Grandmaster Pendyala Harikrishna again drew with 2001 finalist GM Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine and forced the match into the tie-breaker in the second round of the World Chess Championship in Tripoli, Libya, on Tuesday.
International Master Neelotpal Das also continued with his good form and held Grandmaster Ashot Anastesian to a draw for the second time in succession in the two-game mini match.
Along with Harikrishna, Neelotpal will also now play in the tiebreak games with Anastesian to determine who goes in to the next round.
The Indian challenge in the championship commenced with five players but stalwarts Krishnan Sasikiran, Dibyendu Barua and Surya Shekhar Ganguly had bowed out in the first round itself.
Top seeded GM Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria proceeded to the third round with back to back victories over compatriot Alexander Delchev.
Also moving to the next round was Romanian Liviu-Dieter Nisipainu, who drew his second game against Dutch GM Sergei Tiviakov after winning the first.
Harikrishna was in for a pleasant surprise in the opening itself as Ivanchuk went for the exchange variation of the Slav defence playing white.
Slow and steady manoeuvres ensued from both sides and subsequent exchange of pieces led to a level minor pieces endgame where Harikrishna had little difficulty in securing the balance. The draw was agreed to in 47 moves.
Neelotpal almost gave a ouster threat to Anastesian as he held a much better position for the major part of the game that witnessed the Caro Cann defence.
Playing white, the Indian won a pawn in the opening itself but did not succeed in controlling his opponent's counter play with the Bishop pair in the endgame.
After 41 moves, there was not much left to play for and the peace was signed.
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