikrishna Pentala
27015

Round 9 pairings

Bo.No.Rtg NameResultName RtgNo.
152701
GMHarikrishna PentalaGMAnton Guijarro David
269210
262723
GMVidit Santosh GujrathiGMSalem A.R. Saleh
26794
372703
GMVallejo Pons FranciscoGMLe Quang Liem
27093
482718
GMShankland SamGMNguyen Thai Dai Van
26102
592716
GMMaghsoodloo ParhamGMNavara David
26811

Complete pairings

Standings after Round 8

Rk.SNo NameFEDRtgPts. TB1  TB2  TB3 
15
GMHarikrishna PentalaIND27015,50,521,004
23
GMLe Quang LiemVIE27095,50,521,003
32
GMNguyen Thai Dai VanCZE26104,50,016,503
48
GMShankland SamUSA27184,50,015,755
51
GMNavara DavidCZE26814,50,015,503
67
GMVallejo Pons FranciscoESP27034,00,014,505
76
GMVidit Santosh GujrathiIND27233,50,514,255
89
GMMaghsoodloo ParhamIRI27163,50,513,005
94
GMSalem A.R. SalehUAE26792,50,08,003
1010
GMAnton Guijarro DavidESP26922,00,08,504

Details

Challengers Round 8 results

Bo.No.Rtg NameResultName RtgNo.
1102564
GMHracek Zbynek0 - 1GMWarmerdam Max
26139
212675
GMKeymer Vincent½ - ½GMStocek Jiri
25418
322635
GMSasikiran Krishnan½ - ½GMAbdusattorov Nodirbek
26617
432598
GMPechac Jergus0 - 1GMKrzyzanowski Marcin
25356
542678
GMNiemann Hans Moke1 - 0GMMichalik Peter
25775

Round 9 pairings

Bo.No.Rtg NameResultName RtgNo.
152577
GMMichalik PeterGMHracek Zbynek
256410
262535
GMKrzyzanowski MarcinGMNiemann Hans Moke
26784
372661
GMAbdusattorov NodirbekGMPechac Jergus
25983
482541
GMStocek JiriGMSasikiran Krishnan
26352
592613
GMWarmerdam MaxGMKeymer Vincent
26751

Complete pairings

Standings after Round 8

Rk.SNo NameFEDRtgPts. TB1  TB2  TB3 
17
GMAbdusattorov NodirbekUZB26615,51,020,505
24
GMNiemann Hans MokeUSA26785,51,020,253
31
GMKeymer VincentGER26755,51,019,753
42
GMSasikiran KrishnanIND26354,00,513,253
59
GMWarmerdam MaxNED26134,00,512,255
66
GMKrzyzanowski MarcinPOL25353,52,014,505
73
GMPechac JergusSVK25983,51,014,253
88
GMStocek JiriCZE25413,50,014,755
910
GMHracek ZbynekCZE25642,50,09,754
105
GMMichalik PeterCZE25772,50,08,754

Details

Time Control

The time control is 90'/40 moves + 30'/end & 30"/move.

Links

Official site

Prague Chess Festival: fbtwitter, instagram and youtube