Chess World Cup final: 2nd game between Praggnanandhaa, Carlsen ends in draw
Baku, Aug 23: Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa drew the second classical game of the final of the FIDE World Cup against world No.1 Magnus Carlsen here on Wednesday.
The two players settled for a quiet draw in 30 moves after one-and-a-half hours of play in game two.
The champion will be decided in the tie-breaks on Thursday.
Carlsen played a solid game with white pieces against Praggnanandhaa. The teenaged Indian did not face any troubles with black pieces, with the players agreeing to a draw after 30 moves in an equal Bishop ending.
The first game on Tuesday had ended in a stalemate after over four hours of play and 70-plus moves, following which Carlsen said he was a bit under the weather.
The 18-year-old Praggnanandhaa had stunned world No. 3 Fabiano Caruana on Monday via the tie-break in the semifinals to set up a summit clash with Carlsen at the World Cup.
Praggnanandhaa, thus, became the third youngest player after the legendary Bobby Fischer and Carlsen to qualify for the Candidates tournament.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Two Naxalites gunned down in encounter with cops in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur
Bijapur (Chhattisgarh) (PTI): Two Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on Thursday, police said.
The exchange of fire broke out in a forest along the Indravati river in the morning when a joint team of security forces was out on an anti-Naxalite operation, a senior police official said.
After guns fell silent, bodies of two Naxalites, clad in uniform, along with a Self-Loading Rifle, an Insas rifle and a 12-bore rifle were recovered from the spot, he said.
Search operation was still underway, he added.
With this action, at least 25 Maoists have been killed in separate encounters in the state so far this year.
Earlier, 14 Maoists were gunned down in two encounters on January 3 in the Bastar region, which comprises seven districts, including Bijapur.
Last year, 285 Maoists were killed in various encounters with security forces in Chhattisgarh.
The Centre has set a deadline of March 31 this year to eradicate Left-Wing Extremism from the country.
