Harikrishna tallied six points

Bermuda: Indian GM Pentalya Harikrishna won his final-round match against GM Bartlomiej Macieja to emerge joint winner with GM Boris Gelfand in the Bermuda invitational chess tournament.

Harikrishna and Israel?s Gelfand tallied six points each in this category-17 double round-robin tournament.

Ukrainian champion Andrei Volokitin and Lenier Dominguez of Cuba tied for the third spot a full point behind the joint winners, while Giovanni Vescovi of Brazil finished fifth (4.5).

Macieja (3.5) finished bottom of the table.

The 14 Elo rating points Harikrishna earned from the tournament will take him to 2646 ? just four shy of the coveted 2650-mark.

Gelfand remained the only unbeaten player, winning two and drawing eight games including the last round against Dominguez. Harikrishna registered three victories and six draws, beside losing to Gelfand.

It was a commendable performance by the Hyderabad-based GM who had to win the last two rounds to catch up with an almost out-of-reach Gelfand.

In an exciting duel with Macieja, Harikrishna ? who had defeated the Polish GM in their first clash ? played uncompromising chess with black against the Guico Piano and was suitably rewarded for his effort as his rival went astray.

It was not only the clock that troubled Macieja thereafter as Harikrishna launched a powerful attack all over the board and the Pole found some temporary solace in sacrificing two pieces for a rook.

However, with some very good manoeuvres Harikrishna managed to turn the tide decisively in his favour. Macieja lost his rook for bishop before resigning after 40 moves.

Gelfand had little trouble in securing the draw he wanted against Dominguez.

Playing the black side of a Petroff defence, Gelfand traded both his knights in one of the popular variation of the set-up and subsequent exchanges of heavy pieces led to a queen and minor piece endgame which was just level.

Final Standings

B. Gelfand (Isr, 6), P. Harikrishna (Ind, 6); L. Dominguez (Cub, 5), A. Volokitin (Ukr, 5); G. Vescovi (Bra, 4.5); B. Macieja (Pol, 3.5). (PTI)