Biel International Chess Festival: Pentala Harikrishna labours to hard-fought draw in third round

Biel: Indian Grandmaster Pentala Harikrishna played out a hard-fought draw against former World No. 2 Alexander Morozevich of Russia in the third round of the 50th Biel International Chess Festival here.

The World No. 20 Indian, playing with black pieces, made an error in the initial stages of the game and had to pull out his best defensive strategy against the Russian to maintain parity in the encounter.

“I made an error in the opening stages of the game and had to be at my defensive best, but as the game went on. He made an error which gave me the advantage and made the game very interesting and complicated at the same time,” the 31- year-old from Guntur said.

As the game went on both the players had to repeat moves and settle for a draw after 41 moves.

After three rounds in the tournament, Harikrishna was placed joint second with a total of one and a half points, half a point away from the table toppers.

He will take on Swiss Grandmaster Noel Studer in his fourth-round encounter.