Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi defeated Dutch GM Benjamin Bok in the fourth round of the Isle of Man International Chess Tournament to jump into joint top spot with six others on Tuesday.
Gujrathi, only the fourth Indian to cross the 2700 ELO rating barrier, needed just 40 moves to force Bok to surrender following a Ruy Lopez opening in which the Indian played with black pieces.
This was Gujrathi’s second successive win after a surprise draw against German International Master Jonas Lampert in the second round. Among the other Indians in fray, former world champion Viswanathan Anand, playing black, settled for a quick 30 move draw against Alexei Shirov to remain in joint second spot with 3 points at the end of the fourth round.
B Adibhan joined Anand in the group of 27 other chess players on second spot after beating compatriot IM Nihal Sarin in 64 moves while S P Sethuraman survived a 95-move challenge against GM Hikaru Nakamura to steal half a point. GM Swapnil Dhopade played a quick draw against Sergei Movsesian to take his point tally to 3 points.
However, GM D Harika suffered her first reversal in the tournament, losing Laurent Fressinet in a King-Queen end game.