World championship challenger Indian Grandmaster D. Gukesh played out a thrilling draw with Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi to be tied second after the second round of the Sinquefield Cup, the final event on the Grand Chess Tour this year.

After a relatively easy draw with reigning world champion Ding Liren of China, Gukesh had an exciting match against Nepomniachtchi out of a Catalan opening game on Tuesday.

The Indian stood marginally better for the major part as white pieces.

But Nepomniachtchi, who has won the Candidates’ tournament twice, stayed put with some fine defence and counter-attacks to steer the game to a draw in the knight and pawns endgame.

The game lasted 60 moves.

Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa also stayed in the hunt after a draw with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France.

It was another Italian opening game as black for the Indian who did not get any chance against a solid Vachier-Lagrave.

The pieces got traded at regular intervals and the players arrived at a rook and pawns endgame that offered no chances.

After a lone decisive game in the opening round wherein Alireza Firouzja of France defeated Fabiano Caruana of United States, the second round witnessed an all-draws day.

Firouzja drew with Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan and Dutchman Anish Giri signed peace with Ding Liren.

In the other game of the $3,50,000 prize money tournament, the all-American duel between Wesley So and Caruana was also drawn.

Firouzja remained in front with 1.5 points in his bag leaving eight players behind him on one point each.

With a half point in his kitty, Caruana is currently at the bottom with seven rounds still remaining in the 10-player round-robin tournament.

On Monday, Gukesh held reigning world champion Ding Liren of China to a draw.

The clash resembled more of a shadow boxing match than a genuine contest, as both Gukesh, the World Championship challenger, and Liren avoided revealing their true preparations for their upcoming World Championship battle later this year.

The Italian opening met with some usual response and Liren’s attempt to complicate matters through a king side attack met with a cold-water treatment.

In the end, the Chinese decided to end the game through perpetual checks after sacrificing a Bishop and a rook.

After a rather disappointing show in the Saint Louis rapid and blitz tournament where he finished last, Praggnanandhaa made some amends here taking a draw with Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan in his opening game.

PTI