Gupta, Bu locked in draw at Chess World Cup

CHENNAI: With white, young Abhijeet Gupta was probably expected to get more than a draw in the first game of his third-round match against Bu Xiangzhi of China in the Chess World Cup at Khanty-Mansiysk on Saturday.
But considering that he is almost 50 points below the Chinese in rating and his position in the game was not exactly conducive for taking chances, the draw was a fair result.It is imperative that he strikes with black on Sunday, like he did in his second-round match against Shankland to avoid going into the tiebreaker.
In Slav defence, Gupta tried to break free with an exchange sacrifice on move 21, but Bu did not take it. Taking a pawn on move 39, the Chinese tried to promote his pawn along the kingside but in the end in a rook and knight ending after 48 moves, the extra pawn was not enough for the Chinese.
The contest of the day was between top seed Sergey Karjakin of Russia and the top woman Judit Polgar of Hungary, with a rating difference of almost 90 points. However, the lady had the last laugh with a powerful attack against the Berlin Wall in a king and pawn ending. All that Judit needs from her reverse game with white on Sunday is a draw for her to advance to the fourth round.
"It is a decent year. I won the bronze at the European Individual championship in France and am very happy about it. I am also satisfied with the level of my play," said Judit Polgar about her wins in 2011.
Emil Sutovsky of Israel had reckoned that only luck would help him get the better of Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine in the third round as in the previous 12 meetings between them, he had lost six games and managed six draws. On Saturday, it was his turn the break the jinx with black in 40 moves of Sicilian defence. Chucky was two pawns up in a rook and minor piece ending but Sutovsky's connected pawns on the queenside were too powerful to be stopped.
Results (Round 3, Game 1): Judit Polgar (Hun) bt Sergey Karjakin (Rus); Leinier Dominguez (Cuba) bt Igor Lysyj (Rus); Gata Kamsky (US) bt I Nepomniachtchi (Rus); F Caruana (Ita) drew with P Svidler (Rus); R Ponomariov - Z Efimenko ; Le Quang Liem (Viet) drew with L Bruzon (Cuba); E Tomashevsky (Rus) drew with V Gashimov (Aze); ME Parligras (Rou) drew with Peter Nielsen (Den); V Ivanchuk (Ukr) lost to E Sutovsky (Isr); A Gupta (Ind) drew with Bu Xiangzhi (Chn); E Bacrot (Fra) drew with T Radjabov (Aze); Y Zherebukh drew with S Mamedyarov (Aze); V Potkin (Rus) drew with N Vitiugov (Rus)