Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand played out a draw with France’s Maxime Vachier- Lagrave to remain in joint lead after round eight of the Sinquefield Cup on Friday, PTI reported.
Anand played his last white game in the tournament against Vachier-Lagrave as the game ended in a draw.
Besides Anand and Vachier-Lagrave, Levon Aronian of Armenia also ensured he remained in the joint lead on five points after he was held to a draw by Peter Svidler of Russia.
Sergey Karjakin of Russia was the only winner of the day after he beat of Wesley So of United States. World Champion Magnus Carlsen also drew with Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi.
The all-American duel between Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura also ended with a draw.
With three leaders on five points, Carlsen and Karjakin on 4.5 points apiece, the last round will reveal the winner of the fifth edition of the competition. Anand will play Wesley So in the last round. Carlsen will play with white against Aronian in a must-win game.
Vachier-Lagrave is the only leader who plays with white pieces in the final round and he has been pitted against Nepomniachtchi. Karjakin meets Nakamura again in a must win situation.