Grandmaster D Harika made a good comeback, defeating Marcel Peek of Holland, while Abhijeet Gupta suffered another setback, losing to Ori Kobo of Israel in the fourth round of Poker Masters Isle of Man Chess tournament underway here.
On what turned out to be a good day, Harika used her opportunities well to put it across Peek out of a Dutch defense game and the Indian is now back in the hunt in the 18000 Pounds Sterling prize money tournament.
For Gupta things did not happen yet again as per plans after he went awry in the middle game and lost to seventeen-year-old Kobo, who played black.
Maxime Vachier Lagrave of France meanwhile continued with his winning ways and outplayed Mark Hebden of England on the top board. The French Grandmaster's fourth victory helped him stay in sole lead and he is now followed by Daniel Fridman of Germany, Mihail Marin of Romania and Sergei Tiviakov of Holland on 3.5 points apiece.
While Harika took her tally to 2.5 points Gupta has now fallen behind in the race with just two points in his bag. The former world junior champion now needs a few victories to come within striking distance of the leaders.
Harika went for complications right from the word go as Peek employed a side variation in the Dutch defence as black.
The middle game saw players castling on opposite flanks and Harika's attack on the king gave her a piece. However, it was far from over as Peek got a few pawns as compensation and some counter play too and Harika had to wait a long time before she could convert to a winning endgame. The final position was picturesque when Harika delivered checkmate on her 60th turn.
It was more difficult for Gupta, who went for the English opening as white. Kobo chose the symmetrical system and Gupta admitted he made an early mistake to let black equalise easily.
It was still not easy for Kobo with opposite colour Bishops on board but this was his day as Gupta lost another couple of pawns. In the end the Israeli parted with a piece and had as many as four pawns that clinched the issue after 70 moves.
Important results round 4: Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra, 4) beat Mark Hebden (Eng, 2.5); Jonathan Hawkins (Eng, 3) drew with Michael Adams (Eng, 3); Gabriel Sargissian (Arm, 3) drew with Anatoly Vaisser (Fra, 3); Sergei Tiviakov (Ned, 3.5) beat Gil Popilski (Isr, 3); Abhijeet Gupta (Ind, 2) lost to Ori Kobo (Isr, 3); D Harika (Ind, 2.5) beat Marcel Peek (Ned, 1.5).
