Harikrishna back in top-20 of world rankings

CHENNAI: Grandmaster P Harikrishna - who finished second in the overall standings at the Biel

chess

festival in Switzerland on Wednesday - will be back in the top-20 of world rankings. The 34-year-old will be ranked 20th when the new

FIDE

rankings are announced next month.


Despite falling short of the top spot - clinched by Poland's Radoslaw

Wojtaszek

- Harikrishna was pleased with his performance. Wojtaszek ended on 37 points, just 0.5 more than Harikrishna. "It was great to play on the board after 5 months. I played 35 games in total in this tournament. Usually, I would be tired after playing these many games but not this time. I am quite happy with my play in classical games and to be able to win four games in a row. With those 4 victories, I have come back in top-20," Harikrishna told TOI on Thursday.

Harikrishna believes the tournament could serve as a blueprint for how over-the-board competitions will be conducted in the near future. "The organisers had placed a plexiglass partition between the players for all the events. There were many other measures which were followed during the course of the competition such as social distancing, regular hand washing, disinfection of boards, pieces and clocks after every round," he added.

Harikrishna will next be part of the online

chess Olympiad

where India are seeded seventh. India will be beginning their campaign in the top division from August 21. "Indian team will be one of the favourites in the tournament. Of course, when you play online, you have to be mindful of the internet and mouse slip," said Harikrishna.