The Fide World Cup semi-final contest between grandmasters R. Praggnanandhaa and Fabiano Caruana failed to produce a winner on Sunday and now the duel will be decided through a tiebreak in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Monday.
The winner of the Praggnanadhaa-Caruana battle will face Magnus Carlsen in the final.
Carlsen, a former world champion, needed only a draw against Nijat Abasov on Sunday to move to the final as he had emerged victorious in Saturday’s opening game with white pieces.
Caruana, who was playing with black pieces on Sunday, managed to gain an advantage against Praggnanandhaa and put the 18-year-old Indian under pressure in the endgame.
But Praggu, like he did on Saturday, held his defences well to thwart the American grandmaster. The players agreed on a draw after 47 moves.
Praggnanandhaa is the first Indian after Viswanathan Anand to reach the semi-finals of the Fide World Cup. He was the only one of the four Indian grandmasters who had made the quarters to qualify for the semis after a victory over compatriot Arjun Erigaisi.
Speaking after the end of the day’s play, Caruana said that he expects a tough challenge from Praggnanandhaa on Monday. “I think in both games I was pressing. Probably in the first game, I had the biggest chance. Today (Sunday) I had a very pleasant position. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow (Monday). It’s going to be close I am sure.”